USA > Maine > Maine; a history, Volume IV > Part 31
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FREDERICK STURDIVANT VAILL-Until his retirement in 1915 from the firm of F. S. and E. G. Vaill, Mr. Vaill was one of the most active business men of Portland, and although he has largely curtailed his interests he has still connection with many of the principal enter- prises of his city. Mr. Vaill is a son of Cap- tain Edward Eugene and Charlotte Firth (Sturdi- vant) Vaill, his mother the daughter of Captain Isaac Fenton and Julia Boyde (Belden) Sturdi- vant, tracing her descent from thirteen of the passengers who came to America in the Mayflower in 1620. Charlotte Firth (Sturdivant) Vaill died in Portland, Maine, September 28, 1912.
Captain Edward Eugene Vaill was a son of Dr. Charles and Cornelia Ann (Griswold) Vaill, of Litchfield, Connecticut, his ancestral line con- necting with the Bissell, Boardman, Wolcott, Phelps, and other prominent families of Con- necticut. Captain Vaill held his rank in the United States navy and was commander of Gen- eral Burnside's flagship, Guide, at the capture of Roanoke Island during the Civil War, being com- mended for his bravery.
Frederick Sturdivant Vaill was born at Clare- mont, New Jersey, December 9, 1866, and after attendance at the public schools he entered the celebrated "Gunnery School" at Washington, Connecticut. Later he was a student in the Friends New England Boarding School, at Provi- dence, Rhode Island, now known as the Moses Brown School, which had been attended by his mother, an uncle, a brother, and six cousins. After a course in the Collegiate School of Duane & Everson, New Jork City, he began his busi- ness career in the employ of the wholesale dry goods house of Deering & Milliken, of Port- land, then entering the dry goods commission field in New York City with the firm of Clarence Whitman & Company. For nearly ten years Mr.
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Vaill was associated with this firm and then, upon the death of his grandfather, Captain Isaac Fenton Sturdivant, of Portland, he returned to Portland and began real estate dealings with his brother, Edward Griswold Vaill, operating under the firm name of F. S. and E. G. Vaill. This firm conducted extensive operations in Port- land and vicinity, and Mr. Vaill played a promi- nent part in the direction of its large affairs until his retirement in 1915. He was one of the incorporators and treasurer of the Portland Realty Trust Company.
He is a Republican in political belief, but in- dependent in his action at the polls, influenced by men and measures much more than party dic- tates. He is a member of many organizations, membership in which is based upon family an- tiquity and service, and is governor of the Maine Society of Mayflower Descendants, of which he is a charter member through descent from both Captain Myles Standish and John and Priscilla Alden; junior vice-president of the Maine Society of American Wars; past president of the Maine Society, Sons of the American Revolution; treas- urer of the Maine Society of Colonial Wars; and a member of the Maine Historical Society, the Maine Genealogical Society, and the Huguenot Society, of South Carolina. Mr. Vaill has long been keenly interested in genealogical and local historical subjects and has a unique and valuable collection of articles of the Colonial and Revo- lutionary periods at his country place, "Broad Acres," at Yarmouth Foreside, located upon the site of the first settlement of North Yarmouth, which was laid out by the five commissioners appointed by Governor Danforth, of Massachu- setts, in 1685, one of the commissioners, John York, having been one of his ancestors. Mr. Vaill is a member of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, serving on the income committee of that congregation, and also holds membership in the Portland, Portland Yacht, Portland Farmers and Portland Country clubs and the Church Club of Maine. Mr. Vaill is closely identified with many of the charitable organizations of his city and although retired from the firm bearing his name remains in close touch with all movements and enterprises affecting the welfare and prosperity of Portland.
HON. CHARLES F. WOODWARD-No man of the legal fraternity was more respected by the community which he served than Justice Charles F. Woodward, of the Supreme Bench of Maine. He was born in Bangor, April 19, 1848,
a son of Abraham W. Woodward, for many years the proprietor of the Penobscot Exchange and a prominent citizen of Bangor and of Penob- scot county.
Mr. Woodward attended the Bangor schools in his early youth, and in 1865 entered Phillips- Exeter Academy, from which he was graduated in the following year. He then entered Harvard University and was graduated with the class of 1870, and at the close of this course entered upon work in the law school of the University and completed his studies and received his degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1872. He continued his law studies in the office of Peters & Wilson, the firm being composed of the Hon. John A. Peters and Franklin A. Wilson, Esq. In October, 1872, he was admitted to the Penobscot bar, and for a short time he practiced alone. Soon afterwards, however, he entered into partnership with Frank- lin A. Wilson, Esq., and this connection con- tinued until 1890. About this time also he was admitted to practice in the United States Cir- cuit courts.
As a lawyer Mr. Woodward was careful, pains- taking and learned, and no man could be found who held more conscientiously and loyally to the rights of his clients than did he. His reputa- tion among his professional brethren was even greater than his popularity with the general public, and when he was elevated to the bench his appointment gave great satisfaction. He re- ceived his appointment as associate justice on the Supreme Bench from Governor William T. Cobb, December 7, 1906, to fill the vacancy oc- casioned by the promotion of Justice Emery to be chief justice in place of the late Hon. Andrew Wiswell. This appointment was a source of gratification not only to his friends, of whom he had many, but to all the citizens of Penobscot county and to the bar of Maine in general. Be- fore his appointment he had served in many im- portant capacities, among which was that of at- torney of the Maine Central Railroad. He was also attorney for the Great Northern Paper Company, the Canadian Pacific and many other great corporations, some of which he repre- sented in Augusta in the legislative session. This important work and the pecuniary emoluments which attached to a large and successful practice he laid aside to undertake the service of the State. The appointment followed a severe ill- ness and although he appeared to be convalescent he never entirely regained his health. Thus he was unable to sit at the two terms of court as- signed to him after his appointment, and the
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only occasion on which he occupied the bench was at the recent June term of the law court, before the close of which he was attacked by the illness which proved his last. Justice Wood- ward died June 17, 1907, at his home on Somerset street, Bangor.
Justice Woodward married Carrie Varney, sis- ter of General George Varney, and his widow and a son, John Woodward, survive him.
CHARLES DUNN, JR., representative of an old and honored family of the State of Maine, has never completed his education, for the rea- son that, since leaving academic institutions, he has never ceased in his endeavor to vigorously school himself by close study of, and thoughtful reaction on as many subjects as it has been possible for him to pursue, outside of his ordi- nary business. As a result he is a man of not only culture and refinement, but with a broad understanding of human beings, their shortcom- ings and infinite possibilities, which makes him especially well fit to assume the responsibilities attached to the position which he now holds as superintendent of the State Reform School for Boys. Many years ago the Dunn family set- tled in Maine, and there are records of several of its members who achieved distinction and prominence in their respective communities.
(I) Jonah Dunn was selectman during 1806- 08-09-15, in Cornish, York county, Maine, where he lived for some time. During the winter of 1826 he removed with his family to Houlton, undertaking a hazardous journey up the frozen Baskehegan river to its source and thence through a Maine woods with nothing there to guide them but the trees. He was a Quaker of great strength of character, familiarly addressed as "Squire," having been a justice of the peace, whose legal services were frequently sought. Through his influence and activities, aroused by the offensive bullying attitude of certain British military authorities at Houlton, a petition was drawn up and many signatures attached thereto asking Congress to create a military post and establish a garrison there, in order to insure the comfort and safety of settlers. The petition was passed upon and the post established. The wife of Jonah Dunn, Lydia (Trafton) Dunn, died in Houlton, and he died later in Augusta, Maine.
(II) Charles Dunn, the youngest child of Jonah and Lydia (Trafton) Dunn, was born in Cornish, December 13, 1813. He was noted as a skilled horseman, and for twenty-eight years carried mails from Houlton to points north, incidently
introducing a large express business and passen- ger service, continuing until 1868, when upon be . ing underbid by another for carrying tic mail. sold his outfit and retired from active life. Ili: Democratic convictions did not keep him from enthusiastically supporting the measures of the Government during the Civil War. In 1859 lie married Lydia Cloudman, born in St. David's Parish, New Brunswick, 1833, and died in Houl- ton, June 20, 1861. Her father, James Cloud- man, of Wakefield, New Hampshire, was the son of Gilman Cloudman. Her mother, Hannah (Foster) Cloudman, was the daughter of George and Cynthia (Chase) Foster. Her great-grand- father, Colonel Benjamin Foster, received mili- tary distinction for his action with Pepperell's army in the capture of Louisburg, and as the companion of O'Brien in the capture of the Margaretta at Machias, at an early period in the Revolutionary War. James Cloudman was a suc- cessful farmer and stock-raiser. To Charles and Lydia (Cloudman) Dunn was born one child, Charles, Jr., of whom further.
(III) Charles (2) Dunn, son of Charles (1) and Lydia (Cloudman) Dunn, was born in Houlton, Maine, June 9, 1861. He attended the public schools there and later the Ricker Institute. where he received his preparation for college. At the age of twenty-two years he began the study of law in the office of General Charles P. Mattocks, and in 1855 was admitted to the Cum- berland county bar. For the four following years he practiced his profession in Portland, after which he entered into the street sprinkling business for a period of four years. In about the year 1892, owing to a prolonged illness, he was more or less occupied in out-of-door work. For two years he served as a member of the City Council of Portland, and in 1901 received the appointment as sheriff, which office he filled for two years. Following this he became associated with the Press and Sunday Times of Portland. He was also employed for a while as special agent of the Equitable Life Insurance Company, of New York. In 1911 Mr. Dunn became super- intendent of the State Reform School for Boys. In this responsible capacity he has been remark- ably successful. The institution is a model one, situated about five miles outside of Portland. Mr. Dunn is a great student and as such has made a specialty of collecting books. As a result his is a very fine library. He is a past master of Port- land Lodge, No. I, Free and Accepted Masons; a member of Greenleaf Chapter, No. 13, Royal Arch Masons, of which he has been an officer;
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and of Portland Council, Royal and Select Mas- ters. He is vice-president of the Farmers' Club, and a member of the Baptist church.
Mr. Dunn married in Portland, November 21, 1888, Grace Elizabeth Walton, born in Portland, November 2, 1862, daughter of Mark and Eliza- beth (Pote) Walton. Mr. Walton before his death was a designer of furniture, and for over thirty years was associated with the firm of Walter Corey as such. He died in 1864, and his wife died in 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have one child, Esther Cloudman, born May 6, 1891. She was graduated from Cornell College with the class of 1913, and at present is a teacher of Eng- lish in Bryn Mawr College.
HON. SILAS WATSON COOK, for many years one of the most prominent and success- ful merchants of Lewiston, Maine, and a citizen of wide influence in the community, where his death occurred June 22, 1898, was a native of the town of Madrid, Maine. He was the son of Han- son and Nancy (Wheeler) Cook.
Silas W. Cook was one of a family of eleven children. He was born May 20, 1837, and as a lad attended the public schools of Madrid. At the age of twelve, however, he accompanied his parents to Lewiston, where he continued his schooling. At the age of twenty, he left his home in Lewiston and went South, settling in Alabama, where he worked in clerical capacities for two and a half years. At the end of that period, upon the outbreak of the war in 1861, he returned to his home in the North, and there en- tered into business.
On October 28, 1863, Silas W. Cook was united in marriage with Margaret A. Adams, daughter of Benjamin and Margaret (Riant) Adams, at Farmington, Maine. They made their home in Lewiston until 1864, when they moved to Farm- ington, where for seven years Mr. Cook managed the farm of his father-in-law. Upon his return to Lewiston, he engaged in business with his brother-in-law, O. G. Douglass, and established a business in books, stationery, wall-paper, etc. After carrying on this business for some twelve years, meeting with a high degree of success, he sold his interest and went to Philadelphia. For several years he spent his winters in that city, associated with the publishing house of Porter & Coates, but made his summer home in Lewis- ton. For two years before the close of his life he was engaged in business with John W. West, as a dealer in real estate and insurance, a line in which he was eminently successful.
Mr. Cook was prominent in fraternal circles, being a member of a number of orders. He was an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having joined Manufacturers and Mechanics Lodge, No. 13, on January 31, 1872. Later he withdrew from that lodge and became a member of Golden Rule Lodge, No. 73. He held many offices in connection with the Odd Fel- lows; was a member of the Grand Lodge, of which he was first vice-grand in 1874, and in 1882 was elected grand master. In 1883 and 1884 he represented the Maine Grand Lodge in the Sovereign Grand Lodge of America. He was also affiliated with the Masonic order. Mr. Cook from early youth took a keen interest in public affairs, and was a member of the Repub- lican party in his city. He served in various pub- lic capacities, including a membership on the school board and a few terms on the City Coun- cil. In 1880 he was elected to represent Lewis- ton in the State Legislature, and served on that body during that and the following year, making for himself a splendid reputation as a capable and disinterested public servant. In spite of the offices which he held, he was very far from being an office seeker, and rather avoided than sought after political preferment of any kind. He was essentially a business man, and was recognized as possessing an unusual grasp of practical affairs. In his religious belief Mr. Cook was a Baptist, and was a member of the Main Street Free Bap- tist Church of Lewiston, for more than forty years. He was active in church work, liberally supporting all its philanthropic undertakings, and he held the office of deacon for a consider- able period. His business ability and practical judgment were greatly relied upon in church matters, and he devoted much time to the vari- ous departments of church work. His attrac- tive personality and benevolence won for him a large circle of friends.
CHARLES HENRY MCLELLAN, one of the prominent and successful business men of Bath, Maine, where his death occurred at the age of eighty-two years, October 23, 1910, was a son of James Henry and Emma (Fields) Mclellan, both of whom were natives of this place, the latter being of English parentage. The father, James Henry Mclellan, was a conspicuous figure in his day and was a major of militia in the War of 1812. He was a son of General Alexander Mc- Lellan. Major Mclellan was engaged in the business of iron and steel at Bath and it was he who founded the company which his son after-
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wards developed to such large proportions. His wife, who was Emma Fields before her marriage, was a daughter of Robert Fields, a prominent barrister in England, and a granddaughter of Alexander Lease, who was the secretary of the old Hudson Bay Company for many years.
Born December 29, 1828, Charles Henry Mc- Lellan was a native of Bath, Maine, and received the preliminary portion of his education at the old academy on High street in this city. He later attended an academy at Gorham, Maine, but at the age of twenty years abandoned his studies and went to the West, one of the great throng of adventurers whose destination were the gold mines of California during the agitation of 1849 and 1850. As in the case of many of those who thus sought their fortune in the West, Mr. Mclellan found that there were other ways of gaining wealth more rapid than by washing sand for gold, and he became a merchant in San Francisco. He engaged there in the music busi- ness and remained for eight or ten years in the western city, meeting with very considerable suc- cess there. In the meantime, however, his father, who was engaged in the steel and iron business at Bath, was very anxious for his son to return and take a part in the large industry which he had developed, and so, at the earnest solicitation of the elder man, he finally came once more to the East, and at once became associated with his father. Upon the death of Mr. Mclellan, Sr., Charles Henry Mclellan, united with his brother, James A., and became managers of this great concern, which was, through their efforts, built up to even larger proportions than ever before. He was recognized as one of the most successful and substantial men in this community, and was associated with a number of important interests here. He was a director of the First National Bank, and a power in the financial world. Mr. Mclellan was one of the founders of the Ma- sonic order in Maine, and held the rank of grand commander of that order in this State. In poli- tics he was a staunch Democrat, but although his talents well fitted him to take a prominent part in public affairs, he was quite without ambition in this direction and contented himself with duly performing the duties of a private citizen. Mr. McLellan was the possessor of a remarkably fine voice, and ranked with the great singers of his time. He was naturally a musician, and took a keen interest in all the musical organizations of this region and was a member of the Musical Oratorio Society of Portland. He was a member of the Sagadahoc Club and was a well known
figure in the social circles there. A Unftarian in his religious belief, Mr. Mclellan attended the church of that denomination at Bath and was a liberal supporter of the work of his congregation.
Charles Henry Mclellan was united in mar- riage, in January, 1854, with Maria Louise Ken- drick, a native of New York, and a daughter of Daniel and Jane (Burtnette) Kendrick, of that city. They were the parents of the following children : Emma Fields, who now resides with her mother at Bath; Jennie, who became the wife of George Duncan, and resides at Portland, Maine; James Henry, who married Harriett S. Johnson, of Portland, and now makes his home at Belmont, Massachusetts; Charles L., who died October 28, 1905.
JOHN STURGIS, M.D., one of the popular and successful physicians of Auburn, Maine, is a member of a very old New England family, his ancestors on both sides of the house dating back to pre-Revolutionary days. For a number of generations the family has resided in the "Pine Tree" State, and his paternal grandfather, John Sturgis, was born, lived and died near the town of Gorham, that State. He was a farmer by oc- cupation and well known in the community. The first of the family to come to Maine was Jonathan Sturgis, who journeyed, in 1769, from Cape Cod to Gorham. He was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary War, and was one of the early settlers of this town.
The father of Dr. Sturgis was Dr. Benjamin Franklin Sturgis, who was born in Gorham, Maine, then known as White Rock, October 28, 1837. He was a graduate of the Maine Medical College with the class of 1863, and served as a surgeon with the Nineteenth Regiment of Maine Volunteer Infantry through the Civil War. In the year 1869 he came to Auburn, where he was in successful practice for nearly half a century. He was a very active and capable man, and was prominent in the political and public life of the community. A Republican in politics, he was twice elected to the State Legislature and filled most of the local public offices. He was twice married, his first -wife having been Mary Ellen Hammond, who died March II, 1868, leaving three children: Alfreda H., who died at the age of four years; Mary Purington, died in 1913, at the age of fifty-two years; and Alfred, born July 9, 1865, and now a traveling salesman, representing a drug concern in Portland. He married Emma Frances Twitchell, by whom he has had two children, William Alfred, born March 18, 1898,
Charles H. MLucian
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and Frances Freeland, born January 9, 1900. Dr. Benjamin Franklin Sturgis married (second) Priscilla Jane Brooks, a native of Lewiston, Maine, born October 31, 1837. She died July 10, 1904, at Auburn. Prior to her marriage she was a teacher in the Lewiston High School and at the Edward Little High School of Auburn. Of this union five children were born, as follows: John, with whose career we are here especially concerned; Margaret Ellen, who died at the age of eighteen years, April I, 1891; Benjamin Frank- lin, Jr., born March 14, 1875, and is now a prac- ticing physician at Salem, Massachusetts; Ches- ter King, who died in infancy; Karl B., born April II, 1881, and now a practicing physician at Winthrop, Maine. Dr. Benjamin Franklin Sturgis died March 31, 1915, at his home in Auburn, the house which is at present owned by his son, Dr. Sturgis.
Born September 6, 1871, in the house which he now owns, John Sturgis, M.D., received the elementary portion of his education at the local public school, graduating from the grammar grades in 1885. He then attended the Edward Little High School, from which he graduated in 1889, after being prepared for college. He ma- triculated at Bates College, from which he grad- uated in 1893 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Following this he spent a year at the Maine Medical School, and then went to New York City, where he studied for two years at the medical college in connection with Bellevue Hos- pital. He graduated from this institution in 1896, with the degree of M.D. Returning to his native city of Auburn, he began the practice of his profession, specializing to a certain extent in surgery. He has made for himself an enviable reputation in this line and holds a diploma from the American College of Surgeons and the title F.A.C.S. He is at the present time connected with the surgical department of the Central Maine General Hospital at Lewiston, in the ca- pacity of surgeon of the staff. Dr. Sturgis is recognized as one of the leaders of his profes- sion in the community and enjoys a large and remunerative practice. Dr. Sturgis is a member of the County, Maine Medical and American Medical associations, and of the New England Alumni of the New York Medical Society.
Besides his professional activities, Dr. Sturgis is a well known figure in social and fraternal circles in Auburn, and is especially prominent in the Masonic order, having taken his thirty-sec- ond degree in Free Masonry. He is a member of Tranquil Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons; Bradford Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Dunlap Council, Royal and Select Masters; Lew- iston Commandery, Knights Templar, and Kora Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Dr. Sturgis is also a member of the Androscoggin Lodge of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows. In his religious belief he is a member of the Universalist church.
John Sturgis, M.D., was united in marriage (first) in the year 1896, to Helen Louise Brickett, of Groveland, Massachusetts, whose death oc- curred in 1901. Of this union there was one son, Parker Brooks, born May 27, 1897, a student at Bowdoin College, class of 1919; enlisted in the United States army and was commissioned sec- ond lieutenant in the Officers' Reserve Corps, attached to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, and was honorably discharged. Dr. Sturgis married (second) May 6, 1903, Annette Putnamı Brickett, a sister of his first wife, and a native of Groveland, Massachusetts.
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