USA > Maine > Biographical sketches of representative citizens of the state of Maine > Part 56
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Joseph+ Hersey, born in 1697, lived in Abing- ton; was Selectman in 1737 and for three years after. James, son of Joseph, was probably the "James Hearsey" who according to the record, as copied in "Early Massachusetts Marriages, Book 2," compiled by F. W. Bailey, was mar- ried to Betty Noyes at Abington, March 18, 1756. James6 Hersey, born December 12, 1758, lived to be an octogenarian, and in his old age was a United States pensioner. The following is his military record, as given in "Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the War of the Revolution," vol. vii., page 783 :-
"James Hersey, Abington. Private, Capt. William Reed's co., Gen. Thomas's regt .; mus- ter roll dated August 1, 1775; enlisted June 18, 1775; service, 1 mo. 2 weeks 2 days; also, list of men mustered by James Hatch, Muster Master for Plymouth Co., to serve until Jan. 1, 1779; Capt. Cobb's co .; residence, Abington; also, Ser- geant, Captain Jacob Pool's co., Col. Jacobs's (Plymouth Co.) regt .; engaged July 21, 1780, dis- charged October 21, 1780; service 3 inos. 13 days, including 13 days (260 miles) travel home: company raised to reinforce Continental Army for 3 months."
On another page of that volume is the war record of "James Hearsey, of Abington" (also
given Weymouth), probably the same patriot, for the years 1776 and 1777.
James" Hersey, some time after he left the army, migrated to the district of Maine. He lived for a few years in the town of Minot, An- droscoggin County, and in 1800 removed to Sumner, Oxford County, where he died in 1842, aged eighty-four. He married October 11, 1781, Althea Pool. They reared eleven children.
James Hersey, born November 11, 1783, married Olive Freeman, and settled in Sumner, Me., where he built, it is said, the first farm- house.
Samuel Freeman8 Hersey, born in 1812, named for his maternal grandfather, who like his grandfather Hersey was a veteran of the Rev- lution, was educated in the district schools, Bueksfield grammar school, and Hebron Acad- emy. Fond of study and always standing at or near the head of his class, he was allowed to attend both summer and winter terms of school till he was about sixteen years old, his help being then needed in the summer season on the home farm. Much of his leisure was devoted to the reading of history and books of travel. For three winters he taught school. With a view of fitting himself for a mercantile career. he came to Bangor in 1832, and for about a year was employed as a clerk in a store, working like an apprentice for his board and what he could learn.
In April, 1833, with a capital of one hundred dollars, the amount of his savings in earlier years, he formed a partnership with his cousin William R. Hersey, who invested about the same amount of money, and started a general mer- chandise store in Lincoln, Penobscot County. The times were hard, a financial crash was approaching, and their gains at the end of three. years' time had become losses. Samuel Hersey then bought out his disheartened cousin, and for a while continued in business alone. In 1837 he served as manager for parties largely engaged in lumbering, but also found time to start in trade in Milford. From 1838 to 1850, in partnership with Jesse Fogg, he carried on mercantile business in Milford and Bangor, Mr. Fogg managing the store in Bangor, Mr. Hersey the one in Milford. In addition to this the firm of Fogg & Hersey made profitable invest-
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ments in the lumber industry. From 1841 to 1844 Mr. Hersey resided at Upper Stillwater, Me., where he had rented all the mills. Early in 1844 he removed to Oldtown, and in October of that year he took up his abode in Bangor, where he remained a resident till the close of his earthly life, thirty years after.
The firm of Fogg & Hersey was dissolved in 1850, and Mr. Hersey became one of the partners in the new firm then formed, of Nay, Davis & Co. He remained in active business , until his death. He had already become a man of wealth, and his investments, particularly in timber land in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and other States, yielded large returns. He made a number of trips to the West to look after his property interests there. Some very valuable tracts are still held by his heirs.
Mr. Hersey often responded to calls to enter the public service. In 1842 he represented the town of Milford in the lower branch of the State Legislature, and while living at Upper Stillwater he was Postmaster. In 1852-53 he was a member of the Governor's Council; in 1857-64 and 1865 he served in the Legis- lature as Representative from Bangor, and in 1867 and 1869 as Senator. In 1860 he was a delegate to the National Republican Con- vention at Chicago that nominated Lincoln and Hamlin, he being. it is said, "one of the few New Englanders that were original Lincoln men"; he was also a delegate to the National Convention in Baltimore in 1864 that nomi- nated Lincoln for the second term. During the Civil War he was very active in raising troops. He had been early appointed Assistant Pay- master General of the State, and he personally raised the money with which the second and other Maine regiments were paid before taking the field. For his services he received no com- pensation beyond what would defray his ex- penses and losses in disbursing.
In September, 1872, he was elected to Con- gress from the Bangor District of Maine, and in 1874 was re-elected. His health was then failing, and he died at his home in Bangor shortly before the end of his first Congressional term. Eulogies upon his life and character were delivered in the House by Representa- tives Hale and Frye, of Maine, and Dunnell,
of Minnesota, and in the Senate by Messrs. Hamlin and Morrill. All spoke with hearty appreciation of his sterling qualities, the re- marks of Mr. Hanlin, it is said, being "es- pecially noticeable for their exalted estimate of his character and career."
In religion Mr. Hersey was a Universalist, strong in the faith: he was a devoted member and liberal supporter of the church of that de- nomination in Bangor, and made provision for a fund to establish a retreat at Salt Water for the benefit of the Sunday-school during the summer months. He was also a generous bene- factor of Westbrook Seminary, his gifts to the school being commemorated in the name of one of its buildings, Hersey Hall. His char- ities were not restricted to any one line. He responded to calls for help in different directions, contributing to many worthy objects. In his will he made several public bequests, among them a sum of money to the city of Bangor, which, when paid over by the executors some years later, amounted to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The Hersey Fund, as it is known, was appropriated as an endowment for the support of the Public Library, being expended in 1893 in the construction of the City Hall, known as the. Hersey Memorial Building, for the use of which the city pays interest to the Library.
Mr. Hersey was first married, January 5, 1835, to Eliza Ann Stowell, to whom he had been attached from his school days. She died September 8, 1836, leaving no children. On July 11, 1839, at Milford, he married Miss Jane Ann Davis, of Sidney, Me. She died January 17, 1862. By this marriage he had five children, namely: Roscoe Freeman, born in Milford, July 18, 1841; Jane Eliza, born at Upper Stillwater, August 4, 1843, died in Ban- gor, February 14, 1847; Dudley Hall, born in Bangor, December 25, 1846, died September 21, 1900, at St. Paul, Minn .; Eugene. May, born in Bangor, November 10, 1851, and Edward Lewis, born in Bangor April 29, 1854.
Roscoe Freeman Hersey during the Civil War was Captain in Company F, First Maine Heavy Artillery, and was later brevetted Colonel. He was severely wounded at Spottsylvania, May 19, 1864. Ile married Eva C. Wardwell, of
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Bangor, Me., and has two children living, namely: Eva E., now Mrs. D. Archibald Mudge; and Jane A., wife of Sherman Fineh and mother of two children, Roscoe Hersey Finch and Eve- lyn Finch. Mr. and Mrs. Mudge have four chil- dren-Lillian, Dudley H., Jane, and Archibald.
Eugene May Hersey married Marianne, daugh- ter of the late Hon. Thomas N. Egery, who was one of the firm of Hinckley & Egery, iron work- ers of Bangor.
Edward Lewis Hersey married Maria Haskell, of New Bedford, Mass., and has three children- Marie, Hamilton, and Edward Haskell Hersey.
Dudley Hall Hersey married Arvilla E. Ward- well, of Bangor.
HARLES H. HUSSEY, manufacturer, one of the leading business men of the town of Norridgewock, is a native of the place. He was born July S. 18-19, son of Robert and Sibyl (Conforth) Hussey. The Hussey family has been represented in
New England from an early date in the period of settlements. Christopher Hussey, probably the first of the name in America, is said to have come from Dorking, Surrey, England, to Lynn, Mass., in 1630. A few years later he was one of the original grantees and settlers of Hamp- ton, N.H. A Robert Hussey was an inhabitant of Dover, N.H., as early as 1659.
The maternal grandparents of the subject of this sketch were both natives of England, and they eame to this country in childhood with their respective parents. Robert Hussey, who was a native of what is now the town of Oakland, Kennebec County, after his marriage, in the forties, settled in Norridgewock, where he followed agriculture on a farm that he him- self cleared and developed. His wife also was born in Oakland.
Charles H. Hussey was educated in the public schools of Norridgewock and at the famous Eaton's School of this town, which in its day was one of the noted schools of the State. When in his twentieth year he engaged in the dry-goods and grocery business in Norridge- wock with C. A. Whiting. In 1871 he sold out his interest with Mr. Whiting, and in February, 1872, he purehased H. C. Hull's general mer-
chandise and drug business. Mr. Hull's store being then the leading one in town. Mr. Hussey continued to carry on the business with various partners until 1SSS. In 1872 he began the manufacture of coats, which he has continued up to the present time, having met with a marked success. His manufactory, employing usually about fifty hands, is one of the leading business institutions of the town, and has added much to its importance and prosperity.
Mr. Hussey is a Democrat in politics, and has twice been a candidate for the Legislature, once for the House and once for the Senate, and, though defeated, each time he ran ahead of his ticket. Under the same eircumstances he was also a candidate for County Treasurer. For five years he has served the town of Nor- ridgewock as Selectman, being chairman of the board. As one of the town fathers he has been progressive and mindful of the best interests of the people, avoiding reckless expenditure, yet prompt to do whatever needed to be done for the improvement of local conditions.
Mr. Hussey was married June 27, 1872, to Lucy S. Adams, of Norridgewock, daughter of Daniel and Naomi (Stewart) Adams. Mrs. Hussey's father, Daniel Adams, who is now deceased, was one of the pioneer manufacturers of steel ploughs in this section. Of the three children of Mr. and Mrs. Hussey-an infant son, Harry W., and Henry C .- but one now survives, namely, Henry C., who is engaged in business as a hardware dealer in Norridgewock.
RANK L. BESSE, one of the foremost citizens of Clinton, Kennebec County, was born in Albion, this county, April 8, 1859. His parents were Jonathan B. and Isabel (Hopkins) Besse, and he is a grandson on the paternal side of Jonathan Besse.
Jonathan B. Besse was born in Wayne, Me., in 1820. He settled at an early date in Albion. where he spent a large part of his life, engaged in the tanning industry, the tannery of which he was proprietor, and where he was engaged in the production of sole leather, being situated at Albion Corner. His wife Isabel was a daugh- ter of Lewis Hopkins, a native of Belgrade. Me., who also was a tanner, and who settled
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in Albion. Their children were: Everett B., Frank L., Hannah.
Frank L. Besse was educated in the public schools of his native town. At an early age he began to assist his father in the tannery, in course of time acquiring a good knowledge of the business, which he has since turned to account on his own behalf. For a number of years, dating from 18SO, he was engaged in the tanning industry as his father's partner, the style of the firm being J. B. Besse & Son, the business at first being carried on at Albion and later in Clinton. Since the death of the elder Besse in 1892 he has been its sole proprie- tor. He is also a director of the People's Na- tional Bank of Waterville. Mr. Besse is one of the successful business men of Clinton. He has done much to build up the concern of which he is now the head, and his advice on business matters is generally regarded as sound by his associates and fellow-townsmen. In town af- fairs he is up-to-date 'and progressive and in favor of whatever will advance the best interests of the community. His secret society affilia- tions are with Sebasticook Lodge, F. & A. M., of Clinton; Dunlap Chapter, China; St. Omar Commandery, K. T., of Waterville; and Pine Tree Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Clinton. He attends the Free Will Baptist church at Clinton, of which, however, he is not a member.
Mr. Besse married September 7, 1885, Mary A. Proctor, of Albion, Me., daughter of Albert and Mary (Whittier) Proctor. Mrs. Besse's father is now deceased, but her mother is living in Waterville, Me.
EORGE B. WING, agriculturist, of Fairfield, Me., was born in Sidney, Kennebec County, Me., April 18, 1848, son of Paul and Hannah (Buffum) Wing. His paternal grandfather was Adam Wing, a native of Massachusetts, who settled at an early date in Sidney, where Paul, George B. Wing's father, was born. Both Paul Wing and his wife Han- nah are now living, and they reside with their son George at his home in Fairfield. Paul Wing, who is now in his eighty-sixth year, was for many years a Selectman in Sidney, Mrs. Hanmah Wing is now in her eighty-seventh
year. They have experienced over fifty years of wedded life, their marriage having taken place in 1847. They have three children: George B., the subject of the present article: Phoebe W., wife of Ambrose Sawtelle, of Sidney, Me .; and Edward, who resides in Oakland, Me.
George B. Wing was educated in the public schools of Sidney and at Oak Grove Seminary. Vassalboro, Me. Brought up to farm work. he has made agriculture his life occupation. He settled on his present farm in Fairfield in 1873, and has since carried it on very profit- ably. Elected president of the Skowhegan Jersey Creamery Association in 1890, he con- tinues to hold that office, and is also a member of the board of directors, the concern being incorporated. He is an Elder in the Society of Friends, who have a church in North Fair- field. Politically, he is a Republican, and as a good citizen he is ever ready to support any practical movement for the welfare and prog- ress of the town.
Mr. Wing was married June 8, 1900, to Mrs. Maria Tozier, of Skowhegan, Me., widow of Charles H. Tozier, a former resident of that place. Her parents were Amasa and Louisa (Green) Emerson, of Fairfield.
APTAIN JOSHUA BARTLETT, who is actively identified with the com- mercial industries of Rockland as master of a vessel engaged in domes- tic and foreign trade, was born in South Thom- aston, Me., June 27, 1847. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, lic is the third in direct line to become known in the shipping business of Maine as "Captain Joshua Bartlett." He is a descendant in the fourth generation of Samuel Bartlett, an carly settler of Thomaston.
Samuel Bartlett was born in 1754. Ro- moving, perhaps from New Meadows, to Thom- aston prior to the incorporation of the town, he settled at the head of the bay, and lived there until his death, February 9, 1819. His first wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Hix, died at a comparatively early age, leav- ing a family of children, among whom was Joshua, her second child, who was the next
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in line of descent. Samuel Bartlett married, second, Mrs. Eleanor Martin Kimball, of Bris- tol, Me., their banns being published January 7,1788.
Captain Joshua Bartlett was born July 6, 1780, resided in South Thomaston, Me., and died April 4, 1855. He followed the sea dur- ing . his active career, for many years being master of a vessel. He married Miriam Keat- ing (intentions published May 19, 1804). She was born September 14. 1786, and died Septem- ber 26, 1860. Her father, Richard Keating, was born in Kittery, Me., in 1751. After his marriage with Miriam Bridges, he came with his family to Knox County, removing from New Meadows, and settled at Wessaweskeag in 1773. He subsequently served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He died at South Thomaston, April 29, 1839, and his wife, Mrs. Miriam Bridges Keating, died in Thomaston, in April, 1830, aged seventy-seven years.
Captain Joshua Bartlett, second, son of Joshua and Miriam, was born in South Thom- aston in 1814, and died April 5, 1849. As a boy he became interested in seafaring pur- suits, and was early familiar with all the de- tails of ship management. For a number of years he was commander of a vessel, and after his retirement from the sea was successfully engaged in shipbuilding. He married Martha M. Hix, their banns being published July 14, 1840. She was born May 27, 1817, a daughter of Deacon Thomas Hix. Her great-grand- father William Hix (or Hicks), came from England when a young man, and after his marriage with Lydia Woodbury settled at Cape Elizabeth, Me. Their son, Thomas Hix, the grandfather of Martha M. Hix, was born Oc- tober 27, 1756, and died in South Thomaston, Me., May 16, 1SOS. He married Mary Jane- son. Deacon Thomas Hix, father of Martha M. Hix, was born in South Thomaston, August 14, 1782, and died in Rockland, Me., November 20, 1861. He was a master mariner for many years. On April 8, 1810, he married Sally Holland, who was born in Ipswich, Mass., October 29, 1781, and died May 11, 1859. She was a member of the Baptist church of South Thomaston for forty or more years. She was a daughter of Captain Jolm Holland,
a lace-maker by trade, and also a mariner, who came with his family from Ipswich, Mass., to Knox County, and settled at Ash Point.
Captain Joshua and Martha M. (Hix) Bart- lett were the parents of three children, Emma L., Lawreston, and Joshua, third. Emma L. Bartlett was born in South Thomaston, Me., in 1842. She married George Kirkpatrick, and she has had four children, two of whom are liv- ing, namely-George3 aud Isabelle.5
Captain Joshua' Bartlett, third, became a sailor when but fifteen years old, shipping before the mast on a coaster. At the age of twenty years he was mate of a vessel, and at the age of twenty-one was master of the schooner "Mabel Hall." Engaging then in the West India and the Gulf trade, he has since contin- ued in commercial pursuits, and has been un- usually successful, having never lost a ship or met with any serious disaster at sea. He is now master of the barkentine " Ethel V. Boyn- ton," loading at Portland, Me., for Martinique, W.I.
Captain Bartlett married in September, 1880, Abbie S. Emery, who was born in South Thom- aston, Me., September 6, 1853. She is a daugh- ter of Captain Daniel Emery, who was born July 21, 1802, and married, September 6, 1827, Sophia Sleeper. Her paternal grandfather, George Emery, was born in Kittery, Me., about 1763. After the close of the Revolutionary War he settled in South Thomaston, Me., where he died about 1846. The maiden name of his wife was Sarah Dean. Captain and Mrs. Bartlett have two children, namely: Martha S.5 Bartlett, who was born June 12, 1881; and Alice M.5 Bartlett, who was born May 13, 1SSS.
OHN HENRY BURGESS, whose death on April 21, 1898, deprived the town of Norridgewock of one of its most use- ful and respected citizens, was born in Fairfield, Somerset County, June 9, 1836. His - parents were Stephen D. and Cynthia (Davis) Burgess, and his paternal grandfather was Stephen Burgess, of Fairfield. The father, Stephen D. Burgess, was born in Fairfield,
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as was also his wife Cynthia, the latter being a daughter of John and Betsey (Lawrence) Davis. Of their children there are now two survivors: Sarah J., who is the widow of the late Ira Taylor, of Norridgewock, Me .; and William E., who resides in Norridgewock. Those deceased are: Charles Emery Burgess, formerly of Richmond Hill, Cal .; and Benjamin Franklin and John H. Burgess, former residents of Norridgewock, Me.
John H. Burgess was educated in the public schools of Fairfield and Augusta, in both of which places he resided at different times during his youth. He afterward accompanied his parents and the rest of the family to Norridge- wock, where in time the parents died. Going to California in June, 1857, he spent two years in the gold regions, returning home in July, 1859. Besides carrying on agriculture he was for a number of years engaged in railroad con- struction work, helping to build the road-bed of the Somerset Railway in Maine, and also of the Ware River Railroad in Massachusetts, as well as doing other work of the same kind elsewhere. He also carried on a grocery and feed store in partnership with Henry C. Hall from 1875 to 1878. In the town of Norridge- wock he held the office of Tax Collector for eighteen years consecutively. He was held in high esteem for his personal integrity.and kind, neighborly traits of character. In politics he was a Democrat. He was a member of Somer- set Grange, P. of H., and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge of that order in Norridgewock, belonging also to the Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Burgess was married December 10, 1859, to Annette E. Sawyer, who was born in Starks, Me., March 7, 1838, daughter of Columbus and Bathsheba W. (Hilton) Sawyer. Mrs. Burgess's father, a native of Starks, was a Se- lectman and Tax Collector of that town and one of its leading citizens. Her mother was born in Anson, Me. On the paternal side she is a grand-daughter of Luke Sawyer, an early settler of Starks, who came from Templeton, Mass. Of the children of Columbus Sawyer and his wife two survive, namely: Annette Elizabeth (Mrs. Burgess); and Helen C., who 'is the widow of Elisha West Barker, late of Los
Angeles, Cal .. and is now living with her only son at Junction, Nev.
To John H. and Annette E. (Sawyer) Burgess were born three children: Charles Emery and Mary Jane, who are deceased, and Edwin Hall, who is a resident of Norridgewock. Edwin Hall Burgess married December 31, 189S, Edith Winnifred Whittier, of New Sharon, Me., and resides on the homestead in Norridgewock. He is engaged in agriculture, and in the sale of fertilizers and farm machinery.
AMILTON M. BEAN, of Clinton, Ken- nebec County, was born in Winslow, Me., August 28, 1842, son of Ham- ilton and Abigail (Roberts) Bean. Hamilton Bean, the father, who was a native of Kennebec County, Maine, resided in Wins- low for a number of years, later removing to Belfast, Waldo County, where he died. He was a son of Joshua Bean, an old resident of Winslow, who came from New Hampshire. His wife, Abigail Roberts Bean, was born in Massachusetts. Their surviving children are: George, who lives in Greenbush, Me .; Leander, of Belfast; and Hamilton.
Hamilton M. Bean was about eight years old when his mother died, and, his father soon after removing to Belfast, he was reared and educated in that town. Going to sea at the age of seventeen, he spent some eight years in the coasting trade, beginning as a sailor before the mast and subsequently working his way up to the position of first mate. After retiring from the sea, he entered the employ of the Boston & Lowell Railroad Company at Boston, Mass., where he remained three years. Coming to Maine in 1870, he settled in the town of Clinton and engaged in agri- culture, which he followed for many years. In 1883 he moved into the village and opened a general store, which he has conducted success- fully up to the present time. Mr. Bean has been frequently solicited to accept offices of trust in the town government, but has always declined, except in 1893, when he was elected Town Treasurer. This position he has since held.
He was married in June, 1867, to Hannah
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J. Bagley, of Clinton, Me. She bore him five children, of whom three now survive, namely: Benjamin, who resides in Clinton: Ida E., wife of Franz Whitman, of Worcester, Mass .; and Carrie, wife of Ernest Chamberlain, of Clinton, Me. Mrs. Hannah J. Bean died in 1878, and Mr. Bean married for his second wife, July 29, 18SO, Clara E. Graves, of Skowhegan. Of this marriage there is one son, Ralph C., who is a graduate of Colby College, at Waterville, Me., and who was formerly principal of the Clinton (Me.) High School. Mr. Bean is a Democrat in politics. He belongs to Sebasti- cook Lodge, F. & A. M., of Clinton. which he has served as treasurer. He is also a member and trustee of Pine Tree Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Clinton. Mr. Bean is numbered in the ranks of .Clinton's most active and useful citizens. His vote and influence are always given in be- half of what he considers the right, whether in town, State, or national affairs.
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