USA > Maine > Oxford County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 89
USA > Maine > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine > Part 89
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RED A. HOLT, Selectman of Frye- burg, was born here, April 18, 1857, son of Thomas K. and Parthenia R. (Johnson) Holt. His grandfather was Will- iam Holt, who came to Fryeburg from An- dover, Mass., at an early date in the town's history, and settled upon a farm in the neigh- borhood of his grandson's property.
Thomas K. Holt, who was a native of Frye- burg, in his younger days followed the trade of a tinsmith in the village. He subse- quently engaged in agriculture, and, after oc- cupying one farm for a time, he, in 1865, bought the property now owned by his son. His death occurred September 25, 1888. He was first married to Eliza Brickett, who died April 7, 1854. Her children by him were: Sarah A., Harriet N., and Thomas K., who are no longer living; William F., now resid- ing in Bridgton, Me .; James G., of Charles- town; Mary E., the wife of Horace Hadley, of Worcester, Mass .; Caroline E., the wife of R. P. Griffin, of Charlestown; and Benjamin F., who resides in Providence, R.I. The father by a second marriage was wedded to
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Parthenia R. Johnson, a native of Brownfield, Me., whose offspring were: Addie M., born May 6, 1855, who died September 31, 1875; Fred A., the subject of this sketch; Fanny A., born March 10, 1861, who died August IO, 1863; Thomas K., born November 8, 1863, who now resides at the homestead ; Fanny A., second, born June 15, 1866, who died September 23, 1872; and Augusta B., born March 14, 1868, who died October 7, 1878. The mother is still living, and resides at the homestead.
Fred A. Holt obtained his education in the common schools. When old enough he began to make himself useful upon the farm. After his father's death he took charge of the farm, which he has since carried on in company with his brother. The estate contains two hun- dred acres of valuable land, devoted to general farming. On June 1, 1885, Mr. Holt wedded Estelle S. McIntire, of Fryeburg, daughter of Thomas S. and Angelia McIntire. Her father resides at Fryeburg Centre. Her mother died some time ago. Mr. and Mrs. Holt have one son, Harry M., who was born July 2, 1893.
For two years Mr. Holt was Third Select- man of the town, and he is now serving as Second Selectman. He always voted with the Democratic party until 1896, when the free silver plank in the party's platform de- cided him to vote with the Republicans. He is a member of Pythagorean Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; of Frycburg Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows: and of the Patrons of Husbandry. His brother, Thomas K., is also connected with the Odd Fellows and the Grange. His many admirable traits of char- acter have won for Mr. Holt the general es- teem of the community.
L. TEBBETS, EsQ., senior member of the enterprising firm of E. L. Teb- bets & Co., manufacturers of thread and silk spools, variety turnings and dowels at Locke's Mills, Oxford County, Me., was born in Lisbon, Androscoggin County, this State, June 6, 1849, a son of John G. and Clara A. (Buckman) Tebbets.
His grandfather, Paul C. Tebbets, was an early settler in Lisbon, and for many years a
prosperous trader. John G. Tebbcts was en- gaged in mercantile pursuits in Lisbon, his native town, during the larger portion of his life, and always kept his home there. He bought the Locke's Mills spool manufactory in 1867, and he operated it until his death, which occurred in May, 1892. He is survived by his wife, formerly Clara A. Buckman, a native of Lisbon, and by three of their four children, namely: E. L., the special subject of this biographical notice; Leila, now living with her mother on the old homestead in Lis- bon; and Nora, widow of the late C. E. B. Libby, residing at Auburn, Me. The other child, a son named Ralph, died in infancy.
E. L. Tebbets was educated at the Edward Little Institute in Auburn, Me., and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Bos- ton. Afterward he was engaged in civil cn- gineering in Lewiston, this State, until 1870, when he began working for the Maine Central Railway Company, being rodman in the con- struction department one year, assistant en- gineer for five years, and subsequently general accountant in the Treasury office at Portland for six years. On severing his connection with that road, Mr. Tebbets made a trip to California, and spent six months as a civil engineer in the eastern part of that State. In November, 1882, he came to Greenwood, and at Locke's Mill, where the water power is un- surpassed, he engaged with his father in run- ning a grist mill until 1891, when they sold out to the American Bobbin Spooling and Shuttle Company. Afterward they bought back the water power, and leased the spool- mill. Mr. Tebbets is here doing an immense business, being known as one of the most en- terprising and successful manufacturers in this part of Oxford County. Assiduous in his application to his own affairs, he is also a public-spirited man, actively interested in promoting the common weal, and occupying a foremost position among the citizens of the town of Greenwood. In politics he affiliates with the . Democratic party. For several years he served efficiently as Town Treasurer and Selectman, and is now Justice of the Peace.
On September 4, 1873, Mr. Tebbets mar- ried Miss Lizzie C. Morton, who was born in
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Augusta, Me., the city in which her parents, the late Hallett W. and Lavinia Morton, spent their entire lives. Mr. and Mrs. Tebbcts have four children - Charles B., Lawrence, E. L., Jr., and a babe unnamed. Mrs. Teb- bets is a member of the Congregational church of Augusta, and takes an active part in church work.
HARLES L. TOOTHAKER, M.D., is the principal medical practitioner of Phillips, Me., and before his pa- tients here required so much of his time, also had a large practice in Rangeley and adjoining towns. He was born in Phillips, April 20, 1847, a son of George and Eliza (Staples) Toothaker, being on his father's side of Scotch, and on his mother's side, of Irish ancestry ..
Ephraim Toothaker, the father of George, spent the active years of his life in Bowdoin- ham, Me., whence he came to Phillips, where he was living, aged nearly one hundred years at the time of his death. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and his widow was granted a pension. In politics he was a Democrat.
George Toothaker has resided in Phillips all his life, and has successfully engaged in farming. Although now past eighty years of age, he still enjoys good health. Four of the seven children born to him and Eliza Staples Toothaker, his wife, are now living, namely : George D., in Southern California; Lillian, the wife of L. L. Balkam, of Kansas City; Frank S., in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Charles L. Hattie M., the eldest child, who married Dr. W. Hunter, of Hampton, died at about
fifty years of age; and Ephraim died in the army, aged about twenty-one years. He was in the Heavy Artillery, Eleventh Vermont Volunteers. In politics Mr. Toothaker is a Democrat, but has never held public office.
Charles L. Toothaker, the youngest living child and the special subject of this sketch, received his preliminary education in the common schools of Strong and the Farmington High School, after which he entered the Uni- versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor. In 1871 he was graduated from the Medical School of
Maine at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Me., and immediately after began practising in Auburn, where he remained two years, coming to Phillips in 1873, where he has since re- maincd. For a number of ycars he has been a member of the Board of Health, also on the Examining Board of Pensions. In political affiliation he is a Democrat.
In the fall of 1893 Dr. Toothaker married Miss Eva J. Newman, a daughter of Eben Newman, of Weld, Me. They have had two children, both now living, namely: Charles E., two years old; and Lillian B., younger. Dr. and Mrs. Toothaker attend the Congrega- tional church.
ORENZO D. EDGCOMB, who was born in Hartford, Oxford County, Me., September 3, 1820, has profit- ably engaged in farming at different places in the county, but is at present residing with his son in Norway, Me. His parents, James and Olive Edgcomb, were natives of Saco, Oxford County.
James Edgcomb engaged in farming prin- cipally, but was at one time the keeper of a public house, and served as Deputy Sheriff of Cumberland County. The larger part of his life was spent in Oxford and Cumberland Counties, where he was known as an industri- ous and successful man. He died in Andros- coggin County, at seventy years of age. His wife lived to be but fifty-five. They had seven children, three sons and four daughters, and three are now living, namely: Lorenzo D. ; Miss Olive Edgcomb, of Jay, Me. ; and Mary, wife of Henry Emery, also residing in Jay. The deceased are: Orrin, Jane, Loren, and Sophia.
Lorenzo D. Edgcomb, the eldest living child, grew to manhood in Poland, Andros- coggin County, and was cducated in the schools of Poland and Hartford. He began the work of life as a farmer, and has engaged in agriculture at intervals ever since. For twenty-seven years, however, he travelled through the country selling nursery stock, and in this met with good success. He resided in Poland on an excellent farm, which he owned there until about three years ago, when he re-
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moved to North Paris. Later he came to Nor- way, where, as already stated, he is now mak- ing his home with his son. He owns a good farm in Paris, but expects to make Norway his home. For many years he was a member of the State militia, and some seven years was Captain of Company D. When the Civil War was in progress, he had charge of the muster in Poland, being commander of the nine com- panies of which it was composed. He also assisted in raising two companies for the ser- vice.
At twenty-four years of age Mr. Edgcomb was married to Miss Octavia B. Waterhouse, who was born in Poland, a daughter of Timo- thy and Peggy Waterhouse. They have three children living: Charles R., a paper maker in Mechanic Falls; Orrin, a shoemaker in Norway; and Clara Hazeltine, residing in North Paris. Clara died at two years of age. Olive, who married Sidney Tobey, and Ella, also the wife of a Mr. Tobey, are both de- ceased.
In politics Mr. Edgcomb is independent. Fraternally, he is connected with Tyrian Lodge, No. 73, A. F. & A. M., at Poland, being to-day the oldest member of the lodge. He and his wife are communicants of the Methodist Episcopal church.
DECOSTER, a retired contractor and a veteran of the Civil War, who is now residing upon a fruit farm in Buck- field, was born here January 14, 1831, son of Henry and Abigail (Irish) Decoster. His father, a native and a lifelong resident of Buckfield, worked at his trade of carpentry and was engaged in general farming until his death, which occurred when he was sixty-six years old. He was known and re- spected as a worthy, upright man and a useful citizen. His wife, Abigail, who was a native of Hartford, Me., became by him the mother of ten children. Four of these are living; namely, James H., Joseph F., Ellen B., and E. Decoster. The mother lived to be eighty years old.
After receiving his education in the schools of Buckfield and Turner, the subject of this sketch engaged in teaching for several terms.
While still a young man he became a con- tractor for the construction of railroads and other public works. He was employed by the New Jersey Water Works Company for twenty- five years. He assisted in building the Kan- sas & Pacific Railroad and the Portland & Rumford Falls Railroad. He was also en- gaged in the construction of public works in Portland, Me., Concord, N. H., Concord, Mass., and in New York State, having had charge of as many as five hundred men at one time. He retired some time ago upon a com- fortable competency, and is now engaged in general farming and fruit-growing, owning a pleasantly located piece of property containing one hundred acres. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in Company C, Twentieth Regiment, Maine Volunteers, with which he subsequently participated in the battles of Fredericksburg and Antietam. He was wounded in the last named engagement, and he was honorably discharged in 1863.
In 1858 Mr. Decoster wedded Mary Anna Stowe, a native of Newry, Me., by whom he is the father of four sons. These are: Harry A., who lives in Little Falls, N. Y. ; Freder- ick, a farmer and bee raiser, who resides at home; Edward, a carpenter and blacksmith, who is also engaged in farming at home; and Lester H., who follows the trades of a carpen- ter and blacksmith in Buckfield. In politics Mr. Decoster supports the Republican party. He is a comrade of Fessenden Post, No. 43, Grand Army of the Republic, of Buckfield. Both he and Mrs. Decoster attend the Uni- versalist church.
EORGE D. GROSE is one of the foremost members of the farming community of Sumner, Me., enter- prising and progressive in his methods. He was born in Hingham, Mass., February 10. 1859, son of Dexter and Kate (Whiting) Grose, and is of English descent. His father, who is now Postmaster at North Abington, Mass., was born in Hanover. Mass., his mother in Hingham.
George D. Grose was reared and educated in Abington, Mass. He worked for some time in the employ of his father, who was manu-
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facturing shoes; and in 1890 he settled in Sumner, Me., purchasing the Hiram Heath place. This estate, which comprises three hundred acres, is one of the best farms in the locality, and under its present owner is giving more profitable results every year. Mr. Grose makes dairying his main industry, keeping from ten to twenty-five head of cattle, besides a number of horses. Though but a compara- tively short time in the town, he is looked upon as one of the representative farmers and is a prominent member of Union Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, of East Sumner.
Mr. Grose was married November 23, 1885, to Esther G. Crockett, a native of Hartford, Me., daughter of Samuel I. Crockett. Her grandparents, John and Cynthia Crockett, were among the first settlers of Sumner. John Crockett, who was a native of Cumberland County, this State, was a hard-working and successful farmer. He located in Sumner when the place was sparsely settled, and deer, moose, bears, and smaller game abounded and resided here for a number of years becoming expert as a trapper. The latter part of his life was passed in Hartford, Me., where he died at the advanced age of ninety-one. In politics he was a Democrat. He was twice married, and was the father of eleven children, his first wife, Sally, being the mother of six. His second wife, Cynthia, who was the widow of a Mr. Irish at the time of her marriage to him, lived to be eighty-six years of age. John and Cynthia Crockett were members of the Universalist church. Of his family of eleven children three are living: William ; Samuel I. ; and Cynthia, Mrs. Glover, all in Hartford, Me.
Samuel I. Crockett, Mrs. Grose's father, was born in Hartford, July 7, 1829, and was educated in Hartford and Sumner. He left home at the age of twenty-one and worked in shoe factories in Massachusetts for twelve years. He then bought land in Sumner, on which he resided for a while, eventually sell- ing it and removing to Hartford. In 1881 he purchased his present homestead in that town, and he now owns about eight hundred acres of farm land in Hartford and Peru. He is ex- tensively engaged in general farming and dairying, and keeps some valuable live stock,
including cows, oxen, sheep, and horses. Mr. Crockett, who is a self-made man, is one of the leading farmers of this part of the county. He is a Democrat in politics, and has served as Selectman and in other offices in the town. He is a member of the Grange of Patrons of Husbandry at Sumner. In religious belief he is a Universalist. His first wife, whose maiden name was Lydia Harding, was a native of Sumner. She died at the age of thirty-four. There were no children by this union. His second wife was Ruth B. Gam- mon, a native of Hartford, Me., daughter of Madison Gammon. By this union he has two children : Esther G., Mrs. Grose; and Abel W., both born in Hartford. Abel W. Crock- ett is a member of the Masonic Order. He was married in 1893 to Lillian, daughter of Benjamin Irish, of Buckfield, and has one son - Horace B., born February 3, 1893.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Grose has been blessed by two children : Esther Dorothy, who is with them; and Ruth W., who lived but two years and a half. Mr. Grose takes an active interest in politics, and was a delegate to the Republican County Convention not long since. He belongs to Evening Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Buckfield. He and and his wife are members of the Universalist church.
ANIEL E. MILLS, an enterprising farmer and respected citizen of Mason, was born in the town of Bethel, Oxford County, Me., March 30, 1847, son of Daniel B. and Mary E. (Gor- don) Mills. Daniel B. Mills was a native of Bethel, and spent the greater part of his life in that town. When twenty-eight years old he was accidentally killed in the woods but a few days before the birth of his son, Daniel E. His widow subsequently became the wife of his brother, Nathan G. Mills, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this work.
Daniel E. Mills remained with his mother until reaching his majority. After obtaining his education in the common schools he engaged in farming. He now resides upon the farm which he inherited, and which was purchased by his grandfather, and contains about one
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hundred acres. Here he carries on mixed farming very successfully. On March 29, 1874, Mr. Mills was joined in marriage with Miss Sarah A. Morrill, who was born Febru- ary 3, 1853, daughter of Thomas and Belinda (Shurtleff) Morrill, of Albany, Me. Her father, who was a native of the place now known as Windham, Me., removed to Albany about 1859, and died there at the age of about seventy-six years. He was a prosperous farmer and lumberman. Mrs. Morrill was born in Raymond, Me. She died at forty- eight years of age. Both were members of the Advent Church. Mr. and Mrs. Mills have an interesting family of five children; namely, Sabra O., Vibert .R., Ercel V., Dora B., and Frank E., all living at home. Their second child, Bernal D., died at seventeen years of age. Mr. Mills has served as Selectman sev- eral terms, also as Town Clerk and Collector. He is a Democrat, politically.
ICHARD L. COLE, a prominent and well-to-do agriculturist of Greenwood, Oxford County, is a worthy repre- sentative of the native-born resi- dents of this township. He was born Decem- ber 9, 1824, son of Cyperin and Lavisa (Perrin) Cole, and a descendant of one of the pioneer settlers of Oxford County. His pa- ternal grandfather, Eleazer Cole, in the latter part of the last century, migrated from Bridge- water, Mass., to the town of Paris, where he cleared a farm. Eleazer subsequently came to Greenwood, and there spent his last days.
Cyperin Cole, born in the township of Paris, moved with his parents to Greenwood, where he died November 17, 1861, aged seventy years. He was engaged in agricult- ure throughout the greater part of his life. His first wife, whose maiden name was Lavisa Perrin, was born in Woodstock, and died in Greenwood. His second wife, Martha (Tuell) Cole, who was a native of Paris, died May 23, 1868. Born of his first union were eight children, of whom Richard L. is the only sur- vivor. The others were: Martha, Loranson, Ann G., Lavisa, Minerva, and two that died in infancy. His second wife bore him several children, of whom the following record is
given: Caroline is the wife of Albert Mount- ford, of Bryant Pond village, Me .; Francis, a hardware dealer at the same village, married a Miss Bryant; Laura died some time ago; Lorenza is the widow of the late Mr. Mount- ford, and lives at Bryant Pond; Lucy is the wife of Cyrus Berry, of South Paris; Angelia married Horace Berry, of Bryant' s Pond, this county ; Givesten resides at Mechanic Falls, Me .; and Henry lives in Massachusetts.
As soon as he attained his majority, Rich- ard L. Cole began the battle of life, starting out poor in pocket, but rich in energy, courage and ambition. Going to Massachusetts, he worked out as a farm laborer, spending the first year in Woodland, and the following two years in South Reading, now Wakefield. After working in Lawrence, Mass., as a team- ster for a year, he returned to his native county, and for four years worked in the town of Paris, being employed on different farms. Having saved some money by this time, he bought a farm, and settled on it with his bride, whom he had wooed and won while in Paris. Mr. Cole has since both enlarged and improved this property, so that now he has one of the best managed estates in this section of the county. With the assistance of his son Harry, who is a skilful farmer, he carries on general farming on an extensive scale, besides paying some attention to dairying. Mr. Cole has ever taken a genuine interest in town matters, lending his influence to forward all beneficial enterprises. He has served with fidelity in almost every office within the gift of his fellow-townsmen, including those of Selectman, Town Collector, and Town Treas- urer. Both he and his son are stanch sup- porters of the Republican party; and both, with their wives, are members of the local Grange, and of the Baptist church at Bryant's Pond.
Mr. Cole married Miss Sarah Jane Davis, of Paris, on December 27, 1851. Mrs. Cole was born December 18, 1835, daughter of the late Henry W. and Sarah (Torrey) Davis, the former of whom was born in Oxford, Mass., and the latter in Dixfield, Me. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and both he and his wife spent the most of their lives after marriage in Paris. Mr. and Mrs. Cole have
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had nine children, of whom Cora, Alberto, Perley, and an infant are deceased. The others are: Frank P'., living at Woodstock, Me., who married Alice Bryant; Elmer N., a resident of Lynn, Mass., who married Lizzie Bond; Herbert E., also residing at Lynn, who married Lizzie Young; Harry D., who lives on the home farm; and Mattie S., who is the wife of Edgar Estes, of Lynn, Mass. Harry D. Cole, with the exception of a few years spent at the plumber's trade in Lynn, Mass., has remained on the home farm, where his help is indispensable to his father. He mar- ried Miss Jennie Houten, daughter of Charles Houten, of Canton, Me., and they have two children - Guy and Bessie Lucelia.
ENRY L. DAY, who is one of the most conspicuously prominent busi- ness men of New Sharon, Franklin County, Me., where he now lives, was born in New York City, February 18, 1818.
His great-grandfather, Samuel Day, an Englishman by birth and a carpenter by voca- tion, was the first man in these parts who ever framed a building by square rule. In the rural districts where Samuel Day located, his careful work was considered unnecessary, and he was very generally called a fool. While Samuel Day and his wife were on board the sailing vessel upon which they had taken passage for America, a son was born to them, whom they called after the father, Samuel.
This second Samuel, who claimed the broad Atlantic as his birthplace, grew up and be- came a mechanic by trade. He purchased the half of a tract of land in Mercer, his share consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. He married Sarah Day, and was the father of nine children - Asa, Daniel, Samuel, Jacob, Solomon, John C., Hannah, Betsey, and Polly. Samuel Day, second, lived to extreme old age, his life extending over the period of exactly one hundred years, the latter part of it being spent in the home of his grandson, Henry L. Day. His wife, Sarah, attained almost as great an age.
Daniel Day, the second son of Samuel and Sarah Day, was a native of Jamaica Point, Me. He went to New York in 1817, a year
before the birth of his son, Henry L., and remained there three years, returning to Mer- cer at the end of that time, and bought some land, which he partially clearcd, also building a house. Finally, buying a farm in New Sharon, and settling here, he remained until his death. Having inherited a strong consti tution from his parents, he was active always and worked industriously up to the very end of his life. Daniel Day married first Miss Susan Taylor, who died at the age of thirty-seven years, having been the mother of six children ; namely, Elmira, Henry L., Thomas, Betsey, Julia Ann, and Susan. He married second Miss Sarah Boyington, of Mercer, and they became the parents of four children - Daniel, Fannie, Henrietta, and Eunice. The father of this family was a stanch Democrat and a faith- ful member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Henry L. Day, son of Daniel and Susan (Taylor) Day, was sent to the public schools of Mercer in his early childhood, and at the age of twelve years he went to live with Joshua Young, for whom he worked six years. When his term with Mr. Young expired he was just eighteen years of age, and he immediately went into the wooded swamps of Maine, where he chopped wood during the winter months to supply the demands of the lumber trade. Dur- ing the summer he went on board the fishing schooner "Caroline " under William Willis, and for four years followed a seafaring life in summer and bore the rigor of the long northern winters in a Maine lumber camp. Not an easy life, certainly, but productive of health and energy. While braving the elements one summer in search of cod, provisions ran short, and for three weeks he was compelled to sub- sist upon a diet of rice and molasses, which was rather a monotonous bill of fare.
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