USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 45
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 45
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has been twice married. Her first husband, to whom she was married May 31, 1884, was Alexander H. Luce, of New Vineyard, who died in March, 1889. In August, 1893, she was again married to Fred H. Ranger, of Wilton, Me. By her first union she has two children; namely, Justin T. and Leon A. Mr. and Mrs. Ranger are residing at the Taylor homestead, and Mr. Ranger assists in carrying on the farm.
Deacon Rufus Taylor is a Republican in politics, and has for many years been a lead- ing spirit in public affairs. He has served with ability as a member of the Board of Se- lectmen, and he was for some time a member of the School Board. He is well and favor- ably known throughout this section of the county as an upright, conscientious man and a worthy citizen; and his life has been successful as well as a busy one. He has been a Deacon of the Free Will Bap- tist church since 1856, and both he and his family are actively interested in religious work.
SHBEL G. ALLEN, a well-known and influential citizen of Stoneham, Me., was born in this town, May II, 1823, the son of Elisha and Sarah (Cooley) Allen. He owns about two hundred and sixty acres in Oxford County, in the towns of Stoneham and Lovell, and is prosperously engaged in general farming. A hard worker from his youth, he has well earned success by his own diligent efforts and enforced habits of industry and thrift. His father, Elisha Allen, who was born in Little- ton, Vt., came in 1819 to Oxford County, Maine, where he had a brother living. Set- tling first in the town of Norway, he was there engaged in general farming for some time, and then removed to the farm in Stone- ham now owned and occupied by his son, Ashbel G. Here he passed his remaining years. His career was an adventurous one, for part of his early life was spent on the sea as master of a vessel and part in the army as a soldier in the War of 1812. Mrs. Sarah Cooley Allen was a native of Portland, Me. She died in Stoneham. She was the mother
of eight children, namely: Sarah Fox (de- ceased) ; Emily, widow of Jacob Merrill, liv- ing in Yarmouth, Me .; Jane Small (de- ceased), who was the wife of John Allen, a citizen of Bethel, Me .; George F. (deceased) ; Ashbel G., the subject of this sketch; Pru- dence E., living in Stoneham, widow of R. Smith; Charles, who died at the age of twenty ; and Thomas, who died in infancy.
Ashbel G. Allen received but a limited common-school education, as he went to work at the early age of twelve years. He was hired by different farmers in Waterford, and worked out for six years, returning then to his home, and being engaged for a while in a saw- mill making shook. About 1848 he pur- chased a farm in the neighborhood, and built a house, which he occupied with his family for a few years; and then he returned to his birth- place to take care of his parents. Since the death of the old people, with the exception of a brief terin of years spent in the town of Waterford, he has continued to reside on the family homestead in Stoneham, being one of the leading members of the community.
Mr. Allen was married September 17, 1848, to Ann Maria, daughter of Stephen and Hannah (Adams) Horr. She was born in Waterford, December 15, 1829. Her father was a native of Waterford, her mother of Bradford, Mass. ; and both lived for many years, and died in Waterford. Mr. Horr was a farmer. Ten children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Allen - Ellen Maria, who died at the age of thirty-six; Charles Albert, who is in the insurance business in Ellsworth, Me .; Stephen (deceased) ; Han- nah Elizabeth, who lived but eight years ; Frank Herbert, employed in a mill at Cum- berland Mills, Me .; William Arthur, who married Miss Alice McKeen, and lives in Waterford; George Henry, living in Idaho; Mary Isabel, wife of Charles E. Whitney, of Stoneham; Fred Leroy and Edwin Everett, who are still at home with their parents.
Mr. Allen cast his maiden vote with the Whigs, and has been a member of the Repub- lican party since its organization. He has been a member of the Stoneham Board of Se- lectmen for a number of years, and was Town Treasurer some time. Mrs. Allen is a mem-
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ber of the Congregational church in East Stoneham village.
HARLES N. PORTER, a farmer and milk dealer of South Paris, Oxford County, Me., was born April 7, 1828, on a farm in the town of Paris, now owned by F. Porter. His parents were Charles and Rachel (Hamilton) Porter, and his paternal grandparents Nehemiah and Joanna (Barbour) Porter, the family being of old Colonial stock.
Nehemiah Porter, the grandfather, was a de- scendant in the direct line of Richard Porter, who settled in Weymouth, Mass., in 1635. He was born in Scituate, Mass., December 14, 1758, and served as a private in the Con- tinental army during the war of indepen- dence. After the war he settled in Yarmouth, Me., where he became quite prominent in town and county affairs, and as a member of the Congregational church. His wife, Joanna, who was a native of Gray, Me., bore him thirteen children, all of whom attained maturity, and all of whom, except one, married.
Charles Porter, who was a native of Yar- mouth, born June 10, 1794, son of Nehemiah and Joanna Porter, came to South Paris in 1816, and bought three hundred acres of wild land. Finding it heavily timbered, he availed himself of his brother's assistance in clearing it, compensating him for services with half the property after marriage. While engaged in this work, they were able, owing to the presence of a saw-mill in the town, to do some profit- able lumbering. Later in life Charles Porter bought the house now the property of his son, Charles N., and on the adjoining lot erected another house, which he afterward let for rent. Yielding to a need for rest in his declining years, he retired from active occupation some time before his death, which occurred April 3, 1861, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. His wife, Rachel, who was born July 19, 1794, survived him until January 1, 1877, when she died in her eighty-third year. She was a daughter of William and Rachel (Luf- kin) Hamilton, of North Yarmouth. They reared eight children; namely, Mary Ann,
William H., Samuel N., Alvan H., Lucy H., Rachel L., Charles N., and Granville.
Charles N. Porter, the fourth son as here named, received a good education in the dis- trict and high school of his native town. Early in life he bought the R. S. Stowell farm, on which he resided for five years. At the end of that time he sold it, and then pur- chased the farm where his father's last days were spent. This estate contains about one hundred and fifty acres of valley land, situated on the outskirts of the village. In 1870 Mr. Porter began to sell milk, at first carrying it to his customers by hand. Since then the business has grown to such dimensions that now he keeps twenty fine cows, and supplies the whole village of South Paris with milk. The secret of his success consists in the fact that he is careful to make his milk give satis- faction both in quantity and quality.
On March 24, 1852, he was united in matri- mony with Maria L. Millett, who was born in Norway, Me., December 20, 1830, daughter of Nathan and Mercy (Sampson) Millett. Of their eight children, a daughter, Hattie L., died at the age of six months. The others are: Nathan Millett, born October 7, 1853; Frank Lester, born June 29, 1855: Granville H., born June 3, 1857; William Alton, born April 7, 1863; Ellen Millett, born August 26, 1866; Hiram Newell, born October 31, 1870; and Harriet Louise, born November I, 1872. Nathan, who is a doctor and a drug- gist in Chicago, married Helen Duffy. Frank, who is in the drug business in Chicago, married Mariann F. Adams, and has one child, Lester W., born June 21, 1884. Granville, a produce dealer and a manufacturer of cider in South Paris, married Ida M. Rob- bins, and has two children - Susie E., born August 1, 1881 ; and Ray H., born November II, 1883. William A., the proprietor of a confectionery and tobacco store in South Paris, married Lena A. Pratt. Ellen M. is the wife of L. L. Powers, a mechanic of South Paris. Hiram N., who is associated with his father in the milk business, married Hattie Bennett, and has one child, Alton M., born September 24, 1894; while Harriet L. is the wife of Fred Douglass, of Boston, Mass. Both parents are members of the Congrega-
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tional church. In politics Mr. Charles N. Porter is a Republican. His connection with fraternal societies is limited to membership in the organization of the Golden Cross.
JJLIAS H. YEATON, one of the suc- cessful pioneer gold miners of Cali- fornia, who is now living in retire- ment at West Farmington, Me., was born in New Vineyard, Me., August 22, 1833, son of Jonathan and Polly (Watson) Yeaton. His grandfather, Jonathan Yeaton, Sr., in the lat- ter part of last century bought a large tract of land in Kennebec County, consisting of the township of Portsmouth, now called Bel- grade. He sold the major portion of this purchase to settlers for farm sites, retaining quite an extensive tract, which he cleared and improved into a good farm; and he lived to see the town develop into a prosperous and exceedingly thrifty farming community. His children were: John, Ichabod, Jonathan, Han- nah, Mary, and Comfort.
Jonathan Yeaton was born in Belgrade, February 20, 1797. In early manhood he settled in New Vineyard, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of cleared land, which he improved by erecting a new set of buildings; and then selling the property he removed to New Portland, where he bought another farm, most of which was still in a wild state. He cleared the land and brought it to a state of productiveness ; and he contin- ued to follow general farming until the death of his wife, when he retired from active labor. He died July 3, 1878. Politically, he acted with the Republican party; and he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife, who was before marriage Polly Wat- son, became the mother of six children, namely: George; Joel S .; Ward S .; Mary ; Elias H., the subject of this sketch; and Emily C. Mrs. Polly W. Yeaton lived to be seventy-two years old.
After leaving school Elias H. Yeaton en - gaged in tilling the soil as a general farmer; and he continued thus employed for some time. In 1856 he went to California, and taking up a claim in the old Rich Gulch, Calaveras County, he applied himself energet-
ically to its development. Although pre- vented by the scarcity of water from working steadily, being obliged to pay ten dollars per day for it when available, he made the best of his opportunities, and was successful. When washing was impossible he worked in a saw- mill, thus keeping himself busy; and after three years of hard work he returned East, having acquired a handsome capital with which to start in life. Soon after his arrival from California he bought a nice farm in the town of Industry, where he resided four years, at the expiration of which time he sold it, and bought another farm in New Sharon, where he resided for the same length of time. Selling that property, he bought the old Porter farm, situated on Porter Hill, and carried on gen- eral farming for the succeeding six years. His next move was back to the town of In- dustry, where he purchased the Elbert Shaw farm, consisting of seven hundred and fifty acres, which, after owning and occupying for eight years, he sold to J. H. Sayer, of Au- gusta; and in all of these transactions he real- ized good profits. He then went to Logan valley, Nebraska, where he bought and im- proved one hundred and sixty acres, which he sold a short time later, and moved to the Omaha Reservation to a place now called Pender, Thurston County. He invested in a tract of two hundred and seventy-eight acres in Pender, Thurston County, land, which he improved, erecting buildings, putting one hundred and fifty acres under the plough, and, then renting this to good advantage, en- gaged for a time as a stock dealer.
In March, 1896, he again returned to Maine; and, deciding to settle in West Farm- ington, he bought of E. Thurston the old Mar- vin property, consisting of a fine residence and twenty-five acres of land. Having retired from active labor, he is now enjoying a well- earned rest. As a self-made man, who ob- tained a start in life through the rough and somewhat dangerous experience of a miner in California, he has not only maintained his footing, but through natural business ability and rare judgment has steadily advanced in prosperity, being at the present time one of the most wealthy residents of this locality. He is highly respected and esteemed by his
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many friends and acquaintances here, who regard his somewhat phenomenal success as well merited; and he is a welcome addition to the society of the numerous residents of Farmington whose easy circumstances enable them to enjoy a life of leisure.
Shortly after his return from California Mr. Yeaton wedded for his first wife Sarah Stod- dard. She was a daughter of Samuel S. Stoddard, late of Farmington, who repre- sented a highly reputable family of this local- ity. She died in 1892, at the age of fifty-six years, leaving six children, who may be briefly named as follows: Samuel S., a mechanic and one of the owners of the Russell Mills in West Farmington, who married Nellie Wing, and has one daughter, Sadie; Almous B., who is in the fruit business at Grand Junction, Col., married Hattie Wright, and has two children - Gladys and Gracie; Augustus R., who married Nellie Seymour, and is now the proprietor of a hotel in Cedarville, Kan. ; Charles H., a prosperous farmer of Santa Monica, Cal., who married Jennie Folsom, and has one daughter, Olive; Verton W., a successful farmer of Pender, Neb., who mar- ried Georgia Gower, and has one son, Arthur; and Lee H., who is also engaged in agricult- ural pursuits in Pender. For his second wife Mr. Yeaton married Lula O. Hosmer, daugh- ter of Ira and Diana (Kinney) Hosmer, the former of whom was a progressive farmer of Weld, this county. By this union there are two children, namely: Gertrude L., who was born May 1, 1894; and Walter H., who was born July 23, 1895.
In politics Mr. Yeaton supports the Repub- lican party. He has never aspired to political prominence, as his business activity has 'always absorbed his entire time and attention. He is connected with the Knights of Pythias, and is liberal in his religious views; and Mrs. Yeaton is a member of the Baptist church. The family occupy a prominent social posi- tion.
RED O. WALKER, a prosperous hard- ware merchant of Rumford Falls, was born in West Peru, Oxford County, Me., June 6, 1863, son of W. S. and Hattie
L. (Tucker) Walker. His parents are natives of Peru, and his father has been engaged in mercantile business in West Peru for over thirty years. The subject of this sketch began his education in the common schools, and was subsequently graduated from the Bridgton Academy. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in trade with his father, and after remaining in business for eight years he sold his interest to the elder Walker. He then became agent for the Portland & Rumford Falls Railroad Company, which position he held for a year. Having in the mean time erected a fine three-story building in Rumford Falls, he in 1893 established himself in busi- ness here, being the sixth merchant to embark in trade in this new and rising town. As he carries a full line of hardware, tinware, and kindred articles, he is doing a flourishing business.
On June 6, 1884, Mr. Walker was united in marriage to Sadie Hall, of Peru; and they are the parents of one daughter, Lela C. Politi- cally, Mr. Walker is a firm supporter of the Republican party; and for several years he acted as Town Treasurer of Peru. He is con- nected with Blazing Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Metalluc Lodge, Knights of Pythias; and is a charter member of Penacook Lodge, No. 130, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he was the first Noble Grand. He
is also connected with the Foresters. He stands in the front rank of the enterprising merchants of this town, and is highly re- spected by the entire community. He is a member of the Free Baptist church.
AMES C. STEARNS, a member of one of the leading families of Oxford County, is prosperously engaged in farming and dairying in Lovell, his native town. . He was born September 10. 1840, a son of Stephen and Mary (Russell) Stearns. His grandfather, David Stearns. who was originally from the vicinity of Bos- ton, Mass., located in Lovell at an early date.
Stephen Stearns, son of David, was a native and lifelong resident of Lovell. He was for some time in the lumber business, engaged in the manufacture of shook and staves, but sub-
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sequently gave his whole attention to the pursuit of agriculture. Ilis death occurred January 15, 1863. llis first wife, Mary Rus- sell, was born in Boston, Mass., and rcared in Lovell, her parents moving to this town when she was quite young, and settling on a farm, where they spent the remainder of their earthly lives. Mrs. Mary R. Stearns died July 31, 1849. She was the mother of nine children. Of these Sarah R., who was born December 29, 1834, is the wife of Josiah H. Stearns, a farmer and proprietor of a summer boarding-house; George R., who was born September 30, 1836, resides in Pennsylvania; James C. is the subject of this sketch; Theo- dore, who was born March 25, 1842, died February 5, 1843; Caroline M., now deceased, born October 30, 1843, was the wife of George W. Leighton, who is now living in Indiana; Henry W., born January 4, 1846, is engaged in farming in Iowa, and is married to an Iowa lady ; Mary A., born November 20, 1847, is the wife of W. S. Gilman, of South Berwick, Me; Stephen, the youngest, who was born July 23, 1849, is married and lives in Colorado. Miss Mary Gordon, of Frye- burg, this county, who became the second wife of Stephen Stearns, was a daughter of Dr. Gordon, a popular physician of Fryeburg. She is no longer living.
James C. Stearns was the third child born to his parents. He received a common-school education in his native town, and remained a member of the paternal household until the year of his majority, leaving home then to join the troops gathering for the conflict in the South. On November 15, 1861, hc en- listed in Company E, Twelfth Maine Regi- ment, under Colonel George Shepley and Cap- tain Enoch Knight, and was soon in active service. His company participated in the siege of Port Hudson and the engagement at Irish Bend, La., and were under Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, fighting at Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, and Winchester. Receiv- ing his discharge at Portland, Me., December 7, 1864, Mr. Stearns remained in Lovell three months with a sister; and on March 1, 1865, he enlisted again, joining Company B, Eighth Regiment of United States Veterans. He re- ceived his final discharge at Washington,
D.C., March 13, 1866. Returning to Lovell he worked some time for wages, and then pur- chased a tract of wild land, which he sold after partly clearing it; and he next went into the meat business in Yarmouth. In this oc- cupation, however, he was not content; and six months later he returned to farm work in Lovell. He subsequently managed the town farm for three years; and at the end of that time, purchasing the old family estate, he set- tled permanently in the home of his boyhood. He has a well-improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres, and raises general crops and has a large dairy business.
He was married November 28, 1867, to Miss Sarah A. Hatch, a native of Eaton, N.H., who was born May 30, 1839, daughter of Israel and Rebecca (Lawrence) Hatch. Mr. Hatch, who is a New Hampshire man and has devoted most of his life to farming, is now living with his daughter and son-in-law in Lovell. Though ninety-two years of age and the oldest man in the town, he has never known a sick day, and is now bright and ac- tive, and does some work every day on the farm. His wife died July 23, 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Stearns have welcomed four children to their home, namely: Mildred D., born June 23, 1869; Mabel E., born February 14, 1872; Mary R., born April 1, 1873, all at home; and George A., born September 19, 1877, who died November 9, 1881.
Mr. Stearns is actively interested in poli- tics, voting the Republican ticket, but is not an office-seeker. He is a member of Delta Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Lovell village; and of Parker Post, No. 151, Grand Army of the Republic, of Lovell Centre. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church at the Centre.
DWARD K. HITCHCOCK, a promi- nent resident of Strong, Franklin County, who is engaged in the real estate business, was born August 28, 1817, in Nobleboro, Lincoln County, son of Benjamin and Violet (Eastman) Hitchcock. Captain William Hitchcock, his grandfather, belonged to Bristol, Me., where he was engaged in ship-building with the rest of his family. In
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1788 the captain came to Strong, and settled near Suspension Bridge, within the present village limits, where he engaged in farming. He married Eunice Day, of Bristol, and be- came the father of ten children; namely, Betsy, Jane, Benjamin, Polly, Daniel, Enos, Eunice, Elias, James, and Martha. His wife died in 1830; while he lived until June, 1852.
Benjamin Hitchcock, son of Captain Hitch- cock, was a native of Bristol. He acquired his education in Strong, and worked until he attained his majority. He then returned to Nobleboro, now Damariscotta. Engaging in ship-building there, he remained until 1822, when he came to Strong. Here he bought a farm on which he resided for the rest of his life. He married Violet Eastman, a native of Mount Vernon, Me., and became the father of seven children - Eunicc, Edward K., Alfred M., Violet E., Jane, Mary, and Anna. Eu- nice, born May 8, 1815, married H. O. Read, of this village, and died in Boston in Febru- ary, 1886. Alfred M., born August 29, 1819, married successively Abbie Somerby, who died, and Delia Dudley, of Lowell, Mass., who now lives in Maine. He died November 13, 1889. Violet E., born October 13, 1821, became Mrs. Lloyd Glover, and she and her husband both are deceased. She passed away in Philadelphia, January 6, 1859. Jane, born November 22, 1823, was united in mar- riage with William H. Waldron, of Lewiston, now deceased, and died May 11, 1886. Mary, born April 19, 1826, is the widow of Adam Hunter, who died in 1894. She now resides in this town. Anna, born August 13, 1828, married Loren F. Tyler, who died May 8, 1894. She is a resident of Boston. The father, who was a prominent man in this lo- cality, died October 8, 1865; while the mother, after living to the age of ninety years, died May 11, 1881.
Edward K. Hitchcock had excellent educa- tional advantages, attending Farmington Acad- emy and Kent's Hill Seminary after the ele- mentary course. At the age of nineteen, hav- ing completed his studies at Kent's Hill he returned home, and was for five years in the employ of the government. He then started a general merchandise store in this village, near the Corners, and conducted it for a num-
ber of years. Subsequently, he built a new store near his home, which he successfully managed until 1861. Then he sold out and engaged in farming, which he still follows. He owns at the present time six good farms. He also deals largely in real estate. In poli- tics he does not affiliate with any party, voting as he thinks best. He has served as County Commissioner for three years, and County Treasurer one year. He has also been Post- master and Chairman of the Board of Select- men. The Masonic fraternity, with which he is affiliated through Blue Mountain Lodge of Phillips, is the only secret organization in which he has membership.
On February 14, 1854, Mr. Hitchcock was united in marriage with Miss Clarinda M. Towle, who was born in Avon, October 19, 1834. Her parents were Daniel and Electa M. (Higgins) Towle, respectively natives of Avon and Turner, Me. Her father was a farmer in the town of Avon until he died August 3, 1874. Her mother is still living in Red Wing, Minn., being now eighty-six years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock have one child - Dr. Alfred, who was born on August 5, 1859. He was a medical practitioner in
Strong for five years, but now practises in Farmington, Me. He married Miss Mabel E. Blake of that town. Personally, Mr. Hitch- cock is well-known and universally liked. His perseverance and assiduity since early life have won for him a well-merited degree of suc- cess and prominence.
IMEON B. CURTIS, an influential citizen and prominent farmer of Woodstock, Oxford County. Me., was born September 17, 1832, on the old family homestead in this town, where his father, Seth Curtis, second, son of Seth Curtis, first, was born in 1813. His grand- father was one of the pioneer settlers of this section of Maine. He owned a tract of land containing one hundred and fifty acres of wild forest growth, from which he felled the first tree, and, by his energetic continued efforts. converted a portion of the wooded wilderness into a well-cleared and productive farm.
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