USA > Maine > Maine; a history, Volume IV > Part 4
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(VIII) Samuel Clifford Belcher, eldest son of Samuel and Martha Caroline Hepzibah (Abbott) Belcher, was born March 20, 1839, at his father's home in Farmington. As a lad he attended the local public school, where he was prepared for college, and in 1853, though only fourteen years of age, matriculated at Bowdoin College. He was a brilliant student and graduate with the de- gree of A.B. in 1857. Immediately upon grad- uation, he was appointed preceptor of Foxcraft Academy, a position which he held for three years, and then in 1860, took up the study of the law in the office of the Hon. Nehemiah Abbott, at Belfast, Maine. It took but one year for the brilliant mind of Mr. Belcher to master his com- plicated subject, and in 1861, shortly after his twenty-first birthday, he was admitted to the Franklin county bar. At about the same time the outbreak of the Civil War prevented him from carrying out his original intentions, and he turned his efforts to recruiting a company of soldiers for service in the army of his country. He rendered valuable assistance in raising the Sixteenth Maine Volunteer Regiment, and on June 4, 1862, received his commission as captain of a company in this body. Shortly after this promotion, his regiment was ordered to the front, and from that time on to the close of hostilities, he saw much active service. He participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, where he was slight- ly wounded, and in the battles of the Chancellors- ville campaign, where he personally led his com- pany. His regiment was also present at the battle of Gettysburg and saw fighting on the first, second and third days of July. It was his regiment selected to cover the retreat of the First Corps, in the first day of the battle, and it was well established that the Sixteenth Maine field a position from which two regiments had
previously been obliged to fall back, on account of the terrible onslaught of the Confederates. How desperate was this engagement may be gained from the fact that the position was only held at the cost of every man, save forty, who heroically held their ground until surrounded and captured. Another famous episode connected with this terrific struggle was that of the order issued by Captain Belcher to save the regimental colors by cutting them in pieces and distributing a portion to each one of the new survivors, who thus prevented it from falling into the hands of the enemy. Captain Belcher was one of the forty captured by the Confederates, but on the march to Libby prison, where they were confined, was able to elude the vigilance of his guards, and escaped back to the Federal lines. He then went to Washington and, having no regiment to which to report, was assigned to the staff of General Heintzelman as aide-de-camp, that of- ficer being in command of the Department of Washington, District of Columbia. The Six- teenth Maine was finally recruited once more, whereupon he rejoined it in November, 1863, and took part in the campaign of the Wilder- ness, being present at the battles of Mine Run, the Wilderness, and Spottsylvania, being severely wounded at the last named engagement by a bul- let which pierced his skull and nearly penetrated his brain. In the terrible confusion following these great conflicts, Captain Belcher lay with- ont relief for seventeen days, before the bullet could be removed, and the great strain so weak- ened him, that he was not able to rejoin the army until after the surrender of the Confed- erates. On June 1, 1864, while in the field, he was commissioned major, by Governor Coney, in recognition of his gallant services, and held that rank at the time of his honorable discharge in 1865. Major Belcher then returned to Farm- ington, Maine, where he resumed the practice of the law, and was soon recognized as one of the leaders of the bar in this region. He was also made an overseer of Bowdoin College and was a member of the Maine Historical Society and the American Bar Association. General Belcher has been closely identified with a num- ber of military and fraternal orders in this region, for many years, and is a member of the Maine Commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and he is also prominently associated with the Masonic order, being past master of Maine Lodge, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons; past high priest Franklin Chap- ter, Royal Arch Masons: past master of Jephthal
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Council, Royal and Select Masters, and a member of Pilgrim Commandery, Knights Templar. He was appointed inspector general on the staff of Governor Garcilon, with the rank of brigadier- general. In 1876 and in 1878 he was the unsuc- cessful Democratic candidate for Congress for the Second District of Maine.
General Belcher was united in marriage Jan- uary 19, 1869, with Ella Olive Smith, a daughter of Spaulding and Sarah (Rich) Smith, of Wilton, and they were the parents of one daughter, Fran- ces Spaulding Belcher, who was born November 27, 1869, at Farmington.
SENATOR LEON FORREST HIGGINS has been prominent in the public eye in connection with public affairs for many years, his first ap- pearance being in 1900, as an alderman of Brewer, Maine. From that time he has steadily in- creased in public esteem, and has filled many of- fices of constantly increasing importance. In 1913 he came into State-wide view as a member of the Maine House of Representatives, and is now president of the Maine Senate. He re- moved his residence to Brewer in 1875, and has since resided in that city. A Republican in poli- tics, he has not only impressed himself upon the life of that party and risen to leadership, but in so doing he has gained the respect of even his political opponents who ascribe to his purity of motive and fairness in his antagonisms. He is a son of Forrest Richard and Carrie M. Hig- gins, his father a Civil War veteran, lumberman and contractor, of Ellsworth, Maine.
Leon Forrest Higgins was born in Ellsworth, Hancock, county, Maine, April 29, 1870. He was educated in the public schools of Bangor and Brewer, Maine, and was variously employed, finally becoming head of an insurance business now well established in Bangor. In Brewer he was one of the incorporators of the Brewer Sav- ings Bank, and has other important business in- terests. Mr. Higgins was always an active party man and interested in the success of Republican principles. He was elected an alderman of the city of Brewer, Maine, serving in 1900-01, and the following year he was elected mayor of the city, and twice was elected to succeed himself, his term of office covering the years, 1902-03-04. For the succeeding ten years he was chairman of the Republican City Committee of Brewer, and in 1913 was elected to represent said city in the House of Representatives. He served in the house two terms with credit, until 1917, then was elected State Senator from Penobscot county.
In 1919 he succeeded himself as State Senator, and is now serving his second term, 1919-21. At the opening of the session of 1919 Senator Higgins was elected president of the Senate, which distinguished honor is now his. This record of public service reveals Senator Higgins as a man of forceful character, clear and sound in judgment, public-spirited and progressive, able to lead without appealing to the passions and prejudicies of men. He has won his position among the State leaders of his party, and with the past as a guide, his political future seems very bright.
Senator Higgins is a member of Rising Virtue Lodge, No. 10, Free and Accepted Masons, Ban- gor, Maine; Mt. Moriah Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons; St. John's Commandery, No. 3, Knights Templar, all of Maine. He is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a past grand master of the order in Maine. He is also a member and past chancellor com- mander of Colonel Brewer Lodge, No. 56, Knights of Pythias. His clubs are the Kendus- leag, Canoe, and Country, of Bangor; the Coun- try, of Northport; Lincoln, of Portland; and the Bangor Chamber of Commerce. In religious faith he is affiliated with the First Methodist Church of Brewer.
Senator Higgins married, in Brewer, Maine, October 21, 1891, Josephine H. Shackley, daugh- ter of Joseph M. and Eliza Holyoke Shackley. Children: Dorrice Mae, born December 16, 1894; Donald Shackley, born January 6, 1897.
WILLIAM G. SOULE, a well known and pub- lic spirited citizen of Portland, Maine, where he is engaged in business as a commission merchant at No. 208 Commercial street, is a native of this State, having been born at the town of Water- ville, a son of Thomas J. and Mary A. (Gilbert) Soule, highly respected residents of that place, and a descendant of the oldest families of New England, where for many generations it has played a part of distinction in public affairs. The founder of the family in this country was George Soule, who came here on the Mayflower and was one of those to sign the famous compact entered into by the passengers of that vessel. William G. Soule's early education was obtained at the public schools of his native town, where one of his instructors was the late Hon. H. M. Plaisted, subsequently governor of Maine. The Jad was later sent to the Waterville Institute and grad- uated from that excellent school at the age of seventeen years. Upon completing his studies
Franklin In. Drew
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BIOGRAPHICAL
he came to Portland, Maine, and here secured a clerical position in the office of his uncle, J. J. Gilbert, and spent a year in that gentleman's em- ploy. He then became a clerk in a mercantile house on Commercial street, Portland, where he remained but a short time, yet long enough to become acquainted with the business. His next move was to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he engaged in the lumber business in partner- ship with a Mr. Noble under the firm name of Noble & Soule. This enterprise was successful, and Mr. Soule remained so engaged for about one year, but then withdrew to enter the United States Secret Service, from which, after a few months' time he entered in the navy. This was at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War and he very soon saw much active service and was present at the battles of Cape Hatteras, Charles- ton and Port Royal. For a time, also, he was engaged in blockade duty and was then trans- ferred to New York and Boston to aid in the transportation of troops to the South. Early in 1864 he came to Portland once more and after receiving his honorable discharge, again took up mercantile pursuits and entered the employ of Henry Fling, who conducted a wholesale grocery business in this city. Shortly afterwards he pur- chased an interest in the business, the name of which has thereupon changed to Henry Fling & Company, but Mr. Fling's death again altered the constitution of the firm which then became Weymouth, Sonle & Company. It thus con- tinued until the death of Mr. Weymouth, when a number of new partners were admitted and the style changed to Davis, Berry & Company, the partners consisting of Abner Davis, Joseph S. Berry, Leonard Williams and Mr. Soule, all of whom save the last named have passed to their reward. On account of ill health Mr. Soule was obliged to retire from active business about this time (1868), and for two years was occupied in gaining his health and strength. In 1870, however, when this had been attained, he en- gaged in the insurance business for a time, and then returned to his old line by becoming as- sociated with the firm of Smith, Gage & Com- pany, wholesale grocers. After four years with this concern he entered the employ of Tarbox, Carney, Parsons & Company, wholesale druggists, where he became bookkeeper and condential clerk, and where he spent four years. It was at the close of that period that Mr. Soule en- gaged on his own account in the business that he has conducted with so much success ever since. He opened his office as broker and com-
inission merchant at its present location on Com- mercial street and is now known widely in busi- ness circles here and elsewhere. Mr. Soule has represented many of the largest business houses in the country and has won for himself a reputa- tion second to none for integrity and capability.
Mr. Soule is a staunch Republican and has been very active in public affairs. He has served as a member of the Portland City Council as a repre. sentative from Ward Two in 1864 and 1865, and from Ward One in 1879 and 1880. In 1889 he was appointed by Governor Burleigh as one of the commisisoners to represent the State of Maine at the Washington Centennial on the 13th of April in that year. Each State was repre- sented by its governor and his staff, as well as by the committee chosen especially for the pur- pose. This lasted for several days. At the time of the introduction of the Australian ballot sys- tem to the city here, Mr. Sonle was one of the candidates for nomination for mayor of Portland. He declined the honor, however, and withdrew in favor of George W. True, who was nominated and eventually elected. Mr. Soule is an honorary member of the Eighth and Thirteenth Maine Regiments; a member of the Lincoln Club of Portland, and has been chairman of its executive committee since its organization in 1890, and later a vice-president, a member of the Whole- sale Grocers' Association; and at one time a member of the Portland Board of Trade. Mr. Soule is a man of wide culture, of artistic taste and literary ability. He is the author of many delightful poems which he has published from time to time. He was a warm personal friend of John Greenleaf Whittier, whom he used to visit often. He is a man of a genial and warm- hearted disposition, and finds his chief happi- ness in his family and home.
William G. Soule was united in marriage on the third day of July, 1866, with Fannie E. Davis, the adopted daughter of Captain George W. and Joanna Y. (Pomeroy) Davis. Three children have been born to them: Georgianna, deceased; Ardella M., and Eugenie F. Mrs. Soule was on her father's vessel, the barque Tennessee when it was wrecked off the coast of France.
FRANKLIN MELLEN DREW, veteran of the Civil War, who received distinction for his gal- lant and meritorious military record in that con- flict, a lawyer, whose services in public affairs have added to his prominence, a student, whose interest and efforts have contributed to the ad- vancement of education, and an authority on
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local genealogical history, is in every way emi- nently worthy of the old and distinguished name which he bears.
(I) His family dates back to the progenitor, John Drew, who is believed to have been a son of William Drew, and a grandson of Sir Edward Drew, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1589. He was born in England, about 1642, and came to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1660. He married there, in 1673, Hannah Churchill, daugh- ter of John Churchill. Their children were: Elizabeth, born 1673; John, 1676; Samuel, 1678; Thomas, 1681; Nicholas, of whom further; and Lemuel, 1687.
(II) Nicholas Drew, son of John and Hannah (Churchill) Drew, was born in 1684. He mar- ried (first) Abigail --. Their children were: Joshua, born 1709; Josiah, 1711; Nicholas, of whom further; Lemuel, 1715. He married (sec- ond) Rebecca Norton. Children: Joanna. born 1717; Lucy, 1719; James, 1721; Abigail, 1723. He married (third) Lydia Doggett. Child, Rebecca, born 1731.
(III) Nicholas (2) Drew, son of Nicholas (1) and Abigail Drew, was born in 1713. In 1730 he married Bathsheba Kempton. Their chil- dren were: Abigail, born 1737; Abigail, 1739; Lois, 1741; Nicholas, 1743; Josiah, 1745; Abbet (?), 1747; Samuel, 1749; David, 1752; Stephen, of whom further.
(IV) Stephen Drew, son of Nicholas (2) and Bathsheba (Kempton) Drew, was born in 1754, and died about 1825. In 1800 he removed to Middleboro, Massachusetts, and later to Buck- field, Oxford county, Maine, where he was one of the early settlers. He married Jerusha Bryant. Their children were: Stephen, of whom further; Josiah, Lewis, Bathsheba, and two others.
(V) Stephen (2) Drew, son of Stephen (1) and Jerusha (Bryant) Drew, married, in March, 1805, Anna Bisbee, and lived in Turner, Maine. Their children were: Arvilla and Phidelia, twins, born June 7, 1806; Jesse, of whom further; Louisa, born November 23, 1810; and Mary, born April 13, 1813.
(VI) Jesse Drew, the only son of Stephen (2) and Anna (Bisbee) Drew, was born September 21, 1808. He removed from his home in Turner Maine, to Paris, Oxford county, in 1850, and re- sided there until he went to Aroostook county, in 1853, and settled, first at Letter Hand, then at Fort Fairfield, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was very active in public affairs, and a potent factor in local politics of the Re- publican party, one of its leaders in that region.
He married (first) in May, 1834, Hannah T. Phillips, who died at Paris, August 31, 1852. His death occurred at the residence of his son, Franklin Mellen Drew, in Lewiston, August 31, 1890. Their children were: Hannah Gorham, born July 27, 1835; Franklin Mellen, of whom further; Delphina M., born November 24, 1839; Anna P., born January 5, 1842; George E., born March 3, 1845. He married (second) December 21, 1857, Clarissa Wellington. Their children were: Gertrude H., born July 21, 1859; Morrill N., born May 27, 1862.
(VII) Franklin Mellen Drew, son of Jesse and Hannah T. (Phillips) Drew, was born July 19, 1837, at Turner, Maine. Here he lived with his parents until the age of thirteen, when the family removed to Paris, Oxford county, Maine, where the early part of the lad's education was re- ceived. He was later sent to the academy at Hebron, Maine, preparatory to his matriculation at Bowdoin College, in 1854, where he took the regular classical course and was graduated with the class of 1858. In the following year, 1859, he entered the law office of ex-United States Senator James W. Bradbury and Governor Lot M. Morrill, and was admitted to the Kennebec county bar, April 3, 1861, and soon afterward to the Aroostook county bar, where it was his in- tention to establish a practice. He opened an office in the town of Presque Isle, and very soon became a citizen of prominence in that com- munity, serving as assistant clerk in the House of Representatives in 1860-61. During the first year here, he received the nomination for county attorney, but declined the honor in order to en- list in the Civil War. On October 22, 1861, he set about raising a company which became Company G, Fifteenth Regiment of Volunteers, of Maine, in which he received commission as captain, in December of that year, for the ability he displayed in handling men. The following year he was promoted to the rank of major for distinguished services in the Louisiana and Florida campaigns, in each of which he proved himself a faithful and courageous soldier. In July, 1864, his regiment was ordered to Virginia and served in the Shenandoah Valley. At the expiration of his term of service, he was mus- tered out, January 26, 1865. Later, in 1865, he was brevetted by President Johnson colonel of volunteers for "gallant and meritorious services." After he was mustered out of the military serv- ice, Colonel Drew retired to civil life and again took up the practice of law, settling in Bruns- wick, Maine.
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BIOGRAPHICAL
While a resident of that town he participated more and more in the affairs of public life. From 1866 to 1867 he was clerk in the House of Rep- resentatives, and in 1868 he was elected secre- tary of the State of Maine and three times re- elected. In 1872 he was appointed United States pension agent at Augusta, which office he held over five years, and until it was removed in July, 1877, to Concord, New Hampshire. In 1878 he removed to Lewiston, Maine, where he has since continued to make his home and to follow the practice of his profession. In 1887 he was elected judge of the Probate Court of Androscoggin county and was re-elected three times. During the sixteen years he was judge of probate he rendered a great many decisions, some of much importance, with the remarkable result that only two appeals were sustained by the Supreme Court. For many years he has been actively and keenly interested in the advancement of edu- cation in Maine, and in 1865 was elected secre- tary of the board of trustees of Bowdoin Col- lege, which position he held for twenty-nine years, when he resigned, having been elected treasurer of Bates College, which office he held twenty-three years, when he resigned, and became secretary of the Board of Fellows. In his de- votion to educational matters, Colonel Drew has labored untiringly and efficaciously. He is member of the Maine Historical Society, and has shown much interest in the genealogy and his- tory of the State. He is prominent in his af- filiation with various Masonic bodies, in which organization he has received the thirty-second degree. He is a member of Ashler Lodge, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons, of Lewiston; King Hiram Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Dun- lap Council, Royal and Select Masters; and Lewiston Commandery, Knights Templar. He has been commander of the Department of Maine, Grand Army of the Republic, and commander of the Loyal Legion. In religion he is affiliated with the Pine Street (Lewiston) Congregational Church. In politics he has always been a Re- publican.
Judge Drew was united in marriage, January 3, 1861, with Araminta B. Woodman, the young- est daughter of General Merrill Woodman, of Naples, Maine. She died November 2, 19II. To them was born one child, Frank Newman Drew, born November 24, 1862, who died September 29, 1864.
FRANK ASHLEY RUMERY-We have a term which has originated in this country to
express a particular type of man who, though not peculiar to ourselves, is probably more com- mon here than anywhere else in the world. The term is that of "self-made man," which expresses with a certain pungent precision common to pop- ular phrases a type with which we are all fa- miliar. It would be difficult to discover a better example of what is meant by the term than in the person of Frank Ashley Rumery, who for the past thirty-two years has been most closely identified with the business interests of Portland, Maine. He is a son of Charles F. and Mary L. (Sawyer) Rumery, old residents of the town of Hollis, Maine, where Mr. Romery, Sr., was born in the year 1845, and where for many years he conducted a successful lumber business. During the last five years of his life he resided in Port- land, where he died in the month of April, 1911, at the age of sixty-six years. His wife is still residing in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Rumery, Sr., were the parents of four children, as follows: Frank Ashley, of whom further; Burleigh E., de- ceased; Mary, now the wife of C. W. Waterman, of Portland; and Cecil H., who died in the month of August, 1915.
Born on May 7, 1867, at Hollis, Maine, Frank Ashley Rumery resided in that city during the first seventeen years of his life, and it was there that he gained his education, attending for that purpose the local public schools. Upon reach- ing the age of seventeen, he left the parental roof and made his way to Portland, in which place he has since resided and which has formed the scene of his active business career. Upon first arriving in Portland, he became employed by Mr. A. D. Smith, under whose preceptorship he learned a trade. Mr. Smith was one of the pio- neer contractors of Portland, and had already de- veloped an excellent business at the time when Mr. Rumery entered into his establishment. The young man showed such industry and ready adaptability to his work that Mr. Smith admitted him to partnership, the firm becoming Smith & Rumery. In 1911, however, Mr. Rumery sev- ered this association and engaged in contracting for himself, laying the foundation of his present large and successful business. Since that time he has been eminently successful, and the firm F. A. Rumery & Company has erected some of the handsomest buildings in Portland, notably the Masonic Temple. Mr. Rumery is affiliated with the Forest City Trust Company, and is a very conspicuous figure in the financial life of the place. He is a Republican in politics, but has never had any ambition to hold office or in-
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deed to enter public life at all. He is a con- spicuous figure in the club and social circles of the city, is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Woodfords, the Economic and the Civic clubs of Portland. In his relig- fons belief, Mr. Rumery is a member of the Con- gregational church and attends the Woodford Church of that denomination.
On May 7, 1890, Mr. Rumery was united in mar- riage at Gorham, Maine, with Ida May Hamblen, a daughter of Archelaus L. and Harriett Ellen (Carll) Hamblen. To Mr. and Mrs. Rumery the following children have been born: Harriett Carll, March 13, 1891; Gladys Merle, June 22, 1892; Earle Hamblen, February 20, 1900; Hope Woodbury, January 26, 1903; and Dwight Ashley, May 8, 1904.
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