USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 32
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 32
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On January 16, 1894, Mr. Merriam was married to Mrs. Lucelia A. (Andrews) Cum- mings, who was born in Woodstock, this county, January 21, 1848. Her parents, Jon- athan and Pamelia (Dunham) Andrews, re- spectively natives of Paris and Woodstock, are farming people, and reside on their homestead in Paris .. Mrs. Merriam's first husband was Daniel L. Cummings, who died March 23, 1880, leaving her with one child, Ethelyn A., who was born August 14, 1879. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
ILAS H. NILES, a well-known merchant, farmer, and cattle dealer of Jay, and a member of the Maine legislature, was born here January 15, 1845, son of Varanes and Mehitable (Har- ris) Niles. Mr. Niles's grandfather, Jacob Niles, was a lifelong resident of Randolph, Mass. Grandmother Niles, after Jacob's death, married Nathaniel Jackson, of Easton, Mass., and came to reside in Jay in 1810.
Varanes Niles was born in Randolph, De- cember 8, 1802. He accompanied his mother to Jay, and resided for the rest of his life upon the farm now owned by his children. Besides carrying on the farm he dealt quite exten- sively in live stock and real estate. He died May 18, 1878. His first wife, Mehitable, who was born in Greene, Me., September 10, 1803, had nine children, as follows: Eunice A., who died October 31, 1895; Sullivan, who is a member of the firm of Niles Brothers, pork packers of Boston; Harriet, who is now the widow of O. G. Kyes, and resides in North Jay ; J. Harris, a member of the firm of Niles Brothers; Louville, who is with his brothers in Boston; Eliza M., who resides at the home- stead ; Silas H. (first), who died at the age of two years; Silas H. (second), the subject of this sketch ; and Eugene M., who is now a whole- sale and retail beef dealer at 27 Faneuil Hall Market, Boston. Mr. Niles's mother died July 8, 1893, at the advanced age of ninety years.
Silas H. Niles acquired his education in the common schools of Jay, and the academies in Wilton and Livermore, and the Edward Little Institute at Auburn. After leaving school he engaged in agriculture upon the homestead farm, where he has always resided. In 1868 he entered a mercantile business at North Jay, as a member of the firm of Leland & Niles. Five years later he bought his partner's inter- est in the store, which he has since conducted alone. He also does a large business as a buyer and shipper of fruit and cattle, which he markets in Boston. On his farm of three hun- dred acres, which he has greatly improved, in addition to the usual crops he raises some ex- cellent stock. He is also a dealer in real estate, owning some valuable property in the neighboring towns. All his business interests are in a most flourishing condition.
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In politics he is an active supporter of the Republican party. Although averse to public office for lack of time to attend to its duties, he was prevailed upon to accept nomination for Representative to the legislature in 1894, and was elected. Mr. Niles is unmarried. He and his sister, Miss Eliza M. Niles, continue to occupy the homestead. Both attend the Universalist church, in the work of which he takes an active interest.
ILLIAM H. WHITCOMB, of Nor- way, formerly a merchant and real estate dealer, now retired, is a native of Bethel, Me. He was born April 24, 1840, son of William A. and Mary A. (Har- ris) Whitcomb. His grandfather, Abraham Whitcomb, who was born in Massachusetts in the year 1765, came from Harvard, in that State, to West Waterford, Me., and there took up a tract of wild land, which he cleared and converted into a productive farm. Abraham Whitcomb married Miss Sally Atherton, by whom he had five sons and three daughters; namely, Abraham, Isaac, Calvin, Polly, Sarah, Joel, William A., and Betsey.
William A. Whitcomb, the seventh child and youngest son of his parents, was born in 1816. His wife, Mary, was the only daughter of Cap- tain John Harris, of Bethel, formerly of West- brook, Me. After his marriage he settled in Bethel, purchasing Hotel Bethel, at Bethel Hill, which he conducted until his death, at the age of twenty-seven years, a victim of con- sumption. He was survived by his wife and an only son, William Henry Whitcomb. In 1858 Widow Whitcomb was married to William Frost, a merchant and enterprising business man of Norway, and the father of two children. These children found in her a loving mother, and in their father a wise counsellor. Mr Frost was one of the founders of the Norway National Bank and later the President. In his own business, being careful and conservative, he acquired a comfortable fortune. Two chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Frost, but both died in childhood. She was sixty-six years old when she died, on March 14, 1882.
William Henry Whitcomb, who was thir- teen years old when he came with his mother
to Norway, completed in the schools of this town the education begun in Bethel. On ar- riving at manhood he, in company with Will- iam Frost, under the firm name of Whitcomb & Frost, started a small general store, which subsequently became one of the largest in the town. Upon Mr. Frost's retirement from business Mr. Whitcomb took as a partner F. S. Oxnard. Some years later he purchased Mr. Oxnard's interest and took in Thomas Smiley. Subsequently he disposed of his in- terest to his partner, and retired from mer- cantile life. His handsome residence, 73 Main Street, was built by Mr. Witherell, and with nearly all its contents was consumed in the destructive fire of 1893. On that occasion also he lost two stores and a tenement-house. He still owns two single and two double houses. Few, if any, have taken greater pride than he in the progress of the town of Norway. He was active in the promotion and establish- ment of the Norway Water Works, in which he owns an interest ; and he has held the office of President since the organization of the com- pany in 1887. He was also the largest stock- holder and the chief promoter in the enterprise of erecting the Opera House Block. His in- vestments have not been confined to Norway, but projects calculated to advance the town have always had the preference.
In 1861 Mr. Whitcomb was married to Miss Ivah T. Hatch, a daughter of John and Emma (Blowers) Hatch. Her father was born in New Gloucester, Me., whence in 1855 he came to Norway, and soon took his place among its most enterprising and progressive farm- ers. Mrs. Whitcomb, who was born August 18, 1842, died September 1, 1895. She left one daughter, Isabella, born July 27, 1866, now residing with her father. Her son, Henry E., born June 24, 1862, lived but a few months; and another daughter, Mary E., born October 5, 1864, died September 24, 1865. In politics Mr. Whitcomb has always been a stanch Democrat. A Republican district elected him in 1875 to the lower house of the State legislature. He has served the town as Selectman and Assessor for a number of years. He is a member of Oxford Lodge, No. 18, A. F. & A. M. ; of Mount Vernon Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Portland; of
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Portland Commandery, Knights Templars; a charter member of Norway Lodge, No. 16; and belongs to Wildey Encampment, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.
OSEPH E. CONANT, a prosperous and respected farmer of Peru, was born October 13, 1847, on the farm that is still his home, son of Daniel L. and Mary A. (French) Conant. Joseph Conant, his paternal grandfather, came to Peru when the town had but few settlers, and here spent the remainder of his life, successfully engaged in general farming. He married Miss Lucinda Turf, by whom he became the father of nine children, six sons and three daughters, all of whom reached maturity. He died at the age of sixty-five years, and she at ninety-one.
Daniel L. Conant, who was a native of Bowdoinham, Me., born September 25, 1807, spent his life on his farm. On coming of age he purchased it, paying the balance left due with his earnings from working out by the month on neighboring farms. A thorough farmer, he took pride in his well-tilled fields. In religion he was a Universalist, and in poli- tics a Republican. He died on July 1, 1883, aged seventy-six years. On May 31, 1840, he married Mary A. French, who was born April 10, 1818, in Windham, Me. By her he became the father of four children, namely : Harriett A., born March 31, 1841, who died April 17, 1869; Olive M., born January 25, 1843, who is the wife of Hiram E. Stillman, of Peru; Joseph E., the subject of this sketch ; and William H., born June 6, 1849, who mar- ried Georgia Oldham, and is a tinsmith at Rumford Falls. The mother resides with her son, Joseph E.
After completing his education, which was acquired in the schools of Peru, Joseph E. Conant followed the calling of teacher. He has since been engaged in agricultural pur- suits. To-day he is the owner of the home- stead farm, which he has increased to two hundred and seventeen acres. He carries on general farming and dairying with profit, keep- ing eleven high-grade Jersey cows. In relig- ious belief he is a Universalist, in political affiliation a Republican.
On June 18, 1871, Mr. Conant married Miss Emma J. Shea, who was born in Bath, Me., September 6, 1853. Her parents, Nathan and Susan Shea, now deceased, both attained the age of seventy-four years. Her father was a seafarer in early life, but his last years were spent in farming. Of his ten children, three are living. Mr. and Mrs. Conant have three children, namely: George H., born Jan- uary 13, 1874; Daniel H., born January 26, 1879; and Daisy M., born July 30, 1890. All are living at home.
AMES W. BUTTERFIELD, of Phil- lips, a Trial Justice of Franklin County for the past twenty-one years and the Treasurer for some time of the Phillips Savings Bank, was born here, Novem- ber 7, 1828, son of Otis and Lovicy (Whitney) Butterfield. The Butterfield family is of Eng- lish origin. Mr. Butterfield's grandfather, Jesse Butterfield, a native of Tyngsboro, Mass., and a farmer, joined the Continental army at the beginning of the Revolution, and served until after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, participating in the battle of Bunker Hill and being present at the surrender of Burgoyne. In religious belief Jesse Butter- field was a Universalist. He died at Farming-
ton, Me., at the advanced age of ninety-three.
Otis Butterfield, who was born in Farming- ton and there grew to maturity, came to Phil- lips in early manhood, and engaged in farming and worked at brick masonry. A member of the Democratic party, he was elected to a num- ber of offices, including those of Selectman, Assessor, and Overseer of the Poor. He was a member of the Free Will Baptist church ; and he died October 26, 1874, aged seventy-four years. His wife, a native of Freeport, Me., to whom he was married in the town of Free- man, bore him five children. Of these, three are living - Cordelia L., Henry M., and James W., all residents of Phillips. Of the others, Hiram, born September 28, 1826, a man of strong character and pleasing manners, was a public school teacher in Bangor for a number of years. He was prominent in Ma- sonic circles, and was Master of Blue Moun- tain Lodge, No. 67, of Phillips. At the time
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of his death, which occurred in his thirty-ninth year, he was Chairman of the Board of Select- men of this town.
James W. Butterfield was educated in his native town, finishing his studies at the high school. For twenty years after he left school he was engaged in agriculture in this town. He then abandoned that occupation in order to give more attention to his other interests and to his public duties. He has been for twelve years a member of the Board of Trustees of the Phillips Savings Bank, was the President in 1 886 and 1887, and has been Treasurer since September, 1895. He was also a Director of the Union National Bank of this place for three years, and for the past three years he has been Treasurer of the Phillips Village Corpora- tion. An esteemed member of the Republican party, he has held the office of Town Treasurer for eleven years; and he served as a member of the Maine Board of Agriculture in 1883, 1884, and 1885.
Mr. Butterfield was married May 19, 1862, to Miss Mary Wright, daughter of Josiah Wright, of Phillips. Of the children that came of the union, a daughter, Eva L., is living. She is the wife of Hildreth S. Staples, of Dixfield, Me. Mr. Butterfield and his family attend the Free Will Baptist church.
RLANDO IRISH, the proprietor of a general store in Hartford, where he has conducted a successful business for many years, was born in this town, June 22, 1836, son of Edmund and Nancy (Ricker) Irish. Grandfather Tobias Ricker was a soldier in the Revolution, serving in Washington's body-guard. Edmund Irish, Sr., the paternal grandfather, and a native of Gorham, Me., was one of the very first settlers in this town. He spent the remainder of his days here, engaged in farming and clearing his land. During the War of 1812 he was in ac- tive service. When he died he was eighty- seven years of age. Bertha (Keen) Irish, his wife, lived to be eighty-one years old. They were the parents of five children.
Edmund Irish, who was a native of Hart- ford, spent his life chiefly occupied in farm- ing. Respected for the success with which
he managed his own affairs, his opinion was often sought in matters pertaining to the wel- fare of his town, and his services were availed of in the capacities of Selectman and Treasurer. In the old State militia he was a drummer, and served in the Aroostook War. He was a Uni- versalist in religious belief, and in politics he affiliated with the Republicans. He died in Hartford, eighty-seven years of age. His wife, Nancy, a native of Buckfield, Me., died at fifty-five. Of their five children Mary Ann, who was the wife of A. P. Bonney, of Buckfield, died in 1860, leaving three chil- dren. The others are: Melissa B., the wife of George Wells, of South Weymouth, Mass .; James Irish, residing in Hartford; Decatur Irish, on the old homestead in Hartford; and Orlando, the subject of this sketch.
Orlando Irish spent his boyhood in his na- tive town, receiving his education in the com- mon schools. At nineteen he went to South Framingham, Mass., where he learned the trade of a hatter, and was in the employ of George Richardson & Brother thirteen years. He then returned to Hartford, and in 1888, with his brother James, opened a general store, which, excluding an interval of three years, has been profitably conducted since. The stock comprises an excellent assortment of goods, which are sold at very reasonable prices.
On February 4, 1865, Mr. Irish was joined in marriage with Lizzie H. Forbes, who was born in Buckfield, daughter of Jonah Forbes. Two sons have been born to them, namely: Edgar C. Irish, who married Lena M. Rob- bins, and is now a lumberman in Hartford; and Leon O. Irish, living at home. Mr. Irish is an adherent of the Republican party. He and Mrs. Irish are Universalists; and he is a member of Whitney Lodge, No. 167. A. F. & A. M .; also of the order of Good Templars.
ATHANIEL HARDING, a well-known prosperous resident t of New Sharon, Me., was born here on the 29th of November, 1828, the son of Nehemiah and Abigail (Ames) Harding. He bears the name of his earliest ancestor in this
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country, Nathaniel Harding, first, who came from England at an uncertain date, and settled in Massachusetts.
Ephraim Harding, son of Nathaniel, first, was the father of Nathaniel, second, who was in the transport service during the Revolu- tionary War, and who came to New Sharon from Cape Cod in 1788, at the age of thirty- two years. With him he brought his wife, Hannah, daughter of Lemuel Newcomb, of Wellfleet, Mass., and three children. His principal reason for migrating was to keep his sons from desiring to go to sea. They trav- elled by schooner to Hallowell, and from that point journeyed on foot to New Sharon, carry- ing what they could bring on their backs. Upon arriving at New Sharon they made their temporary home with Deacon Howes for the period of one year, Mr. Harding acquiring one hundred acres of wild land, which he cleared and built upon during this time. His first house was a log cabin; but later he built a better house a little farther up the road, where the family lived, and where Mr. Hard- ing carried on general farming and worked at the trade of a cooper. He was a man of prom- inence among his fellow-citizens, and held several minor town offices. The date of his death was October 6, 1834. Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Harding, second, were the parents of nine children - Jemima, Richard, and Eliza- beth, all born in Truro, Cape Cod; Hannah ; Phoebe; Eunice, deceased; Nathaniel, Jr. ; Nehemiah ; and Eunice, second.
Nehemiah Harding, who appears to have been the youngest son of his parents, was edu- cated at the district schools of his native town and at the Farmington Academy. He com- menced teaching school as soon as he had completed his educational course and while he was yet in his teens, teaching quite a num- ber of terms until he was twenty-one, when he succeeded to the homestead, and took care of his parents for the rest of their lives. He married Abigail, the daughter of Noyes Ames, of Mercer. She was born in 1803, and died September 29, 1872, at the age of sixty-nine years. Her husband died one year before she did, on December 30, 1871, at the age of seventy-five, he having been born in 1796. They were the parents of seven children,
namely : Nathaniel, of whose life and ancestry this is a slight sketch; Hannah; Mary R. ; Phœbe A .; John L .; Benjamin A. A .; and Caroline E.
Nathaniel Harding, the first-born of the seven, obtained his education in the common schools of his native town of New Sharon, and at the age of sixteen went to Hallowell to work in a carpet factory, where he remained for four years, his first wages being only ten dollars a month. Coming back to New Sharon after this experience, he learned the trade of shoemaking, at which he worked for two years in this town, three years in Stark, and two years in Norridgewock. On his return to New Sharon after these last five years of absence, he bought out the shoe factory of John Trask, where he has carried on the man- ufacturing business ever since.
When he first started in this business Mr. Harding employed twelve hands. He was burned out in 1858, and went into the general merchandise business with George Perkins in a store owned by Mr. Perkins. Here he car- ried on business for two years, until he could make good the losses he sustained by the fire. In 1862, however, after dividing the business profits with Mr. Perkins, he rebuilt his factory on the same old foundations, and employed fifteen hands. In 1886 he again enlarged his factory by one-half, and took in David J. Jordan as his partner. He now employs thirty-five workmen. Mr. Harding built in 1890 a large three-story building, which he rented to George H. Brown, a prominent coat manufacturer of New Sharon, who still does business here.
Mr. Harding never did confine his efforts to his shoe manufacturing alone, but has always been active in one or more different branches of business. During the year 1862 he was associated with Mr. Morrill in the general merchandise trade; and later he was with W. W. Norcross in the same business for a period of five years.
He is known as one of the most progressive and energetic men in this part of the State, as well in the interests of his town and his fellow-citizens as in his own. "
At one time, in order to have plenty of water-power to run his factory with, he bought
GEORGE W. CARROLL.
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the Beard & Dyer mill, which he now rents out as a shingle-mill, retaining all his rights over the use of the water-power for purposes of manufacturing. He owns the finest river farm in this section of the State, and has re- paired the old and built improved new build- ings upon it, making it a beautiful as well as a lucrative country place. His step-son, John Childs, now resides on the farm. Mr. Hard- ing also owns the old homestead of his father, where he has set out an orchard of one thou- sand fine young grafted fruit-trees. He is likewise a large owner of real estate in Port- land, Me., where he made his first purchase in 1885, buying the double tenement-house at 155 Congress Street. Later he bought three houses on Howard Street, also three houses on Congress Street ; and close to the last house, No. 81, he owns a fine lot, where he is now building a large three-story tenement-house. Besides this amount of real estate in Portland, he owns quite a little more in connection with his partner, Mr. Jordan.
Mr. Harding was married on the 18th of November, 1856, to Mrs. Naomi S. Childs, the widow of J. H. Childs, of New Norridge- wock - who died at the age of twenty-seven -and the daughter of William and Abigail (Waugh) Hilton, of Anson. Her father was engaged in the meat business; and he served as Sheriff and also as Selectman, being one of the best known and most liked residents of the place. Mr. and Mrs. Hilton were the parents of ten children - Jonas; Bethsheba; Alden; Anson; Samantha S .; Calvin; James W. ; Lucy A .; Naomi S., now Mrs. Harding ; and Sarah. Mr. Hilton died in 1841 at the age of sixty-four. His wife died in 1862, at the age of seventy-seven.
Mr. and Mrs. Harding have had one child, Lila M., who was born on the 21st of Febru- ary, 1862, and who died in 1875. Mrs. Hard- ing has a son, John Childs, born of her first marriage, who is one of the most prominent young men in the town. Notwithstanding Mr. Harding's wealth and his high social po- sition, he is a very modest man. He does not go into politics, and belongs to only one fraternal organization, being a member of Somerset Lodge, Royal Arch Masons, at Skowhegan, Me.
EORGE W. CARROLL, M.D., of Brownfield, Me., though one of the youngest physicians in the locality, has already attained prominence, and added to the lustre of his alma mater, the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Boston, Mass. He was born on Prince Edward Island, April 7, 1866, and is a son of John and Christie (Cousins) Carroll, both of that place. John Carroll is in active business as a builder and carriage-maker. He and his wife have been blessed with a family of seven children, five of whom are now living, all well educated. They are: William, a carpenter residing in Portland, who married a Miss Brundige; Zena, wife of Arthur McDonald, of Prince Edward Island; George W., the subject of this sketch; John, a brakeman on the railroad : Ida, who is with her parents; Peter, the sixth child, died at the age of sixteen ; and Minnie, the seventh, died at the age of seventeen.
George W. Carroll left home at the age of fifteen, and went to live with an aunt in Port- land, Me. While there he worked in a drug store for some time, and also studied medicine for two years; and he subsequently spent two years in Boston engaged as clerk in a drug store, and also employed in a hospital. In this way he became familiar with the character and use of drugs and medicines and the aspects of disease; and when he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons he had a valuable store of practical knowledge, which materially aided him in pursuing the college curriculum. Receiving his diploma on December 31, 1895, he soon had a large and lucrative practice, his success being something unusual. . Dr. Carroll first located at Bryant's Pond, Oxford County, and in 1895 purchased the home in Brown- field which he now occupies. He has a re- markably large practice in Brownfield and vicinity, and also carries a line of drugs and medicines.
Dr. Carroll was married January 16. 1894. to Miss Dollie Frost, of Bryant's Pond, daughter of Samuel and Alvira (Gallison) Frost. Mr. Frost, who is a veteran of the late war, has been for years engaged in farm- ing, and is now retired. Dr. Carroll is a stanch Republican in politics. He has an at- tractive personality, and has made many
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friends in this section. Mrs. Carroll is a member of the Universalist Church at Bryant's Pond.
ILBRIDGE G. WHEELER, the owner of a fine farm in the town of Bethel, was born here, July 8, 1825, son of Joseph and Olive (Gage) Wheeler. Joseph Wheeler, Sr., grandfather of Elbridge G., born in Temple, N.H., in 1766, came from there to Bethel in 1793. His brother, Sam- uel, who came with him to this county, set- tling in Gilead, was a Revolutionary patriot.
Joseph Wheeler was a native of Langdon, Sullivan County, N. H. When but four years old he was brought to Bethel by his parents, and the remainder of his life was passed in this town. He engaged in farming with a fair degree of success, and up to within three weeks of the close of his long life of eighty- three years was able to attend to his usual avocations. In early life he was a Democrat or Whig, and supported the Republican party after its formation. His wife, who was born in Bethel, and spent her life here, died at the age of sixty-six years. Her father, Daniel Gage, a native of Concord, N. H., enlisted for the Revolutionary War at the age of sixteen, and served five years and nine months. He was advanced to the rank of Sergeant. Some time after, General Washington called him from the ranks, and publicly thanked and com- plimented him for his bravery in picking up a flag, whose bearer had been killed on the field, and carrying it during the remainder of the engagement. Soon after the close of the war he came to Bethel, purchased a farm, and was successfully engaged in farming through- out the rest of his life, which lasted eighty-six years. Joseph Wheeler and his wife had nine children, all of whom except one attained ma- turity.
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