USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 74
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 74
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farm, which he owned until 1865. At that time he removed to West Sumner and went into the milling business, which he followed for five years, retiring in 1870 to Paris Hill and making his home with his son, George B. Crockett, with whom he lived until his death in 1878. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Desire Farrar, of Buckfield, who lived but a short time after their union. His second wife, Prudence S., widow of William Morton, was born in Sumner, October 1, 1810, daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Sawin) Bates. She lived to be seventy years old.
George B. Crockett, the only child of his parents, received his education in the common and high schools of the towns of Buckfield and Paris, Me. At eighteen years of age he went to work for H. F. Morton, who was engaged in the manufacture of sleds at West Sumner ; and he subsequently became a member of the firm of Morton, Forbes & Crockett at that place, where they carried on a large business until 1871. At the solicitation of the citizens of Paris Hill, who furnished funds for the erection of a factory building, they then moved to that place and the Paris Hill Manu- facturing Company was organized, of which he was made Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. Crockett purchased the Harlow home, which he enlarged and remodelled and resided in until the manufactory came to South Paris, when he sold it and bought the Nichols stand on Western Avenue, South Paris. When the company came here the name was changed to Paris Manufacturing Company. In 1892 the factory was burned, and the company was re- organized, since which time Mr. Crockett has held the position of Secretary. It is one of the largest and most reliable business firms in the State, and a fuller account of it appears on another page of this work.
Mr. Crockett married Miss Mary H. Forbes, the ceremony being performed on September II, 1869. She was born July 4, 1849, and is a daughter of Elbridge Forbes and Julia Pren- tiss, and a direct descendant of John Fobes, one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater, Mass. ; also tracing her ancestry in a direct line to Deacon Daniel Fobes, who married in 1769 Hannah Standish, a descendant of the renowned Captain Miles Standish, of the Ply-
mouth Colony. Six children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Crockett, namely : Mabel A., born December 18, 1871, the wife of C. A. Record, of South Paris; Prentiss F., born April 17, 1873, who is engaged in the trucking business; Ernest P., born October 15, 1875, who is a packer for the Paris Manu- facturing Company ; Lucelia E. and Leon E., born November 3, 1879; and Ethel E., born November 16, 1885. In political affiliation Mr. Crockett is a Republican. For three years he has served as Superintendent of Schools. He is a member of Mount Mica Lodge, No. 17, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is a Past Grand; and also of Mount Pleasant Lodge of Rebekahs. During the past seven years he has been a Deacon in the Baptist church.
ILLIAM H. BERRY, of Hebron, is the owner of a farm that has been pronounced a model in every qual- ity for which a farm is admired. He was born December 10, 1848, in Turner, Androscoggin County, son of Henry C. and Charlotte M. (Ricker) Berry. His grandfather, Zeri Berry, who was a hard-working farmer, was an early settler in the town of Oxford, Me., and subse- quently owned a good farm in Canton, Me., where he died at the age of eighty-one. In politics, Zeri Berry, originally a Whig, after- ward became a Republican. He took an active part in temperance work, and was a member and liberal supporter of the Baptist church. He was twice married. His first marriage was contracted with Abigail Turner, and the second with Charlotte Ricker. He had four children, namely : William F., a farmer living on the old homestead in Canton ; Charles W., a farmer in Turner; Henry C., deceased ; and Persis, also deceased, who was the wife of Lewis Leavitt.
Henry C. Berry, William H. Berry's father, was born in Canton in March, 1824. He fol- lowed agriculture during his active life, giving attention principally to fruit-growing and dairying. In 1870 he settled on the farm where his son is now living, and died there July 5, 1893. He took an active interest in town affairs, voting the Republican ticket, and
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served as a member of the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Berry was a member of the Baptist church at Turner. His wife, who was born in Turner in March, 1827, is now living at the old home. They reared seven children, namely : Horace R., who died at the age of twenty-three years and six months; William H., whose name appears at the head of this article; Persis H., the wife of Hiram Gilman, of Anson, Me. ; Lysander J., a resident of Anson ; Melville J. and Charles L., both in Milwaukee, Wis. ; and Ella M., the wife of Herbert R. Howard, of Milwaukee.
William H. Berry was reared and educated in the town of Turner, and learned the shoe cutter's trade. At the age of nineteen he went to Auburn, Me., where he followed his trade for ten years. He eventually bought a half interest in the farm on which he now resides, and in 1878 took up his residence there. From 1876 to 1878 he worked in a shop and also looked after his share of the farming. Mr. Berry's father was his partner in the ownership and management of the farm. After his father's death he became the sole proprietor of the estate. It is one of the largest farms in this locality. He has made many improvements upon it, and his farm buildings are clean and well-equipped with modern conveniences, including running water. He is actively engaged in general farming, fruit-growing, and dairying. Eight acres of his land are devoted to fruit. His staple crop is Baldwin apples, of which he gathers about four hundred barrels annually, the crop of 1896 yielding over one thousand barrels of merchantable fruit. He keeps from forty to forty-five head of cattle, the dairy embracing from twenty-eight to thirty milch cows, full- blood and grade Jerseys.
Mr. Berry was married December 25, 1875, to Mary J. Gilman, who was born in Anson, September 22, 1853. Her father, Benjamin Gilman, was a thrifty farmer of Anson, a life- long resident of that town, took a prominent part in town affairs, voted the Republican ticket, and was nearly seventy when he died. His wife lived to be seventy-seven. Both were members of the Baptist church. Mr. and Mrs. Berry have one daughter - Bernice E., who was born in Hebron, October 19,
1881. A Republican in politics Mr. Berry does not neglect his duty as a citizen. He has no desire for public office, and has de- clined to serve as a town official. Hle is a member of East Hebron Grange, No. 300, Patrons of Husbandry, and has presided as Overseer of the Grange. Both he and Mrs. Berry are members of the Free Will Baptist church.
MERICA ANDREWS, a prominent farmer and an extensive landholder of Paris, Me., was born on the farm where he now lives, December 22, 1831, son of John and Anna (Butterfield) Andrews.
Mr. Andrews's paternal grandfather, Ed- ward Andrews,' with his wife, born Dorcas Evans, came from Massachusetts to this town at a very early period of its settlement ; and here both lived to a good old age. They reared five sons and four daughters, as follows : Captain John Andrews; Captain Alfred An- drews; the Hon. Charles Andrews, formerly Congressman; Sullivan; Edward; Dorcas ; Betsey ; Polly ; and Clara - none of whom are now living.
Captain John Andrews, father of America, spent his entire life in Paris, devoting his time to agricultural pursuits. Prior to his marriage he bought one hundred and fifty acres of wild land, which is now included in the present homestead. Having built a log cabin, he proceeded to clear some of the land for cul- tivation. Bears, deer, wolves, and other wild animals were plentiful ; and the dusky red man was frequently seen, but was usually friendly. The nearest mill was many miles away; and, there being neither highways nor pathways, the stalwart pioneer made the round trip on foot, with his grist on his back, finding his perilous way by means of blazed trees. He had the frame and strength of an athlete, and could easily lift a barrel of vinegar. John Andrews was for many years Captain of a company of State militia, and was an active participant in the War of 1812. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, and in religion both he and Mrs. Andrews were Methodists. He died on the home farm at the age of fourscore and three
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years. His wife, whose maiden name was Anna Butterfield, was born in Standish, Me., and died in Paris at the age of seventy-eight years. They had fourteen children; namely, Abizer, Alfred, Betsey, Clara, Anna, Amanda, Melvina, America, Laura, Eliza, Sally, Co- lumbia, Vesta, and James. Of these, Amer- ica, Laura, Eliza, and Vesta are the only ones living.
America Andrews, the eighth child, and the special subject of this sketch, grew to manhood on the homestead, obtaining a practi- cal common-school education in what was then known as the Taunton Green School. He continued his residence on the home farm, carefully looking after his parents in their declining years, and in 1865 assumed the pos- session of the ancestral acres. Industrious and thrifty, as he accumulated money he in- vested it in other land, until he now has a farm of three hundred and fifty acres, which by energetic labor and wise management he has brought to its present fine condition, making it a most desirable home for his family and an attractive place of resort for their hosts of friends. His buildings are of a substantial character, the barn being new, and furnished with the modern conveniences for carrying on his work.
Mr. Andrews was married November 5, 1853, to Martha Fuller, who was born in Hartford, Me., May 21, 1833, a daughter of Harvey and Temperance (Howard) Fuller. Her mother was born in Bridgewater, Mass., and her father in Paris, Me., where he carried on farming during a long period of useful activity, attaining the advanced age of eighty- four years. Mrs. Fuller died when but forty- four years old. She and her husband had twelve children, namely: Charlotte; Paulina ; Temperance; Alonzo; Edwin; Lysander, liv- ing in Upton, Me. ; Addison; Martha, Mrs. Andrews; Alpheus, who lives at Pomeroy, Ia. ; Elmira, of Woodstock, Me .; William H. ; and Mary E.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrews have had seven chil- dren, the following being their record: Wal- ter S., born in August, 1855, died in Sep- tember, 1888; Wallace, born July 12, 1857, now principal of the Butler School at Port- land, Me., married Harriet Bradford, and they
have four children - Dura B., Marion M., Harold T., and Harriet Marguerite; Alpheus D., who was born December 14, 1860, and now assists his father in the management of the home farm, where he has always lived, married J. Ella Benson, and they have two children - Alfred D. and Minnie Beatrice ; Lucy A., born March 25, 1866, has taught school thirty-eight terms in Oxford County ; Jamie H., born June 5, 1864, died at the age of nine months; Minnie, born February 25, 1869, was engaged in teaching at the time of her death in 1888; and an infant, not named, died at the age of three weeks.
Politically, Mr. Andrews is a Democrat ; and religiously he and his wife and family are Methodists. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews united with the Methodist Episcopal church forty years ago; and he has served as Class Leader, and is now Steward, a position which he has held the past thirty years. Alpheus D. An- drews, the son who has remained on the home- stead, is a member of Paris Grange, No. 215, Patrons of Husbandry, and is also a member of the local school board.
HARLES W. WALKER, a promi- nent farmer of Canton, was born in Peru, an adjoining town in Oxford County, Me., July 4, 1845, son of Winslow and Amanda M. (Benson) Walker. He is a great-great-grandson of George and Elizabeth (Snow) Walker, the former of whom was born at Kittery Point, Me., May II, 1731, and the latter was born March 13, 1731. George Walker and his wife, whom he wedded September 15, 1755, settled in Falmouth.
Their son William Walker, Charles W. Walker's great-grandfather, was born in Fal- mouth, March 28, 1756. He served as a sol- dier in the Revolutionary War, and settled upon a tract of wild land in Peru, Me., about the year 1802. He was a sturdy pioneer, who made the most of the opportunities within his reach for attaining prosperity ; and he man- aged to establish a comfortable home for his family. He married Sybil Staples, who was born in Topsham, Me., March 23, 1764; and, according to family tradition, the ceremony was performed under peculiar circumstances.
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The river being swollen beyond its usual size by freshets, it was impossible to ford it; and, as the minister could not get to them, the bride and groom stood upon one side, while the parson, standing upon the opposite bank, made good the nuptial bonds. William and Sybil Walker were the parents of twelve chil- dren, as follows: Hezekiah, Susanna, George, Sally, William, Jr., Nathan, Sybil, Rebecca, Charity, Mary, Samuel, and Eliza. William Walker died December 1, 1833, his wife sur- viving until August 16, 1849.
William Walker, Jr., son of William and Sybil, and the next in this line, was born in Falmouth, September 30, 1790. He accom- panied his parents to Peru, and in young man- hood he learned the shoemaker's trade. His other occupations were tilling the soil and keeping a hotel. He opened the first public house in Peru in 1834, and the first post-office in Peru was established there. He owned one hundred and fifty acres of good land, and car- ried on the hotel in connection with farming for twenty years; but during his latter years he devoted his whole attention to his farm. He died in 1868. He was one of the stirring farmers and prominent citizens of Peru in his day, and served the town with ability in va- rious important offices. He married for his first wife Martha Knight, who was born in Falmouth, Me., April 7, 1787, and she be- came the mother of four children, namely : Winslow, who was born August 29, 1811; Lois, who was born October 18, 1813; Dor- cas, who was born May 2, 1815; and Daniel, who was born February 13, 1817. Mrs. Mar- tha Knight Walker died February 25, 1817; and William Walker married for his second wife Mary Chase, who was born in Buckfield, April 4, 1791. The children by his second marriage were: Martha, who was born March 16, 1819; William H., who was born January 7, 1824; Amanda M., who was born February 21, 1829; and Adelia, who was born May 12, 1834. Of these the only survivors are: Will- iam H., who resides at the Walker homestead in Peru; and Adelia, who is the widow of Amos Harlow, and resides in Peru. Their parents were members of the Free Will Bap- tist church. .
Winslow Walker, eldest son of William and
Martha (Knight) Walker, and father of Charles W., was born at the homestead in Peru, where he was a lifelong resident. Dur- ing his active manhood he followed surveying quite extensively in connection with farming. He lived to reach the age of eighty years. In politics he was a Democrat, and for many years was identified with public affairs, in which he displayed a great deal of practical ability and sound judgment. He was a mem- ber of the Board of Selectmen for a number of years, and also served as Town Clerk and Treasurer. In his religious views he was a Universalist. His wife, Amanda M. Benson, who was a native of Peru, reared a family of four children, as follows: William C., who is now residing in Minnesota; Alfred B., a resi- dent of Peru; Abbie G., who is no longer living; and Charles W., the subject of this sketch. Mr. Walker's mother lived to be seventy-nine years old. She was a member of the Free Will Baptist church.
Charles W. Walker was educated in the schools of Peru, and was reared to farm life. He resided at the homestead, assisting in carrying on the farm, until he was thirty years old; and after his marriage he settled upon the Hathaway farm in Canton, where he now lives. This property, which is one of the best farms in the Androscoggin Valley, consists of two hundred and fifty acres of well-located land ; and the tillage portion is under excellent cul- tivation. He carries on general farming and dairying, keeping from ten to fifteen head of Jersey cattle ; and he also raises quite a num- ber of sheep.
On December 4, 1875, Mr. Walker was united in marriage with Lydia T. Hathaway, daughter of Tallman and Sarah (Austin) Hath- away, of Canton. The Hathaway family, which is well known in this locality, descends from Captain Ebenezer Hathaway, a native of Massachusetts, and a Revolutionary soldier. Mrs. Walker's great-grandfather, Gilbert Hath- away, died March 20, 1829, aged eighty- four years; and her grandfather, also named Gilbert, was born in Massachusetts, September 29, 1775. He came from Fall River to Maine, finally settling in Canton; and he was engaged in farming here until his death, which took place December 11, 1863. He was a
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Deacon of the Baptist church. He married Lydia Tallman, who was born in Tiverton, R.I., December 10, 1771; and she died in Canton, December 15, 1867. Tallman Hatha- way, Mrs. Walker's father, was born in Liver- more, Me., May 27, 1803. He was an ener- getic and prosperous farmer, who cleared and improved the property where Charles W. Walker now resides; and he died March 29, 1887. He was a Republican in politics, and a Universalist in his religious views. His wife, Sarah Austin, who was born in Canton, when it was a part of Jay, March 11, 1810, became the mother of six children, namely : Mary E. ; William S. ; Rodolphus E. ; Alan- son S. ; Lydia T., who is now Mrs. Walker; and Peter T., who is no longer living. Mrs. Walker's mother died December 15, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Walker are the parents of seven children, as follows: Frank L., who was born December 12, 1879; Miunie A., who was born January 25, 1882; Jennie L., who was born January 7, 1884; Lillian M., who was born August 20, 1885; Charles W., who was born May 16, 1888; Alfonso G., who was born March 22, 1890; and Ella May, who was born November 3, 1891.
In politics Mr. Walker is a Democrat, and in his religious views he is liberal. He is a member of Canton Grange, No. 110, Patrons of Husbandry, and is now acting as its Treas- urer. Industrious and capable, he takes advan- tage of every improvement calculated to facili- tate the production of superior crops; and he is regarded as one of the most progressive and successful agriculturists of this vicinity.
ERMAN STINSON HOUGHTON, a prosperous merchant of Wilton, Me., and one of the largest hard- ware dealers in Franklin County, was born in Weld, Me., May 7, 1830, son of Ephraim and Sarah S. (Masterman) Houghton.
Mr. Houghton's grandfather, James Hough- ton, was a native of Dublin, N. H., and when a young man settled at Wilton, N. H. He later moved to Weld, Franklin County, Me., where he took up one hundred and sixty acres of intervale land, which was in a wild state, and, clearing up what afterward proved to be
one of the best farms in the locality, erected a set of frame buildings, residing there until his death. He married Hannah Russell; and she reared a large family, among whom were six sons - namely, Ephraim, James, Jr., Abel, Harvey, Sewall, and Daniel.
Ephraim Houghton, son of James, was born in Wilton, N. H., October 26, 1787. His youth was spent in helping his father upon the home farm, and when a young man he bought a tract of unimproved land, consisting of three hundred and twenty acres, situated in the central part of the town of Weld, Me. After living in a log house until he had cleared a large portion of his land, he erected substantial buildings; and, continuing the im- provements in connection with tilling the soil, he also dealt quite extensively in cattle and sheep, buying stock, and letting it to the farmers in the neighborhood. Shortly after the death of his wife he sold the property to his son, and, retiring from active labor, passed his last days in Wilton, Me., where he died at the age of eighty years. In politics he was originally a Whig; and, when the anti-slavery movement first became a political issue, his was the only vote cast in its favor in the town of Weld. He supported the Republican party from the time of its formation until his death. He was a member of the Congregational church. His wife, formerly Sarah S. Master- man, who was born in Deering, N. H., March 7, 1792, daughter of James and Hannah (Dows) Masterman, became the mother of eight children, as follows: Sarah, who was born June 12, 1815; Rebecca M., who was born October 23, 1817; Azel E., who was born June 29, 1819; John N., who was born Feb- ruary 20, 1821; Fanny W., who was born August 22, 1823; Harriet A., who was born May 29, 1825; Eliza A., who was born April 26, 1827; and Herman S., the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Sarah S. Masterman Houghton died March 20, 1851.
Herman Stinson Houghton, the youngest of the family, acquired his education in the dis- trict schools, the Phillips High School, and the Maine Wesleyan Seminary at Kent's Hill. At the age of eighteen he began teaching school; and a short time later he went to Sterl- ing, Mass., where he was for some time clerk
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in a general store. He then engaged in tak- ing contracts for bottoming shoes for manu- facturers in Natick, Mass., employing help, and carrying on quite a profitable business until he returned to Maine. On October 6, 1853, he, in company with R. B. Fuller, opened a general store in Wilton, carrying a large stock, including hardware and stoves; but three years later this firm was dissolved. and the stock divided, Mr. Houghton taking the hardware, while his partner retained the remainder. Establishing himself in the hard- ware business, he soon afterward bought the Strickland store, to which he built an addi- tion; and he continued to do a large business in that line until his building was destroyed in the disastrous conflagration from which the town suffered in 1893. He immediately built a fine new store, sixty by thirty feet, and three stories high, and is now using all of the available room, including the basement, for the storage and display of his large stock of goods. Aside from his mercantile business, he has conducted other business, which has been profitable. He now owns a farm of seventy- five acres in the town of Jay; and, having pur- chased his father's former dwelling here, he has completely rebuilt and remodelled the same, and has one of the finest residences in town.
Mr. Houghton married Lucy A. Hardy, of Massachusetts. She was born October II, 1829, daughter of Reuben and Betsey (Pratt) Hardy. Her father was born June 30, 1802, son of Simon and Lorissa Hardy; and her mother was born December 18, 1800, daugh- ter of Robert and Rebecca Pratt. Mrs. Houghton's parents had four children - Eliz- abeth; Lucy A., who is now Mrs. Houghton ; Sarah; Simeon ; and Lauretta. Mr. and Mrs. Houghton have had three children, namely : Lizzie Emogene, who was born April 26, 1853, and is now the wife of F. E. Jeffrey, of Boston, Mass .; a daughter who died in in- fancy ; and Herbert E., who was born August 22, 1870, and is now associated with his father in business.
In politics Mr. Houghton has been a stanch supporter of the Republican party since its organization ; and, although he has never sought office, he was elected Town Clerk, in
which capacity he served with ability. He is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, in- cluding the Encampment, being Past Grand of Williamson Lodge, No. 20. He contributes to the support of the Congregational church, which he and his wife attend. He is a highly respected member of the community, as is also Mrs. Houghton, who has been an exceed- ingly valuable helpmate to her husband in securing the prosperity they now enjoy.
ENJAMIN BIRD, late of Paris, Me., belonged to a family that was iden- tified with the early settlement of the town of Norway, his native place. He was born December 15, 1813, son of John and Polly Bird. After having ac -. quired in his early years a common-school edu- cation, Benjamin Bird turned his attention to general farming. He bought his first land in Paris, Me., the place now owned by Abner Jackson, of Norway; and, after residing there for two years, he came to the farm on which his widow now lives, then containing about seventy-five acres. Intelligent and practical, he was a very successful agriculturist, and took especial pride in raising a high grade of live stock -choice cows, strong oxen, and large hogs. In other words, he was a model New England farmer.
On December 4; 1850, Mr. Bird was mar- ried to Miss Harriett Rust Millett, the cere- mony being performed by the Rev. Reuben Milliner, of Norway. Mr. Bird was born in Norway, December 19, 1827. Her parents were Nathan and Mercy (Sampson) Millett, the former of whom was a native of Norway, and the latter of Massachusetts. Mr. Millett was a hard-working farmer, and resided in Nor- way all his life. In politics he was a Repub- lican. He died in 1889, aged eighty-nine years, having been born September 1I, 1800. His wife was born September 15, 1804, and died in 1868. Both were esteemed members of the Baptist church in Norway. They had one son and four daughters, all of whom are living, namely : Harriett Rust, Mrs. Bird; M. Louisa, wife of Newell Porter, of South Paris, Me. ; Nathan W., occupying the old Millett homestead in Norway; Martha M., wife of
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