USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 77
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 77
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his education at Hebron Academy. A man of energy and character, he is a carpenter, black- smith, and farmer. He is prominent in the Republican party, and is the present Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. He likewise served in that capacity in 1888-90, and again in 1893. Also, in 1893, he acted as Town Clerk during a temporary vacancy in that . office. He married Miss Bertha A. Cum- mings, who was born in Albany, Me., August 5, 1867, daughter of Deacon David F. Cum- mings, and was educated in the common schools and academy of Hebron. She is the mother of one child - Mabelle G., born June 4, 1893. Miss Grace E. Bumpus was born in Turner, Me., July 9, 1871. She graduated from Hebron Academy in the class of 1888, and since that time has been successfully en- gaged in teaching.
Mr. Samuel A. Bumpus, who is a Republi- can, takes an active interest in town matters, and has served as Selectman. He, his wife, and children are members of Hebron Grange, No. 43, Patrons of Husbandry; and they attend the Baptist church, of which Mrs. Bumpus, James L., and Grace are members. Mr. Bumpus also belongs to Evening Star Lodge, No. 47, A. F. & A. M., of Buckfield.
RANK BARKER, who has resided all his lifetime upon the farm he now owns and cultivates in Fryeburg, Ox- ford County, is a native of this town, born June 27, 1850, son of Joseph W. and Eunice (Hobbs) Barker. His great-grandfather, who came from Andover, Mass., in 1784, is counted among the early pioneers of the local- ity. John Barker, his grandfather, who was born in Andover, Mass., accompanied his par- ents to Maine, and became one of the most successful farmers of his day. He was a noted hunter when the district was for the most part a wilderness, abounding in fur-bearing ani- mals; and he occupied the farm where his grandson now lives. He died at the advanced age of ninety-three years. His wife passed her last days upon the farm.
Joseph W. Barker was born at the home- stead, December 3, 1813. When a young man, he engaged in logging quite extensively,
and subsequently followed that business until he was fifty years old. He then devoted his attention exclusively to agriculture. With the exception of a year passed in another part of the town, he has spent his life at the home- stead, where he now resides with his son and wife. He retired from active labor in 1889. His wife, Eunice, a native of Chatham, N. H., had by him six children, of whom the only survivor is Frank, the subject of this sketch, who was the fifth-born. The others were : Augusta M. ; Webster; Sybil; Lucian, who died young; and another child who died in infancy. The mother is now eighty years old.
Frank Barker received his education in the common schools and at the Norway Academy. At an early age he became a serviceable assistant on the farm. Since 1871 he has managed the property with ability and good judgment. It contains about two hundred and fifty acres of land. It yields large and supe- rior crops of the staple products. Mr. Barker has continued the march of improvement started by his father, and has not once per- mitted the property to deteriorate in any particular.
On August 13, 1871, Mr. Barker was united in marriage to Mary Ross, who, a native of Norway, Me., was reared in Portland. She died August 20, 1873, leaving one daughter - Hattie, who was born August 19, 1873, and still resides at home. On December 31, 1877, Mr. Barker entered a second marriage, contracted with Leila Marion Davis. She was born in Lowell, Mass., October 9, 1852, daughter of James and Mary (Stacy) Davis, who subsequently migrated from Lowell to Wisconsin, where they were engaged in farm- ing, and died. By his second union Mr. Barker has eight children, as follows: James Wilson, who was born October 24, 1878; M. Eunice, who was born June 12, 1880; Gustie M., who was born January 18, 1882; Marion L., who was born August 5, 1883 ; Stillman F., who was born September 26, 1885; Al- bion G., who was born March 4, 1888; Sybil G., who was born March 21, 1892 ; and Wal- ter D., who was born July 17, 1895. All are still beneath the parental roof-tree. While Mr. Barker, since coming of age, has sup- ported the Republican party in politics, he has
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never aspired to office. He is a charter mem- ber of Fryeburg Lodge, No. 49, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Fryeburg Centre, and is connected with the Grange.
HOMAS M. PARKER is the senior member of the Phillips Hardware Company, one of the leading business enterprises of this town. A son of Joseph W. and Harriet Parker, he was born in Lisbon, Me., September 4, 1831, and came to Phillips with his parents when but three years old. Joseph W. Parker lived in Phillips a number of years, then moved West, but finally re- turned East and settled in Chesterville, Me., where he died April 7, 1878, eighty-three years of age. His wife died May 3, 1889, aged seventy-eight years, four months, and six days. They were attendants of the Baptist church.
After completing his education, Thomas M. Parker went into the grocery and dry-goods business in West Farmington, where he re- mained two years. He then removed to King- field, and followed the same business there for twenty years. Coming from Kingfield to Phillips, he started in the hardware business with Horace A. Prescott, under the firm name of Parker & Prescott, the partnership lasting five years, at the end of which time he bought out Mr. Prescott's interest and took in his son, Cheney E. Parker. Four years later W. B. Butler was received as a member of the firm, and a stock company was formed known as the Phillips Hardware Company. They deal prin- cipally in stone, iron, and agricultural imple- ments.
While a resident of Kingfield, Mr. Barker served as Supervisor of Schools and as Town Treasurer one term. He has been a Director in the Phillips National Bank since its organ- ization. On October 2, 1864, Mr. Parker married Mary P. Dudley, a daughter of Will- iam K. Dudley, of Kingfield. They have one child, Cheney E. Parker. Both parents are attendants of the Free Baptist church.
Cheney E. Parker, born in Kingfield, Me., June 13, 1866, is the present Postmaster of Phillips, in which capacity he has served since January, 1895. He was able to supplement
the instruction received in the common schools of Kingfield by a course of study at the Dirigo Business College in Augusta, shortly after which he entered into partnership with his father under the firm name of T. M. Parker & Co. A stock company has since been formed as above mentioned, but he continues his connection with the business. In political affiliation he is a Democrat, like his father. Fraternally, he is a member of Saddleback Lodge, No. 92, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Phillips. On October 2, 1879, he married Miss Addie G. Turner, of Newcastle. They have two children, namely : Floyd E., six years old; and Glidden M., three years old. Cheney E. Parker and his wife attend the Congregational church.
I HOMAS JEFFERSON ANDREWS, one of the largest fruit-growers in Sun- ner, Oxford County, was born on his farm, August 12, 1836, son of Peres and Abi- gail (Keen) Andrews. Peres, who was born in Boston, Mass., son of Darius Andrews, settled on this farm about the year 1810. At that time the district was a wilderness and a favorite haunt of bears. Erecting a log cabin, he made a clearing, established a home, and lived here in prosperity until his death on September 17, 1889, at the age of ninety-seven years. He was twice married, and reared five children. The latter were: Greenleaf, now deceased; Washington, a resident of Sumner ; James, also deceased; Arvilla, the wife of Addison Bowker, of Sumner; and Thomas Jefferson. In politics he was a Democrat, in religious belief a Baptist.
Thomas Jefferson Andrews has lived on this farm since the day of his birth. He was edu- cated in the district school near his home, and was brought up familiarized with farm work and practical horticulture. For several years now he has been engaged in general farming and fruit-growing, and he has been remarkably successful. He has about three thousand fruit trees. Of apples alone he cultivates a great variety, including the Baldwin, the Ben Davis, the King, the Northern Spy, the Russet, and the Rhode Island Greening. His apple crop averages three hundred barrels, though he has
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gathered as much as one thousand barrels in a year. His plum orchard contains three hun- dred trees, and the crop averages forty bushels. The maples growing on his land have yielded one hundred and fifty gallons of syrup in a season and three hundred pounds of sugar. He owns in all about one thousand acres of land, wild and cultivated. The estate is a veritable garden of nature, where miniature lakes nestle in the hollows, bosky dells and rocky fastnesses afford retreats for wild deer and the fox, which are still to be found here.
Mr. Andrews was married December 30, 1877, to Mary E. Canwell, who was born in Franklin Plantation. Her parents, William WV. and Jane R. (Murch) Canwell, are now living in Sumner. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews have four children, namely : Chester G., born February 5, 1881 ; Leland J., born May 8, 1883; Edith May, born September 25, 1886; and Millie J., born September 14, 1891. In political matters Mr. Andrews favors the Re- publican party. In religious belief he is lib- eral, while his wife is an Adventist. He is one of the oldest citizens in this part of the town, and is widely known and respected.
2 EORGE A. KIMBALL, an enterpris- ing and successful agriculturist of Lovell, Oxford County, Me., was born in this town, October 5, 1857, his par- ents being Fred and Olive (Farnham) Kimball.
His father, who also was a native of Lovell, after marriage settled first at Lovell Centre on a small farm. Later on he moved to the farm now owned by Joseph Smith, and in 1870 he located on the farm which his son now occupies. Here he conducted agricultural pursuits uninterruptedly to the year of his de- cease. On September 1, 1849, he married Miss Olive Farnham, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Farnham, of Hiram, Me. Of this union were born two children, namely : Ella Beatrice, who died at the age of five and a half years; and George A., the subject of this sketch. Mr. Fred Kimball passed away August 16, 1887. His widow, Mrs. Olive F. Kimball, on November 23, 1891, was united in marriage with Nathaniel Palmer, and now resides with her husband on a farm in Lovell.
George A. Kimball grew to manhood on the paternal homestead, receiving his early mental training in the common schools of his native town. During the lifetime of his father he co-operated with him in the work of the farm, and since his father's decease he has managed the estate for himself. It consists of about one hundred and seventy-five acres ; and thereon he is principally engaged in the cultivation of general garden produce, though he also devotes some attention to stock raising and dairying. Besides this farm Mr. Kimball owns ninety acres elsewhere in the township, making his entire landed property about two hundred and sixty-five acres.
On July 25, 1880, Mr. Kimball married Miss Phoebe E. Stearns, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs.' Silas Stearns, of Lovell, to whom she was born December 3, 1862. Mr. Stearns, who was by occupation a farmer, died while serving his country in the Civil War. Mrs. Phobe E. Stearns Kimball passed away Sep- tember 3, 1886, in her twenty-fourth year, without issue. On July 4, 1891, Mr. Kimball married for his second wife Miss Carrie D. McAllister, who was born January 5, 1875, a daughter of G. Perley and Fannie T. (McDan- iels) McAllister, of Lovell. Her father was formerly a farmer of this town, and now re- sides here. Mr. and Mrs. Kimball mourn the loss of a daughter, Pearl Beatrice, whose earth life was very brief. They have one son, Fred Don.
Mr. Kimball has participated actively and efficiently in the general civic and social affairs of the community. Among the offices which he has worthily filled may be named that of Township Treasurer, which he occupied for three or four years; and that of Selectman, he having served several ycars on that board. of which he is now the second member. Mr Kimball likewise was the Postmaster of Lovell Centre for a little more than six years. Dur- ing the time he was engaged in the general merchandise business. He is a member of Kezar Valley Lodge, No. 66, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Lovell. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party, the principles of which he has always supported. Religiously, both he and Mrs. Kimball are in fellowship with the Christian church of Lovell
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Centre. Mr. Kimball has always enjoyed a goodly degree of success in his mercantile life, and he has the cordial respect and confidence of all his broad circle of acquaintanceship.
ON. ENOCH W. WOODBURY, of Bethel, Me., an experienced man of affairs, who as a State and county official has discharged many im- portant public trusts, is a native of Sweden, Oxford County, Me. He was born on Janu- ary 8, 1818, the youngest son of Andrew and Sallie (Stevens) Woodbury, and comes of an old New England family, tracing his descent from William and Elizabeth Woodbury, who left England in 1628, and located in Salem, Mass.
His grandfather, a later William Woodbury, who was born in Beverly, Mass., was a sea captain, and commanded a privateer at the time of the Revolution. Suffering the chances of war, he was taken prisoner, and sent to Halifax, where he was held for a year. He survived his imprisonment, however, and lived to an advanced age. Captain Woodbury's only daughter, Susan, married Benjamin Cleaves, who was the grandfather of Henry B. Cleaves, the present governor of the State of Maine.
Andrew Woodbury, aforenamed, son of Cap- tain William Woodbury, was born in Beverly, Mass., March 18, 1776. In 1796 he moved with his parents to Bridgton, Me. ; and about . 1800 he settled in the town of Sweden, where he built the first frame house in the place, and was one of the leading farmers. Though not a church member, he was a conscientious and upright man, and contributed liberally to all worthy enterprises. He died at the age of eighty-two. His wife, Sallie Stevens, whom he married in 1798, was born in Andover, Mass., in 1778. She was a daughter of James Stevens, of that town, a large landholder, who owned the ground on which the village of Centre Bridgton, Me., now stands. Mrs. Sallie S. Woodbury died in Sweden, Me., in 1860. She was the mother of ten children, nine of whom grew to maturity, Enoch W. being the only one living to-day. The others died as follows: Sallie, at the age of eighty-
two years; Susan, at thirty-nine; Andrew, at eighty-six; Martha, at fifty-five; Aaron, at eighty; Esther, at sixty-eight; William, at sixty-six; Lucy Ann, at forty-nine; and Har- riet, at the tender age of two years.
Enoch W. Woodbury attended the common schools of Sweden, Bridgton Academy, and a private high school at Lovell village. This latter institution was three miles from his home, and he walked that distance every day. He was a zealous student, and hoped to grad- uate from the high school; but his health was so poor that he was obliged to abandon the idea, and seek outdoor employment. He always had a taste for intellectual pursuits, and taught school at South Harrison when he was sixteen years of age, receiving a salary of thirteen dollars a month; and for several subsequent years he taught during the winter terms. When he was twenty-three years of age, he opened a small general store at Sweden, which he managed for four years; and for six- teen years thereafter he was engaged in the cattle trade, making his home in Sweden. He eventually formed a partnership with the Hon. Robert A. Chapman, for the sale of gen- eral merchandise in Bethel; and in 1875, buy- ing Mr. Chapman's interest, he took into partnership his son-in-law, Josiah U. Puring- ton, who now carries on the business, Mr. Woodbury having retired.
He was married July 2, 1840, to Sallie Kimball, of Bridgton, who died in 1890 from the effects of a paralytic shock. Five chil- dren were given to Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury, namely: Webster, a graduate of Bowdoin Col- lege, who was eleven years pastor of the church at Skowhegan, Me., and is now located at Milford, Mass .; Franceta A., a graduate of North Bridgton Academy; and for some time a teacher, now the wife of J. U. Purington, mentioned above; Emma C., wife of Francis Chandler, of Bethel; Wesley K., who gradu- ated from Gould's Academy, was in the mer- cantile trade three years, reading law with his father in the mean time, finished his legal studies at Pottsville, Pa., was admitted to the bar in 1881, and now has a large practice in Pottsville; and a child who died in infancy.
Mr. Woodbury has long been identified with the Republican party, and in ante-bellum
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days was a strong Abolitionist. Elected to the State Senate in 1856, he was honored with re-election, and in 1859 was a member of the House of Representatives. In 1861 he was appointed Judge of Probate, in 1862 he was elected Judge of the Probate Court, and in 1866 he was re-elected. He was appointed superintendent of the State Reform School in March, 1867, and served until November, 1870, when he resigned; and in 1874 he was made a trustee of the State Insane Asylum, with whose management he was connected until 1879. In 1889 he was appointed on the State Valuation Commission, and while attending to his duties in 1889-90 he spent four months in Augusta; and in 1890-91 he was in the State capital for the same length of time, attending to similar duties.
Judge Woodbury, it is thus seen, has de- voted his energies largely to the service of the public, working zealously for his party and his country, and is still busy with voice and pen, contributing regularly to the local papers. Though seventy-eight years of age, he enjoys fairly good health, and his mental powers are undiminished. He makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. J. U. Puring- ton. The Judge has been a member of the Congregational church for fifty-seven years, and his conduct has always been guided by the root principles of Christianity. His character is a strong and noble one, and he is beloved by all who know him.
J OSEPH S. PERRY, a retired farmer and real estate holder, for many years a resident of Wilton, was born in West Boylston, Mass., April 25, 1806, son of Joseph and Sally (Sawyer) Perry. His grandparents, Moses and Hannah (Adams) Perry, were residents of Holliston, Mass., and moved to West Boylston February II, 1801. In September, 1809, Moses Perry moved the family of his son Joseph to Temple, Me., making the journey by team. Their wagon was the first seen in Temple. On arriving there, they stopped to dine with Henry Butter- field, who had partially cleared a farm; and, as land was cheap, Joseph Perry bought a tract located in the south-western part of the town.
Two years later Moses Perry also moved with his wife and family to Temple, where he re- mained until reaching the age of seventy years, when, unable to labor, he returned to Massachusetts, where he spent the rest of his days, dying in West Boylston when about eighty years old. He and his wife Hannah reared six children; namely, Joseph, Betsey, Asenath, Hannah, Mary, and Cynthia.
Joseph Perry, the father of Joseph S., was born in Holliston, Mass., February 24, 1779. He learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. In September, 1802, he moved to West Boyl- ston, and seven years later in 1809 to Temple, where, as narrated above, he bought a tract of land. This he cleared and improved into a good farm, upon which he resided until 1812, when he moved to North Wilton, Me. Here he tilled the soil, and worked at his trade dur- ing the rest of his active period, and died at the age of eighty-eight years, February 22, 1867. His wife, Sally, a native of Massachu- setts, became the mother of nine children, namely : Miranda, born January 3, 1804; Jo- seph Sawyer, the subject of this sketch; Moses; Lucy L. ; Mary; John W .; Sarah; Cynthia ; and Emeline. She lived to be eighty years old.
Joseph S. Perry, who accompanied his par- ents to Wilton when he was about six years old, acquired his education in the schools of this town. Having resided with his parents and cared for them during their declining years, he succeeded to the ownership of the homestead. While it was in his possession he increased the value of the property by im- proving the land and remodelling the build- ings, and he tilled the soil with good finan- cial results until 1870. Then, selling the farm to D. Avery, he bought the John Card property of eighteen acres, situated in the village of Wilton, where he now resides. He has since sold six building lots to good ad- vantage.
On July 4, 1833, Mr. Perry wedded Mary Eaton, who was born June 14, 1809, daughter of Osgood Eaton, an early pioneer of Farm- ington, Me. Mr. and Mrs. Perry have had two children. Their first-born child died in infancy. The other, Mary Annette, who was born May 15, 1838, is now the wife of
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Benjamin F. Russell, and has two children, namely: Amlin B., born March 7, 1864; and Nora E., born March 4, 1867, who married Walter W. Coller, of Norfolk, Conn., and died December 13, 1894. Benjamin F. Rus- sell, who is a son of James Russell, is a pros- perous farmer, and the owner of considerable real estate. He resides with the parents of his wife for the purpose of managing their property, and caring for them in their old age. His son, Amlin B. Russell, who is a plumber of Boston, married Cora Voter, by whom he is the father of three children, namely: Marian H., who is no longer living; Vivian A .; and Cora. In politics Mr. Perry has acted with the Republican party since its formation, and has ably filled various town offices. Although he is a nonogenarian, he enjoys good health, and performed considerable work in the way of gardening last summer. He is regarded by his fellow-townsmen with the highest respect and esteem. Mrs. Perry, who is now eighty- seven years old, is remarkably well preserved, and is still active in household affairs. The family are all members of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
EFFREY A. HARDY, an enterprising and progressive farmer of Paris, is a native of this town. He was born De- cember 20, 1860, son of William W. and Eunice C. (Gurney) Hardy. But little is known of the early ancestry of the family Thomas W. Hardy, grandfather of Jeffrey A., was for some time a seafaring man, after which he became a farmer and cattle dealer in Andover, Vt., where he died at the age of forty-seven. His wife, Betsey, lived to be seventy years old.
William W. Hardy, the only child of Thomas W., born November 9, 1823, in An- dover, Vt., passed his boyhood with relatives in Hollis, N. H. When a young man, he served an apprenticeship at the machinist's trade. This calling he subsequently relin- quished in order to learn the shoe manufactur- ing business. Having accomplished his pur- pose, he settled in Natick, Mass., where, after working for some time as a journeyman, he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes
upon his own account. In 1850, in company with others, he went by way of Cape Horn to California, where he arrived after a voyage of six months. The party engaged in mining for a short time, and then disbanded. Thereupon Mr. Hardy proceeded to sell a large lot of boots and shoes, which he carried with him as a venture. This venture proved so profitable that he returned East with the purpose of re- peating it. He did not carry out the plan, however, but once more entered the shoc man- ufacturing business in Natick. From there he moved to Paris in 1858, and bought the farm of one hundred and thirty acres where he now resides. He has made various improve- ments in the property since, carrying on gen- eral farming with energy and judgment. His wife, Eunice, whom he married at Natick, May I, 1852, was born in Minot, Me., Janu- ary 8, 1833, daughter of Samuel and Lucy Gurney. Samuel Gurney was an industrious tiller of the soil for many years in Minot, from which town he moved to Hebron, Me., where he resided until his death, which took place when he was seventy-five years old. Mrs. Gurney attained about the same age. They had a family of eight children, five of whom are still living. Mr. and Mrs. William W. Hardy have had four children, as follows : Leonard, who was born in Natick, August 12, 1855 ; Henry, who was born October 5, 1859, and died March 17, 1860; Jeffrey A., the sub- ject of this sketch; and Lewis G., who was born March 4, 1874, and died August 24, 1876. Both parents are members of the Pa- trons of Husbandry. The father is a Repub- lican in politics, and liberal in religious views. The mother is a member of the Bap- tist church in Hebron.
Jeffrey A. Hardy was educated in the Paris schools, and brought up to farming on the homestead. He had assisted on the farm until 1886, when his father practically retired from active labor, leaving the entire management of the property in his hands. Since then he has developed a spirit of enterprise that is bringing him to the front rank of the success- ful agriculturists in the locality.
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