USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 39
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 39
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E. Leach was elected Town Clerk; Fred W. Andrews, John S. Fuller and O. A. Fisk, Selectmen, and Ralph T. Spear, Treasurer.
Rodolphus Bowers, an old and respected business man of Camden, the son of Joseph Bowers, died Feb. 18, 1895. Mr. Bowers was born in the old homestead on the Hope road, June 17, 1811, and spent his entire life in his native town. He manufactured lime for years and for a short time was in the grocery business. Afterwards he owned and maintained a grist mill near the bakery bridge for twenty years. He joined the Congrega- tional Church when 19 years of age and never swerved from the faith. In 1835 he married Louisa B. Wood of Brownfield, Maine, by whom he had five children, the two eldest of whom, Thomas R., and Lucy P., died in childhood. The others are Joseph W., Charles R., and Sarah, (who married John Stetson of Thomaston.) In 1884, Mr. Bowers married Mrs. Mary F. Kalloch of Rockland.
Capt. Joseph A. Graffam of Rockport died March 25, at the age of 77 years. Capt. Graffam followed the sea for fifty years and was an excellent navigator and pilot. He was the first captain to sail a three-masted schooner across the Atlantic. He was mate of the bark Georgiana and one of the victims of Lopez' filibustering expedition in 1851, related in a preceding chapter. Capt. Graffam married Lucy Ann Chase of Camden in 1843. They had two children, Capt. Edwin, and Lizzie, (who married first, John Piper and second, J. S. Mason.) In 1865 Capt. Graffam married Mrs. Sarah Parker as his second wife. At his death he was the oldest member of Amity Lodge, F. &. A. M.
Capt. Jesse F. Hosmer of Camden, died April 17. He was the last surviving child of the early settler, Nathaniel Hosmer. When thirteen years of age he left home to learn a trade, but a few years later his love for the sea caused him to enter upon a sea faring life, in which he arose step by step from the lowest position to the highest in his profession, winning the perfect confidence of his employers, and proving a most skillful and successful master mariner. He followed the sea for thirty-five years, a great portion
to Ca
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of that time commanding large vessels, and becoming familiar with almost every part of the globe. He married Lucy, youngest daughter of Capt. William and Lucy Blake, with whom .he lived a long and happy married life of nearly fifty years. Their children are Emily P., Jessie D., (who married Dr. Benj. D. E. Huse), Dora T. and Lucy B.
James Seward, another old and respected Camden business man died May 28. Mr. Seward was born in Kittery, Maine, in 1812 and was 83 years of age at the time of his death. He was the son of William and Abigail Seward and was one of a family of 24 children. He came to Camden in 1836, and married Mary A. Pendleton of Islesboro. He at once began here his life work, that of a grocer, by going into business in the basement of the George W. Cobb house on Main street. Later he purchased a lot where the Russell block now stands upon which he moved a frame building which he fitted up as a store and residence. A few years later Mr. Seward bought one half of the Megunticook House, where he lived for a time and then built and occupied the house on High street now the residence of W. G. Alden. Later he purchased the "Cushing homestead" on Chestnut street where he passed the remainder of his life. Among his firm friends of his early life were Dr. B. J. Porter and Hon. Erastus Foote. He retired from business at the age of 71 years. In religious views Mr. Seward was a Unitarian, although for many years he was a constant attendant at the Congregational Church. His political affiliations were with the Republican party. The children born to James and Mary A. Seward were Margaret P., Ellen W., Caroline J., Sarah P., and Josephine A., (who married Walter Glidden.)
Joseph B. Stearns of Camden died July 4. Mr. Stearns was born in 1831, was a native of Weld, Maine, and the son of poor parents. When fourteen years of age his father moved to Sears- mont and three years later Mr. Stearns went to Newburyport, Mass., where he worked for a time in a cotton mill. In 1850
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being 18 years of age, he began the study of telegraphy at New- buryport and remained there and along the line to Portland for four years. In 1854 he went into the fire telegraph office at Boston and in a few months was appointed superintendent. While in that position he went to Charleston, S. C., during the war of the rebellion to put in a fire alarm system and was able to perform an important service to his country by gathering informa-
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tion on his way home, which he gave to President Lincoln, there- by preventing the rebel army from occupying Arlington Heights and saving Washington from falling into their hands. In 1867 Mr. Stearns was elected President of the Franklin Telegraph Co., which office he held between two and three years. It was at about this time that Mr. Stearns' genius gave to the world one of
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the most important inventions of the century, namely, the duplex system of telegraphy, by which two messages can be sent over the wire at the same time. The invention brought him great wealth and will make his name forever famous. It was patented in 1868 and about three years later he sold the right of the United States and Canada to the Western Union. In 1872 he went to England to introduce his system there and after two years of effort Parliament gave him a royalty for the use of his invention. He also received royalties in France and Italy. In 1880 Mr. Stearns engineered the Mexican cable, putting 750 miles of cable into operation and in 1881 he engineered a line in Central and South America. In 1882 Mr. Stearns went to Short Hills, N. J., where he lived until 1885 when he came to Camden to visit the family of James B. Swan, who were his relatives, and was so enchanted with the natural beauty of the place that he purchased a tract of land on the Belfast Road, with the object of making Camden his future home. He said that he had travelled the world over, and con- sidered Camden the most beautiful place he ever visited. The following year (1886) he erected the magnificent stone residence "Norumbega " where he passed the remainder of his life. After- wards he bought large tracts of land farther up the Belfast Road, where he operated the large fancy stock farm known as "Saga- more Farm" and did much for the development and prosperity of the town. Mr. Stearns was twice married. His first wife was Lois M. Brooks by whom he had three children all of whom died young. His second wife was Amanda Edmonds of Portsmouth, N. H. The children of this union were two sons, Edward S., now of Thomaston, Maine, and Harry W., of Camden.
Hon. Gershom F. Burgess was the son of a Methodist clergy- man and was born in Fairfield, Maine, about the year 1830. In early life, having obtained a good education, he came to Rockland where he taught for some time in the city schools. While there he married a Mrs. White, a widow. After a short married life Mrs. Burgess died. Shortly before the civil war, Mr. Burgess
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came to Rockport village where he served as clerk in a store. When the war broke out Mr. Burgess was instrumental in raising a company of volunteers for the 19th Regiment of Infantry and went to the front with his company as Lieutenant where he served with credit. On his return from the war he married Mrs. Christiana Young, widow of Christopher Young, Jr., and succeeded to the ownership of the valuable Young quarry and lime kiln property and business, which he conducted with ability and success until shortly before his death when he sold the same to the S. E. & H. L. Shepherd Company. The two children of Gershom F. and Christiana Burgess are Clorinda I., (who married Dr. Lester C. Miller), and Gershom L. After the death of his second wife Mr. Burgess married Charlotte Gould of Rockland who died shortly afterwards, and in 1889 he married Julia, daugh- ter of Elbridge G. Knight. Mr. Burgess was an able business man and in addition to his Rockport business was interested in the Camden woolen factories and other industries. He was a good speaker and excellent presiding officer and was many times elected moderator of Camden town meetings, always conducting the town business with dignity and despatch. He was a strong Republican in politics and one of the leaders of his party in this section. In 1888 he was nominated one of the county candidates for Senator and elected. He served one term, declining the honor of a second nomination. He died Sept. 1, 1894.
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CHAPTER LIX. WAR WITH SPAIN.
1896. Camden: Annual meeting, March 23 Elected Chas. C.Wood, Town Clerk ; Daniel J. Andrews,A.B. Arey and S. G. Rit- terbush, Selectmen and Fred Lewis Treasurer. At this meeting the Camden Public Library was established under the following votes : " Voted that the town establish a free public library for the use of its inhabitants to be known as The Camden Public Library, under such rules and regulations as may hereafter be established by vote of the town or by a board of Trustees to consist of nine members and that the First Selectman be a Trustee in addition ; that three serve for three years, three for two years and three for one year." "Voted that the Trustees serve without pay and that they decide among themselves as to who shall serve three years, two years and one year respectively, said decision to be recorded by the Town Clerk." "Voted that a committee of five be appointed to sub- mit a list of candidates." This committee consisted of T. R. Simonton, J. K. Hooper, W. H. Gardiner, J. H. Sherman and J. F. Stetson, and the following list was presented : J. K. Hooper, C. W. Follansbee, J. H. Sherman, T. A. Hunt, Reuel Robinson, F. M. Preble, L. D. Evans, W. G. Alden and E. C. Fletcher, who were duly elected.
"Voted to raise by assessment, Fifteen Hundred Dollars for the foundation and commencement
of a free public library." 1
The library was at once established
1. Prior to this vote quite a large sum for the library had been raised by
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
and with the Reading Room connected with it, has proved a most valuable public institution. Miss Katharine W. Harding was the first librarian.
Rockport : Annual meeting, March 23. Elected John E. Leach, Town Clerk ; Fred W. Andrews, J. W. Ingraham, and O. A. Fisk, Selectmen and C. Fred Knight, Treasurer.
Five candidates for governor appeared in the field in 1896, viz : Llewellyn Powers, Republican, Melvin P. Frank, Democrat, Ammi S. Ladd, Prohibition, Luther C. Bateman, People's and Wm. H. Clifford, National Democrat, or as otherwise called, " Gold " Democrat, as distinguished from the main wing of the party that was in favor of the free coinage of silver. Mr. Powers received a large majority over all the other candidates. This was the well remembered "Mckinley year" when both the State and Knox County went over-whelmingly for the Republican party.
The Camden vote for governor at this election was as follows : Powers, 298; Frank, 162; Ladd, 7; Bateman, 48; Clifford, 6. Edward R. Ogier of Camden was again the Prohibition candidate for Representative to Congress and received 8 votes in Camden. A. L. Young of Camden was People's candidate for Clerk of Courts and received 47 votes in town. Charles F. Duffy, Democrat and A. S. Hall, People's, both of Camden were candidates for Sheriff, Duffy receiving 290 votes, and Hall 20, in Camden.
The Rockport vote for governor was as follows : Powers, 319 ; Frank, 142; Ladd, 6; Bateman, 6 ; Clifford, 3.
Rockport had the candidates for Representative this year. They were Clarence E. McIntire, Republican, and Frank E.Achorn, Democrat. Mr. McIntire was elected by a large majority in the
private subscription and since its establishment the town has each year, raised $500 for its support. The library now contains some 4,000 volumes. Of these books, many volumes were donated by the "Ladies' Library." This in stitution was established in 1854, with Miss Lucy Thorndike as first Librarian. Mrs. Jesse F. Hosmer was one of the original promoters of the Ladies Library, which was at first kept in Mrs. Hosmer's kitchen. Afterwards for many years this useful institution had quarters on the second floor of the Caniden National Bank building.
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class. The vote for Representative was as follows : Camden, McIntire, 299; Achorn, 185. Rockport, McIntire, 323 ; Achorn, 144.
At the presidential election in November, the Republican candidates for electors received 314 votes in Camden and 256 in Rockport, while the Democratic candidates received 139 votes in Camden and 154 in Rockport.
Megunticook Rebekah Lodge, No. 77, I. O. O. F., was instituted in Camden, Sept. 24, 1896. The first officers were Carrie E. Aldus, N. G .; Frances R. Stahl, V. G .; Laura Wads- worth, Sec .; Frances S. Fish, Treas .; Lucy J. Weaver, W .; Lena Aldus, C .; Sarah L. Pascal, R. S. N. G .; Ellen M. Mason, L. S. N. G .; Frank Easton, O. G .; Addie Bushby, I. G .; Nettie K. Gould, R. S. V. G .; Hattie C. Allen, L. S. V. G .; Clara R. Spear, Chaplain. This Lodge has been exceedingly prosperous and now has over 250 members. On Jan. 1, 1906, the name of the Lodge was, at it own request, changed by the Grand Lodge to Maiden Cliff Rebekah Lodge, No. 77.
This year Nathan H. Hosmer, a young Camden business man of promise, died April 20. Mr. Hosmer was the eldest son of Charles and Jane (Stetson) Hosmer, and was born in Camden in 1859. He was a member of the firm of Burd & Hosmer and was doing a prosperous business. His untimely death was mourned by many friends. Mr. Hosmer was a prominent Odd Fellow and Past Grand of Mt. Battie Lodge.
Another popular Camden man passed away this year when Dr. Oscar W. Stone died on April 26, at Boulder, Colorado, where he had gone for his health. Dr. Stone was born in Milford, Maine, and was the son of Alfred and Nancy (Atkins) Stone. His early education was obtained in the common schools and at Corinna Academy. He graduated from the Maine Medical College in 1878 and the same year entered upon the practise of medicine at Camden where he soon built up a fine business which he carried on alone until 1886 at which time he formed a partner-
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ship with Dr. F. N. Wheeler which continued until Dr. Wheeler's death in 1891. In 1885, Dr. Stone was taken sick of a lung trouble but after a long illness improved so much that his friends hoped for a permanent recovery. A few years later, however, his health began to fail and hoping to be benefitted by the change, he removed with his family to Colorado where he died at the age of 44 years. Dr. Stone was a model physician and his appear- ance in the sick room always animated his patients with courage, which together with the cheerfulness inspired by his sunny temper and jovial disposition was often the cause of putting them a long way on the road to recovery. Dr. Stone was an enthusias- tic Mason and was the forty-fourth Master of Amity Lodge. He married Rossie L. Wheeler. Their two children are Mildred and Alfred W.
Oliver Andrews, an old and greatly respected citizen of Rockport, died Dec. 5, at the age of 86 years, having been born in Warren, Maine, in 1810. He came to Rockport in 1832. He was a mason by trade and among his contracts were Negro Island lighthouse and the monument in Rockport harbor. He represented Camden in the Legislature in 1845. He also served as Deputy Sheriff. He was an early Odd Fellow, became a Mason as a member of Amity Lodge and was a charter member of St. Paul's Lodge when it was instituted. In politics Mr. Andrews was a life-long Democrat. He was well read, a fine conversationalist with a rich fund of experience from which to draw, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Mr. Andrews married Margaret Rollins with whom he lived for over sixty years. Their children : Edgar A., Harriet A., (who married A. A. Howes), Maria L., and Oliver F.
1897. At the Camden annual meeting held March 22, the Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer of 1896, were all re- elected.
Rockport, also at its annual meeting held on the same date,
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re-elected the Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer of the year before.
This year Columbus Buswell built the toll road from near the old Fay house to the summit of Mt. Battie and erected the Summit House on the mountain. 1
Abner Howe of Camden, died this year on March 28, at the age of 79 years and 11 months. Mr. Howe was the son of Jonah Howe, and a descendant of one of the early settlers of the present town of Camden. Mr. Howe's life was passed on the old ancestral farm which is now owned by his son, Herbert. He was for many years a consistent member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Howe married Relief Mansfield and they were the parents of four children, viz : Clarence H., Herbert M., Willard C., and Lucius.
Mr. Howe's brother, Jonas Howe, who died Sept. 5, 1892, was born in Camden, Nov. 13, 1809, and lived here all his life. He married first, Clara Bass and second Eliza A. Bentley. By his first wife he had the following children : George A., Charles T., and Mary A., (who married Nathaniel M. Hosmer). 2
1898. Charles C. Wood was again elected Town Clerk at the Camden annual meeting held March 21. The Selectmen elected were J. H. Sherman, E. C. Fletcher and Isaac Coombs and the Treasurer, Fred Lewis.
The Rockport annual town meeting, also held on March 21,
1. The road, house and tract of land covering the top of the mountain have since been purchased by a corporation consisting principally of summer residents and known as the "Mt. Battie Association." The house is opened every summer as an Inn and many people visit it during the summer season.
2. Mr. Hosmer represents the family name, Nathaniel, in the fourth genera- tion in Camden, his father, Nathaniel 3rd, being the son of Nathaniel, Jr., the early settler whose father, Nathaniel, came here after his son established his home here. Nathaniel 3rd, was born in Camden, June 14, 1804, and lived here until 1871, when he removed to Shrewsbury, Mass., where he died Aug. 24, 1890. His wife was Eliza Cobb of Princeton, Mass., and their children were, Adelia, (who married Geo. A. Carter), Helen M., (who married Geo. S. Tracy), Georgia, (who married S. P. Veazie), Harriet S., William C., George F., Ephraim W., and Nathaniel M.
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again re-elected the same Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer as the year before.
Gov. Powers was this year again the Republican candidate for governor. The Democrats nominated Samuel L. Lord, the Prohibitionists Ammi S. Ladd, the People's party, Robert Gerry and the National or Gold Democrats, Erastus Lermond. Gov. Powers was re-elected by the usual large majority of that period.
The political pendulum in Knox County this year began its swing back towards the Democratic party, and although the Republican candidates for senator and county officers were elected it was by a considerably smaller majority than had been given the Republican candidates in the two preceding elections.
In Camden the vote for governor stood as follows : Powers, 283; Lord, 231; Ladd, 7; Gerry, 12; Lermond, 0. In Rock- port : Powers, 288; Lord, 185; Ladd, 6; Gerry, 0; Lermond, 1. Herbert L. Shepherd of Rockport was the Republican can- didate for senator and received in his own town 300 votes to 174 for his opponent, L. M. Staples.
The candidates for Representative were this year Camden men, viz : Charles C. Wood, Republican and J. H. Sherman, Democrat. Mr. Wood was elected. The vote was as follows : Camden, Wood, 282 ; Sherman, 243. Rockport, Wood, 288; Sherman, 190.
The destruction of the battleship, Maine, in Havana harbor in February of this year and the determination of our govern- ment to put an end to Spanish atrocities in Cuba, resulted in a declaration of war with Spain on April 25. This war lasted only about three and a half months and its results are too recent and well known to require elucidation here.
Maine sent one regiment to this war, which, however, got no farther than the rendezvous at Chickamauga, Tenn., the war closing before it was called to the front. Neither Camden nor Rockport had a military company belonging to the National Guards, and therefore but comparatively few men from the two
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towns were in the regiment. Eight, however, went from Camden and two from Rockport. The Camden men were Wm. F. Hall, Herbert E. Payson, James A. Cole, Lewis Knowlton, Fred B. Thorn- dike, Daniel Lamphier, Wm. A. Herrick and Charles P. Freeman. The latter, the only son of Mr. Perrin P. Freeman, contracted disease in the unhealthy camp at Chickamauga, and on his way home died in the hospital at Portland. J. Pennington Gardiner was in the troop of "Rough Riders " who went to Tampa, Fla., but were not called to Cuba. Fred O. Wooster of Camden served in the Signal Corps in Cuba assisting in keeping up communication between different parts of Gen. Shafter's army, and between the army and navy during the operations before Santiago.
The Rockport men in the army were George W. Higgins and Walter Higgins whose experience was similar to that of the Cam- den volunteers.
Camden had several men in the navy during this war, viz : William F. Glover, who held the tank of Ensign, served on board the U. S. S. Fern, and participated in the naval battle at Santiago; Nelson J. Hurd, who was in the Marine Corps on board the battleship Indiana during the blocade at Santiago, had charge of the search lights and was in the naval battle; and Charles Lee Dow, who served on the U. S. S. St. Paul, under Capt. Sigsbee. Mr. Dow was not in the battle of Santiago but his experience was, perhaps, the most interesting of any of the Camden men. After the war, holding the rank of Sergeant, he was ordered to Manilla on transport, City of Sidney, landing there Sept. 21, 1899. He then did duty with the army against the insurgents, participating in several battles under Gen. Lawton, who was killed by the insurgents. In the winter and spring of 1900 with a detachment of eleven men he had charge of Ponta Santiago lighthouse in southern Luzon for five months. In June 1900, he was ordered to the flagship, Brooklyn, to take part in the expedition of the powers to suppress the Boxer uprising. Mr. Dow participated in the desperate fight to take Tien Sien in which
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several men of his company were killed and wounded. He marched to Pekin and was present at the taking of that capital. Afterwards he did guard and patrol duty in the city until late in fall, when he was ordered back to Manilla. Thence he went to Guam where he did guard duty for nine months. From there he returned to Manilla, thence coming to San Francisco where he was discharged, Dec. 26, 1901. Charles Diplock served on the New York and Howard Ramsey and J. Schlosburg also served in the navy during the war.
The Rockport men in the navy, so far as we are able to learn, were Alfred McIntire who served on board the Brooklyn, Albert McIntire who was in the Marine Corps on the Annapolis, John K. Salisbury who served on board the Mangrove, Ralph Higgins, Charles Churchill, Alton Richards, Brown Small and Herman Small; several of the latter being on board of our large auxiliary cruisers.
This war proved to the world that the young men of this generation are equal to their fathers in bravery, patriotism and efficiency as soldiers and sailors, and Camden and Rockport have reason to be proud of the few who volunteered for service in this war and of the fact that many more would have volunteered had they been needed to protect their country and maintain the rights of humanity.
Joseph Thorndike of Rockport died this year on Sept. 15, at the age of 76 years. Mr. Thorndike was a prominent citizen of his town. He was a Democrat in politics and strongly devoted to the principles of his party. He took great interest in town affairs and during his long life filled many offices of trust and responsibility. He was intelligent and well read, and his views
1. During the Spanish war there was for a time some fear that this vicinity might be visited by Spanish cruisers, and a company of "Home Guards" was drilled in the Camden Opera House by W. H. Gardiner. At about the same time several practical jokers, late one evening, exploded several heavy dynamite bombs on Sherman's Point. Many timid people of the village believed the detonations to come from Spanish guns and some even imagined that they saw, lighted up by the flashes, the deck of an hostile torpedo boat.
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on municipal affairs were always considered. He married Margaret Corliss and had three children : Emma A., Walter T., and Mary L.
1899. Camden : Annual meeting, March 27. Officers elected : Charles C. Wood, Town Clerk ; Alden Miller, Jr., A. B. Arey and F. A. Packard, Selectmen and T. J. French, Treasurer.
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