USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 36
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 36
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Timothy H. Chapman was bereft of his mother when but one year old. He obtained his education in the district school, and grew to a robust manhood among the scenes of farm life. When he was twenty-five years of age his father gave him forty acres of land for his own use. After living on this little planta- tion for a number of years he returned to the old homestead, which he inherited; and there he has since made his home.
Mr. Chapman was married in September, 1843, to Miss Sarah Newell, of Bethel, who died in 1862, leaving five children. These were: Banister N., now a farmer, residing on the old homestead; Fannie, who died at the age of thirty-six; Hervey W., a Presbyterian clergyman in Lakeport, Cal .; Florence E., the wife of P. L. Watts, of Portland, Me .; and Alice C., the wife of William Doring, of North Dakota. Mr. Chapman contracted a second marriage in 1863 with Mrs. Martha B. (Newell) Upton, widow of Tilden Upton. She had two children by her first marriage. By Mr. Chapman she has a daughter, Bessie K., who is teaching in a college in North Dakota. A Republican in politics, Mr. Chapman is esteemed by both parties. He was on the Board of Selectmen two years; and he had been Tax Collector for fourteen years, when he resigned that office. The Bethel Grange counts him among its most prominent Patrons of Husbandry. He has been a mem- ber of the Congregational church since he was
a young man. He served the society in the capacity of Deacon for more than twenty years, and was superintendent of the Second Congre- gational Church Sunday-school, on the north side of the river, for a while.
ON. HILTON MCALLISTER, of Stoneham, Oxford County, is a worthy representative of two of the oldest and most respected families of the vicinity. The son of Eastman and Phœbe (Parker) McAllister, he was born in Stoneham, October 1, 1834. His grandfather, Samuel McAllister, moved from Conway, N. H., to Lovell, this county, when Eastman was quite young, and settled on a farm, which he tilled for a number of years. Subsequently Samuel moved to Stoneham, where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife, also a native of Conway, whose maiden name was Mary Ordway, after rearing with him twelve children, likewise died in Stoneham.
Eastman McAllister was born in Conway, N.H. He became a resident of Stoneham when twenty-one years of age, and two or three years later settled on the farm now occu- pied by his son. An enterprising and indus- trious man, he was engaged in farming and lumbering almost up to the time of his death, which happened January 16, 1895. He was then fourscore and four years of age. His wife, to whom he was married when twenty- three years of age, was born in Lovell town- ship, May 15, 1811, daughter of Joseph and Hannah M. (Ames) Parker. Her grandfather, the great -grandfather of Hilton McAllister, was James Parker, of Hanover, Mass., one of the early settlers of Fryeburg, this county, and a member of the intrepid band who fol- lowed the Indians from Fryeburg to Bethel on a memorable occasion. After spending the most of his life in Fryeburg he died in Lovell. Joseph Parker, the maternal grand- father, who was born in Fryeburg, after his marriage moved to Lovell, where he was en- gaged in farming for some time. In 1816 he came to Stoneham, Me., taking up his resi- dence on a farm in the northern part of the town. Some years later he went to East Stoneham village, where he spent his declin-
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ing years with his children, and died in 1864. His wife, Hannah M. (Ames) Parker, was a native of Tamworth, N. H. Their daughter, Mrs. Eastman McAllister, is now living with her son Hilton. She is a remarkably intelli- gent lady, and, though eighty-five years of age, is well preserved and appears much younger. She is the mother of three children, namely: Levi, a farmer in East Stoneham; Hilton, the subject of this sketch; and Mary E., deceased, who was the wife of Henry C. Cobb, now of Boston.
Hilton McAllister acquired his early educa- tion in the district school near his home in Stoneham. He remained on the homestead, helping his parents until about thirty years of age. Then he worked for seven months in a cotton-mill in Lowell, Mass., and for four months in a cotton-mill in Lawrence, Mass. He then returned home, and spent the follow- ing year in lumbering near Richardson Lake, Me. Eventually he took charge of the home- stead, which, with the many improvements he has made, is now reckoned one of the most beautiful farms in the locality. His real es- tate contains about three hundred acres of land, much of it arable. He carries on farm- ing and dairying with success, and profitably employs his winters in lumbering.
On January 1, 1874, Mr. McAllister was married to Ella M., daughter of Lyman and Mary (Fellows) McKeen. She was born in Lovell, March 17, 1858. Her father, who was a farmer of Lovell, was one of the Maine vol- unteers who died in the late war. Her mother lives in North Lovell, and is now the wife of Stephen Coffin. Mr. and Mrs. McAllister have had two children. Their daughter, Abbie W., who was born November 6, 1874, died April 7, 1896. Sidney H., their son, who was born August 23, 1876, is still shel- tered by the parental roof-tree. Mr. Mc- Allister is a Republican, and takes an active interest in politics. He has been Selectman of the town for a number of years, has served as Town Clerk and Town Treasurer, and he represented the district in the State legis- lature in 1872. He is a Knight of Pythias, belonging to Hiawatha Lodge, No. 49. Both he and Mrs. McAllister are members of the Christian church at Lovell Centre.
ERDEIL O. WHITE, M.D., a rising young physician and surgeon with a large practice in East Dixfield and the adjacent towns, was born in Wilton, Me., October 13, 1866, son of James O. and Zerua E. (Walker) White. Dr. White is a descend- ant of Rand White, who resided in Spencer, Mass., and was a millwright by trade.
Rand White's four sons, Deacon James, Darius, Francis, and John, penetrated the wilderness of Maine, settling upon the tracts of wild land in Penobscot County, twenty-five miles north of Bangor; but Deacon James White, who was Dr. White's great-grandfather, later removed to Dixfield, Oxford County, where he cleared and improved a large farm. He was one of the early settlers and progres- sive farmers of this locality, whose efforts served to open the way for its development as an agricultural region; and he resided here until his death, which took place when he was fifty-six years old. His wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Kenney, lived to reach the age of seventy-six. Their children were: Drewry C., Rand, Tamar, Julia, Nelson, James, Nancy, Mary, Jane, and Ruby.
James White, Dr. White's grandfather, son of Deacon James, was born near Blakesburg, Penobscot County, Me., October 31, 1806. He came to Oxford County with his father; and at the age of twenty-one he bought a farm in Dixfield, upon which he made his start in life. Later in life he owned other farms, the largest being the Daniel Tucker farm of two hundred and fifty acres, upon which he erected a large house and barn. Selling that property he purchased a smaller farm, still known as the White place, where he resided until retir- ing from active labor in 1889. Since that time he has made his home with his grandson. Dr. White; and, although fast approaching his ninetieth birthday, he is active, both phys- ically and mentally, and enjoys good health. In politics he has always supported the Demo- cratic party, and in his religious views is liberal. His wife, formerly Hannah Rich - mond, who was a daughter of Israel Richmond, died July 6, 1889, aged eighty-four years. Their children were: Drewry Cummings, S. Lorenza, and James Oberon.
James O. White, son of James and Hannah
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White, was born in Dixfield, July 8, 1837. He completed his education at the high school in Canton, and before he was twenty years old he began to deal in live stock. Fol- lowing that business steadily, he became well known and exceedingly prosperous, and at a later day handled both native and Western cattle, which he shipped by the carload to the markets of Portland and other places. He was noted as an extensive buyer of native cattle, and he owned a great deal of pasturage land in different parts of the county. For three years he was engaged in general mer- cantile business in East Dixfield, having built the store which is now carried on by Mr. Ire- land; and he owned the William Gould place on Wilton Street. He was a strictly honor- able and upright man, whose progressive ten- dencies and enterprising spirit were of great benefit to the community; and probably no business man in this section ever enjoyed greater popularity, or was more deserving of the sincere esteem in which he was held. Politically, he acted with the Democratic party, by which he was elected a member of the Board of Selectmen in 1879; and he repre- sented his district in the legislature. He was a member of Williamson Lodge, No. 20, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows; and in his religious belief he was a Universalist.
James O. White died of appendicitis, July 25, 1891. His wife, Zerua E. Walker, whom he wedded January 8, 1863, was born in Wil- ton, daughter of Moody and Zerua (Stone) Walker. Her grandparents, Osgood and Polly (Reed) Walker, who were natives of Massa- chusetts, settled in Wilton among the early pioneers, and resided there for the rest of their lives. They reared a family of eight chil- dren. Moody Walker was born in Wilton, May 24, 1815. He owns a large and produc- tive farm located near East Dixfield, and is one of Wilton's most prominent farmers and highly esteemed citizens. He married first Zerua, daughter of Ephraim Stone, and she died at the age of thirty-three years, leaving two children, namely: Harrison; and Zerua, who became the wife of the late James O. White. By his second marriage, with Mrs. Mary H. Whiting Adams, Mr. Walker had one son, Samuel W. Mr. and Mrs. James O.
White had four children, three of whom died in infancy; and the only one who lived to reach maturity is Verdeil O., the subject of this sketch.
Verdeil O. White began his education in the public schools, and, after completing the regular course of study at the Wilton Acad- emy in 1884, he entered Bowdoin College, where he was graduated in 1889. His profes- sional studies were pursued at Harvard Uni- versity Medical School, where he was gradu- ated in 1892. He immediately located for practice in East Dixfield, and has already es- tablished a high reputation as a skilful physi- cian and surgeon. In 1893 he was appointed a member of the United States Board of Ex- aminers in pension cases for Franklin County. Politically, he is a Democrat. Aside from his professional attainments Dr. White is highly respected and esteemed for his many estimable personal qualities and for his abil- ity in other directions; and he has already laid the foundation of a useful and successful career.
ILLIS W. WAITE, an enterprising merchant of Dixfield, Oxford County, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, was born in this town, July 19, 1859, son of Lorenzo and Sarah Waite. His paternal grandfather was Isaac Waite; and the progenitors of the family, who were natives of Massachusetts, settled in Dixfield at an early date in the town's history. Lorenzo Waite was born in Dixfield, and was reared to agri- cultural pursuits. He was an able, energetic farmer and one of the stirring men of his locality, who availed himself of every oppor- tunity for advancement ; and, as a result, he became prosperous and well-to-do. He served in the Civil War as a private in Company C, Thirtieth Maine Regiment, Maine Volunteers ; and after his return from the army he resumed farming in this town. He died January 2, 1876. In politics he was a Republican, and his religious views were liberal. His wife, who was before marriage Sarah Newman, be- came the mother of three children : Harris N., who died at the age of seventeen years ; Willis W .; and Leroy L., who resides in Livermore
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Falls, Me. She died at the age of forty-two years.
Willis W. Waite passed his boyhood and youth in attending the common schools and assisting his father upon the farm. In early manhood he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits, and also to the live-stock business, which he followed successfully for several years. In 1894 he embarked in trade, and he has since met with an encouraging degree of success. He deals in meats, provisions, and groceries, of which he carries a full line; and his store is well patronized. In 1889 he was united in marriage to Edith Parlin, daughter of William Parlin; and she is the mother of one daughter, Sadie May. Politically, Mr. Waite is a Republican. He is now serving his third term as a member of the Board of Selectmen and his second term as Chairman of that body, and his valuable services to the town in this capacity are fully appreciated by the community.
OBERT HALL for more than two- score years was intimately associated with the agricultural interests of Norway. He was born May 4, 1818, in Poland, Androscoggin County, son of Samuel and Betsey (Hall) Hall. Samuel Hall, born April 27, 1787, in Falmouth, Cumberland County, there married Miss Hall, who was born in the same town, October 22, 1791. After their marriage they bought land in Poland, where they lived until well ad . vanced in years. Then they came to Norway, taking up their residence on the homestead now occupied by Mrs. Robert Hall. Here the father died on January 22, 1859, and the mother on August 30, 1873. They had seven children, as follows: Mary, born January I, 18II; Elizabeth W., born May 28, 1815; Sarah, born January 28, 1817; Robert, the subject of this sketch; Jeremiah, born July 28, 1821; Albion, born October 27, 1825; and Cordelia, born July 26, 1827. Of these Robert is the only survivor. Albion was a farmer in Norway.
Robert Hall remained beneath the parental roof-tree until his marriage, by which time he had acquired a complete knowledge of farming.
Soon after his marriage he bought a farm in Norway, and thereafter lived on it for fifteen years, successfully engaged in tilling the soil. He then came to the present homestead, which his father had previously bought, and here spent the rest of his life engaged in general farming and dairying. At his death, which occurred February 9, 1882, he owned about four hundred acres of land. Mr. Hall was a strong and earnest supporter of the principles of the Democratic party. He was a member of the Norway Grange. He was held in high respect by his townsmen, whom he served as Highway Surveyor and in other offices.
On December 3, 1843, Mr. Hall married Mary Marston, who was born in Norway, March 10, 1826, daughter of Brackett and Sarah (Hall) Marston. Her parents, who removed to this town from Falmouth, their native place, were here engaged in farming. Having no offspring, Mr. and Mrs. Hall adopted Mrs. Hall's niece, Edith W. Marston, a daughter of Winslow B. Marston. She was born April 2, 1864, and is now the wife of Virgil E. Dunn. Both live with Mrs. Hall, the husband having charge of the home farm. Mr. Dunn was born August 10, 1864, in Greenwood, this county, a son of Charles Ed- ward and Rosanna (Pingree) Dunn, natives respectively of Poland and Norway. Mr. Dunn's parents now live on a farm in the northern part of Norway, whither they came from Poland. Mr. Dunn is enterprising and industrious, and successfully carries on mixed husbandry, raises poultry, for which he has a large hennery, and pays some attention to dairying and stock raising. In politics he is a strong Prohibitionist, and he is a member of the Norway Grange. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dunn are valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
F. CONANT, of Temple, ex-Sheriff of Te Franklin County and one of the largest and most successful agriculturists in this part of the State, was born in Temple, September 25, 1836, son of Ephraim and Eliza (Doble) Conant.
Mr. Conant's grandfather, Ephraim Conant, Sr., was in his younger days a trader in the
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town of Temple when it was first settled; and he later cleared and improved a farm from the wilderness. The forest abounded in game, which, with the trout and other fish that filled the streams, furnished food for the early settlers. In spite of the numerous difficulties and hardships of the situation, the sturdy pio- neer cleared away the forest, burned the stumps, and saw productive fields of wheat and hay take the place of the wilderness, as the result of his labor. He continued to in- crease his acreage by clearing more land, erected frame buildings, and after a long and successful period of activity retired. His last days were passed with his daughter in Strong, where he died at the age of ninety years; and his wife, whose maiden name was Joanna Staples, lived to be nearly as old. Their children were: Ephraim, John G., James, Rebecca, Pamelia, Susan, Eliza, Sarah, Nancy, and Abigail.
Ephraim Conant, eldest son of Ephraim, Sr., was born in Temple in 1809; and in early manhood he set out for himself. Taking the advice of Scott Ellis, an extensive farmer and large land-owner of Temple, who lived to reach the advanced age of one hundred and three years, he bought of him one hundred and sixty acres of timbered land, situated just back of where his son now resides; and, after making a clearing and sowing a crop of wheat, he was able by hard work and frugal living to pay for his purchase the first year, as Mr. Ellis had predicted. Continuing to advance in pros- perity, he cleared more land until he had eighty acres under cultivation; and he in- creased his acreage by purchasing adjoining property, including the farm now owned by his son, the buildings of which were erected by him, so that his real estate here amounted to four hundred acres. Selling this property to his son he bought a large farm in the town of Strong, where he resided for the rest of his life. He was one of the stirring men of his day, who realized a comfortable fortune solely through his own energy and perseverance ; and, being one of the most able citizens of the town, he held many of the important offices. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church until the stand taken by that denomination upon the anti-slavery question
forced him to withdraw; and then uniting with the Wesleyan Society he furnished liberal assistance in building a church edifice. His wife, who was before marriage Eliza Doble, became the mother of nine children, namely : Ephraim Frank, the subject of this sketch ; Clinton, who died young; Israel H. ; John W. ; James H. ; Charles; Ella E. ; Sylvester G .; and Willie, who did not live to reach maturity. Mrs. Eliza D. Conant died at the age of sixty-one years.
Ephraim Frank Conant acquired a common- school education in his early years, and re- mained at home assisting his father in farming operations until his circumstances enabled him to purchase the property where he now resides. Starting with the firm determination to make his mark in life, he began by improving and still further extending the clearing made by his father, erecting new buildings, remodel- ling others ; and he also engaged in lumbering. Having invested his surplus capital in real estate, he now owns eleven hundred and fifty acres, including a farm of one hundred and fifty acres in the adjoining town of Avon, which he carries on in connection with his homestead property. He has a large orchard of choice grafted fruit set out by himself, keeps twenty head of cattle, six horses, and two hundred sheep. His farms are carried on according to the best modern methods, with the view of obtaining the most profitable results; and by steadfastly adhering to his original purpose he has through perseverance and good judgment fully realized his ambition.
On October 14, 1860, Mr. E. F. Conant married Eliza A. Mitchell, daughter of Luther and Sarah (Staples) Mitchell, of Temple. Mrs. Conant's paternal grandpar- ents, Andrew and Susan (Weatherby) Mitch- ell, who were both natives of Lunenburg, Mass., became early settlers of Temple Mead- ows, and were very prosperous farming people. Luther Mitchell bought a farm of eighty acres near his father's property, and followed agri- cultural pursuits successfully until his death, which took place when he was seventy-three years old. His wife, Sarah Staples, who was a daughter of Samuel Staples, lived to be seventy-six years old, and her children were: Eliza A., who became Mrs. Conant ; Augustus ;
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and Melvin. Mr. and Mrs. Conant have one daughter - Maud C., who was born June 13, 1864, and is now a book-keeper in Boston.
Mr. Conant in politics is a Republican. For twelve years he served as Deputy Sheriff of Franklin County and for four years as High Sheriff. Though not a professor of any re- ligious belief, he attends both the Methodist and Baptist churches, and contributes liberally toward their support. He is the largest real estate owner in this section, and his broad tracts of wild land are plentifully supplied with deer and other game.
HARLES W. RYERSON, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Norway, was born April 7, 1830, in Paris, this county, son of Cushman and Lavinia (Dunn) Ryerson. Among the earliest settlers of Maine was the Ryerson family, which located in the south-west part of the State. Luke Ryerson, grandfather of Charles W., was one of the twenty-four children borne to his father by his two wives. Grandfather Ryerson was born and reared in Portland, whence he removed to Paris in pioneer days. He converted a tract of wild land into a good homestead, and was there engaged both in tilling the soil and teaming during the rest of his life. His wife, Keziah (Cushman) Ryer- son, was born January 16, 1772, and died March 25, 1857. She bore him ten children, five boys and five girls, all of whom have passed away.
Cushman Ryerson, father of Charles W., was a farmer. He spent his life on the Paris homestead where he was born. After succeed- ing to the paternal acres he cleared a large part of the land, lived to a good old age, and died May 25, 1862. He successively married Lavinia and Eliza Dunn, both natives of Po- land, Me., and cousins. By his first union he became the father of four children, as follows : Julia A., born June 13, 1828, who died Sep- tember 7, 1847; Charles W., the subject of this sketch; Fessenden, born December 25, 1831, who died August 12, 1847; and Alvin M., born June 23, 1834, who married Miss Carrie Barker, and is now engaged in the car- penter's trade at Auburn, this State. His
second wife, whom he wedded December 20, 1835, bore him two children, namely : Eliza L., born October 7, 1837, who died at the age of thirty years; and George C., born May 26, 1839.
The education of Charles W. Ryerson was completed at a high school. For some years thereafter he worked on the home farm in Paris during the summer season, and taught school in the winter. After his marriage he devoted his entire time to agriculture, living for six or more years on a farm in his native town. At the end of that period he disposed of this estate and removed with his family to Norway, where on November 2, 1865, he 'entered upon his present farm. In the man- agement of this property, which contains one hundred and seventy five acres of land, he has shown good judgment and has been very suc- cessful. He carries on general farming, and keeps a small dairy. Mr. Ryerson also owns a tract of land in Waterford township. As an adherent of the Republican party, he takes an active interest in politics. He has been one of the Selectmen of the town for six years, being now Chairman of the Board; and he has served on the School Board for three years. Also for three years he was President of the Oxford County Agricultural Society, and he was Vice-President for one year. He was the first Master of both the Norway and Pomona Granges, serving four years in the latter posi- tion. He belongs to the Norway Lodge, No. 16, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and to the Wildey Encampment. Both he and his wife are members of the Universalist church at Paris Hill.
Mr. Ryerson was married May 1, 1859, to Miss Susan R. Marston, who was born June 7, 1835, in Norway, daughter of the late Brack- ett and Sarah (Hall) Marston. Mr. Marston, together with his wife, came here from Fal- mouth, their native town, bought the farm now owned by Mr. Ryerson, and lived for a few years in a log house. This he subsequently replaced by the dwelling the Ryersons now occupy, and spent his last years in it. Mr. and Mrs. Ryerson have two children, namely : Lizzie J., born May 22, 1862, who died Feb- ruary 27, 1865 ; and Lizzie C., born May 20, 1866, the wife of John P. Howe, and living on
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the farm with her husband, who assists in its management. Mr. . and Mrs. Howe have had four children - Helen, Charles C., Ora, and Charles. Charles C. died when very young.
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