USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 41
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 41
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On September . 18, 1879, Mr. Allen was united in marriage with Susie M., daughter of James B. and Susie G. (Page) Allen. She was born in Hermon Centre, November 4, 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have no children. Politically, Mr. Allen favors the' Democratic side. He is highly esteemed by his towns- men, and has served on the Board of Select- men for ten years. He belongs to Evening Star Lodge, No. 147, A. F. & A. M .. of Buckfield ; and he and his wife are members of
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East Hebron Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, No. 300, of which he is now Treasurer, and has been two years Master. On religious sub- jects he holds liberal views, favoring the Free Will Baptist church, at which he is a frequent attendant.
ARRISON J. BATES, leading mer- chant in Strong, was born in this village, October 2, 1850. He is the son of William E. and Sally (Haines) Bates, natives of Avon, now resid- ing in Strong. His father was for many years engaged in farming and teaming, but has now retired from active labor. Mr. and Mrs. William E. Bates have had three children, of whom Harrison J., the subject of this sketeh, is the eldest and the only one living. The others were: Erastus, who died at the age of ten ; and Lillian, who died at the age of seven years.
Harrison J. Bates was educated in the com- mon schools of Strong, and resided with his parents until he was about twenty-five years old. He then engaged in the trucking busi- ness, hauling merchandise from Farmington to Strong; and he continued in that employment for three years. Since 1879, when he bought out P. Daggett, then in the harness business here, he has conducted a general store. He carries a well-selected stock of salable goods of a miscellaneous character; and as he has made it a point to give his undivided attention to his business, taking pains to meet the wants of his customers, he has a liberal share of patronage.
Mr. Bates has been twice married. His first wife, Emma Vining, was a daughter of Nathaniel Vining, a prosperous farmer of Avon. She died May 25, 1887, leaving one daughter, Lillian F., who was born July 7, 1874, and is now the wife of Henry Sewell, a can manufacturer of Strong. Mr. Bates's present wife was before marriage Laura Guild. She was born in Strong, daughter of Lewis Guild, a native of New Vineyard, who is now a salesman, and resides in the West. By this union there is one son, Vivian E. Bates, who was born December 14, 1890.
Politically, Mr. Bates has always favored
the Democratic party; but, as he is not an office-seeker, his name has never been used with that end in view. His business ability has placed him in a position of comfortable prosperity ; and he occupies a pleasantly lo- cated residence, which he built a short time since. He is a citizen of high social stand- ing, and is a member of Marathon Lodge, No. 96, Knights of Pythias.
ILLIAM H. MANTER, a well- known resident of New Sharon, was born in Anson, an adjacent town in Somerset County, on March 31, 1842, son of William W. and Betsey W. (Norton) Manter. His great-great-grandfather was Benjamin Manter, a native of Martha's Vineyard, Mass., where he was a man of more than ordinary note, being of good family, prosperous, and a Colonel of the militia.
James, second son of Benjamin, was prob- ably born on the island of Martha's Vineyard about 1746. He and his wife, Mary Butler Manter, were among the very foremost settlers of that portion of New Vineyard set apart and denominated as Industry. They came from Holmes's Hole, Mass., to New Vineyard, or Industry, in 1791, sailing as far as Hallo- well; and from there the whole family, with the exception of Mrs. Manter, who was not strong enough to undertake such a journey on foot, walked to their destined home in the wilderness. James Manter and sons cleared here on his new possessions a small tract of land, felled the trees, and built a log house. He died in 1796, at the age of fifty years. His wife lived until nearly the middle of this century, dying in 1845, at the ripe old age of ninety-four.
Henry, second son of James and Mary (Butler) Manter, was born on November 28, 1777. He married Mary West, and event- ually settled on what is now known as the Brackett farm in Starks. He, however, after- ward exchanged that homestead for the one now owned and occupied by Mrs. Sarah Lewis. Here he built a comfortable house, and spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1858, aged eighty years. His wife followed him just ten years later, at the age of seventy-nine. They
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had nine children, William W. being the eldest.
He was born on the 17th of August, 1806, in New Vineyard, where he spent his early life and commenced his education. At the age of twenty-two he was married and settled at Industry, where he built the Brick House, near West's Mills. Three years before he had built a saw-mill at or near the same place, and, after paying for the cranks of the mill sweeps by sawing and hauling chair bottoms, he continued to run it until he removed to Anson in 1835. He died at Mercer on the 28th of March, 1891, aged eighty-five years. He was a Democrat in politics, and was a member of the Methodist church. He filled during his life quite a number of public offices, being at one time Selectman in Anson and also Tax Collector and Constable.
Although strangely addicted to changing his place of residence for so solid and prosper- ous a man, William W. Manter could never bc called a rolling stone, in the ordinary sense of the word. Whatever moss he gathered he kept, or, as in one instance, made money from. This was in 1856, when he sold all his real estate at a profitable figure, and removed to New Sharon with his family, buying here the large farm of two hundred and sixty-five acres where his son now resides. Even this place he left, and removed for the last time to Mercer, where he died. He left quite a large property behind him, his Anson farm alone containing over two hundred acres.
William H. Manter, son of William W., and the special subject of this sketch, spent most of his boyhood at Anson, and there re- ceived his early education. When he was fourteen he removed with his father and mother to New Sharon. There he still at- tended school until he had arrived at the age of eighteen, when he began to work regularly on his father's farm. On the day he attained his majority he acquired by purchase the farm known as the Eben Collins farm, containing seventy-six acres. Mr. Manter has been in- creasing his property from year to year, until at present his farm is about four hundred acres in extent. He owns a fine herd of fifteen cat- tle and three horses, besides a handsome flock of seventy sheep, excellent wool producers.
On the 17th of December, 1878, he was married to Jane Stilson, the daughter of Cyrus Stilson, a farmer of New Sharon. They have two children, both living: Bessie M., born July 14, 1880, who is still at school; and Marion, born June 20, 1886, who is at school in the home district.
Like his father, he is a Democrat in poli- tics and a member of the Methodist church. He was a Selectman of the town of New Sharon from 1892 to 1893. He is generally respected for what he has made himself, a man whosc prosperity is due entirely to his own hard work and temporary self-sacrifice, while striving for the end that he has now so justly gained.
AMUEL D. KNOWLTON, a car- riage manufacturer of Farmington and one of the leading farmers of Knowlton's Corner, was born upon the farm he now owns and cultivates, Septem- ber 19, 1832, son of Dean and Mehitable (Graves) Knowlton. Mr. Knowlton is a de- scendant of Samuel Knowlton, a native of Massachusetts, and a shoemaker by trade, who was born in 1647, son of William Knowlton; and the line continues through Samuel, Jr., who was born November 9, 1672, to Samuel, third, the date of whose birth is unknown. He married Esther Dean; and they became the parents of six children, the fourth-born of whom was Samuel, fourth, who settled in Maine.
Samuel Knowlton, fourth, was born in Ips- wich, Mass., in 1764, and in 1786 came to Sandy River township, now Farmington, where he bought a tract of wild land, consist- ing of a portion of back lot No. I, which has since remained in the family's possession. The first clearing was started near the large rock which stands in front of the present resi- dence. After bringing a portion of his tract into a state of cultivation, he found the land to be of a superior quality for tillage purposes. and by carrying on general farming in connec- tion with his trade of shoemaking, he soon advanced in prosperity far beyond the average settler of that day. The primitive log house. which served as a temporary abode, was in
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due time replaced by a frame building twenty- eight by thirty-six feet, which stood near the old elm-tree; and when in recent years this was torn down by his grandson, Samuel D. Knowlton, after standing nearly a century, its frame was found to be still sound enough to be used for another building. Mr. Knowlton saved also some of the moulded nails, which were probably made in England.
Grandfather Knowlton was one of the first to engage in the cultivation of fruit in this lo- cality, and, having set out a large orchard, derived considerable profit from the sale of his apple crop. He was not only a sturdy and industrious pioneer, who possessed the ability to attain prosperity in spite of the numerous difficulties which beset the progress of the early settlers, but his noble nature caused him to extend a helping hand to those of his neighbors who were less fortunate; and at his death, which took place February 17, 1844, he was deeply mourned as a generous, kind- hearted neighbor and a worthy, useful citizen. He was survived by his wife, formerly Jane Linscott, who lived to reach the advanced age of ninety-three years, dying May 22, 1857. Their twelve children were as follows: Sam- uel, John, Betsey, Joseph, Ebenezer, Esther, Joshua, Jane, Benjamin, Patty, Sally, and Dean.
Dean Knowlton, son of Samuel, fourth, and father of Samuel D., was born July 23, 1807. He inherited the homestead, and like his father was an energetic and prosperous farmer and a highly esteemed citizen. He died in the prime of life, October 17, 1849. In poli- tics he supported the Whig party, and in his religious views was liberal. His wife, Mehit- able Graves, daughter of Samuel Graves, of Wayne, bore him seven children, as follows: Samuel D., the subject of this sketch; Esther J. ; Clarissa B. ; Mary and Martha, twins, who died in infancy; and John and Joshua, also twins, who did not live to grow up. Mrs. Mehitable G. Knowlton died September 25, 1848, aged thirty-nine years.
Samuel D. Knowlton was educated in the town schools; and, being the only son of his parents that lived to reached maturity, he re- sided at the homestead, and succeeded to the ownership of the property after their death.
When a young man he learned the carriage- maker's trade, and in 1850 began manufact- uring upon his own account upon a small scale, in connection with tilling the soil at the home farm; and in 1868 he erected a new residence, using the old one for a shop. In 1893 he demolished the old building, and used its frame for the construction of his present factory, which is twenty-eight by thirty-six feet, and two stories high. He is now producing about seventy-five carriages and quite a large number of sleighs an- nually, which are all made by hand, and are of a superior material and fine workmanship. He has also built a new stable upon his farm, and as an agriculturist is up with the times, keeping the land in a high state of cultivation, and owning a fine herd of Jersey COWS.
On February 23, 1851, Mr. Knowlton wedded for his first wife Jane Reed, daughter of James Reed, of Kingfield, Me. By this union there were four children, namely : Georgiana, who died at the age of fourteen years; Ella, who died young; Elizabeth, who is now the wife of Charles McGaffey, and re- sides in Mount Vernon, having two children -- John and Laura; and Dana, who died at the age of one year. Mrs. Jane Reed Knowl- ton died September 20, 1864; and for his sec- ond wife Mr. Knowlton married Martha Tyler, daughter of James and Mary (Brownell) Tyler. Mr. Tyler was a prosperous farmer of Vienna, Me., who died at the age of fifty years, his wife dying younger, leaving two children, namely: Stephen, who married for his second wife, Eliza Jenks; and Martha, who is now Mrs. Knowlton. By his present union Mr. Knowlton has had six children, as follows : Dana and Cora, who died young; William, a carriage-maker of North Chesterville, who married Eunice Whitmore, and has four children - Ethel, Martha, Ernest, and Sybil; Evelyn, now the wife of George Weymouth, of North Chesterville, having one child, Gladys; Charles M., who married Theodccia Jennings, and has one daughter, Hazel; and Harry, who is now employed in the factory with his father.
A prominent business man of Knowlton's Corner, Mr. Knowlton enjoys the sincere es-
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teem and good will of the entire community, and his enterprise is exceedingly beneficial to this locality. He acts with the Democratic party in politics, is liberal in his religious views, and is connected with Franklin Lodge, No. 58, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
LEWELLYN B. HEALD, Town Clerk of Sumner, Oxford County, is a progressive and successful farmer. He was born on the farm where he is now living, October 25, 1842, son of Jefferson and Jane (Hersey) Heald, both na- tives of Sumner. His grandfather, Ben- jamin Heald, who was born in Carlisle, Mass., June 25, 1764, served in the Revo- lutionary War. In 1783 or 1784 Benja- min Heald settled on the land now occupied by his grandson, and for a long period dwelt in a log cabin erected by his own hands. A man of ability and energy, he was one of the largest land-owners and most extensive farmers in Sumner, and one of the first Select- men of the town. In religious matters he was liberal. He died in Sumner, October 12, 1841. His wife, whose maiden name was Re- becca Spaulding, was born November 10, 1766, and died June 10, 1858. They were the parents of nine children, who have all passed away.
Jefferson Heald was born on the farm now occupied by his son, November 16, 1805. He, too, was a successful farmer, progressive and energetic. In politics he was a Republi- can, in religious belief liberal. He died July II, 1875. His wife, who, born April 22, 1809, died February 26, 1882, bore him six children, namely: Olive F., born May 17, 1832, now residing in Sumner; Eliza A., born May 12, 1834, the wife of Levi B. Bisbee, of Sumner; Cyrus B., born March 24, 1838, who married Miss Elvira Briggs, and resides in Sumner; Mary A., born July 20, 1840, the wife of A. W. Robinson, of Lynn, Mass .; Llewellyn B., the subject of this sketch; and Emma M. J., who was born March 23, 1851. and became the wife of Daniel G. Woodcock, and died January 4, 1876.
Llewellyn B. Heald had good educational advantages, finishing his studies at the Sumner
High School. He engaged in farming in early youth; and it has since been his life work, except for the time he spent in the Civil War. He enlisted August 8, 1862, in Company C, Twentieth Maine Regiment, under command of Captain J. H. McDonald, and served an unusually hard and perilous term. He was in the battles of Antietam, Alden, Gettysburg, Mine Run, the Wilder- ness, North Anna, South Side, Weldon Bridge, and Hatch's Run. At Gettysburg he received a wound that confined him to the hospital in Pennsylvania for four months. Honorably discharged June 23, 1865, he re- turned home and resumed his farm work. To-day he is the owner of the old Heald home- stead cleared by his grandfather, one of the largest estates in the section. He makes a specialty of raising hay, but dairying is his principal business.
Mr. Heald was married December 17, 1867, to Fannie B. Robinson, who died without issue May 22, 1869. On October 15, 1871, he contracted a second marriage, uniting him to Ada F. Bonney, a native of Sumner, born June 21, 1852, daughter of Oliver Bonney. By this union he has four children: Annie H., born January 29, 1873, a pleasing and talented singer; Sabra R., born July 5, 1876; Estella J., born April 10, 1878; and Emma A., born March 19, 1880. In politics Mr. Heald is a Republican. He has served as Selectman of Sumner for four terms and as Town Clerk for seven years. He belongs to Nezinscot Lodge, No. 104, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Buckfield, Me .; and to Barrows Post, No. 65, Grand Army of the Republic, of Sumner. In religious belief he is liberal, while his wife is a member of the Congregational church.
EORGE H. BARROWS, Constable and Tax Collector of Sumner, Oxford County, is a prominent and wealthy farmer and a veteran of the Civil War. He was born in Hebron, Me., August 2. 1840. son of Joel and Demarious (Tubbs) Barrows. Mr. Barrows's father, a native of Hebron, learned the trade of blacksmith, and followed it steadily and industriously in Hebron, Nor-
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way, Paris, and Sumner, through the active period of his life. He died in the last-named town in 1864. His wife, Demarious, who was born in Kennebec County, became the mother of ten children, four of whom are living. These are: Alonzo F., a blacksmith of South Paris; Harland C., a resident of Sumner; George H., the subject of this sketch; and Mary Augusta, who is now the widow of Cyrus Murray, and lives in Abington, Mass. The others were: Joel E., who died at the age of fifty-six years; Thomas Hiram, who died while serving as a soldier in the Civil War; Albert, who also died in the war; and three others, whose death occurred in infancy. Of six of the sons who fought in their country's cause at one time, four were members of Com- pany F, Ninth Regiment, Maine Volunteers ; while Joel E. was a member of a Massachu- setts Regiment, and George H. was in Com- pany C of the Twenty-third Maine Regiment. Besides the two who died while in the service, Harland C. Barrows lost a leg in the defence of the Union. This is a proud record for one family. The mother died in 1863.
George Horace Barrows passed his youth in Sumner, acquiring his education in the dis- trict schools of this town. At an early age he began to work out as a farm assistant, re- ceiving for his services eight dollars per month. What he earned previous to reaching his majority he dutifully gave to his parents. Enrolling his name in 1862 among the volun- teers of Company C, Twenty-third Regiment, Maine Infantry, under Captain Prince, he served in the Civil War for about one year. After his discharge in 1863 he engaged in agricultural pursuits upon his own account in Sumner. He bought his present property of one hundred and thirty acres in 1868, since which time he has displayed much energy and good judgment in managing a well-located dairy farm. He has advanced to the promi- nent position he now holds among the leading residents of this town, solely through hard work and a wise application of the resources at his command.
On July 17, 1863, Mr. Barrows wedded Rachel B. York, who died in 1877. On Feb- ruary 7, 1879, he entered a second marriage, contracted with Elsie G. Chandler, daughter
of Horatio and Emily (Dunham) Chandler. Mr. Barrows has been the father of seven chil- dren, three by his first union and four by his second. Of these, four are living, namely : Herbert H., who married Dell Chick, and re- sides in Portland, Me. ; Mrs. Mary A. Dean, the wife of George Dean, of Paris, and the mother of two children - Ralph and Inez ; and Melville C. and Charles A. Barrows, who resided with their father. The others were: Carrie May, a child of his first union, who died at the age of eight months; one who died in infancy; and Annie E., who died at the age of sixteen years.
Mr. Barrows has served the town ably and faithfully as a member of the Board of Select- men. He was also an Assessor for five years. Now he holds the offices of Constable and Collector. He is connected with the lodge of Odd Fellows at Buckfield, and is a comrade of William A. Barrows Post, No. 65, Grand Army of the Republic, of Sumner. His resi- dence occupies an elevated and extremely healthy site, commanding a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains and valleys, and is a most delightful home in which to pass his declining years.
AVID F. CUMMINGS, commonly called Deacon Cummings, one of the foremost citizens of Hebron, Me., is experienced in agricultural matters, and for the past three years has been Master of Hebron Grange, No. 43, Patrons of Husbandry. He was born in Albany, Me., July 27, 1833.
His parents, Stephen and Nancy (Frost) Cummings, were natives of the Pine Tree State, the former born in Albany, the latter in that part of Hebron which is now Oxford. His grandfather, Asa Cummings, who was one of the first settlers of Albany, was an energetic and progressive farmer. A member of the Congregational church, he was an active worker in its interest, and was for many years Deacon. He died in Albany at an advanced age. His wife, whose maiden name was Lydia Holt, was born in Andover, Mass. Of the fourteen children born to this couple, thir- teen have passed from earth.
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Stephen Cummings, one of the large family group, the father before alluded to, was born in July, 1805, and spent his life in his native town. He, too, was an industrious and com- petent farmer. In politics he was a Republi- can, in religious belief a Methodist. He died in March, 1863. Mrs. Nancy Frost Cum- mings, who was born in January, 1805, died in November, 1889. Eight children were born to them, of whom four, Irene, Elmira, Wesley, and Stephen H., have passed away. The others are: David F., with whom this sketch begins and ends; Mary, widow of J. F. Bird, of Albany; Harriet, wife of H. O. Wilber, of the same town; and Randall, a resident of Bethel.
David F. Cummings grew to manhood in Albany, his native town, acquiring his educa- tion in the public schools. The first wages he received was fifteen dollars per month for a year's work on a farm in Andover, Mass. Then at the age of twenty he engaged as clerk for W. W. Green, of North Waterford, Me., remaining three years. He subsequently bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Albany, on which he lived some seven years, his next venture being the purchase of a general store in the same town. After seven years of trading in that locality he sold his business and moved to Mechanic Falls, where he was in trade eleven years. In November, 1884, he purchased the farm in Hebron on which he is now living. This is a good prop- erty of one hundred and sixty acres, with substantial buildings. Deacon Cummings is engaged in general farming, his staple crop being hay ; and he keeps from twelve to fifteen head of cattle for dairy purposes, full-blooded and grade Jerseys. He is a thrifty and pro- gressive man, gifted with sound judgment, and takes a leading place among the citizens of Hebron.
On November 14, 1857, he was married to Margaret A. Upton, who was born in Albany, Me., August 2, 1833, daughter of Micah and Ruth (Abbott) Upton. Her father, who was a farmer, was a son of Francis and Sarah (Bancroft) Upton, of Norway and Albany, Me., and was a great-grandson of Deacon Amos and Sally (Bickford) Upton, of North Reading, Mass., where the emigrant progeni-
tor of the family, John Upton, who was an ex- tensive landholder, spent his last years, dying in 1699, at an advanced age. Seven children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Cum- mings: Edson A., who lived but three years; Carrie M., who died at the age of fourteen; Lizzie Edna, born June 23, 1861, now wife of O. A. Lovering, of Oxford, Me .; Willard Henry, born September 14, 1865; Bertha Alice, born August 5, 1867 ; Charles Wesley, born July 14, 1870; and Arthur David, born February 22, 1876.
David F. Cummings is a member of the Republican party. He is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Monami Lodge, No. 40, at Me- chanic Falls. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church at West Minot, in which he is Deacon.
I ILBERT ALLEN, a highly successful farmer of Wilton and a well-known citizen, was born in this town, July 18, 1828, son of Seth and Sally (Scales) Allen. His grandparents were Thomas and Mary (Jackson) Allen, the former of whom was born in the vicinity of Boston, and in young manhood settled upon an unimproved tract of land in the town of Jay. Having cleared the land and erected a frame dwelling- house, he carried on general farming success- fully until his death, his property being later owned by Leonard Allen. Thomas Allen died at the age of sixty years, and his wife lived to be older. Their children were: Thomas, Reuben, Asa, Lucretia, Seth, Relief, Jackson, John, William, Lucy, Roanna, Joshua, Henry, and two others who died in infancy.
Seth Allen, fourth son of Thomas, was born in Jay, Me., June 7, 1799. When a young man he began farming for himself upon Walker Hill, where he resided for a few years ; and then, selling his property there, he bought a tract of new land, from which he cleared and improved the farm now owned by E. Buck. He had reclaimed about fifty acres and erected a set of buildings which are still standing, when he sold the tract, and settled where his son Gilbert now resides. Having cleared off a good portion of this farm, he in 1854 erected the present house; and here he carried on gen-
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