USA > Maine > Maine; a history, Volume IV > Part 39
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Mr. Sawyer affiliated with the Republican party from its birth, and was one of its founders in the State of Maine. He always held true to the prin- ciples of that party and was one of its staunchest adherents. He held many of the town and munici- pal offices during his active years, and in 1877 was elected State Senator. In 1879 he was elected to suc- ceed himself, and during his four years in the State Senate bore himself with dignity and honor. He was essentially a business man and had no interests out- side his business, his home, and his public duties. He was for many years a member of the Congregational church, and died in that faith.
Daniel James Sawyer married in Jonesport, June 5, 1858, Emeline B. Glover, horn in Waterboro, Mass- achusetts, April 14, 1836, died in Jonesport, July I, 1902, daughter of Willard and Emeline (Packard) Glover, her father a minister of the Gospel. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer left no children.
FRANKLIN ORLANDO COBB-There is no name more distinguished than that of Cobb in the annals of the State of Maine, nor none which can claim a more honorable antiquity. It was founded in this country by Elder Henry Cohb, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, who is believed to have come from Kent, England, in which case it is probable, although there is no documentary evidence to support the theory, that he was connected with the landed fam- ily of that name which had its seat at Cobbe Court in that county. He appears to have become a Sep- aratist in early youth, and was a member of the much persecuted congregation who under the leadership of the Rev. John Lothrop came from London to the New World. From this worthy progenitor there have descended numerous lines hearing the name, and the family is now spread over a large part not only of the New England States but of the entire United States, and has been represented in several generations by men of distinction in their various communities. It has played a particularly prominent part in Maine and is represented at the present time by many men successful in business and professional life, who display in their persons the admirable traits which they have inherited from their hardy ances- tors.
A member of this family who well deserves men- tion is Orlando G. Cobb, a native of Abbott, Maine, born in 1846. He removed as a young man to Dex- ter, Maine, where he engaged in a contracting busi- ness to which he later added a mercantile line and lecame well known in the community. He made Dexter his home until his death in December, 1913, at the age of sixty-seven years. He married, in Dexter, Ruth Blake, a native of that place, whose death occurred before that of her husband. They were the parents of three children, as follows : Bertha, who died at the age of twenty-seven years ; Franklin Orlando, of whom further : and Stanley .A., who is in active practice as a dentist in Waterville, Maine.
Franklin Orlando Cobb was born July 7, 1870, at Sangerville, Penobscot county, Maine. At the age of ten years he removed with his parents to Dexter Maine, and it was in the latter place that he gained his elementary education, attending for that purpose the local public schools. Here he remained until he reached the age of eighteen, having in the meantime decided to make dentistry his career in life. Ac- cordingly, he studied this subject under the precep- torship of Dr. Blanchard and then entered the Phila- delphia Dental College. Later he went to Baltimore. Maryland, and practiced for a time in that city. and also practiced for short periods in Pittsburg and Erie, Pennsylvania. It was in 1895 that he finally came to Portland and established his office on the corner of Oak and Congress streets. He has been in practice in that city for twenty-two years, has met with a very gratifying success and built up a large and remunerative practice. He is also the owner of considerable real estate interests in Port- land, and built the first apartment house in that city which is known as the Waymouth. He is a Republican in politics, but his profession makes such exacting demands upon his time and attention that he is unable to take any part in local politics. He is a member of the Masonic Order, being affiliated with the lodge, with Greenleaf Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Portland Council. Royal and Select Mas- ters : St. Alban Commandery, Knights Templar ; and Kora Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Port- land Club, the Portland Athletic Club and the State Street Parish Club, all of Portland. He attends the State Street Congregational Church, and has heen active in advancing the interests of that body in the community.
On October 8, 1895, at Painsville, Ohio, Dr. Cobb was united in marriage with Amy Caroline Marsh, a native of that place and a daughter of Stephen D. Marsh, a life-long resident of Painsville, now de-
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ccased. To Dr. and Mrs. Cobb three children have been born, as follows: Ruth Caroline, February 16, 1899; Madeline, May 14, 1901; and Franklin Or- lando, Jr., November 24, 1903.
Dr. Cobb is a man of a type which is valuable in any community. Perfectly content with the ideal which he had set for himself, he has striven to per- fect himself in his chosen calling, and being of a keen intellect and progressive character he has climbed to the top of his profession and also in busi- ness interests.
DANIEL BILLINGS HINCKLEY, pioneer iron manufacturer, was one of the early business men whose energy and integrity established an in- dustry which gave an impetus in the days of the young republic to the prosperity of Bangor, Maine, a place where his descendants still reside. His name is worthy of a high place in any local history of his State, for he did much to upbuild its trade and manufacturing connections.
He was born September 13, 1800, at Hardwick, Massachusetts, the son of Barnabas and Mary (Billings) Hinckley. His father was a farmer, and the son received the usual education of the neigh- borhood in the country schools of the locality. He was an ambitious lad and like all self-made men led by an energetic spirit. He learned his business with his uncle, his mother's brother. Samuel Billings, who was the owner of a large iron-works in Hardwick, Massachusetts. He then started in busine s for himself, establishing an iron foundry at Bucksport. Maine, in 1827. In 1833 he removed to Bangor, and with that city he was henceforth identified. He was the founder and senior member of the firm of Hinck- ley & Egery, which became known throughout the State and for a long period had connections in all parts of the Union where there was a lumbering in- terest. The saw-mill machinery turned out by the firm of Hinckley & Egery was sent even to Califor- nia, and here in 18.49 a branch establishment was organized. Mr. Hinckley was an old line Whig. and was one of the charter members of the Second Na- tional Bank of Bangor, Maine. He was a Unitarian in his religious beliefs. A descendant of two Colon- ial governors, and of several of the Mayflower pil- grims, Mr. Hinckley's lineage was of pure New England stock.
Mr. Hinckley married, April 8. 1830. at Hard- wicl:, Massachusetts, Mary Ann Gorham, a descend- ant of Elder Brewster, of John Howland, and of Governor Thomas Prince. She was the daughter of Elnathan and Edith (Farwell) Gorham. Of their six children three only survived childhood : Daniel. born June 4. 1831 ; Samuel Billings; Frank, born July 9, 1844.
ERNEST SAUNDERS, who has developed the largest floricultural business in Maine, and who is regarded as one of the most public-spirited citizens of Lewiston, is a member of an old New England family, which has resided in Maine for four genera- tions and prior to that time was of Massachusetts.
The first of the name to come to the "Pine Tree State" was Jonathan Saunders, the great-grandfather of the Mr. Saunders of this sketch. He was born at Tewksbury, Massachusetts, in 1776, and came to Maine as a youth. He settled at Norway, Maine, and was living there as a young unmarried man at the time of the incorporation of that town in 1707. He continued to make it his home during the re- mainder of his natural life and eventually dicd there in 1838. He was married about the year I&co to Susannah Weeks, of Gray. Maine, who died Janu- ary 23, 1827, at the age of forty-five years. They were the parents of four children, as follows: Ann, born November 30, 1802, died April 16, 1883: Jo- seph, mentioned below; John, born November 7, 1806, died in Norway, June 20, 1874; Isaac, born July 24, 1814.
Joseph Saunders, the grandfather of Ernest Saun- ders of this sketch, was horn October 8, 1801, at Nor- way, Maine. While still a young man he removed to Poland, where he became the owner of a large farm, which he conducted for the greater part of his life. He married Charlotte Merrow, of Minot, Maine, and they were the parents of one child, Samuel Woodbury, mentioned below.
Samuel Woodbury Saunders was born at Poland, Maine, April 13, 1832. The childhood of Samuel Woodbury Saunders was passed upon his father's farm, and he learned at an early age to assist with the work of the place. Shortly after his birth the family moved to Norway, Maine, where he resided until 1863, and in that year moved to Auburn, Maine. He attended the public schools at Norway and the Norway Academy, and after graduation from the latter institution, he taught in the district schools. He was unusually precocious as a youth and early took part in local affairs, being elected a selectman when but twenty-one years old. The life to which he had been trained at his father's homestead was one that he found greatly to his taste, so it is not strange that he determined to follow farming on his own account when the time came for a decision in regard to his future career. He accordingly set to work to secure a farm property for himself and soon became the owner of such a place, which he set about improving with the greatest energy. It was characteristic of Mr. Saunders that whatever he took up he did it with all his might and the prevail- in" opinior among others that the farmer is inclined to be unduly slow and conservative, whether true
Samuel W. Saunders
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or false in the average case, was certainly not true in his. He was a progressive and active man who was always ready to accept new knowledge and methods in his business, yet possessed of that quiet shrewdness that made him difficult to deceive. Ile made a great success of his farm and remained at work upon it until forty-five years of age and was one of the prominent figures in the section. Always enterprising and ready to undertake a new venture that appealed to his good judgment as promising, Mr. Saunders then became associated with the concert which was placing the new "American Encyclopedia" upon the market and became a traveling agent for that work. His belief both in the character of the encyclopedia and his own ability to dispose of it were justified in the event and he was soon able to call himself a success. After following this line for some time and meeting with very considerable financial return, Mr. Saunders once more took up agricultural work and this time devoted himself to the cultivation of nursery stock on a large scale. Once more he was successful and soon developed a very large and remunerative business, selling the products of his nursery throughout this prosperous agricultural district where there was a great market for such wares. So great was his success, indeed, that while yet a comparatively young man he was able to retire entirely from active business and passed his later years in well earned leisure.
Coming from Poland as a young man, Mr. Saun- ders made his home at Auburn for a time, but finally came to Lewiston and here resided until the close of his life, one of the most conspicuous figures in the general affairs of the place. For Mr. Saunders did not confine his energies or attention to the conduct of his own successful business operations. He was too intelligent and too far seeing in his sympathies and interests to make a mistake only too common among some of our successful men of the day. It has already been stated that at twenty-one he was elected to the office of selectman, and, although he afterwards rather avoided than sought office, he con- tinued keenly interested in politics and was some- thing of a leader in the various communities where he made his home. He was a staunch supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican party and his voice carried weight in the councils of its local organization. He had begun as a Whig in the early days, but found himself so entirely in harmony with the attitude of the younger party towards the great issues of the day, he accordingly joined its ranks shortly after its organization. He was also prominent in social and fraternal circles in this city and was a member of Excelsior Commandery, \'. O G. C. In his religious belief Mr. Saunders was a
Congregationalist, and for many years was a promi- nent member of the First Congregational Church at West Auburn, which he joined during his resi- dence at that place. He was very active in the work of the congregation, and for a long period held the office of trustee and also taught in the Sunday school there.
Samuel Woodbury Saunders was married (first) to Fanny N. Haskell, of Sweden, Maine, daughter of Cephas Haskell, of that place. Mrs. Saunders died some years later and he married (second) April 29, 1875, Mary Elizabeth Meserve, who survives him. Mrs. Saunders is the daughter of William Cate Me- serve, a native of Jackson, New Hampshire, and Hannah (Coffin) Meserve, born at Lowell, Maine. Mr. Meserve made his home at Jackson for a num- ber of years but later removed to Waterford, Maine, and still later to Lawrence, where his death occurred August 29, 1874. He was a farmer by occupation and also carried on the business of making shoes. He was a Republican in politics and a Methodist in religion and for many years was a steward in his church. Two children were born of Mr. Saunder's first union; Anson, born in 1861, and died at the age of two years and seven months: and Ernest. of this review. By the second marriage three children were born as follows: Fanny Blanche, who became the wife of Harry Stetson, president of the Lewis- ton & Auburn Trust Company; Stella May, who resides with her mother and assists her brother, Ernest, in the conduct of his large business; Charles M., married Annie Proctor, and is associated with his elder brother in his business. Mrs. Saunders is a woman of unusual character and ability and for many years gave her husband, not only the highest type of companionship, but material assistance in the management of his affairs. Her daughters in- herit much of her practical grasp of affairs and have played no small part in the development of the large horticultural business of which their brother Ernest is the head.
Born October 22, 1871, at Auburn, Maine, Ernest Saunders lived with his parents in that city until Fe had reached the age of eight years. For a short time he attended school in Auburn, but the major part of his education was received after he had gone with his parents from there to Lewiston. From the age of eight to sixteen he attended the public schools of the latter city, and then began learning his pres- ent business, albeit in an extremely primitive manner at first. He began by keeping a small garden in what was then his father's home, but which has sin ~~ grown to he his enormous establishment at No. 5-8 Main street. Lewiston. In addition to his father's house, which stood on a comparatively small lot,
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there was also a vacant field at that time and here Mr. Saunders began the cultivation of plants under glass, his first attempts being with nothing more ambitious than cold frames. He possessed, however, the first qualification of the successful business man of being able to successfully market his products and thus the business grew rapidly from these small beginnings until it is now the largest in the State. At the present time (1917) he is the owner of four mammoth greenhouses, which contain some fifty-two thousand five hundred square feet, all under glass, and which are equipped with the most modern facili- ties for carrying on scientific floriculture. These houses are heated by three great boilers, which sup- ply steam to all parts of the plant, and their care together with the marketing of the plants and flowers necessitates the employment of between twelve and twenty hands, according to the needs of the season. Mr. Saunders owns and operates a motor truck for the delivery of his products, and his business now extends far beyond the limits of his home town. In addition to his business Mr. Saunders has of recent years interested himself in real estate de- velopment and has invested largely in residential properties in Lewiston. The upper part of Main street has been the scene of these development pro- jects and in that quarter he has built a number of handsome modern residences of which he is the owner. He is also the treasurer and trustee of the Mount Auburn Cemetery, a director of the Manufac- turers National Bank, and a trustee of the People's Savings Bank of Lewiston. One of Mr. Saunders' recent enterprises, with which he is meeting his cus- tomary success, is the development of a great apple orchard, upon a fine farm located at Greene. This project gives every promise of meeting with the high- est success and of extending Mr. Saunders' reputa- tion into another department of agriculture. It will be interesting to quote from an article appearing in the Industrial Androscoggin County upon the subject of Mr. Saunders' achievement in floriculture.
While floriculture may be considered as an industry, it is far from being merely mechanical. for successful results depend largely npon the skill and knowledge of the operator. These important distinctions, com- hined with business ability and progressive methods. have placed Earnest Saunders, Lewiston's largely oper- ating florist, among the foremost floriculturists of New England. The products of Mr. Saunders' greenhonces. flowering plants, ent flowers, rare ferns, etc., and many varied memorial offerings are in constant and large demand throughout the entire northern New England. A visit to the spacious greenhouses, modern to the last word in equipment, reveals vast areas of growing plants with their thousands of buds and flowers, not only a deeply impressing sight but a mighty object lesson of man's scientific knowledge to compel nature to yield up her choicest treasures. To enumerate the products would be to name many varieties of flowers, roses. carnations, pinks, violets, lillles-all in bewildering
and beautiful array, and as well, fancy ferns and dec- orative greens in profusion.
The production of memorial offerings is a distinct branch of the business, and has made the fame of Mr. Saunders quite as wide spread as have his cut flower products. These memorial offerings by the most skilled arrangement, the result of trained and experienced ability, reach the acme of perfectoin. They embrace a wide range in clusters and wreaths and floral designs. often startling in conception and the originality of the ideas expressed.
Mr. Saunders has not confined his attention to the business world, however, or even to what may be in a measure regarded as his hobby, the science of floriculture. He is a man of too broad a mind and too wide sympathies not to take an active part in many departments of the community's life. He has been a leader in the public affairs of the city and has served for three years as a member of the Board of Aldermen of Lewiston. He is at the present time president of that board and is taking a most effective part in placing the city government on the best busi- ness basis and in seeing to it that the interests of the community-at-large are always kept as the para- mount consideration of the government. He is also a prominent figure in social and fraternal circles and is particularly active in connection with the Masonic Order, in which he has taken the thirty-second de- gree of Free Masonry. He is a member of Ashlar Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and for two years has been master thereof; of King Hiram Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Lewiston Command- ery, Knights Templar ; Maine Consistory, Sovereign Frinces of the Royal Secret; and Kora Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also affiliated with the local lodges of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Knights of Pythias, the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a charter member of the last named body. He is a Congregationalist in his religious belief.
Ernest Saunders was united in marriage, June 25, 1906, at Auburn, Maine, with Mary Crawshaw, a na- tive of Lewiston, born September 28, 1872, a daugh- ter of John M. and Helen (Budlong) Crawshaw. Mr. and Mrs. Saunders are the parents of three chil- dren, as follows: Fannie Estelle, born May 15, 1907 ; Mary Elizabeth, September 17, 1910; and Ernest, Jr., November 4, 1913.
FREEMAN GEORGE DAVIS, one of the progressive and up-to-date wholesale merchants and business men of Lewiston, Maine, and one who, despite early obstacles, has made his way to a position of prominence in the business world, comes of old "Pine Tree State" stock. He is a son of George W. and Philena (Carle) Davis, both
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of whom were natives of Sangerville, Maine, where they were born, lived and died. George W. Davis was a prominent man in the community, and his death occurred at the age of seventy-six years and that of his wife at the age of seventy- eight years. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, as follows: Annie, who died in infancy; Mary A., who became the wife of O. Copeland, of Portland; Ellen, who was the widow of A. J. Sands, of Sangerville; Freeman George; H. J., of Auburn, Maine; Almeda, now the wife of F. P. Leighton; Effie, who married O. S. Swanton, of Portland, Maine.
Born at Sangerville, Maine, July 17, 1864, Free- man George Davis, fourth child of George W. and Philena (Carle) Davis, passed his childhood and carly youth in his native town. It was there that he attended the public schools and so gained the elementary portion of his education. He soon after entered French's Business College at Lewis- ton, thus making his first acquaintance with the city where his business career was to be laid. He was twenty years of age when he graduated from this institution, and shortly afterwards he entered the wholesale grocery business in association with Messrs. Curtis & Record, with the firm name of Curtis, Davis & Record. As time went on, Mr. Davis gradually came to have more and more con- trol of the concern, and eventually bought the interest of his senior partner, Mr. Curtis. After this the business was conducted under the style of Davis & Record for a number of years and finally in 1902, he also bought Mr. Record's interests and organized the present firm of F. G. Davis & Com- pany. From the outset the enterprise flourished, and of recent years it has come to be regarded as one of the largest and most important concerns of its kind in the entire region. As time went on the demands of the business grew so large that the original quarters became quite inadequate, and in 1911 Mr. Davis built the present handsome four-story building in which the enterprise is now found. It now possesses the capacity of one hundred and fifty carloads and is equipped with all the latest devices both for the efficient hand- ling of the business and for safety, such as auto- matic sprinklers, etc., to safeguard the very valuable supplies which he always keeps there. In addition to this store at Lewiston, Mr. Davis also conducts a general store at Hebron, known as the Hebron Trading Company, and here he has also met with a most enviable but well deserved success.
Mr. Davis' activities are by no means confined to the conduct of his private business, however,
and he is a well known figure in practically every department of the city's life. He is affiliated with a large number of important organizations here, among which should be mentioned the First Au- burn Trust Company, of which he is a director and stockholder. He also interests himself ac- tively in local affairs and is a staunch supporter of the Republican party. The demands made upon his time and energies by his business are natur- ally great, but such time as he can spare he gives to political work and was for three years actively identified with the city government, for two years as a member of the Common Council and for one as a member of the Board of Aldermen. He is also a member of a number of fraternal organi- zations and other similar societies in this re- gion, among which should especially be men- tioned the Masonic order, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while he is a charter member of the Commercial Travelers' Association at Lewis- ton. While his business interests are all con- nected with Lewiston, Mr. Davis makes his home in the neighboring city of Auburn and here too has exhibited a wide public spirit in his dealings with the community. In his religious belief he is a Congregationalist, and attends the First Church of this denomination at Auburn, of which he is a member.
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