USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Augusta > Historical notes on Augusta, Maine > Part 5
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No. 16 Augusta Supply Company Business Block.
This modern store completed in 1958 stands on the site of two dwellings, numbered 14 and 18. Number 14 was listed as the home of Mrs. J. L. Dutton in 1879. At the time of its demolition it was the home of E. L. Wood. Number 18 was the Goodrich house in 1879 and the last occupant was Robert F. Partridge, for many years Cashier of the First National Granite Bank. At one time Thomas E. Leigh, who was County Attorney in 1901-1907, lived there.
No. 20 Law Office and Residence of Mrs. Francis Bate.
Mrs. Bate is the widow of Judge Francis Bate, who was a Bowdoin graduate and also a graduate of Bangor Theological Semi- nary. He was Pastor of the Winthrop Congregational Church. He was a Chaplain in the United States Naval Reserve Force during the First World War. He studied law at Harvard and Boston University and was Kennebec County Attorney and State Senator. He was
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Judge of Probate from 1943 until his demise in 1956. He will be remembered as a powerful orator of the classical style.
This house was built by Marcellus Shaw about 1888, and oc- cupied by him and his family for many years. He was Superintendent of Premiums at the Vickery and Hill Publishing Company and died in 1922.
No. 22 Augusta Loan and Building Association.
This modern office building was completed in 1958. It stands on the site of the Guy Vickery residence which was built about 1890. Guy Vickery was the son of George Vickery, who was an executive with Vickery and Hill. He was in the jewelry and optical busi- ness for twenty years and afterwards was prominent in banking circles. He was a director in several local banks and President of the Augusta Savings Bank and well known in fraternal organizations.
Melville Street crosses. . . .
No. 28 Gasoline Filling Station.
This station is built on the site of a two family house owned by the W. H. Reid estate. It is said that during the 1890's Orrin B. Tuell of the law firm of Heath and Tuell and also John Lane, lived in the house. Orrin B. Tuell was the father of Miss Sarah Tuell and the brother of Dr. James Tuell. John Lane was a Bowdoin graduate, was City Editor of the Kennebec Journal in 1892 and is listed as Augusta Postmaster in 1906.
No. 32 Residence of Burleigh Martin, Esq.
This house was built by James W. Beck in 1895 and sold by him to Mrs. Carrie Martin, widow of Dr. Robert Martin. She was the daughter of Senator Edwin Burleigh who with his wife main- tained residence there while Senator Burleigh was in Congress. Senator Burleigh had a long and varied public career. He was rejected for service in the Civil War because of illness and served in the Adjutant General's office. He was born in Linneus in 1843 and was educated in Houlton Academy. He was State Land Agent in the 1870's. In 1885 he was State Treasurer and Governor of the State from 1888 to 1890. From there he went to Congress where he was a member from 1897 to 1911. While in Congress it is said he paid particular attention to the needs of the veterans of the Civil War. He served as U. S. Senator for several years before his death in
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Augusta June 16, 1916. He married Mary Jane Bither in 1863 and they had two sons: Lewis A. who was the father of Lewis A. Jr. of Augusta, deceased; Clarence B. who was the father of Edwin C., now of Gardiner, and Donald Q., late of Augusta; several daughters, among them Carrie who married Dr. Robert Martin, the father of Burleigh Martin; Vallie, who married Joseph Williamson, Esq., the father of William B. Williamson, Sr. and Justice Robert Williamson of this city; Lucy who married Byron Boyd of this city and who had Dorothy (Mrs. Clifford Brown), now deceased; Robert, accidentally killed as a boy; Mary (Mrs. Walter Hawkins) of Augusta, Richard, now of Springfield, Massachusetts and Burleigh of Augusta, and Ethel who married Dr. R. H. Stubbs of Augusta and who were the parents of a son, Richard, Jr., now deceased.
Sewall Street crosses. .
No. 42 J. Manchester Haynes Estate.
This tract of land from Sewall Street to the filling station this side of Amherst was the site of " Glenmere ", a splendid showplace built by J. Manchester Haynes during the 1890's. The residence faced an artificial pond still remaining, on the eastern end of the estate. The distance from one end of the estate to the other is roughly the distance from Bridge Street to Market Square. The portion from the west end of the pond is now being developed for a shopping center.
J. Manchester Haynes was born in Waterville in 1839, was a Colby graduate and read law in New York City and became a mem- ber of the bar in 1865. He was prominent in business and politics. He was in the wholesale ice business, had lumber interests and built ships at Wiscasset. He was promoter of the early street railway system in Kennebec Valley; built the Augusta Opera House, now the Capitol Theater; was a director of the local cotton mills and a director of the Kennebec Towage Company. He was also a member of both Houses of the State Legislature, and was a delegate to the Republican Convention in 1884 which nominated Blaine and Logan. He married in 1867, Sarah, daughter of Ira D. Sturgis, well known lumberman. They had Marion, who married Daniel Stanwood of this city, both deceased; a son Sturgis, who died when he was a year old; Hope, who married Dr. Wheeler, who were the parents of Haynes Wheeler of Manchester; Muriel, now living in Massachu- setts.
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Amherst Street begins. . . .
Gasoline Service Station.
An old fashioned house stood here on the site of the service station. It was said to have been the Norcross place which stood at the corner of Western Avenue and Sewall Street and was moved at the time J. Manchester Haynes took over the location for the development of his estate.
No. 66 Residence of Mrs. Marie Forrest.
This home is said to have been built by C. W. Trask. John J. O'Connell, Chief of Police after the First World War, lived here for some time.
No. 68 Apartment House.
This two-family house was occupied by Frank W. Tracy and C. W. Trask in 1909. This building seems to have been on the site of the Western Avenue House, which is shown on the 1879 map of Augusta and is also depicted on the pictorial map of Augusta by Beck and Paul, published in 1879. The house is shown as a three- storied building with a tall chimney or perhaps cupola. The di- rectory for 1882 lists the place as a boarding house and James Folsom is named as the proprietor. Walter Cross, Sewing Machine Agent; Elmer E. Folsom, clerk; James L. Folsom, News Agent M. C. R. R .; A. H. Pope, carpenter; and Geo. S. Trask, Shoemaker, are listed as boarders. In the 1884 directory there is no listing of the house. It is of interest to know at about the same time there was a listing of a Steam Boot and Shoe Factory, Geo. F. Stacy, Proprietor, J. R. Donahue, Lessee, which is shown on the 1879 map as being at the southern end of Florence Street. After a brief exist- ence as a factory it was used as a tenement house for some years.
Florence Street begins. . . .
No. 72 Western Avenue Market.
The map of 1879 shows two buildings, evidently house and barn, marked "C. Packard."
No. 82 Residence of Mayor Sylvio Gilbert.
Mayor Gilbert was the first mayor to be elected under the City Manager Plan. He took office January 1959. It is said that this
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house was built by J. Frank Dyer of Malcolm and Dyer who at one time lived at No. 10 Western Avenue. Dr. Norman B. Murphy is given as the resident in 1935.
No. 84 Gasoline Filling Station.
Formerly the Residence of Cyrus Richmond.
Hillcrest Street begins. . . .
No. 86 Residence of John Andrews.
This home was formerly occupied by Roland Scribner, one time paymaster at the Commonwealth Shoe Company. Judge Harold E. Cook, Judge of Probate for Kennebec County, once lived here.
No. 88 Residence of George Cushman.
This house was built by the late Dana McGregor for a home. For many years he was manager of the Augusta Branch of the Lewiston Buick Company, located on Market Square.
No. 90 Residence of Julian Humphrey.
This place was built by William T. Noble of the Collateral Loan Company and was his home for many years. He was one of the early amateur radio fans.
No. 92 and No. 94 Apartments.
Formerly the home of Warren S. Malcolm of the hardware firm of Malcolm and Dyer. He was a well known horseman.
No. 96 and No. 102 Apartments.
Owned, it is said, by Cecil Foster. Formerly occupied by Wil- liam Maxwell and Frank D. Maxwell.
No. 101 and No. 102 Apartments.
Home of R. E. Brann. This old house is listed as the home of Daniel Staples, teamster in 1884.
No. 114 Residence of Colonel Francis H. Farnum.
This spacious home was built by William H. Gannett in the 1890's. It is situated in what is known as Ganeston Park.
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William Howard Gannett was born in Augusta in 1854. He be- gan life as a clerk in local stores. In 1888 he established a monthly magazine called "Comfort", whose circulation ran into the millions and gave employment to many local people. He was a pioneer in travel by air. He married Sadie Hill in 1878. They had one son, Guy Patterson, who married Ann Macomber, and two daughters, Grace, who married Dr. Cragin, and Florence, who married Colonel Francis Farnum. Mr. Gannett died in 1948.
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Elm Street - West Side
No. 22 Residence of Michael Napolitano - Corner Bridge Street.
This house is noted on the 1838 map as the home of Luther Severance, who was the first editor of the Kennebec Journal. He was born in 1797. He learned the printing trade and in 1820 went to Washington, D. C. While there he wrote political articles in the "National Intelligencer". In 1824 he and Russell Eaton came to Augusta and founded the Kennebec Journal. Severance had hardly arrived when he envisioned the Kennebec Dam and started writing about it in the Journal. Afterwards he became a member of the Legislature and subsequently went to Congress. He asked for an appointment to the Sandwich Islands on account of his health and was successful in his diplomatic relations there, but his health did not improve and shortly after his return in 1855, he died. He mar- ried in 1837, Ann, daughter of Theophilius Hamlen. The name of John Dorr appears as the occupant of the house in 1867. In 1839 Dorr had purchased Russell Eaton's interest in the Journal and in company with Luther Severance they published the paper until they sold to Wheeler and Simpson. Afterwards Dorr was in the drug business with William Craig. He adopted two children, George W. and Mary Ann. John W. Chase married Mary Ann Dorr in 1858 and on the 1879 map he is shown as the occupant. He was at one time President of the Granite National Bank and Mayor in 1891 and 1892. In 1892 William G. Boothby, for many years Treasurer of the Kennebec Savings Bank, is shown as living at No. 22 Elm Street. He married in 1886 Abby W., daughter of John W. Chase. Hyman Chernowsky, founder of Chernowsky's Department Store, bought the place and in 1915 is listed as the occupant. He and his wife and their two sons, Stanley and Walter, and three daughters, Loretta, Gladys and Hazel, made their home here for many years. After the death of his widow the home was sold to the late Sylvester Imming who was manager of the Mclellan Stores in Augusta, who occupied it until 1951 when it was sold to the present owner.
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No. 20 Residence of Noel Gilbert.
On the 1838 map this house is shown to be the home of Nathaniel Partridge. In the 1871 directory and on the 1875 map the place is noted as the property of Lewis B. Hamlen, who subsequently lived on Pleasant Street. He was born in 1800, the son of Lewis Hamlen. He was a farmer and came to Augusta to go into the grocery busi- ness. He was Overseer of the Poor and at one time Alderman, in 1865. The house was in the Hamlen family for many years. In 1902 Caro Hamlin is shown as the owner, and in 1906 she and her father, George Lewis Hamlen, a clerk in the Post Office, are listed as living there. Previously they are shown as living at No. 15 Winter Street, directly back of No. 20 Elm. Miss Caro Hamlin was for many years bookkeeper at Vickery and Hill's and was well known in this city. The latter part of her life she lived with Miss Katherine Webber, daughter of John Webber, on Summer Street. Later Frank Sterling, Chief Clerk of the State Assessors, occupied the house, also Frederic Bragg, father of Conrad and Percival Bragg of this city. In the 1924 directory Alfred M. G. Soule, State Agricultural official, was listed as the occupant. He was born in Woolwich in 1879, the son of Alfred and Agnes Gilmore Soule. He attended Lin- coln Academy and was graduated from Bowdoin in 1903. Afterwards he attended Maine Medical School. He entered the Agricultural Department in 1907 and was for 43 years with the Department, serving as Chief Inspector from 1919 until his retirement in 1950. He was the only man to have served twice as the President of the National Association of Food and Drug Officials. He married Mary E. Hilton in 1907. Their children were three sons: Dr. Gilmore Soule of Rockland; William H. Soule, Superintendent of Schools in Portland; David Soule, Esq. of Wiscasset and two daughters, Mrs. Robert Bateman of Wellesley, Massachusetts and Mrs. Raphael Maher of Hallowell. A widower, he married Miss Abbie Knowles of Au- gusta. After his death in 1956 she acquired the home from the Hamlen estate. Later it was sold to Albert Kimball, who in turn sold to the present owner in 1960.
No. 18 Residence of Joseph T. Beck.
This old house is noticed on the 1838 map as the home of Henry Craig, who was born in 1803. He was the father of three children: Edward, born 1836; Waterman, who was graduated from Bowdoin in 1860 and died in 1862, and Rose Eliza who died in 1864. Mr.
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Craig was with Elisha T. Atkins in the box manufacturing business. In 1886 the place was sold to Dr. William B. Lapham by Edward Craig, then of Brooklyn, N. Y. Dr. Lapham was born in Greenwood, Oxford County, in 1828. He went to Gould Academy, then to Water- ville (Colby) College. He prepared for medicine at Dartmouth Medi- cal School and practiced in Oxford County before the Civil War. He enlisted as a private in the Civil War and was discharged as a Major of Volunteers. His experiences are told in his "Recollections of the Rebellion," published in 1892. He did not resume practice after the war but went into journalistic work. He was editor of the "Maine Farmer " and wrote for the "Portland Transcript." Afterwards he became a writer of local histories and several genealogies, compiling the Bradbury Genealogy. He once remarked that "he did not take much interest in a man's life until he had been dead a century or so." His daughter, Mrs. Mary Witt, was bookkeeper for the Au- gusta Savings Bank for many years. Her daughter, Mrs. Delmar Blaisdell, and her niece, Miss Ethel Lapham, are living in Augusta. Mrs. Blaisdell says that she still has inquiries for some of her grand- father's works. He died in 1894. Afterwards the home was sold to John Fuller, son of James Fuller of the Fuller Holway Company. It was sold to Lillian Wade who sold it to the Beck family in 1910. James Willard Beck was born in Augusta on Grove Street in 1859 and was the son of Captain Joseph L. Beck and Mary Ann Putnam, who came from Hallowell. Joseph L. Beck was the son of Major Thomas Beck, who it is said came from Dover, New Hampshire to Sidney and thence to Augusta. He bought the house which stood at No. 89 Grove Street in 1829 and is shown as his property on the 1838 map. James W. Beck was educated in the Augusta public schools and went to Dirigo, forerunner of Gates Business College. As a young man he was employed in Vickery and Hill's and left to go into the men's clothing business. For many years a large rock on the Kennebec River below Augusta bore the sign, "One Mile to J. W. Beck Clothing Store." Afterwards he went into the real estate and insurance business. He was President of the Board of Alder- men; Chairman of the Board of Assessors, and Trustee and Secretary of the Board of State Hospitals. While in the City Government he was responsible for the modernization of the Water Street lighting and for the hand railing on Winthrop Hill. He was interested in fraternal and church affairs and took a prominent part in local musi- cal circles, having a fine baritone voice. He died in 1941, leaving
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his widow, the former Hattie May Glidden, a son, Joseph T. Beck, and a daughter, Mrs. Harold I. Lovell of Lynn, Massachusetts.
No. 16 Residence of Miss Mabel Connor.
This old home is shown on the 1838 map marked "Kilbourne." The Kilbournes were dry goods merchants on Water Street in the 1850's. Afterwards it was the home of John L. Sayward who came from Bangor to become a partner with John L. Stevens in the publi- cation of the Kennebec Journal. During the Civil War a daily leaflet containing the telegraphic news from Washington was issued and this was the thought of publishing a daily. Mr. Sayward lived here with his family until 1869 when it was purchased by General Selden Connor, the father of Miss Connor, and it has been occupied by his family ever since. It is said that the mock orange bushes by the front door, as well as other shrubs on the premises, were planted by the Saywards. Exterior and interior the house remains the same as when the General occupied it. In this old home there are many mementos of the Civil War in which General Connor took an active part, being wounded in the thigh at the battle of the Wilderness in 1864. Selden Connor was born in Fairfield in 1839. He was grad- uated from Tufts College in 1859 and at the outbreak of the war he was reading law in the office of Washburn and Marsh in Woodstock, Vermont. He enlisted under President Lincoln's call for three month men. Finishing his enlistment he returned home to accept the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of Volunteers of the 19th Maine Regiment. From Colonel he was made Brigade Commander in the Second Di- vision until the Army of the Potomac was reorganized. After his wound he was two years in hospitals and was subsequently sent home. He was commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers by President Lincoln in June 1864. In 1868 he was made Internal Revenue Col- lector for the Third Maine District and then Collector for the State. He was appointed, together with Senator George F. Talbot, by the Governor and Council to investigate the so-called "Paper Credits " under a legislative resolve in 1870. Their findings were contained in a 500 page report, entitled " Report of the Commissioners on Paper Credits 1870," printed by Nash and Company in 1871. It appeared that many towns of Maine had been so depleted of young men in the Civil War that they feared further drafts and so it was alleged they bought names from certain brokers who it was alleged were in a position to furnish names of soldiers who had not been credited to
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any particular city or town. As much as three hundred dollars apiece was paid by some Maine towns for such names. Afterwards it was alleged that these names represented non-existent persons in many cases, or soldiers that had been killed. "It was found," according to the Report, " that the conduct of the investigation was hampered by the destruction of material papers in fires that occurred in Portland, Lewiston and Augusta and the indisposition of those interested to testify." In 1875 he resigned the Collectorship to accept the Re- publican nomination for Governor. He was elected and re-elected in 1876 and 1877. He received the fourth renomination, but failed of re-election. In 1879 there appeared in the State the new Greenback Party, formed in opposition to the resumption of specie payments, which had been suspended during the War. This party on the plea of cheap money drew off the great body of Democrats and some Republicans. The result was that no majority was obtained by any party by popular vote and the Legislature chose Dr. Alonzo Garcelon of Lewiston as Governor. On the face of the returns the Republi- cans had control of the Legislature, but a great temptation assailed the Governor and Council who acted as a returning board. Through neglect or incompetency of the town officials there had always been many technical errors in the returns and this condition had been remedied by a law passed for that purpose. Governor Garcelon set this law aside as being unconstitutional, thus usurping the Supreme Judicial Court, and insisted on a strict construction of the law in counting the returns. This action led to the famous "Count-out " by which it appeared that only Republican members were thrown out and others allowed to stand. This gave rise to intense excitement throughout the State. Indignation meetings were held and so great was the popular feeling that the Governor and Council placed the Capitol under guard. Needless to say, General Connor and his army friends were aroused and secret meetings were held at his home. It is related that the General's partisans came to his home armed and before the meetings would place their side arms on the front hall table which still stands there. For several months there was confusion in the Legislature, at one time there being two Governors and two Legislatures which met on alternate days. Finally the excitement died down and the Greenbackers and the Democrats united and elected Harris M. Plaisted for Governor with a Republican Legislature. They elected a Council between whom and the Governor there was considerable friction. The Greenback movement subsided,
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and the Republicans elected Frederic Robie of Gorham Governor in 1882. In that year General Connor was made Pension Agent for the State, afterwards interested in banking and subsequently was appointed Adjutant General of the State. He died in 1917. His youngest daughter, Rosamond, now deceased, was interested in civic affairs.
No. 14 Residence of W. T. Daley.
This old brick house, for many years the home of the late Dr. George R. Campbell and his family, is marked J. A. Chandler on the 1838 map. John Alphonso Chandler was born in 1792, the son of General John Chandler, a soldier of the Revolution. He was a lawyer and was Clerk of Courts in 1832. His first wife was Delia West, daughter of Captain Shubel West of Hallowell. She died in 1837, after which he married Eunice Robinson, daughter of Captain William Robinson of Augusta. The Chandlers had 13 children, one of whom married Joseph H. Clapp of Augusta, the father of Julia A. Clapp who was Librarian of the Lithgow Library for many years. J. A. Chandler died in 1842 in Norridgewock. In the 1867 directory the name of Charles B. Hamlen is found as the occupant. He was the son of Lewis Hamlen and was born in 1810. He was a member of the firm of Nason and Hamlen, a dry goods store which was at the corner of Water and Bridge Streets. He had five children; all died in childhood with the exception of Charles Nason Hamlin. He is said to have married Annie Morrill, daughter of Lot M. Morrill, former Governor and U. S. Senator. He was in the dry goods busi- ness and is shown living in this house in 1884; it is said he moved to Boston in 1894. In the 1892 directory William H. Gannett, publisher of "Comfort," is shown as the resident. He was born in Augusta in 1854 and as a young man was a member of the Gannett and Morse Variety Store on Water Street. Afterwards he went into the publish- ing business similar to that of Vickery and Hill. He moved from Elm Street to Ganeston Park on Western Avenue where he died in 1948. Subsequently the house was sold to Edwin C. Dudley, Au- gusta banker. Dr. George R. Campbell purchased the home before the First World War and lived there with his family for many years. He was a graduate of Colby College and the University of Pennsyl- vania Medical School. He practiced medicine and surgery for over fifty years in Augusta and vicinity. His office for many years was over John Coughlin's Drug Store, now Parent's, on the corner of
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Bridge and Water Streets. Mrs. Campbell, a graduate of Wellesley College, was well known as a contract bridge teacher and won a national bridge teachers contest. Their daughter, Mildred, married W. T. Daley of New York City and for the past years have made their home there.
No. 10 Residence of Robert Martin, Esq.
This house was shown as the Fogg house in 1838. Alvan Fogg was a carpenter and a member of the Baptist Church. In 1867 it is shown as the home of William R. Smith, Cashier of the First National Bank. He was born in Wiscasset in 1813. Mr. Smith was a printer almost it is said from birth, having entered a newspaper office as an apprentice at eight years old. He came to Augusta and bought a quarter interest in the "Age" while working there as a printer. He afterwards sold the "Age " in 1844 and engaged in business. He was Register of Probate for ten years and afterwards went into banking and was active in that field until his retirement in 1891. He was one of the prime movers in the organization of the Village School District and the old grammar school at the corner of Bridge and State Streets is named for him. He was an acknowl- edged authority on banking and author of many of the State's banking laws at the time. Mrs. Smith survived her husband for several years. Soon after the First World War the place was sold to Myron Davis whose father operated the E. E. Davis and Company Clothing Store on Water Street. Mr. Davis managed the store for several years and then removed to Boston, it is said. His brother Harlow was the father of the actress, Bette Davis. It is said that when she was a child she used to visit her uncle and aunt when they were living on Elm Street. Milton Kimball, now of Portland, subsequently occupied the house and sold it to Robert Martin in 1948.
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