History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 194

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

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was elected a Director of said company, and retained these offices without interruption until December, 1872, when, upon the consolidation of the European & North American Railroad Company with the European & North American for extension from St. John west- ward, he was made a Director in the consolidated company, and also Clerk and Treasurer, and all these positions he continued to hold until the failure of the consolidated company, and the taking possession of its railway and property by B. E. Smith, Esq., as Trustee of the consolidated bondholders. Thereupon he was ap- pointed his agent and cashier. At his displacement a year later by the Trustees of the Land Grant bondhold- ers he became the Cashier under the new dispensation, and continued in this position until October 13, 1880. Upon the organization of the new company, at that time he was chosen a Director, and later on was appointed President and also Treasurer, which positions he still holds.

GENERAL SAMUEL VEAZIE.

General Samuel Veazie, who for many years bore so important a part in the business affairs of Bangor and its neighboring towns, was born at Portland, Maine, April 22, 1787. He was the son of John Veazie, whose father, Rev. Samuel Veazie, came to reside in Harpswell from Nantasket in 1767. In his boyhood he was apprenticed to the trade of baker, until he arrived at the age of ma- turity, when he reasoned, from the experience of his master, that the road to wealth did not run in that di- rection, and hence concluded to seek some other em- ployment. He adopted a seafaring life, and at once enlisted as a sailor, before the mast, at $8 per month wages, in the West India trade. In making his bargain, however, he secured, in addition, certain rights of stow- age both ways, and subsequently made purchase of other or extended rights of the same kind. These privileges he so skillfully utilized and turned to so good account in the way of ventures, that in the course of a few years he had earned and accumulated sufficient money to purchase the whole of a vessel of two or three hundred tons.

After three or four years of this kind of life, he entered upon a new course as manufacturer and vender of cigars and tobacco in its various forms. Soon after adopting this trade, he removed to Topsham, as a place more fa- vorable to his work. There he gradually added other articles of merchandise to his stock, until he became a general trader in all sorts of goods ordinarily kept by country stores. In this, as in almost everything else to which he turned his attention, he met with flattering suc- cess and encouragement. An amusing anecdote is told of him in connection with this part of his history. For some time after his removal to Topsham, he was accus- tomed to make his purchases of goods at Portland. Hav- ing resolved to extend his custom to Boston, he took, on board his vessel up, a lot of oars for sale, upon the pro ceeds of which he relied to procure the means of paying for his goods, at least in part. Of other traders on board he

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

enquired the name of some one who would be likely to purchase his articles. They jocosely gave him the name of a leading dry goods merchant on Kilby street. On arrival at the wharf he made quick tracks to the store of the party recommended. The latter at once saw, in the person of the young applicant, a shrewd and promising customer, and without hesitation entered into his views, procured a purchaser for his oars, sold him what he de- sired of his own stock, and introduced him to others, so that he was able to go home with a good variety of goods and a fine credit. And on comparison of bills, on his voyage back, they found that his prices were decidedly the most advantageous of any secured by the members of the whole company.

While living in Topsham he gradually extended his business so as to embrace various other branches, in all of which success seems to have always attended his efforts. In navigation he continued to retain his interest, as well as in ship-building. To this he added an interest in lumbering, which also proved profitable. This led to his becoming the sole or principal owner of the Androscog- gin Boom, which he managed with his usual success. The vessels which he owned he usually, to a large extent, freighted with his own lumber to the West Indies, always finding a good market there and ready return freight.

His skill and energy in business are well illustrated by a story, which he used afterwards to relate, of the way he "came it over" the British in the War of 1812. A vessel of his was obliged, by stress of weather, to take shelter in a harbor on the coast of the Bay of Fundy, where it was detained by the military authorities, as a prize from the enemy. Young Veazie at once hurried to headquarters, where he procured orders for the release of the vessel, and started off to deliver them with all the speed that the means of conveyance at that day afforded. He ar- rived in season to get his vessel under way before coun- termanding orders reached the local authorities, and he was safe.

While living at Topsham the General was largely iden- tified with all the social, religious, and political interests of the town, and was ever liberal in their support, as also he was in all matters having in view the moral and nat- ural improvement of the place. His contemporary citi- zens, fellow-workers with him, and many a tree and other monuments, still left as witnesses, will attest the truth of this remark. His agents and sea-captains were selected with such care, and were so treated while in his service, as ever to bear willing testimony to his integrity and honorable conduct. During the War of 1812 he was a loyal citizen, lending his aid and influence as best he could for his country ; and being then in the ranks of the militia, he gradually worked himself up from the office of Ensign until he reached the highest rank of General, a rank which gave him his well-known appellative for the remainder of his life.

After several years of such active life in Topsham, he very naturally sought a wider field for his ambition and enterprise. His interests in the lumber business neces- sarily turned his attention to the headquarters of that ac- tivity on the Penobscot. In 1826 he became the pur-

chaser of the Jackson Davis mills and privileges at Old- town, which introduced him to the principal manufactory of lumber on that river. He gradually enlarged his pur- chases, until he came at last to own the entire privilege and all the mills at Oldtown Falls, on the west side of the river, a title which he continued to hold until death. The mills were several times wholly or partially de- stroyed, but on every occasion were promptly rebuilt, so that at his death all were left in good running order. The mills were the principal industry of the town, and to him are justly credited the activity and enterprise which ever during his whole life characterized that village.

While procuring the title, the Williams mill privilege was offered for sale at auction. Veazie and Wadleigh being equal owners of the balance of the shore, it became a matter of a good deal of importance which should se- cure the title thus offered for sale. Both of course ap- peared to bid. At about $30,000 Wadleigh ceased bid- ding, though the auctioneer did not. The game was continued until Veazie was run up to $40,000, when the property was struck off to him at that price. Having de- tected the cheat, he refused to pay any more than the bid he first made after Wadleigh stopped. This led to a lawsuit, which came off at Augusta, when the sugges- tion was made by the presiding justice that the result must be as Veazie contended, unless the auctioneer was authorized to announce the bids as he did. This made it necessary to have the auctioneer's testimony and a con- sequent haste to know what that testimony would be. Both parties started by "express " for Bangor where the auctioneer resided. They both arrived in town at about the same time, but Veazie had the advantage of knowing where he lived. He consequently saw him first, and the auctioneer was all right. He was "not authorized," and Veazie gained his case.

General Veazie removed to Bangor in 1832, taking up his residence in a house on the west side of Harlow street, a few doors north from Abbott Square. Shortly after, he built what is known as the "Veazie Homestead" at the corner of York street and Broadway, where he continued to live until his removal to Veazie. While building his house, Mr. Crosby commenced erecting his on the next lot above, which was of course on a little higher level. As this might give his neighbor a com- manding advantage, the General concluded to add an additional third story to his house, as he "would not be looked down upon by anybody else."

After his removal to Bangor, he continued the same general course of life as before, though on a much more extensive scale. As connected with his lumber industry, he came to own at first one-half, and finally the whole of the Penobscot Boom and its charter, a property which proved to him one of great profit and value. As sole corporator, much amusement was occasionally caused in court circles by the exhibition of his records, which show him holding corporation meetings all alone at his house, voting himself President, Clerk, and Director, and tran- sacting all the essential and usual routine of corporate life. Though often led to deliberate upon certain proposed action, yet, very generally, the final vote was unanimous

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upon its adoption or rejection. A serious question was raised at one of the court trials whether the corporation was a "sole" or "aggregate" one in its character. The owners of the boomed logs, however, were very generally of the opinion that, whatever doubt there might be on that question, there was none whatever upon the other, that the corporation was soul-less.

As mill-owner he came to be the largest of any man in Maine. After securing the title of all the mills on the falls in Oldtown, some nineteen in number, he bought out the "Corporation Mills" at North Bangor or Veazie, consisting of twenty more, and also the Basin mills at Orono, embracing thirteen others, making fifty-two in all. Those at Veazie he gave to his son John, but the others he continued to own until his death.

About the time of his removal to Bangor, the railroad was built from Bangor to Oldtown, one of the very first railroads in America. In 1850 the track was extended across his land to the river at Oldtown, which led to a grave lawsuit on the question of damages, which was tried before a jury on the premises, and resulted in a verdict for $17,000. Other suits followed, which finally resulted in a purchase of the road and charter by Mr. Veazie, on such favorable terms that it became one of the General's most profitable investments. This road he continued to operate until he died. The necessity of having a railroad up the valley of the Penobscot im- pressed itself on his mind, and he placed himself in the way of helping it on and sharing largely in its benefits. At his own expense he built the bridge across the river, at the head of the falls, and run his cars to Milford. Unexpected difficulties came in the way, which prevented the road being extended beyond that point before his death. The European & North American Railroad coming to be built soon after, along the shore from Bangor, his heirs sold out their road and franchise to it, and thus ended the whole thing.

General Veazie was never a very active politician or office seeker, and hence had little to do in that line. During a single term he was a member of the Governor's Council and afterwards for two years an Alderman of the city. At another time he was a prominent candidate for Representative to Congress, but was unsuccessful.

Early in the General's business life at Bangor he be- came interested in banking, and having become principal holder of the stock of the old Bank of Bangor, he be- came its President, and almost its sole manager. On the expiration of its charter he sought to have it renewed, but at the suggestion of the bank committee, the new bank was incorporated by the name of the "Veazie Bank." This he managed with great skill and success all his life afterwards, so that it came to rank among the firmest and most reliable institutions of the kind in the country, its bills being ever of the safest character. Travelers to the South and West and elsewhere always regarded themselves well fortified against accidents of travel if only duly supplied with Veazie Bank issue, a fact which, in days of State Bank circulation alone, was one of no small significance and importance.

The town of Ellsworth having, by the failure of its two

banks, suddenly found itself deprived of all bank facilities, General Veazie established a branch of his bank there, and run it until the National bank system came into vogue.

After the war commenced and silver currency disap- peared from circulation, the want was, in the eastern part of Maine, largely supplied by fractional scrip put into circulation by the General, over his own signature, to the amount of $70,000, in denominations of ten, twenty-five, and fifty cents, respectively. The scrip was universally accredited and received wherever offered, and afforded great relief to the community, until the Government interfered to do the same thing on a larger scale. Quite a large amount is still out, held probably, where not lost, by curiosity-seekers, or as mementoes of the past. The scrip contained, in its corner, a very well executed likeness of the General, which was said to afford, by well understood tests, a sure proof of the genuineness of the thing. The scrip is still redeemable at the Veazie Bank counter, and an occasional piece makes its appearance.

For particular reasons the General refused to go into the National Bank arrangement, and hence never took out a charter under it. He claimed the right to circulate his State Bank notes as currency, notwithstanding the prohibitions of the National act. The result was that the Government called upon him to pay the ten per cent. tax on his circulation, which he refused. Other State Banks, similarly situated, joined with him to test the question before the United States Courts, Hon. Reverdy Johnson and Caleb Cushing being employed as counsel. His bank was made to lead off as party, and it was in his case that the Supreme Court of the United States gave their decision supporting the constitutionality of the law, and the consequent binding character of the tax. Thence- forth and thereupon all State Bank circulation in the United States ceased.

Under the old State Bank system the banks were often accused of overstepping the limits provided by law for their circulation. The Veazie Bank was not free from such a scandal, but on the contrary, it was called upon by the Legislature, on one occasion, to defend itself against the charge. The General made his personal appearance and "owned up," excusing himself on the ground that the people would have his bills, and when they got them refused to bring them back, and so he was obliged to issue new bills to meet the demand and wants of the bank and people too. He was dismissed with a caution, but it was not known that he ever adopted any new rule of conduct.

While this same State Bank system was in existence the Suffolk Bank "plan of redemption" was also in vogue, requiring all other banks to keep a sum of money in their vaults free from interest, for the purpose of redeeming their bills as they found their way to its counter. General Veazie could not see why he should be called upon to do so, and in common with many other country banks, regarded the plan as an imposition and unjust, and so refused to obey. The result was that the Suffolk Bank, in all such cases, would make "a run" on the offending banks for

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

the purpose of their subjugation. But the General was not thus to be conquered. Having procured to be passed an act of the Legislature giving banks a certain time within which to pay their bills, when so presented, the Veazie Bank availed itself of the time allowed, much to the annoyance of the Suffolk. Having acknowledged the demand, the bank would send a manager to Boston or elsewhere, and by exchanging securities possess him- self of checks on the Suffolk Bank, which, within the days of grace, he would present at the Suffolk and de- mand the specie and therewith pay their own bills, thus compelling the Suffolk, not only to hold the bills for the specified time, but at last furnish the specie wherewith to pay them. A recent writer on the subject remarks that "one of the most strenuous opponents of the Suffolk Bank system was the Veazie Bank of Bangor."

The State having granted W. B. S. Moor and his brother the exclusive right of steamboat navigation on the Penobscot above Oldtown, General Veazie being of opinion that there was money in it, and holding the act illegal, hinself built a boat and put it on the river in op- position. This led to litigation to determine the consti- tutionality of the exclusive act. After passing through the courts of this State, the case went to Washington, where it was argued before the full court and decided adversely to the General, the court holding the act con- stitutional, and thus settling the grave question how far the Legislature had exclusive jurisdiction over navigable waters. Being thus defeated he took his boat to pieces, transported it to California, reproduced it there on the Sacramento, and operated it to great advantage, far more than compensating him for the loss of his case in Maine.

It was one of General Veazie's characteristics that, while ever ready to grant to others their legal rights, he was always equally persistent in claiming his own. He was hence often involved in lawsuits, several instances of which we have already cited in this sketch of his life. Among the most famed of all suits in the eastern part of Maine was one which arose between him and Wadleigh respecting their rights to certain mill privileges at Old- town, and in which Daniel Webster and Jeremiah Mason were enlisted as counsel, the former by Wadleigh and the latter by the General. The suit never had any legal ter- mination by judgment, but quietly subsided, and all dis- putes were finally settled by Veazie purchasing all of Wadleigh's interest, more or less, in the shore and falls.

Very numerous suits were afterwards waged between the General and the owner of the next privilege below, which lasted for many years and with varied success. The questions being, many of them, unsettled at his death, were finally adjusted by his heirs purchasing the lower privilege and mills, and thus quieting all controversy.

Many other suits of importance besides those men- tioned are to be found on the dockets of our courts, all the way along the course of his life, some of very grave importance; but space will hardly allow any more partic- ular description of them here. It was ever a rule of the General always to accept a tender. He was once, by ad- vice of counsel, persuaded to vary his rule and refuse a

tender made. He lost his case, however, and never after- wards repeated the experiment.

In 1854 General Veazie removed from Bangor and took up his residence in Veazie, a small town incorpora- ted the year previous, from the territory of Bangor, tak- ing its name from him. His removal did not interfere with or interrupt his business in any respect, except as it took all his personal property from the tax lists of the city and gave it to the new town thus brought into exist- ence. He erected a new house within its limits, about four miles from his former home, and there made his legal residence for the remainder of his life. He died in Bangor, at his winter home, on the 12th day of March, 1868, at the age of eighty-one years, lacking only a few days. He left, of course, a large estate, which his heirs inherited as an intestate estate, which was adminis- tered upon by his grandsons, Charles V. Lord and Alfred Veazie.

While living at Topsham he married Susanna Walker, of that town, who was born March 29, 1792. Their marriage took place July 3, 1809, and she died June 27, 1852. By her he had five children, two of whom died young. The others were as follow, viz : Jones P. Veazie, born June 2, 1811; married Mary Jane Winslow, and died February 16, 1875. John W. Veazie, born October 30, 1812; married Ruth Maria Bartlett, and is still alive in 1881. Frances A. H. Veazie, born July 18, 1818; married Nathaniel Lord, and died April 21, 1866.

After the death of his wife Susanna, General Veazie married Mrs. Mary C. Blanchard, May 17, 1859, who still survives.

GENERAL S. F. HERSEY.

The Hon. Samuel Freeman Hersey, long a wealthy and active business and public man in Bangor, and Representative of the Fourth District of Maine in the XLIId and XLIIId Congresses, was a native of Sumner, Oxford county, Maine, born April 22, 1812, son of James and Oliver (Freeman) Hersey. Both his grandsires, James Hersey and Samuel Freeman, were soldiers of the Revolution; and he thus came of patriotic, as well as martial stock on both sides. His father was a farmer, and Samuel was born in the first farm-house built by him at Sumner. He was a constant attendant at both sum- mer and winter terms of the school until about his six- teenth year, when he was obliged to take his part in the work of the farm in summer and attend school only in the winter. He was afterwards a pupil at Hebron Acad- emy and at the Buckfield Grammar School, where he met the blooming maiden who subsequently became his first wife. He was of studious habit, and had a keenly perceptive and receptive mind. He was thus often at the head of his classes, and always very near the head. He was not a prig or a "dig," however; but was thor- oughly cheerful and genial in disposition, and as prompt upon the playground as at the recitation bench. Most of his leisure hours were devoted to reading, especially in history and travels. For novel-reading he had never any taste. At school his text-book in parsing for several

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years was Pope's Essay on Man; and the views of the book, as well as its language, made a marked impression upon his young mind, and were largely influential in de- termining the liberal views of theology and man which he afterwards entertained. In his eighteenth year young Hersey began to teach school, and had country schools in charge thenceforth for three winters. He was highly successful in this vocation, but had an ambition to be- come a merchant. He accordingly left the old home- stead in. 1832, and came to Bangor, where he took a clerkship in a store, with no compensation but his board. He remained about a year in this position, when, becom- ing of age, he determined to make a venture in business for himself. He had saved $100 by the closest economy during his minority, and, joining this with about as much capital in the hands of an elder cousin, Mr. W. R. Her- sey, the two embarked in storekeeping at Lincoln, in this county, in early April, 1833. They did pretty well for three years, when the financial crash came, and they lost almost all their previous gains. Samuel bought out his cousin, who had become disheartened, and continued the business alone. Meanwhile he was married, January 5, 1835, to his school-boy love, Miss Eliza Ann Stowell, of South Paris, to whom he was very tenderly attached. She died in 1836, September 8, the same year of the dis- solution of the copartnership, leaving him no children. The next year he engaged in a small way in trade at Mil- ford ; but was chiefly occupied in managing a large lum- ber operation for other parties. In 1838 a partnership was formed with Mr. Jesse Fogg for storekeeping at Mil- ford and Bangor, Mr. Hersey conducting the store at the former place and Mr. Fogg at the latter. This firm endured for twelve years, or until 1850. They presently added lumbering to their mercantile business, and made large profits.

In 1842 Mr. Hersey, now less than thirty years of age, was called to represent his fellow-citizens of Milford in the State Legislature, which he did with conscientious fidelity and ability. Upon his return from Augusta he took up his residence at Upper Stillwater, where he had rented for three years all the mills in the village. Here he was made Postmaster. In the spring of 1844, having disposed of his Upper Stillwater interests, he removed to Oldtown, and in October of the same year he made his final home in Bangor, where he thenceforth resided to the day of his death, nearly thirty years afterwards. His first residence was in a brick dwelling on Harlow street. In 1850 the firm of Fogg & Hersey was dissolved, and the junior partner aided in the formation of the new house of Nay, Davis & Co., of which Messrs. Thomas L. Nay and Robert Davis, Jr., were members. This co- partnership lasted prosperously, with some changes in its component parts from time to time, until September, 1863, when General Hersey, having already amassed large wealth and feeling burdened with the cares of his estate, and also the management of a large business, re- tired from active participation in Bangor affairs. He had, about the year 1854, made heavy investments in Western lands, and he frequently made long journeys to look after them, Although he disliked these absences

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 194

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100