History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 209

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

USA > Maine > Penobscot County > History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 209

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school year 1865-6 effected an exchange in order to be nearer his mother. By virtue of this he be- came Principal of the Academy at Foxcroft, in Piscat- aquis county, and remained there two academic years, or until May, 1868, inclusive. Upon the organization of a Faculty for the State College at Orono the same year, he received appointment to it as Professor of Mathematics and Physics, and was the only officer of the institution upon the ground when the first class was admitted in September, except the Superintendent of Farming. He had spent much of the intervening time after his ap- pointment in July, in visiting the agricultural colleges in Massachusetts, Michigan, and other States, from which he obtained many valuable ideas and methods for the foundations at Orono. In the winter of 1872-73 he added to his equipment for scientific teaching the bene- fits of another residence at Cambridge, but this time as a student in astronomy at the Harvard College Obser- vatory, under the eminent Professor Winlock. Until March, 1879, he sustained the duties of his professor- ship. At the opening of the college he had been solic- ited by the Trustees, although then but thirty years old, to assume also the duties of its President for the time pending the election of an official head. This was hindered by the occurrence of differences between the citizens of Orono on the one side, and the State Legis- lature and authorities of the College on the other, in re- gard to the title-deeds of the College property, which de- layed appropriations and prevented the full organization of the school. Professor Fernald was thus virtually compelled to remain in the acting Presidency for three years, when, the differences having been amicably ar- ranged, he insisted upon relief from its duties. The Trustees pressed upon him an election to the executive chair, but he preferred the choice of another, who was presently secured in the person of the Rev. Charles F. Allen, also a graduate of Bowdoin, who had been re- cently in charge of the Pine Street Methodist Episcopal church, in Bangor. President Allen retired in the early part of 1879, when Professor Fernald consented to an appointment to the vacant place. Since March 19th of that year, he has been President of the State College, adding to his executive duties instruction in his old de- partment of Physics, and also in Mental and Moral Philosophy, teaching Trigonometry likewise, mainly for its applications in Astronomy.

During his years of service in the college, President Fernald has published, in the Reports of the Maine Board of Agriculture, somewhat numerous and voluminous papers upon topics related to its work, as upon the Distribution of Rains, Plant Growth, Protection from Lightning, Ag- riculture Compared with other Industries, Education and Labor, Taxation, and The Margin of Profit. Through other mediums he has published sundry brief papers, also meteorological and mathematical tables, records of barometrical, geodetic, and astronomical work, etc. etc. With all his multifarious duties he has found time to do the people some service in public office. In 1861-62 he was Supervisor of Schools in his native town, where he was also Justice of the Peace from 1862 to 1869; and

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

has been a member of the State Board of Agriculture, ex- officio, or under appointment of the Governor, from 1869 to the present date. His has been a busy and, for one of his years, remarkably useful and fruitful life. He is still in his manly prime, in excellent health of mind and body, and has the promise of yet many years of distin- guished service.

President Fernald, graduating in 1861 as a Bachelor of Arts, received in course the degree of Master of Arts in 1864; and at the Bowdoin Commencement in 1880 he had the further distinction from his alma mater of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. He has been a member of the Congregational church since 1868 when he united with the society of that faith in Orono. He has not cared to connect himself with any of the secret orders, except reform organizations. He is a Republican in his political beliefs.

August 26, 1865, soon after his engagement as instruc- tor at Bethel, he fulfilled a more interesting and formal engagement at the same place with Miss Mary Lovejoy Haywood, daughter of Winslow and Sally (Converse) Haywood. On the mother's side she is a Lovejoy, of the family to which the famous Illinois abolitionists, Elijah P. and Owen Lovejoy belonged, as also the Rev. George B. Cheever, and George Bancroft, the historian. The children of President and Mrs. Fernald are Hattie Converse, born September II, 1866; Robert Haywood, born December 17, 1871; Merritt Lyndon, whose natal day is October 5, 1873; Reginald Lovejoy, August 7, 1877, named from his ancester, Dr. Reginald Fernald, who settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, about 1630; and George Bancroft, born November 10, 1880.

JOHN R. HAMMOND.

Joseph Hammond, the father of John R., was a native of New Gloucester, Maine. In early life he was a farmer, and afterwards a shoemaker. He was the father of sixteen children, as follows: Sarah, died in Paris; Polly, died in Smyrna; Joseph, now lives in Lincoln; Caroline and Peleg, live in Paris; William T., lives in Buckfield; Jane; Sarah (second), lives in Minnesota; Mercy, resides in Wisconsin; John R .; George W., lives in Paris; Susan, Henry, and Lydia, died in Paris. Be- side those named above, there were two that died in in- fancy.

John R. Hammond was born in Paris, Oxford county, Maine, in 1822, where he lived until he became seventeen years of age, when, in 1839, he came to Penobscot county. Two years later he purchased a farm in Crystal, Aroostook county, and in 1853 bought the farm on which he now lives, in Patten. Here he erected the fine farm buildings represented on another page in this work. He is an extensive farmer, and deals largely in sheep and cattle, of which he probably handles more than any other dealer in the north part of the county.

In politics he was originally a Democrat, but at the organization of the Republican party he found it to be better adapted to his views, and has since voted for its

representatives. He has held the office of Selectman in Crystal, and also in Patten from time to time.

In 1841 Mr. Hammond was married to Jeanette A. Cushman, a native of Oxford county, Maine. To them have been born eight children : Susan, died at home at the age of eighteen years; Dora A., married Lonson M. Grant, and lives in Patten; Adna O., died at home when six years of age; Mary E., died at home; Florence M., married George T. Merrill, and lives in Patten; Ida I., lives at home; Nettie died in infancy.

HON. JOHN GARDNER.

John Gardner was born in the town of Buckfield, Ox- ford county, Maine, on the 14th day of December, 1812, and was the youngest of eleven children of Jonathan and Sarah Gardner. At the commencement of the Revolu- tionary war the father, then only eighteen years of age, enlisted in the Continental army ; served through the war and was paid off in Continental currency, of which it took from $50 to $75 to pay for his breakfast on his re- turn home.

The parents of Mr. Gardner were both born and reared in the town of Hingham, Massachusetts. The mother also bore the surname of Gardner before her mar- riage, though not related to her husband so far as known, the surname of Gardner being a very common one in Hingham at that time. They were married soon after the close of the Revolutionary war, and not long after removed to the then Province of Maine, settling in the township that was afterwards incorporated by the name of Buckfield, so called because many of its original set- tlers bore the name of Buck. They continued to reside in this town till the death of the father in 1836. John, being the youngest of the children, the parents naturally desired and expected him to take the homestead and provide for their care and support while they lived; which he would have done but for the fact that about this time his father became the recipient of a pension from the Government in consideration of his Revolution- ary services. The poverty of the country and the heavy burden of debt under which it labored in the early years of its history, had hitherto prevented it from pensioning its Revolutionary veterans except in those cases where they were unable comfortably to support their families; but now having become able to perform this act of jus- tice, they not only pensioned the surviving soldiers and their widows but generously paid them large sums in arrears.

In the spring following his nineteenth birthday Mr. Gardner left the parental homestead and went out into the world to act for himself, his parents being in the care of an older sister and her husband. During the first and second seasons after leaving, he found employment in boating on the Oxford and Cumberland canal and the waters tributary to it. Wages were then low and employ- ment difficult to obtain; but his rule then and ever was to work, for reasonable wages if possible, but to work at any rate, and following this rule he always found himself in diligent and active service somewhere.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

In the fall of 1837, having accumulated a small sum, he commenced business on his own account in company with a young man about his own age, at a little village called " North Paris," in the town of Paris, Maine. Paris was then, as now, the shire town of the county, the Court-house being situated on " Paris Hill " (so called), six miles from North Paris, and always visited by large numbers of people during court week.

At this beginning of Mr. Gardner's career as a business man he kept what is called "a country store," requiring but a small capital to do quite an active business. In about eight months after this modest beginning, his part- ner was invited by a man of considerable business capac- ity and capital, to open a grocery and provision store in the city of Portland, which invitation was accepted, leaving Mr. Gardner to plod along alone as best he might, with not much expectation of success. He, how- ever, continued here for four years, finding himself at the end of that time with a considerable increase of means, and a well established credit both with his neighbors and in Portland and Boston.

Leaving Paris in the fall of 1841 he removed to Pat- ten, in the county of Penobscot, when he, commenced in the same line of business as at Paris, and has ever since continued to the present time, having also been more or less engaged in farming, and in the business of operating a grist-mill, a saw-mill, and a starch factory, still continuing, in connection with partners, to carry on the latter enterprise, as well as his mercantile business. He has by his shrewdness, activity, and business enter- prise, accumulated a handsome and well-earned compe- tence.

Mr. Gardner has always made his private business his specialty, and has never been in any sense an office- seeker. Yet he has always had pronounced and posi- tive views upon public and political questions, and his fellow-citizens, having great confidence in his intelligence, capacity, and honesty, have often, without any solicitation from him, called him to important positions of public responsibility and trust. He has twice occupied the place of Postmaster of Patten, on his last appointment resigning the office as he found it interfered too much with his private business. During the earlier years of his residence in Patten he was for successive years a Selectman of the town, Town Clerk, and Town Treas- urer, and for about eight years acted as a Deputy Sheriff. He has also been one of the Trustees of Patten Acad- emy from the incorporation of that institution, in 1846, to the present time.

In 1846 he was a member of the Maine House of Representatives, and while serving in that capacity was placed on the committee of that body which drafted and reported the first prohibitory temperance law enacted in the State of Maine. He was also a member of the State Senate for the years 1868 and 1869, and in that capacity was chiefly instrumental in the framing and pass- ing of the act of 1868 providing for the making and re- pair of highways in unincorporated places; an act which has done more to secure good roads in our newly settled territories than all previous legislation together, and

which is still substantially in force on the statute book.

Mr. Gardner has always been found in uncompromis- ing hostility to all forms of vice and immorality, and his influence has ever been exerted to assist in the suppres- sion of intemperance and the maintenance of good order and correct moral ideas among his fellow-citizens, while his strict business honesty, public-spirit, and enterprise, have been a most important factor in promoting the pros- perity and thrift of the beautiful town where he has so long resided. Mr. Gardner married Mary A. Colburn, daughter of Samuel and Harriet Colburn, of Sumner, Maine. They have four children-Ira B., of Patten; Ida, wife of Arthur Robinson, of Sherman Mills; Eva E., now Mrs. C. H. Sunby, of Patten, and Alma E., now Mrs. A. D. Webster, of Patten.

EDWARD JORDON

Edward Jordon is one of the leading farmers of Stet- son. Although but thirty years of age, he is the possessor of one of the neatest farms in the county and is one of its most prosperous young men. He believes that strict attention and close application to business is the only sure road to fortune and success, and governs himself ac- cordingly. He received a liberal education at the com- mon schools of Stetson and is largely engaged in buying and shipping stock to Boston. He attended the Pough- keepsie commercial school for a short time, but preferred farming to mercantile pursuits, so gave up his studies and returned to the home of his childhood. A view of his fine residence on another page speaks volumes for his thrift and industry. In 1874 Mr. Jordon married Miss Bessie A. Rexford, a native of Canada, and is the father of one child, George.

NICHOLAS R. HUSTON.

The finest place in Winn is that owned by Nicholas R. Huston. Mr. Huston is the oldest son of Elijah and Mary Huston, nee Mary Rideout. His grandfather, George Huston, lived at North Yarmouth, Maine. Nicholas Rideout, his grandfather on his mother's side, was from Kittery, Maine. Elijah Huston had nine chil- dren, seven of whom lived to manhood and womanhood, viz: Nicholas R .; Elijah, now living in New Gloucester, Maine; Andrew L., now of Cumberland, Maine; Mary J., wife of David M. Loring, of Yarmouth, Maine; Har- riet, and Caroline. Mr. Huston was a farmer and mason, working at his trade a portion of the time, but raised his family on a farm. He died in Danville in 1839. Mrs. Huston died in 1850.

Nicholas R. Huston, the eldest of the family, was born February 14, 1813. He spent his minority on the farm, and, being the eldest son in so large a family, much of the care of it, and of the farm, naturally fell to his lot, for his father was away at work at his trade much of the time. On becoming of age and starting out for himself, he found himself possessed of a fair common school ed- ucation, a good constitution, and a pair of hands with

Alvin Haynes

George Af. Haynes.

Chas. A. Haynes.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

which to help himself. These, however, combined with energy, economy, perseverance, good judgment, and bus- iness ability, have enabled him to make a success in bus- iness life. His first employment was on a farm in Gray, where he worked five months for twelve dollars a month, which at that time was high wages for farm labor. In 1836 he went to Lincoln and engaged with Charles Mer- rill to take charge of his mill and lumber business to- gether with his farm, where he received twenty dollars a month. He worked for Mr. Merrill until 1850, when he purchased one-half interest in the business. In 1861, on the death of Mr. Merrill, he bought the other half of the property, the mill, the farm, and hundreds of acres of timber land. By owning the standing timber he was enabled to bring his own lumber to his mill and man- ufacture it. He employed from ten to fifteen men through the year. He remained in Lincoln until 1873, when he sold his property there and moved to Winn. Since buying the place where he now resides, near the village of Winn, he has erected a fine set of farm build- ings, a view of which appears in this work. From his residence a very fine view of the Penobscot River is obtained.

Mr. Huston married Miss Abbie M. Brown, daughter of Samuel G. and Mary W. Brown, nee Mary Coombs. Samuel Brown was a native of New Hampshire, and Mrs. Brown of Islesboro, Maine. Mr. Brown died January I, 1872, and Mrs. Brown May 9, 1870.

Mr. and Mrs. Huston have no children. Mr. Huston has never engaged in public life, preferring to give his en- tire attention to his own business. Though now sixty-eight years old he does not appear so old by many years, and is still an active business man. By strict attention to business he has acquired a competency and can spend the remainder of his days in ease, enjoying the fruits of an active business life.

GEORGE H. HAYNES.

George H. Haynes, of Winn, is a son of the late Alvin and Albra Haynes (nee Albra Record). Alvin Haynes was a son of David and a grandson of Aaron Haynes, who was a captain in Arnold's expedition to Quebec.

Alvin Haynes was born in Dresden, Maine, August 5, 1801. His father removed while Alvin was yet a child to Bangor, and soon after to a new farm in the wilds of what is now Edinburg, near the banks of the Penobscot. He was the second settler in that town. Here young Alvin grew up and married Albra Record. He assisted his father, who carried the mail between Bangor and Houlton, there being then but one mail a week through this almost unbroken wilderness. Alvin would carry the mail to Howland in a wagon, where he was met by his father with a boat for Scow's Landing, about two miles above Mattawamkeag Point. At this point there was a camp where they met the crew from Houlton and ex- changed mails. That crew carried the mail seven miles through the woods to what was called Jimskitticook Falls, now Kingman, when they went in a boat to the Forks, now Haynesville, thence traveled on horseback

through the woods to Houlton. In this way he became thoroughly acquainted with the then imperfect mail ser- vice, and when the Military Road was completed he drove the first mail stage out of Bangor on that route. He moved to Bangor about 1835, and became agent for Col- onel James Thomas, the owner of the stage line between Houlton and Augusta, as well as other lines. He became a partner of Mr. Thomas, and was after- wards appointed United States Mail Agent in the Secret Service of that Department. While holding this position he traveled not only through the New England States, but throngh the South and West, and in the British Prov- inces. During this time he was a member of the City Council and Board of Aldermen of Bangor. About this time he built, in company with Mr. Thomas, a hotel at the forks of the Mattawamkeag, and the place was named after him -- Haynesville.

Between the years 1845 and 1850 he held the office of United States Deputy Marshal, under Virgil D. Paris. He afterwards removed from Bangor to Mattawamkeag, and was chosen County Commissioner, which office he filled satisfactorily. Subsequently he was elected to the Legislature, his district then covering a large extent of country. The incorporation of many towns in Northern Penobscot is due to his untiring efforts.

About 1863 he moved to Winn, and settled in a pleas- ant location overlooking the village. Here he passed the remainder of his days, filling many positions of trust and responsibility in the gift of his townsmen.

During his early life he had considerable experience as a surveyor, being employed in 1820 by the English sur- veyors in connection with the monument line, and after moving to Winn he was connected with the development of towns in this vicinity, many of them being laid out ac- cording to Alvin Haynes's plan and survey.

He died September 17th, 1875. Two brothers still survive, Aaron and Elbridge, also one sister, Mrs. Asa Smith, of Mattawamkeag.

At the breaking out of the war Mr. Haynes took an active part in supporting the Government, and during his later life was a Republican in politics, though he had formerly been a Democrat.

Mr. Haynes lost three wives. His first wife was Miss Albra Record, who died in 1841. His second wife was Miss Lucy Phillips, who died about 1849. His third wife was Miss Julia A. Chesley, who is still living. By his first wife he had five children, viz; David O. (de- ceased), Charles A., George H., Susan J., and Helen M., both of the last named deceased. By his second wife he had two children, viz: Edward R. and Alvin T. By his third wife he had one daughter, Albra.

George H. Haynes was born September 20, 1835, in Bangor. He received his education in Bangor public and high schools, and the East Corinth Academy. He was two years with the surveying party surveying the line of the European & North American Railroad in 1854 and 1855. In 1856 and 1857 he was employed by the State as Land Surveyor in Northern Penobscot and Aroostook.

In 1858 he came to Winn as steamboat agent for the steamboat company whose steamers plied between here

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

and Oldtown. He remained with this company about seven years, though he engaged in other business.

In 1859 he engaged in trade with William Willey, un- der the firm name of Willey & Haynes, which was con- tinued about three years, when J. L. Smith bought out Mr. Willey, and the firm became J. L. Smith & Co., and so continued till 1864, when they went into a mercantile business with Shaw, Tillson & Co., tanners, under the firm name of Shaw, Smith & Co. This firm continued about two years, Mr. Haynes being the managing partner in the business.

In 1867 Smith & Haynes sold out to the other part- ners, and Mr. Haynes opened a general merchandise bus- iness for himself, in which he continued till 1870, when he moved to Lewiston, Maine, where he lived three years, engaged in trade, and with Patterson & Edwards in the building business.

From Lewiston he went to Chicago, and went into the grocery and market business with M. Sprague, on State street, under the firm name of M. Sprague & Co., where he continued one year.

He came to Winn in 1874, and engaged in general merchandise, where he has since lived.

He married Miss Josephine F. Morrill, of Lincoln Center. They have two children, viz: Minnie R. and Harry N.

Mr. Haynes has a large stock of goods, and is doing a successful business. He is widely known throughout this region, being a gentleman of pleasing address and affable in his intercourse with all.

GENERAL ISAAC HODSDON.

Probably no man in this county, and but few in the State, had so thorough a knowledge of military affairs in his time as General Isaac Hodsdon. Military tactics, rules, and evolutions greatly interested him, and were among his chief studies even in boyhood. In a memo- randum left among his effects, he says:

In the autumn of 1790, in the ninth year of my age, I first attended a battalion muster, two miles from home, under the command of Major Ebenezer Sullivan, brother of John and James Sullivan, Govern- ors of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and both the exercises and words of command I that day saw and heard so engrossed my whole attention that they have remained indeliby fixed on my memory. To comprehend the application and propriety of the, to me, manifest in- congruity of command "To the right and left face," which I did that day, was my first military lesson.

At the age of fifteen he commenced the study of the "Tactics" in earnest, and so great was his interest that he spent a greater part of his spare time on them, and at eighteen could repeat verbatim nearly all contained in Baron Steuben's and Jonathan Rawson's systems. He was enrolled as a soldier in the militia before he was le- gally a subject, and warned to appear at regimental muster, and so anxious was he to enter the ranks that he would not make known his age. The man to whom he was ap- prenticed at this time was a Quaker, who, not believing in the use of carnal weapons, would not furnish them to his apprentices, so Hodsdon was obliged to provide himself with equipments as best he could.

His next call to serve in the ranks was to be one of a company of militia to conduct the orator, Hon. Benjamin Green, and a large concourse cf citizens to the old meet- ing-house in Berwick, and there leaned on arms reversed two hours to hear an eulogy on the life and services of George Washington, December 22, 1799, eight days after Washington's death.

At the next regimental muster he was unable to appear on account of being destitute of equipments, but he made profits enough on goods furnished him by a baker and a merchant to sell at the parade that day to pay his fine ($1.67), and buy a full set of arms and equipments. This was the only time he was ever absent when it was legally his duty to be present either in the militia or the army, at military elections or court-martials, during forty- three years service.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 209

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