USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 82
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 82
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than forty different schools since she was fif- teen years of age, and is regarded as one of the pioneer teachers in this section. She is now in business in Lewiston, Me. In politics Mr. Gordon is a stanch Republican, and he has voted for every Republican President since Abraham Lincoln's election - that is, since his majority. In religion he is a Free Will Baptist. He was School Commissioner and Selectman for three years each. He is now serving on the School Board, this being his second term and his third year as a member of that body.
LBERT B. GRIFFITH, a well-to-do farmer of Peru, was born in Liver- more, Me., October II, 1857, son of Rufus and Hannah (Tripp) Griffith. Mr. Griffith's grandfather, Hezekiah Griffith, was an early settler and a prosperous farmer of Livermore. He passed his last years în Peru, and lived to a good old age. Rufus Griffith was born in Livermore, and for several years was there engaged in farming. Subse- quently, seeing what he considered a good opportunity to serve his own interests in Peru, he bought a farm of two hundred and fifty acres here. This he conducted very prosperously for the rest of his life, and died in 1891. In his religious views he was liberal, and in poli- tics he supported the Democratic party. His wife, Hannah, who was a native of New Bedford, Mass., became the mother of three children. These are: Charles M., a resident of Auburn, Me. ; Albert B., the subject of this sketch; and Mary Louisa, who lives in Port- land. Mr. Griffith's mother is now residing with her daughter in Portland.
Albert B. Griffith acquired his education in the schools of Livermore. He was quite young when his parents took him with them to Peru. He assisted on the farm until his father's death. At that time he succeeded to the property, and has since conducted it with success. There are two hundred and fifty acres of land, the amount originally purchased by his father. He raises superior crops, in- cluding hay, oats, and corn, and deals to some extent in live stock.
In August, 1886, Mr. Griffith was united in
marriage to Ida De Shon. She was born in Peru, daughter of Charles F. and Janette (Mitchell) De Shon. The father is no longer living, and the mother still resides in Peru. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith have two children - Emily K. and Rufus De Shon. The Griffith farm is healthfully and picturesquely situated in the Androscoggin Valley, bordering the river, and surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. Mr. Griffith has attained prosperity by hard work, and is at the present time one of the heaviest tax-payers of Peru. He is a Dem- ocrat in politics; while he has no particular preference for any of the religious denomi- nations.
ON. JOEL WILBUR, of Phillips, the senior member of the firm Wil- bur & Co., dealers in general farm produce, groceries, grain, flour, etc., was born here September 19, 1833, a son of Benjamin and Mary (Heath) Wilbur. Ethan Wilbur, the father of Benjamin, came to Phillips as early as 1801, and the rest of his life was spent here in farming. His ten children have all passed away. He served in the War of 1812 at Portsmouth, N. H., and died in 1857, aged seventy-one years. Benja- min Wilbur, who was born in Durham, Me., was brought to Phillips by his parents when he was but four years old. He was engaged in general farming here during his active period, dying October 8, 1883, at the age of seventy- eight. His wife, Mary, who was a native of Strong, Me., died at the home of her son in this town on November 22, 1896, in . the ninety-third year. She bore him eight chil- dren, of whom three are living, namely : San- ford K., in Nevada; Mary Octavia, the wife of J. A. Badger, of Avon; and Joel, the subject of this sketch.
Joel Wilbur was educated in the common schools and at the Farmington and New Hampton academies. He then engaged in teaching for seven or eight years. In 1859 he opened a general store, which he has success- fully conducted since. His son has been in partnership with him since 1883. They have four large stores - one, eighty-three by forty- five feet ; another, one hundred by thirty feet ;
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the third, at Dead River Station, eighty by thirty feet; and the fourth, on Main Street, twenty-six by sixty fect. For three years Mr. Wilbur was superintendent of the Sandy River Railroad, and he has been a Director of that company for fifteen years. He is also a Director of the Phillips & Rangeley Railroad, and of the Union National Bank.
On March 27, 1859, Mr. Wilbur married Miss Laura Louisa Howard, a daughter of Darius and Louisa Howard, of Phillips, and now has two children - Frank H. and Geor- giene Virginia. The latter lives with her par- ents. Frank H. Wilbur, born in Phillips, September 10, 1860, was educated in the com- mon and high schools of the town and in the Augusta Business College. After completing his education he was received into partnership by his father, with whom he is still associ- ated. He was married on September 29, 1887, to Evelyn C. Church, of this town, and they have one child living - Conrad C., now five years old. Mr. Joel Wilbur and his son are both loyal Republicans. While a resident of Avon, the father was Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for a number of years; and he has completed a quarter century of service as Town Treasurer of Avon. He was for sev- eral years a member of the School Board of Phillips. In 1889 and 1890 he was a Repre- sentative to the Maine legislature, and during the following two years he was a member of the Senate. While in the House he served on the Committees on Banks and Banking and Federal Relations; and while in the Senate he was Chairman of the Committee on Banks and Banking, a member of the Committees on Fisheries and Game and Mercantile Insurance. During his second term in the House, the Australian ballot bill was passed, and the district school system was abolished in certain towns, including that of Phillips. In 1892 he was one of the electors-at-large for the State of Maine, and a delegate to the Republi- can Convention at Minneapolis in May of that year. In the previous year he had served as a delegate to the Centennial Anniversary cele- bration of the inauguration of George Wash- ington, which was held in New York. Mr. Wilbur is an attendant of the Congregational church.
EORGE A. FREDERIC, a progres- sive general farmer of Temple, and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Strong, Franklin County, March 9, 1827, son of Peter and Clarissa (Merchant) Fred- eric. Mr. Frederic's grandfather, Joseph Frederic, who was a native of Portugal, joined the American navy, and served under Paul Jones during the Revolutionary War. After the close of hostilities he settled in the town of Starks, Me., acquired one hundred and sixty acres of new land, and, converting it into a good farm, became prosperous. His death, in middle age, was the result of a serious wound in the hip, which he received while serving in the war. He married a Miss Pease, who lived to the age of ninety-eight years. Their children were : Polly, Hannah, Joseph, Valentine, Charles, Peter, and William.
Peter Frederic bought a farm in Strong, and there resided for a number of years. He then went to Oldtown, Penobscot County, where he was engaged as an operative in the saw-mills until his retirement from active labor. He passed his declining years at the home of his son, George A., and died at the age of eighty- four years. His wife, Clarissa, became the mother of eight children, namely: Betsey ; Sophronia; George A .; Peter; Jane; Will- iam ; and Edward and Edwin, who were twins. She died at the age of sixty-five years.
George A. Frederic attended the common schools, and was afterward employed in farm- ing until 1862. He then enlisted as a private in Company G, Seventeenth Regiment, Maine Volunteers, with which he served three years in the Civil War, successively under Captain Merrill and Captain Green. In the battle of Petersburg he sustained a fracture of the skull, from the consequences of which he has never fully recovered. He was honorably dis- charged from the service as a Corporal. After regaining sufficient strength to resume labor, he bought the Ellis farm in Temple, which he carried on for twenty years. Selling that property to Gustavus Staples he purchased the Welman farm of two hundred acres, where he has since resided. Since taking possession he has remodelled and enlarged the buildings, in- creased the fertility of the land, set out
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orchards, and otherwise improved the prop- erty. He carries on general farming and dairying, and keeps some excellent cattle and sheep.
On October 17, 1849, Mr. Frederic wedded Mary McLean, a native of New Vineyard, Me., daughter of Charles and Betsey (Mer- chant) McLean. The father, who was born in Falmouth, Me., first settled in Farmington, and later in New Vineyard. Mr. and Mrs. Frederic have two children, namely : Julia O., who was born February 25, 1851, and is now the wife of Gustavus Staples of this town; and George H., who was born April 7, 1854, and is a carpenter by trade. Mr. Frederic supports the Republican party, and he attends the Congregational church.
ERMAN L. HORNE, of Norway, Oxford County, a manufacturer of fine finished lumber, doors, sash, blinds, and mouldings, was born in Wolfboro, N. H., February 6, 1852, son of John L. and Hannah K. (Wallace) Horne. Daniel Horne, his great-grandfather, born in the town of Rochester, N. H., learned the trade of a blacksmith, which he followed for a time. Then he purchased a farm in Wakefield, Car- roll County, N. H., and there subsequently carried on farming as well as blacksmithing. He was a stirring, progressive man, took an active interest in local affairs, was a communi- cant of the Congregational church, and lived to be fourscore years of age. His children were: Daniel, William, and Charity. Daniel Horne, Jr., the eldest child, was born in Wakefield. As soon as he was old enough he began to assist his father on the farm and at the forge. On attaining his majority he pur- chased a farm in his native town and engaged in farming on his own account. A number of years later he sold this farm and purchased a smaller one in the town of Rochester, N. H., where he lived until the infirmities of age led him to give up active employment. At this time he took up his residence with his son, John L. Horne, with whom he remained until his death at the age of eighty-five years. His first wife, Jane (Lennon) Horne, who died when about forty years of age, bore him five
children ; namely, Luther, John L., Daniel P., Horace, and Jane E. Mr. Horne then married Miss Hannah Burroughs, who had two sons by him - Horace and Page. In his early days he was a Whig; later he became a Republican. He was a member of the Con- gregational church.
John L. Horne, born in Milton, N. H., No- vember 8, 1824, received his education in the district school. When seventeen years old he went to work in Oliver Hill's tannery at Berwick, Me., and three years later was placed in charge of a branch of the business located at Rochester. At the end of a year he purchased the Rochester tannery, and ran it for himself two years. Then he sold it and purchased another in the same place, forming at that time a copartnership with Moses Varner, with whom he did business for three years. Sell- ing his interest to his partner in 1852 he came to Norway and bought the Mark Smith tannery which was then doing only a small business. In a comparatively short time, under the able management of the new proprietor, the busi- ness became the leading industry of Norway, giving employment to one hundred and twenty- five men. In1 1877 he took his son, Herman L. Horne, into partnership, and under the style of J. L. Horne & Son they carried on a successful business up to 1885. They were then succeeded by the Norway Tanning Com- pany, who conducted the business until the entire plant was consumed in the great fire that occurred in Norway in 1893. Not only did John L. Horne build up a successful busi- ness of his own, but he has been instrumental in bringing a number of industries into the place, and in other ways has rendered very beneficial service to the town. As his busi- ness required heavy teaming, it was through his efforts that the branch of the Grand Trunk Railroad from South Paris to Norway was built. Having business connections with B. F. Spinney & Co., shoe manufacturers of Lynn, and finding that they were about to leave Lynn for some good country site, he personally circulated for signatures among the residents of Norway a paper inviting the firm to come to this town. The invitation was accepted, and the large and prosperous busi- ness so acquired has been of great benefit to
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the town. John L. Horne was Chairman of the Building Committee who had charge of the erection of the Norway National Bank, and, after the organization of the corporation, he was chosen a director. He was also a director of the Water Works Company. At first he bought a cottage on Cottage Street, where he lived for several years. Then he purchased the Henry Russ stand at 40 Main Street, which he has made one of the most attractive residences in Norway by enlarging, grading, putting in granite curbing, and effecting other improvements. In 1847 he was married to Miss Hannah K. Wallace, daughter of Lind- say Wallace, of Berwick, Me. She died aged forty years, leaving six children; namely, Chester, Herman L., Rosalie M., John, George, and Charles. The father afterward married successively Miss Anna M. Wrizley and Mrs. Abbie L. Ham. In politics he is a Republican. He is a Mason of Oxford Lodge and Norway Chapter; a Knight Templar of Portland Commandery ; a Past Grand of Nor- way Lodge, No. 17, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Congregational church, and one of its most active supporters, helping to rebuild their edifice three times, it having been destroyed by fire.
Herman L. Horne was but a few months old when brought to Norway by his parents. He attended school in this village as a boy, and later was a student of South Berwick Acad- emy. In 1874 he was graduated with high honors from Dartmouth College, and began his business career in the city of Portland. Here he opened an office, and for two years made a specialty of insurance, representing a number of the leading companies of the country, among them the Hartford Life Insur- ance Company and the Massachusetts Mutual Insurance Company of Springfield. He re- turned to Norway in 1877 and entered into partnership with his father, under the firm name of J. L. Horne & Son, continuing a member of the firm until it was succeeded by the Norway Tanning Company. Of this com- pany he was a director and treasurer until, as already noted, the plant was destroyed by fire. Previously he had purchased the old water-
power at the falls and the paper-mill, and in 1884 had established an electric light plant and formed a company known as the Norway Electric Light Company, of which he was chosen President. This plant supplies both Norway and South Paris. In 1879 Mr. Horne built a large factory in which building mate- rials, including mouldings, sash, doors, and blinds are manufactured, and from ten to fif- teen men, besides teams, are employed. Mr. Horne, working hand in hand with his father, helped to secure the branch of the Grand Trunk Railroad and the establishment of the shoe factory. It was largely through his in- fluence that the charter was granted for the electric railway, and later that surveyors and engineers were secured to bring the undertak- ing to a successful termination. He is a stockholder and Director of the electric rail- way, a stockholder in the Opera House Block corporation, and a stockholder and the Presi- dent of the shoe manufactory. In the seventies he was President of the Norway Agricultural Society, and during his term of office a new track was built and other substan- tial improvements made. Of about ninety lots of land adjoining the tannery owned by him and his father, which were laid out in streets, a portion was sold. On the remainder they erected about twenty houses, two of which were destroyed in the fire of 1893 .. The younger Mr. Horne furnished the . material used in the High School and County Building. He is now erecting a three-story block, forty by seventy feet, furnished with modern con- veniences, having three stores on the street floor and offices on the second. He also owns an elegant private residence.
On October 18, 1876, Mr. Horne was mar- ried to Miss Fanny H. Holmes, a daughter of E. Austin and Martha (Haight) Holmes. Mr. Holmes was born in Hebron, now Oxford, Me., on January 9, 1802, son of Captain James Holmes, a native of Plymouth, Mass. Cap- tain Holmes, who commanded a company of State militia, married Miss Jerusha Rawson, and settled soon after in Hebron, where he purchased a farm and engaged in agriculture. E. Austin Holmes, beginning his business career without assistance, became one of the largest farmers and cattle dealers in this sec-
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tion, acquiring a goodly competence. The latter years of his life were spent in retire- ment here in Norway, where he erected a hand- some residence; and he died in 1866. He married successively Sarah E. Benson, Al- mena Staples, and Martha Haight. The last wife, who was a daughter of George Haight, of Gorham, survived him until 1887, when she died at the age of seventy years. There were , seven children by the first union, three by the second, and two - George W. and Fanny H. - by the third. The father was the originator of the Holmes note. Mr. Horne was at one time Captain of the Norway Light Infantry. Despite his numerous business cares he is an active and influential member of several of the leading societies of Norway.
OSEA P. BUMP, an agriculturist of Farmington, and a veteran cavalry man of the late war, was born Sep- tember 12, 1837, in the town of New Vineyard, this county, son of Hosea and Sylvia (Whiting) Bump. Hosea Bump, who was a blacksmith of unusual skill, was en- gaged in general iron work in New Vineyard, Me., for several years, and then moved to Farmington. Here he also followed his trade until the weight of years made it advisable for him to retire some time before his death, which happened in his eighty-second year. He was a stanch Democrat. In religious belief he was an Adventist. His wife, who was born in 1811, passed away in 1841. They had two children, namely: John C., now deceased; and Hosea P.
Beginning in his boyhood, Hosea P. Bump worked at general farming until he was twenty-one years of age. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in Company L, First Maine Cavalry, and served in the war for nearly four years, during which he took part in some of the fiercest engagements. On the first of the three days' struggle at Gettysburg he was wounded in the right wrist, the shot breaking some of the bones; but as soon as practicable he was in the field again, and finished his term of service. His wrist never regained its strength, and he is now in receipt of a pen- sion. After his return from the war he pur-
chased the Jacob Eaton farm, an estate of fifty acres in Farmington, on which he has set out a fine orchard, and made many other improve- ments. Also, from time to time, he has bought outlying land, so that he now owns one hundred acres more. He is a progressive and thrifty farmer, and is widely known and respected.
Mr. Bump was married May 5, 1867, to Mary Paine, who was born March 3, 1840, in New Hampshire, daughter of Asel and Mary (Wright) Paine. Mr. Paine, a farmer, who kept a dairy and reared sheep, moved to Farm- ington when his daughter was quite young. In her girlhood Mrs. Bump worked in weaving- mills. She is the mother of two children - Lubert R., born September 4, 1869, now a farmer; and John E., born May 15, 1874, a plumber. The father votes the Republican ticket. On religious subjects he holds liberal views. His wife is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, which she joined some years ago.
J OSHUA C. WHITTEMORE, who was for many years prominent in the agri- cultural community of Hebron, was born in this town, November 21, 1824. His parents, John and Ruth (Crooker) Whit- temore, were natives of this State, born respec- tively in Hebron and Minot. John Whitte- more, who was an energetic man, resided on the farm subsequently owned by his son, chiefly occupied in agriculture. In politics he was an old-time Democrat. He died April 7, 1867. His wife was an exemplary Christian woman, and an attendant of the Congregational church. Her death occurred May 22, 1889. They had five children, all of whom are like- wise deceased.
Joshua C. Whittemore grew to manhood in Hebron, acquiring his education in the public schools. In boyhood he was required to take an active part in the farm work, and in man- hood he elected to continue in that occupation. He succeeded his father as owner of the home farm, which is a valuable estate of one hundred acres. An industrious and progressive man, he made many improvements on the estate. Mr. Whittemore, like his father, was a Demo-
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crat. On religious matters his views were liberal. He died May 31, 1894.
Mr. Whittemore was married November 25, 1859, to Stella A., daughter of William and Stella Harlow. She was born in Minot, May 10, 1841. Mr. Harlow, a native of Minot, who was engaged for years in farming in Minot and Turner, died at the age of eighty- two. His wife, who was born in Turner, passed away in her forty-ninth year. Their eleven children were: Stella L., deceased, who was the wife of Herbert Mullen, and left one child, Flossie A .; Mary F., also de- ceased; Annie W., who is the wife of Frank Ramsdell, of Hebron, and has two children - Donald W. and Beulah M .; Samuel J., a farmer on the homestead; Horace K., a clerk, employed in Boston, Mass .; and Grace R., Nellie E., Sadie A., Verna A., Herbert A., and Edith M., all at home. Mrs. Whittemore manages the farm with the assistance of her children. She is an esteemed member of the Congregational church.
EWIS H. REED, a successful lumber- man and mill-owner residing in Mex- ico, Oxford County, was born in the house that he now occupies on Jan- uary 28, 1854. His parents were Lewis and Mary Ann (Stockbridge) Read, both of whom were natives of Byron. The father remained on the home farm until he was a young man, when he came to Mexico to engage in mercan- tile pursuits. In 1858, after a prosperous business career, he died at the age of forty- five. He was a very active Democrat in local and State politics; was Selectman for several years; held the rank of Colonel in the old State militia; and was a member of the Universalist church. His wife, Mary Ann, bore him four children. These were: Flor- ence J., now deceased, who married W. W. Bolster, ex-Mayor of Auburn, Me. ; Olive G., a spinster, residing in Pittsburg, Pa .; Mary A., who was the wife of the late L. A. Thomas, of Pittsburg; and Lewis H., the youngest child, and the subject of this biog- raphy. The mother died in 1883, at the age of seventy-five.
After completing the customary period of
attendance at the common schools, Lewis H. Reed, at the age of fifteen, left home to pursue a two years' course in the State Normal School in Farmington. Having graduated from that institution in 1873, he took a four years' course at Bowdoin College, where he was a classmate of ex-President Pierce. Here he graduated in 1877 as a civil engineer. Dur- ing the ensuing two years he taught school in different towns of the State. He then came . to Mexico, and engaged in farnring and sur- veying, although surveying in the country was distasteful to him. In 1890 Mr. Reed built the Burch & Long lumber-mill in Roxbury, which he has since managed, giving employ- ment to fifteen men, in the manufacture of spool stock, dowels, and long lumber. He owned a part of the land where the village of Rumford Falls now stands, but sold it in 1892.
On October 26, 1880, he married Miss Abbie P. Saunders, of Livermore, who was his classmate in the Normal School at Farm- ington. Their children are: Mary L., Martha C., Caroline S., and Elmer L., all still under the paternal roof. Mr. Reed is a Republican in politics, takes quite an active part in the politics of the county, and was Town Clerk for a few years. He is a member of the Zeta Psi Society of Bowdoin College. Always courteous and genial, he has many friends.
ILLIAM COBURN, now living in re- tirement in New Sharon, was until quite recently a prosperous general
farmer. He was born in this town, December 20, 1817, son of Manley and Sally (Bailey) Coburn. His grandfather, Jephthah Coburn, came here, a pioneer, in 1794 from Dun- stable, Mass., making the journey with an ox team. Jephthah took up two tracts of land of one hundred acres each, and, after clearing a portion, erected a ten-room house, which still stands in a good state of preservation. He served as a soldier during the Revolutionary War, afterward receiving a pension from the government; and he lived to a good old age. During the latter years of his life he lost his sight and hearing. He was a hard-working, industrious man and a useful citizen; and he
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