USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Wayne > History of the town of Wayne, Kennebec County, Maine, from its settlement to 1898 > Part 21
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ber of the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Colby at its organization in 1896. Received prizes for public speaking at the exhibition of the middle classes of Coburn Classical Institute in 1886, at the Freshman prize reading in 1888, and at the Sophomore declamation in 1889. Receiv- ed various prizes in athletic contests of Field Day exercises in 1889, 1890 and 1891. Taught school in District No. 6, in Wayne, winter term of 1885-86 ; in North Wayne village, winter term of 1887-88 ; in Wayne village, winter term of 1888-89-90. Member of school committee of Wayne in 1892-93. Principal of the Oakland high school in the spring of 1892. Principal of the Belchertown (Mass.) high school in 1892-93. Sub-master of Waterville high school in 1893-94. Principal of Presque Isle high school in the autumn of 1894. Principal of Mattanaweook Academy, Lincoln, 1894 to '96. Since 1896 has been Principal of Berlin (N. H. ) high school.
His summers, both during school days and since, have been always spent at home on his father's farm, where he finds ample out-of-door exercise during the haying season of July and August, which he thoroughly enjoys. He is an enthusiast in out door sports and finds genuine recreation with rod, gun and camera in their season. He is an ardent believer in the advantages which belong to the country- bred boy and in the efficiency of the district school whatever the charges made against it, in teaching the rudiments of true American manhood and laying the foundations of broad and intelligent citizenship.
Nathan Ellis Lovejoy was the third son of Nathan and Temperance Lovejoy. He was born in Wayne where his early life was spent on his father's farm. He was educated in the schools of his native town. After reaching his majority, he went West. In 1860 he settled in Columbus, Ohio, where he is a well-known mill owner and lumber merchant. Mr. Lovejoy has conducted uninterruptedly, a trade of excellence in character and volume and has ever maintained a superior reputation as a straight-forward, honorable merchant and business man of unimpeachable probity. He has kept full pace with the times and enlarged his facilities so as to satisfactorily meet the demands made upon him. He has two immense lumber storage yards and a large planing mill equipment with the most improved machinery, driven by a forty-horse engine. Mr. Lovejoy carries a full stock of pine, poplar, hemlock and hardwood lumber, shingles and lath, and manufactures flooring, siding, finish, doors, sash, blinds and all other varieties of builders' mill work, and all orders are met upon the most
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satisfactory basis. In the Capital City of Ohio, as in his native town, as an upright, publie-spirited gentleman, Mr. Lovejoy is universally esteemed. Mr. Lovejoy has a family consisting of a wife and five children.
Hon. Allen Perry Lovejoy was the fourth son of Nathan and Tem- perance Wing Lovejoy. Ile inherited the sterling traits of his ancestors and during his boyhood on his father's farm was trained to habits of industry, frugality and self-reliance. He received his pre- liminary education in the district schools of Wayne, and afterwards was a student at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary. At the age of seventeen he began learning the carpenter's trade and from then till he was twenty-five he worked at his trade summers and taught school during the winter months. In 1850, he turned his steps westward, reaching Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the early summer and thence went to Janesville, making the journey on foot. But he was energetic and hopeful and at onie obtained work a which he continued nearly two years. He then went to Beloit where he was an employee and after- wards a partner in a lumber firm. Returning to Janesville in 1853, he resumed his trade and prospered, being both a skilful workman and a good business manager. In 1860, he had sufficient capital to open a lumber yard on a limited scale but also continued his building operations till 1863, when he discontinued his trade and devoted his entire attention to his lumber business. In 1870, the firm of Lovejoy and Richards was formed and a lumber yard was opened at Oregon, Wisconsin, which was followed in succeeding years by the opening of yards at Brooklyn, Mount Horeb, Dodgeville, Blue Mounds, Barne- velt, Soughton, New Glarus, Argyle and Blanchardville, Prior to this, in 1868, Mr. Lovejoy began investing in pine lands and in company with others has since engaged extensively in logging on the Wolf, Chippewa and the Wisconsin rivers, having eut in a single season more than thirty million feet of logs. He is interested in a saw mill on the Chippewa river, and also at Merrill, Wisconsin, which has pro- dueed as high as thirty-two million feet of lumber in a season.
Mr. Lovejoy is pre-eminently a man of affairs, and besides being a director of the "United States Lumber Company," vice-president of the Merrill Lumber Company, is director and vice-president of the State Lumber Company. He is a stockholder and director of the Janesville Cotton Mills, president of the Janesville Machine Company, successor to the Harris Manufacturing Company of which he was a stockholder and president from 1875 to 1892, and proprietor of the
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"Monterey Flouring Mills." He is president of the Early Settlers' Club of Rock Co., Wisconsin. He is the owner of the Lovejoy home- stead as well as fine farms in Wisconsin. His remarkable achievements are the result of his tireless energy, clear forethought and ability to utilize his opportunities. His dealings have always been characterized by the strictest integrity and in everything he is known for his fidelity and manliness. He has great self-reliance and firmness, is careful and deliberate in his judgment, and cautiously considers whatever he undertakes. In stature he is tall and well-developed, and in all his movements looks the leader he is. He has been somewhat conspienons in political affairs and is a Republican but not a politician. He represented his district in the State Legislature in 1878, being elected by the largest majority ever given a candidate for that office; and was elected State Senator in 1886, and, in 1887, was chosen Mayor of Janesville, and in every instance discharged his duties with ability and fidelity worthy the confidence reposed in him.
On May 29, 1880, Mr. Lovejoy married Miss Julia I. Stowe, an accomplished woman of refined and cultivated tastes, a daughter of Mr. Henry Stowe of New Haven, Conn., and by her has had four children, viz: Allen P., Henry S., Julia and Webster Ellis. Mrs. Lovejoy's father has been an honored member and deacon of the Baptist denomination in New Haven for more than half a century. Mr. Lovejoy is a man of religious nature, not connected with any denomin- ation or sect, but cheerfully gives to the support of all that appeal to him, believing as he does, that man's highest good and noblest end are attained through the development of his religious nature.
Alden Wing Lovejoy, fifth and youngest son of Nathan and Tem- perance Wing Lovejoy, was born in Wayne in 1829, and passed all the earlier years of his life on his father's farm, receiving his oduea- tion from the district schools, and at Litchfield Institute. He early evinced a taste for music, and learned to play the violin without instruction, at the age of seven, his first violin being bought for him by an older brother at a cost of two shillings, he supplying the strings himself, from his father's ball of shoe thread. His voice also develop- ed early, so that when very young he supplied the alto part in quartettes, and later the tenor. He taught his first singing school at Litchfield when only sixteen, and later, finding the work congenial, he taught in various other places, having schools in Maine, Massachu- chusetts, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Leaving the farm at the age
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of seventeen he went to Boston and later to Ohio and Wisconsin ; but finding the climate was injuring his health he returned to Worcester, Mass., in 1857, where he was married the following year to May Dudley of that city. He then settled in Boston and after being engaged in building for a while, he chose the piano business, as being more congenial and this he followed many years, being for some time superintendent of the Rogers Piano Company. During this time he was always active in musical affairs, singing in many church choirs, notably in Dr. Means' church in Boston, Dr. Sweetzer's in Worcester, and at the Universalist church in Columbus, Ohio; also conducting musical societies, glee clubs, etc.
He now lives in West Roxbury, a suburb of Boston, where he spends his leisure time in making violins and in the practice and composition of music.
Ephraim Maxim was born in Wayne, June 25, 1800. He expe- rienced the privations of pioneer life, and after he became of age he worked on the Penobscot river two or three years, then found employ- ment in the Charlestown navy yard, Mass., for about the same length of time. He then returned to Wayne and was married to Ruth Page Billington, in March, 1829. Seven children were born to them. He was a Republican and a most zealous advocate of the doctrines of Methodism-was a steward and class leader of the church for many years. His Christian career was earnest and effective-never losing an opportunity of publicly declaring Christ's power with firmness and decision. His last years were lived with his daughter Olive who was the wife of the late Charles Norris of Wayne. He died October, 1884, aged 84 years, 4 months.
Ruth Page (Billington ) Maxim was born in Norwood, N. H., Aug. 17, 1809. Her parents moved to Wayne when she was quite young. Here she grew into a beautiful woman, both physically and mentally. She was married to Ephraim Maxim when eighteen years old, and very soon both became members of the M. E. Church. . Christian virtues adorned new life. None knew her but to love her and respect the religion she professed and the extreme loveliness of her character. Her family consisted of five sons and two daughters, a son and daugh- ter having died while young. She conducted her household, cared for the dairy, provided food and clothing for her family and was a faithful, devoted, inspiring mother. Her mental and physical vigor were remarkable. Suddenly the silver cord was loosened. There was
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no preparation necessary-having worn the spotless robe amid the impurities of earth, she was fully prepared to receive the welcome to "that City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God." She died July 5, 1882, aged 72 years, 10 months, 18 days.
Sewall Pettingill, the subject of this sketch, was born in Wayne, April 26, 1839. He was of the seventh generation in direct descent from Richard Pettingill, who came from England about 1635, and settled in Salem, Mass. In 1643, Richard married Joanna, daughter of Richard Ingersoll. They moved to Newbury, Mass., în 1650. They had three sons and one daughter who reached years of maturity. Their son Samuel, born at Salem, in 1645, was married in Newbury in 1673, to Sarah Poor. To them were born twelve children. Of these Daniel was born in Newbury in 1678. He was twice married ; to his first wife, Mary Stickney in 1694, to the second, Esther French in 1707. By both wives he had thirteen children, seven born in Newbury and six in Abington, Mass. Of the latter was Joseph born in 1717. He married first, Mary Edson at Bridge- water in 1745, and second, Lydia Phillips at N. Bridgewater in 1746. He had eleven children, ten of them by his second wife. Among these was William, born in 1759 at Bridgewater, Mass. He was a Revolutionary soldier, as were nearly a hundred more of the descend- ants of Richard Pettingill. In 1784, at Bridgewater, William mar- ried Lydia Cobb, and in 1790 or 1791, they removed to Leeds. Their children, eleven in number, all lived to maturity and were married. Their third son, Isaac, was born in Leeds, April 10, 1797. He married Hannah, daughter of Nathan Norris, who with his wife came from Massachusetts and settled in Wayne in 1785. Their nion was blessed with nine children, Hannah ( Norris) Pettingill, who was born in Wayne, Nov. 22, 1797, died in Wayne, March 22, 1847; Isaac Pettingill, in 1852, married Luey Frost of Wayne. They had but one child, a son, who died in infancy. Lucy ( Frost) Pettingill died Oct. 27, 1854. The death of Isaac Pettingill occurred Sept. 15, 1872.
Children of Isaac and Hannah Pettingill : Hannah, born Jan. 14. 1820, married Joseph F. Maxim of Wayne. She is now deceased. Mary B. was born Aug. 21, 1822. She is the widow of Joseph P. Curtis and resides in Topsham. Amanda M. was born Nov. 12, 1824, and married Jacob Maxim of East Livermore. She now lives in Wayne. Florena P. was born Jan. 22, 1827, married Samuel
HON SEWALL PETTINGILL.
TW
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Knight of Topsham, and is deceased. Araminta, born Jan. 3, 1829, married Melvin Norris of Wayne and is deceased. Matilda B., born May 1, 1831, died Dec. 19, 1847. Ahce A., born Nov. 15, 1823, married S. A. Manter of Wayne, deceased. Isaac Jr., born May 5, 1836, died June 7, 1838. Sewall, youngest of the nine, was born April 26, 1839. The foregoing genealogy shows that his ancestors were of Pilgrim and Revolutionary stock. His lineage is traced through thrifty families to the first settlers of New England. On Sept. 20, 1860, he married Mary H. Sanborn of Fayette Corner. They had one child, a son, who died at three weeks old. The mother died Mar. 28, 1862. On Mar. 18, 1866, he married Emma F., youngest daughter of Jesse and Lucy Bishop of Wayne. They have two daughters and one son. Mary E. was born Jan. 14, 1868. She was a teacher, married Luther M. Norris, and now resides in Wayne. Blanche A. was born Mar. 2, 1879, and is now a student of the State Normal School at Farmington. Olin Sewall was born June 8, 1872. He is now at home attending village school.
Sewall Pettingill has always lived in Wayne, except during the four years from 1852 to 1856, when his father lived in Topsham. He attended the common schools of Wayne and Topsham Academy. He was also a student at Kent's Hill awhile. He taught winter terms of school in Wayne for seven years. On July 30, 1862, he enlisted in Co. F, 11th Regt. Maine Volunteers. He was mustered into the U. S. Service Ang. 14, 1862. and a week later started for the front. Taken sick on the journey to Washington he was left at the Sanitary Hospital and remained there on North Capital Street and .on Seven- teenth Street until the October following when he joined his Regiment at Yorktown, Va. From that time until his discharge, June 12, 1865, he was absent from his Regiment only one week. In December, 1862, with his Regiment, he left Virginia and reached Morehead City, N. C., Jan. 1, 1863. Going to Carolina City and staying there a month, he then went to Hilton Head, S. C. The soldiers of the Regi- ment did picket duty on the sea islands of South Carolina until June 8, when they were ordered to Fernandina, Florida. On the Septem- ber following they went to the harbor of Charleston, S. C., landed on Morris Island and engaged in the bombardment of Fort Sumter and the City of Charleston. Here he became familiar with the screech of the rifle shells and the swish of those thrown from the mortars. Re- maining there and on Black Island till the last of April, 1864, they then went back to old Virginia. May 4, they went up the James
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River with Gen. B. F. Butler's fleet and landed at Bermuda Hun- dred, May 5. During that memorable campaign of 1864, all but the one week mentioned, Sewall Pettingill was with his Regiment, sharing the hardships, privations and exposures of his fellow-soldiers. In the spring of 1865 his Regiment took a position on the left of the army of the Potomac with the two divisions of the 24th Corps of which his Regiment was a member. They were stationed near Hatcher's Run. He participated in the assault, April 2, 1865, when Petersburg was captured. Started on the 3d on the race after Gen. Lee's Army and to head it off, arriving in front of his forces on the west of Appomat- tox Court House on the evening of the 8th or the morning of the 9th. His Regiment supported Sheridan's Cavalry, losing, on that fatal morning, 59 men in killed, wounded and prisoners. Here he heard the zip of the last bullet, the screech of the last shell, and the buzz of the last canister charge of the rebels. After Lee's Surrender his Regiment marched back to Richmond, Va., arriving there about the 22d of April, 1865. They remained there until the 12th of June, when Mr. Pettingill got his discharge and started for home on the 18th. The greater part of his military service was that of a musician, though many times when the soldiers' duties were severe, he took a gun and went on picket and on scout. His duty in battle was to remove the wounded. Here he witnessed the horrors of war and ran
the risks of moving about under fire. After his return from the war he engaged in farming and teaching. Mr. Pettingill has served his town as selectman for eleven years, and has also served some years as Superintending School Committee and Town Treasurer. He is at present a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Kennebec County. Sewall Pettingill's military and civil record speaks for itself. For faithful service to his country and his constituents he has been well appreciated and honored by his fellow-townsmen and the citizens of his county. His has been an honorable career throughout and one to which he and his friends can ever point with pride.
Rev. Llewellyn Wing Raymond, son of Alfred and Laura (Wing) Raymond, was born in Wayne, Jan. 5, 1840, one mile north of South Wayne village. In very early childhood he had strong religious im- pressions and heart intimations of a call to the ministry. He was religiously instructed at home, but taught strict principles of integrity, morality and Sabbath observance. In childhood and early youth he attended the occasional social and preaching services evenings at the
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brick school house and sometimes at the Baptist church. Silas Manter was his first Sunday School teacher. At the ageof ten he wassaved by a companion from a terrible death. They were on Hale's brook in midwinter thinking there was no possible danger. The snow hid a treacherous air hole into which he sank. He seized hold of the edge of the ice, but would soon have been drawn under by the strong current, only for his companion, who, creeping on hands and knees, reached his hand and saved him. When but twelve years old, he saved a schoolmate's life. On the way home from a 4th of July cele- bration at Wayne village with eight or ten other boys, some younger, they went to the pond for bathing. He, being forbidden by his parents, did not go in, but sat on the shore. In the midst of their glee one boy who could not swim, got beyond his depth and sank. His frightened mates rushed for the shore, crying out, "George is drowning ! George is drowning!' He instantly organized the boys into a chain, the tallest at one end and ranging down to the shortest at the other, with all hands joined ; then seizing a board bade them follow (the tallest in advance). When deep water was reached, he took the tallest boy by one hand with the board in the other, and pushing out beyond his depth, reached George just as he was going down for the last time, who seized the board with a death grasp, and by the chain of boys was drawn to shore ahnost unconscious.
He attended town school in distriet No. 6. Among the best remem- bered teachers are Sabrina Smith, Richard Wing, Abbie Norris, Mary Lampson and Nathaniel Frost. In 1857 he moved with parents to East Dixfield and in 1859 went to Lowell, Mass., to learn the machin- ists trade, and while there was converted and united with the First Free Baptist church of that city.
After learning the trade, a year or two was spent on steam engine and heavy gun work for a private company and for the Government in Charlestown Navy Yard shop. At the age of twenty-three he was offered a position as foreman in a machine shop at a salary of $1000 a year, but went home to the farm in East Dixfield, where through his efforts a church was organized (which became one of the strongest in that section) of which he was chosen deacon at the age of twenty- four. A house of worship was then built at a cost of $4000. He was an active member on the building committee, by whom he was selected to put in the foundation, which was a very difficult undertaking, owing to the nature of the ground, but which was successfully accom- plished.
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After several years spent here, becoming convinced that God was calling him to the Gospel ministry, he decided to give up all former plans, and on the day of the dedication of the new church, he decided to give his life to fulfil this duty. He took a preparatory course at Nichols' Latin School and then a theological course at Bates Theolo- gical Seminary at Lewiston. His first pastorate was at Harrison, where he was ordained Sept. 4th, 1873, and continued in the pastorate over twelve years, during which time he received numerous invitations and calls to much larger churches and salaries, several in cities. Here he raised the funds and managed the building and furnishing of a temperance hall, reading and library room at a cost of $1000, with a library of from 200 to 300 volumes. During this pastorate there were several revivals and the church enjoyed continual prosperity. Here also he built a parsonage at a cost of $1600.
His next pastorate was Chelmsford St., Lowell, Mass., where he remained two years and a half, during which time over forty were added to the church and the Sunday School reached an attendance of 200. While here he was elected president of the Massachusetts State Association of churches. In 1887 he accepted a call to the pastorate of the Free Baptist church of Fairport, N. Y., where at this date (1898) he is still pastor. During his pastorate the old wooden church has been removed and a convenient, commodious and beautiful Gothic stone structure built in its place, seating six hundred, valued at $20,000, also a neat and convenient parsonage valued at $2000, together with lots, total value 825,000. During this pastorate seventy-seven have been added to the church.
He has three times represented his yearly meeting in different States, as delegate to the Free Baptist Triennial General Conference. Was a member of the Board of Management in the building of Keuka College. Is a trustee of the College and a member of its Executive Committee and also a trustee of the New York State and Pennsylva- nia Association of which he is president. He has joined in marriage 168 couples and baptized 161 converts. He was married in 1864 to Miss Anna M. King of East Dixfield who has since shared in all his work.
Hon. Thos. B. Read was born in Bowdoinham, in 1816. His father died when he was but seven years old, and from that time he was thrown almost entirely upon his own resources. From twelve to fourteen, when boys are usually altogether dependent upon parents
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for maintenance, he was the chief support of his mother and sisters. Although his educational privileges were necessarily limited, he determined to prepare himself for teaching, and this he did by hard farm work in summer and equally hard study in winter. He followed the profession at intervals for more than twenty-five years, and during that time taught nearly forty terms of school. When fourteen years of age, he came to Wayne with his mother and resided in this town until he was twenty-one, then returned to Bowdoinham and purchased the old homestead, upon which he lived about ten years. During this time, he usually taught during the winter months, and for two years had charge of the Bowdoinham village school, with an average attend- ance of 140 pupils. He lived at home while teaching the village school and not only walked the entire distance (about two miles each way) but had the care of twenty head of cattle, one hundred sheep and several horses.
At the age of thirty-one, he returned to Wayne and engaged in trade and in farming. The estimation in which he was held by the citizens of Wayne may be inferred from the fact that he was chairman of the board of selectmen, chairman of the school committee, town clerk, teacher of the most important schools of the town, and was twice elected a member of the Maine Senate. During his second term in the Senate, he was chairman of the committee on education, and it was principally through his persistent work and influence that the bill passed establishing the State Normal school at Castine. The following year he was appointed collector of customs at Fort Kent, which posi- tion he held for two years. Then he had charge of more than one hundred miles of frontier, and was obliged in the performance of his duties to travel over this entire circuit twice each month. When he assumed the duties of the position, the office paid nothing to the government above expenses, but before the end of the first year he was able to forward over 82000, per month to Washington.
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