USA > Maine > Men of progress; biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in and of the state of Maine > Part 75
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
United States Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island. He then served on board the ships Wabash and Franklin, both flagships of the European Station, 1873-5; as Instructor in Torpedo Warfare at the - Torpedo Station, Newport, 1875-6; as Executive Officer of the Alliance, on the European Station, 1877-9, during which period he was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander, November 30, 1878; was again attached to the Torpedo Station as Instructor, 1880-3 ; and was Executive Officer of the Trenton, flagship of the Asiatic Station, 1883-5. In 1883 he - superintended the installation of an electric-lighting plant on board the Trenton, the first man-of-war in
R. B. BRADFORD.
the world to be lighted by electricity. In 1885 Lieutenant-Commander Bradford was again criti- cally ill from the effects of the climate in China, and was invalided from Hong Kong to the Naval Hospital at Mare Island, California, and thence to the Eastern Coast. From 1885 to 1887 he was on special duty at Newport, Rhode Island, rewriting the navy regulations, organizing a Naval Department of Electricity, and serving as the first Naval Inspector of Electric Lighting. In addition to these duties he became Assistant to the Chief of the Bureau of Navi- gation in the Navy Departmentat Washington in 1887, and continued in that capacity until 1891. On March 26, 1889, he was promoted to Commander, and on
June 1, 1891, he took command of the United States cruiser Bennington. His health at this time was much impaired by close application to office work, but was completely restored by service at sea. The ; Bennington was one of the squadron sent to South America for the purpose of protecting American interests at the time of the threatened war with Chili, in 1891-2. Later she proceeded 25 Europe and participated in all of the Columbus celebrations of 1892 ; convoyed the Columbus caravels Pinta and Nina from Barcelona to Palos, to take part in the October Columbus anniversary fêtes ; convoyed the Pinta from Cadiz to Havana, and delivered her to Spanish officers, and participated in the exercises of the Naval Review fleet at New York in March and April 1893. In July 1893 Commander Brad- ford was detached from the Bennington, and for nearly three years following served as a member of the Board of Inspection and Survey ; the particular duty of this Board being to conduct the trials of new ships, inspect their construction, and their equipment after being commissioned. He also served during this time on many other boards of a technical character. On July 1, 1896, he was ordered to command the United States cruiser Montgomery, attached to the North Atlantic fleet. Commander Bradford's family at present reside in Washington, but he has always retained his resi- dence in Maine and has a great interest in his native state, where his family usually spend the summer months. He owns land in Turner that has been in his family since it was a primeval forest, also owns real estate in the city of Auburn and is a voter there. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Geographical Society, the Naval Institute and the Naval Academy Graduates' Association, also of the Metropolitan Club of Washington, the New York Yacht Club, and the New England Society of Mayflower Descendants. He was mar- ried May 26, 1875, to Harriet Stanhope Engs, of Newport, Rhode Island ; they have three children : Elise, Katherine Engs and Rose Mary Bradford.
BURLEIGH, PARKER PRESCOTT, of Houlton, one of the pioneers in the development of Aroostook county, was born in Palermo, Waldo county, Maine, May 16, 1812, son of Moses and Nancy (Spiller) Burleigh. His father, Colonel Moses Burleigh, an officer in the war of 1812, was a descendant of
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
Giles Burleigh of Ipswich, Massachusetts. He was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, but removed in early life to Palermo, Maine, and resided there until 1830, when he moved to Linnens, Aroostook county, with his family. He represented the town of Palermo in both the Massachusetts and Maine legislatures, and was a member of the convention held in Bruns- wick, District of Maine, to form a constitution in anticipation of a separation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He died in Linneus in 1860, aged seveiny-nine years. Parker P. Burleigh was educated in the common schools of Palermo, at Hampden (Maine) Academy and the Hartford (Connecticut) Gra. ar School. While in Hartford he also at- tended a military school kept by Colonel Thomas H. Seymour, who was afterwards an officer of dis- tinction in the Mexican War, and subsequently United States Minister to England. After the com- pletion of his education he returned to Linneus, and at the incorporation of the town in 1836 was chosen Town Clerk, Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and Chairman of the Superintending School Committee. During his long residence in the town he usually held one or more of the town offices. In 1839 he was commissioned Captain of Company M, Sixth Regiment of Maine Militia, and in 1840 he was elected Lieutenant-Colonel of the Seventh Regi- ment. He early engaged in land surveying, allotting a large number of the townships in Northern Maine ; and he surveyed the first road that was laid out from the south line of Monticello to the Aroostook River. He was State Land Agent from 1868 to 1875 in- clusive, and in 1869 was appointed Chairman of the Commission on the Settlement of the Public Lands, whose labors resulted in the establishment of the Swedish colony in Aroostook county. He was also one of the County Commissioners of Aroostook for many years, and served for two years as County Treasurer. In 1856-7 he served two terms as a member of the Maine House of Representatives, and in 1864, 1865, 1877 and 1878 he was a member of the Maine Senate. Politically he has been a member of the Republican party since the outbreak of the Civil War. Mr. Burleigh owns the home- stead in Linneus, which by the addition of adjoin- ing lands and by intelligent cultivation he has made one of the best farms in the Aroostook section, and is also the possessor of large tracts of wild lands in various parts of the county. His present home is in Houlton, where he owns a comfortable house on Main street and is pleasantly passing his declining years. Although eighty-five years of age, he is as
active and vigorous as many men of sixty, and his mental faculties and powers are wholly unimpaired. Mr. Burleigh was married December 12, 1840, to Caroline Peabody Chick, of Bangor, by whom he had three children : Albert Augustus, born in Lin- neus, October 12, 1841; Edwin Chick, born No- vember 27, 1843 ; and Frances Emily, born January 12, 1849. Albert A. Burleigh is President of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad, and resides in Houlton ; Edwin C. Burleigh is Ex-Governor of Maine and resident in Augusta ; and the daughter is the wife of Fred M. Spiller of North Abington, Massachusetts. Mrs. Caroline (Chick) Burleigh
PARKER P. BURLEIGH.
died April 6, 1861, and in 1873, May 29, Mr. Burleigh married Charlotte Mehitable Smith, daughter of Colonel James and Mehitable (Jones) Smith of Bangor.
BURLEIGH, EDWIN CHICK, of Augusta, Gover- nor of Maine 1889-93, comes of a good, hardy, English ancestry. He is one of the descendants, in the eighth generation, of Giles Burleigh, who emi- grated from England to this country in 1648, and settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Colonel Moses Burleigh, Governor Burleigh's grandfather on the paternal side, was born in 1781, in Sandwich, New
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
Giles Burleigh of Ipswich, Massachusetts. He was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, but removed in early life to Palermo, Maine, and resided there until 1830, when he moved to Linneus, Aroostook county, with his family. He represented the town of Palermo in both the Massachusetts and Maine legislatures, and was a member of the convention held in Bruns- wick, District of Maine, to form a constitution in anticipation of a separation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He died in Linneus in 1860, aged sevelny-nine years. Parker P. Burleigh was educated in the common schools of Palermo, at Hampden (Maine) Academy and the Hartford (Connecticut) Gra. ar School. While in Hartford he also at- tended a military school kept by Colonel Thomas H. Seymour, who was afterwards an officer of dis- tinction in the Mexican War, and subsequently United States Minister to England. After the com- pletion of his education he returned to Linneus, and at the incorporation of the town in 1836 was chosen Town Clerk, Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and Chairman of the Superintending School Committee. During his long residence in the town he usually held one or more of the town offices. In 1839 he was commissioned Captain of Company M, Sixth Regiment of Maine Militia, and in 1840 he was elected Lieutenant-Colonel of the Seventh Regi- ment. He early engaged in land surveying, allotting a large number of the townships in Northern Maine ; and he surveyed the first road that was laid out from the south line of Monticello to the Aroostook River. He was State Land Agent from 1868 to 1875 in- clusive, and in 1869 was appointed Chairman of the Commission on the Settlement of the Public Lands, whose labors resulted in the establishment of the Swedish colony in Aroostook county. He was also one of the County Commissioners of Aroostook for many years, and served for two years as County Treasurer. In 1856-7 he served two terms as a member of the Maine House of Representatives, and in 1864, 1865, 1877 and 1878 he was a member of the Maine Senate. Politically he has been a member of the Republican party since the outbreak of the Civil War. Mr. Burleigh owns the home- stead in Linneus, which by the addition of adjoin- ing lands and by intelligent cultivation he has made one of the best farms in the Aroostook section, and is also the possessor of large tracts of wild lands in various parts of the county. His present home is in Houlton, where he owns a comfortable house on Main street and is pleasantly passing his declining years. Although eighty-five years of age, he is as .
active and vigorous as many men of sixty, and his mental faculties and powers are wholly unimpaired. Mr. Burleigh was married December 12, 1840, to Caroline Peabody Chick, of Bangor, by whom he had three children : Albert Augustus, born in Lin- neus, October 12, 1841 ; Edwin Chick, born No- vember 27, 1843 ; and Frances Emily, born January 12, 1849. Albert A. Burleigh is President of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad, and resides in Houlton ; Edwin C. Burleigh is Ex-Governor of Maine and resident in Augusta; and the daughter is the wife of Fred M. Spiller of North Abington, Massachusetts. Mrs. Caroline (Chick) Burleigh
PARKER P. BURLEIGH.
died April 6, 1861, and in 1873, May 29, Mr. Burleigh married Charlotte Mehitable Smith, daughter of Colonel James and Mehitable (Jones) Smith of Bangor.
BURLEIGH, EDWIN CHICK, of Augusta, Gover- nor of Maine 1889-93, comes of a good, hardy, English ancestry. He is one of the descendants, in the eighth generation, of Giles Burleigh, who enii- grated from England to this country in 1648, and settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Colonel Moses Burleigh, Governor Burleigh's grandfather on the paternal side, was born in 1781, in Sandwich, New
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
suggestions were cordially endorsed. His addresses which piant he owns the controlling proprietary interest. Under his eye the paper has largely increased in circulation, and has become one of the most influential papers in New England. In the discussion of current topics Governor Burleigh handles a pen with facility and vigor. As a political organizer, no man in Maine is his superior. He never makes a promise that he cannot fulfill. His integrity and honesty have never been questioned. No man in his party is more faithful in his allegiance to its principles than he. He is a man to the Legislature were sound and business-like, and it was evident that he had a watchful care of the interests of the state. He showed great execu- tive ability. The financial policy of the state was -o shaped and directed by him that the rate of taxation reached the lowest limit in the history of the state. At his recommendation a change in the methods of taking the valuation of the state was adopte 1, and by the new system the valuation of real and personal property was increased front $236,000 .000 to $309,000,000. This was accom -. of strong personality, and this with his great natural abilities and approachability, makes him a leader aniong men, of whom he has a wonderfully clear and accurate knowledge. His genial face is always illuminated by a smile, and his cordial hand- shake makes him a friend wherever he goes. He probably has a larger personal acquaintance with men than any other person in the state. His fair- ness and honesty in political matters command the respect of those whose political creed is different. In 1896, Governor Burleigh was one of the dele- gates at large to the Republican National Conven- tion at St. Louis. In his business ventures Governor Burleigh has been remarkably successful, especially in his investments in timberlands, which yield him a handsome income from the sale of stumpage. Governor Burleigh has been a temperate man from his boyhood up, never using spirituous liquors, or tobacco, in any form. He is eminently of a domestic nature, and when surrounded by his children and grandchildren, his home to him is the dearest and happiest place on earth. Governor Burleigh was married June 28, 1863, to Miss Mary J. Bither, a most estimable lady of rare attainments, who lived in Linneus, where they were schoolmates. Six children have been born to them, all of whom are living in Augusta, and all within a stone's throw of his residence. They are Clarence Blen- don, Managing Editor of the Kennebec Journal, born Nov. 1, 1864, and who married Miss Sarah Page Quimby of Sandwich, New Hampshire ; Carrie Frances, born July 23, 1866, and who mar- ried Dr. Robert J. Martin of Augusta ; Vallie Mary, born June 22, 1868, and who married Joseph Williamson, Jr., of Belfast, lawyer ; Lewis Albert, lawyer, born March 24, 1870, and who married Miss . Caddie Hall Brown of Waterville; Lucy Emma, born February 9, 1874, and who married Hon. Byron Boyd of Augusta, who is Secretary of State at the present time ; and Ethelyn Hope Burleigh, born November 19, 1877
plished by the creation of a board of non-partisan state assessors, under which the valuation of the state keeps pace with its growth. Governor Bur- leigh's earnest efforts in favor of the Australian system of voting, against which there was a powerful opposition, contributed largely to that measure being enacted by the lawmakers. It was at the instance of Governor Burleigh that the state pension appro- priation for disabled soldiers and those dependent on them' was increased in 1889 from $70,000 to $135,000. While he was Governor there was a move- ment started which was so well organized and became so formidable that it seriously threatened the removal of the State Capitol to Portland. It is generally conceded that it was mainly through his indefatigable efforts the movement was prevented, and a resolve appropriating one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the enlargement of the State House was passed by the Legislature. Governor Burleigh was honored by being made chairman of the commission, under whose direction the annex to the old State House was built. By the means of this additional room furnished the state govern- ment, probably two millions of dollars was saved to the state. It was also largely owing to Governor Burleigh's energetic efforts that a project to locate the muster grounds for the National Guard of Maine in another . art of the state was defeated, and the location for the annual encampment of Maine's citizen soldiery established at Augusta. No chief magistrate of the state ever retired with profounder respect and esteem than Governor Burleigh, and it seemed to be the unanimous opinion that he was one of the best governors that ever held that dignified office in Maine. After his retirement from the governorship, Governor Bur- leigh devoted himself to his large private business interests. He assumed the business management of the Kennebec Journal, which for many years has · been the official newspaper of the state, and in
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
BURLEIGH, CLARENCE BLENDON, Managing Editor of the Kennebec Journal, Augusta, was born in Linneus, Aroostook county, Maine, November 1, 1864, son of Ex-Governor Edwin Chick and Mary Jane (Bither) Burleigh. He received his early education in the city schools of Bangor, fitted for college at the New Hampton (New Hampshire) Literary Institute, graduating therefrom in 1883, and graduated at Bowdoin College in the class of 1887. During his course at Bowdoin he was a member of the College Jury, was Class Poet in his Freshman year, Managing Editor of the Bowdoin Orient in 1887, and had one of the Commencement parts at
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C. B. BURLEIGH.
graduation. He was given the honor of " popular man " in the Junior class day awards, and won the prize for extemporaneous composition in his Senior year -the second largest money prize in the course. A few days after graduating from Bowdoin he accepted the position of Editor of the Old Orchard Sea Shell, a seaside daily published at Old Orchard. At the close' of the beach season he returned to Augusta, which city had become the home of his parents, and purchased an interest in the Kennebec Journal. The announcement was made editorially in the Journal's issue of August 29, 1887, and on the same day he assumed the duties of City Editor. From November 1887 he was associated with the
late John L. Stevens in the editorship of the Journal until July 1889, when Mr. Stevens retired and he became Managing Editor, the duties of which posi- tion he still continues to perform. In 1896 he was elected State Printer by the Maine Legislature, under a new law creating that office. Mr. Burleigh was president of the Maine Press Association in 1896, and was re-elected to the same position for the year 1897. He was present, as a newspaper correspondent, at the St. Louis Convention which nominated Mckinley and Hobart, and did effective work for his party on the stump during the campaign in Maine. In the spring of 1897 he was elected a member of the Augusta Board of Assessors. Mr. Burleigh is a versatile and interesting writer, and has been an occasional contributor to various news- paper and literary publications. In 1891 he pub- lished a book for boys, entitled " The Smugglers of Chestnut," that ran through an edition of two thousand volumes. In the winter of 1896 he also published a small book containing a collection of newspaper articles entitled " The National Edito- rial Association in Florida." He is a member of Augusta Masonic Lodge, Asylum Lodge of Odd Fellows and Augusta Lodge Ancient Order United Workmen, also of the Abnaki Club of Augusta. In politics Mr. Burleigh has always been a Republican. He was married in November 1887 to Sarah P. Quimby, of Sandwich, New Hampshire ; they have two children : Edwin Clarence, born December 9, 1891, and Donald Quimby Burleigh, born June 2, 1894
BURLEIGH, LEWIS ALBERT, of the law firm of Williamson & Burleigh, Augusta, was born in Lin- neus, Aroostook county, March 24, 1870, son of Ex-Governor Edwin Chick and Mary Jane ( Bither) Burleigh. After attending the public schools in Linneus and Bangor until 1880 and in Augusta from 18So to 1886, he fitted for college at Hallowell (Maine) Classical Academy, entered Bowdoin Col- lege in 1887 and graduated therefrom with the degree of A. B. in 1891. During the Legislative sessions of 1889 and 1891 he was the official stenog- rapher in the Maine House of Representatives ; and in the summer of 1890 he was editor of the Sea Shell, a sea-side vacation daily published at Old Orchard, Maine. The summer of 1891 he spent in the study of law in the office of Hon. Joseph Williamson of Belfast, Maine, and in the following fall he entered Harvard Law School, where he took
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
a full three-years course, graduating as LL. B. in 1894. Soon after admission to the Bar of Maine in Kennebec county, October 16, 1894, he formed a law partnership with his brother-in-law, Joseph William- son, Jr., son of Hon. Joseph Williamson of Belfast,
LEWIS A. BURLEIGH.
under the firm name of Williamson & Burleigh, and has since been engaged in active practice of his pro- fession. In September 1895 the firm bought out the library, business and goodwill of Frank E. Southard, an attorney in Augusta, and since then have occupied his offices over the Granite National Bank, where they are conducting a prosperous and growing law business. Mr. Burleigh is at present serving as City Clerk of Augusta, to which office he was elected in March 1894 and re-elected in March 1895-6-7. He i a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, having been initiated into Theta Chapter of Bowdoin College in the fall of 1887. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Augusta Lodge and Trinity Com- mandery, and was elected a member of the Abnaki (Masonic) Club of Augusta in 1895. Since Jan- mary 1896 he has been one of the Directors of the Augusta National Bank. In politics Mr. Burleigh is a Republican. He was married October 18, 1894, to Caddie H. Brown, daughter of Hon. S. S. Brown of Waterville, Maine. In the fall of 1894 Mr. "Burleigh built a house with all modern improve-
ments in a very sightly location on Western Avenue in Augusta, which he occupies as a residence and has made a charming home.
BURLEIGH, SAMUEL APPLETON, Editor and Pro- prietor of the Waterville Sentinel, was born in Fairfield, Kennebec county, Maine, November 27, 1870, son of Hall C. and Clara K. (Garland) Bur- leigh. He received his early education in the town schools of Fairfield and at Oak Grove Seminary in Vassalboro, Maine, fitted for college at Coburn Classical Institute in Waterville, and graduated from Colby University in the class of 1894. While pursuing his educational course he passed many of his vacations in newspaper offices in various cities and towns on the Kennebec River, published a small monthly paper for three years, edited and published the weekly Kennebec Valley News for a year and a half while attending to college and other
SAM'L A. BURLEIGH.
duties, and taught High School one year with suc- cess. In October 1895 he purchased the Water- ville Sentinel, which he enlarged and improved, and of which he has since been Editor and Proprietor to the present time. In the first three months of his ownership and management the Sentinel more than doubled in circulation, and it is said by many
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
. prominent business men of the city and section to be by far the best paper ever published in Water- ville. Mr. Burleigh is a member of Samaritan Lodge of Odd Fellows, Havelock Lodge Knights of Pythias, Bombazine Tribe Improved Order of Red Men, and of Vassalboro Grange Patrons of Hus- bandry. He was also a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity in college. In politics Mr. Burleigh is a staunch Republican, and was a Delegate to the Republican State Convention at Portland in 1896. He is unmarried.
1 . CLARK, OMAR, Lumberman, Carratunk, was born in Moscow, Somerset county, Maine, March
OMAR CLARK.
19, . 343, son of Joseph and Esther Clark. Prob- ably no other person is so generally and familiarly known in lumbering circles throughout the Ken- nebec Valley as is the subject of this sketch. His father was a lumberman before him, and one of the best known among the pioneer operators on the river. Omar Clark made his first purchase of tim- berland when he was twenty-one years of age, and gradually added to his holdings until he acquired possession of very extensive tracts of forest lands through Northern Maine. He has been engaged in lumbering as far back as he can remember, and his operations, for many years averaging a cut of twenty-
five million feet yearly, have justly entitled him to be called the Kennebec Lumber King, by which sobriquet he has long been known at home and abroad. He has been a prominent lumber manu- facturer as well as operator, and for a time was the senior partner in the extensive steam sawmills of Clark & Milliken at Richmond, Maine. Mr. Clark is a splendid specimen of manhood, standing six feet three inches, and his stalwart form towers above the throng wherever he mingles with his fellowmen. He has represented Somerset county in the Maine Senate, is President of the Kennebec Log Driving Company, and was for a long time the President of the Upper Kennebec Explorers' Asso- ciation, during the flourishing days of that famous social organization. His home is at Carratunk on the Upper Kennebec, forty miles north of Skow- hegan, on the stage road from the latter place to Quebec. He was married February 12, 1887, to Ellen M. H. Clark; they have four children : Eugene, Omar Everett, Fred and Guy M Clark.
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