USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > Sketches of the history of the town of Camden, Maine; including incidental references to the neighboring places and adjacent waters > Part 19
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Hon. Joseph Hall, brother to the preceding, was born in Methuen, June 26, 1793. In 1809, he left his native vil- lage and settled in Camden. With the exception of a few months passed at school in Andover, Mass., he was em- ployed as clerk until he became of age. In 1813 he was elected an officer in the militia ; was subsequently chosen Captain of Camden Light Infantry ; soon after was elected Major, Lieutenant Colonel. then Colonel. During the war of 1812, he commanded a detachment of thirty men, and the parapets upon Eaton's and Jacob's Point, were erected under his supervision.
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In 1816, Mr. Hall married Mary, the daughter of Capt. Nathan Howe of Shrewsbury, Mass." In 1821 he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Lincoln and Hancock Coun- ties. His wife died in 1825, leaving six children. In 1827. Col. Hall was again married to Eliza, daughter of William Parkman, Esq., of this town. After Waldo County was formed. in 1827, Col. Hall received the ap- pointment of Sheriff, and entered upon the duties of an organization of the County, in July of the same year. In 1830, he was appointed Post-master at Camden, and, in 1833, was elected the first Representative to Congress from Waldo District. In 1835 he was re-elected by an increas- ed majority, and thus remained in Washington during the closing years of President Jackson's exciting administra- tion. The post-master at Camden died in 1837, while in possession of the office, and at the solicitation of his friends, Col. Hall accepted again the position of post- master here.
In 1838, Col. Hall received the appointment of Measurer in the Boston Custom House, and retained the position until 1816, when the office of Navy Agent for the port of Boston was conferred upon him by his personal friend and associate in Congress, President Polk, without application on the part of Mr. Hall. In 1849, he was removed by President Taylor, on political grounds, and, in the fall of the same year, was the candidate of the Democratic party for Mayor of Boston, receiving the entire vote of the party in the city, a conclusive evidence of the high estimation attained by his residence in the metropolis of New Eng- land. In the winter of 1849, having purchased the farm of the late Capt. William Norwood at Camden, he returned thither with his family. In 1857, he was offered the posi- tion of Weigher. Measurer and Guager, in the Boston Cus- .
* For a genealogical register of the family, sce Ward's History of Shrewsbury, page 311.
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tom House, by the present Collector, the Hon. Arthur W. Austin, which position he still retains.
By his second wife, Col. Hall has seven children, making the whole number thirteen, all of whom, with the excep- tion of two by his first wife, still survive.
No citizen of Camden has filled so many offices of public trust, as the subject of this sketch, in all of which he has evinced an ability commensurate to the station. He has now attained to a venerable age, possessed of sound health, and in the full enjoyment of his faculties.
Hon. Jonathan Thayer, was born at Milford, Mass., Jan. 25, 1779, and graduated at Brown University, R. I., in 1803. After he had completed his collegiate course, he taught an academy for two years in Rhode Island, after which, he entered the office of Nathaniel Searl, an eminent lawyer of Providence, and, after reading law with him for two years, went to Norton and continued his studies under Hon. Laban Wheaton, another distinguished member of the legal profession, with whom he remained one year. In Sept. 1808, he was admitted to the bar at Taunton, Mass., and soon commenced practice at Dighton, where he re- mained for three years, and in 1811, removed to Camden.
In 1821, Mr. Thayer married Sophia, youngest daughter of Hon. Thomas Rice of Wiscasset. In 1825, he was elected a member of the Executive Council, and re-elected for three successive years. He served as one of the council of the lamented Lincoln, for whom he ever entertained the highest respect. He also served in the councils of Gov. Parris, between whom, and himself, there always existed a warm friendship. Gov. Parris was at one time Judge upon the Supreme bench, and they were long and intimate- ly acquainted in court and council.
In 1931, he was appointed a County Commissioner, but that office not being congenial to his tastes, he resigned it, and the next year was elected Senator. In 1840, he was appointed Judge of Probate, by Gov. Fairfield, the duties
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of which office, he performed for seven years with ability, and to the entire satisfaction of the public.
Judge Thayer was an effective debater ; a gentleman of great reading, and of nice discrimination. He was a close student, and imbibed the principles of common law from its purest fountains - from the works of eminent English authors. For many years he had an extensive practice in Lincoln, Hancock, and Waldo. As counsel. he was often associated with, or pitted against gentlemen of much abil- ity. His name will be found in the reports of cases, either as opposing, or associate counsel, with Allen, Crosby, Samuel Fessenden, Greenleaf, Longfellow, Orr, Ruggles, Wilson, Williamson, Wheeler, and others. In 1830, the Reports show that he was either for plaintiff or defendant, in every case argued before the Supreme Court, at Waldo bar.
While Judge Thayer was in full practice, many students- at-law, sought the advantage of his office and instruction. The following gentlemen availed themselves of his tuition : Thos. Bartlett, Esq .; Hon. Geo. M. Chase, 'late consul at Lahania, deceased ; Waterman T. Hewett, Esq., deceased ; Augustus C. Robbins, Esq., Col. E. K. Smart, his son-in- law, and N. T. Talbot, Esq., of Rockport.
For thirty-four years, Judge Thayer was a member of the Congregational church, but, although connected to a par- ticular sect, he ever manifested towards other denomina- tions, great charity and toleration for their opinions.
A week previous to his decease, he rose very early in the morning, with a view to take the steamer Daniel Webster for the city of Belfast. It being dark and rainy, he evi- dently mistook a platform in the ship-yard, for the side- walk near the road, from which he fell, resulting in his death, which occurred Sept. 20, 1853, at the age of 74 years and 8 months."
* We have condensed the above from an obituary notice in the Christian Mirror of Oct. 18, 1853, written by Col. Smart. For
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Capt. William Norwood, was born on Mt. Desert. Fol- lowing the sea in early life, he settled in what is now North Haven, where, Jan. 8. 1804, he married Miss Deborah Winslow of that place, whose ancestors formerly resided on the place now known as the Daniel Webster farm in Marshfield. Not desiring to risk his property in so ex- posed a place as the islands, during the war, he removed to Camden in 1812, and entered into the commercial busi- ness. He first traded in the Stockbridge building, and afterwards purchased of Nicholson, the " Norwood block," as it is now called. He first resided in the old " mansion house," and afterwards bought the place now occupied by his son, Capt. W. A. Norwood. He also owned, and had carried on for him, the Col. Hall farm. Mr. Norwood was largely engaged in navigation and trade, to which he closely devoted his attention, with deserved success. Capt. Nor- wood had six children, four of whom now survive. He died May 24, 1824, aged 55 years. His wife deceased Jan. 6, 1849, aged 75 years.
Frederick Jacobs, son of Samuel, was born in Camden, and received his education under the tutoring of Dr. Patch, who, by the way, has instructed many of those who are now our most enterprising citizens. Mr. Jacobs com- menced trade in Limerick. and afterwards returned to his native village, where he went into company with his broth- er Samuel, ( who had studied for the bar.) and Watson Freeman, who is now United States Marshal of Massachu- setts. They traded in the Daniels' building. In the monotonous life of a small sea-board-town trader, there is but little to call forth the highest latent energies of a man, and hence the superior natural abilities of Mr. Jacobs were not called into requisition, as they would have been, had
resolutions passed at a meeting of the members of Waldo County bar, on the death of Judge Thayer, see Republican Journal of Oct. 21, 1853.
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he lived in eventful times. Mr. Jacobs may be said to have been a man gifted physically and mentally, and was one of our most enterprising merchants. He married Julia, daughter of Benjamin Cushing, Esq., ( who now survives him,) by whom he had six children. He died in 1834, aged 39 years.
Gen. Amos Hale Hodgman, was a son of Job Hodgman, one of the earliest settlers of Camden, who came from Mason, N. H. [See Hill's history of Mason, recently issued from the press. page 210.] He was born in Cam- den about the year 1792. and received his education from Dr. Patch, and served an apprenticeship at the clothier business, under Ephraim Wood. Soon after completing his trade, in 1814, he went to Warren, where he carried on the same craft on his own account. He next went into the mercantile business, and engaged quite largely in ship- building. In the meantime, the town was not unmindful of his abilities, and sent him for six successive years as representative, and two terms afterwards. In 1824, he was appointed as Justice of the Peace; in 1827, Colonel of the 14th Regiment, and was subsequently promoted to Brigadier General. He was also a member of the Govern- or's Council one year, and a delegate to the Convention that nominated Hon. Martin Van Buren, at Baltimore, in 1836. Belonging to the Masonic fraternity, he delivered an address before them, about the year 1830. In the en- joyment of his health and faculties, he has now retired from business, and resides in his adopted town, Warren. He has been twice married, and by both wives has had ten children.
Hon. Jonas Wheeler, son of Jotham Wheeler, was born in Concord, Mass., Feb. 9, 1789, and graduated at Harv- ard College. in 1810. In the following year he came to Camden, and read law with Erastus Foote, Esq., and settled in the profession in this town. He was Justice of the Peace ; first Representative from this town to the State
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Legislature, in 1820; Colonel in the militia, and member of the Senate of Maine, of which he was President the two last years of his life. As a politician, Col. Wheeler possessed in an eminent degree, the faculty of clectioncer- ing. As a barrister, he was not noted for brilliancy of talents, industry of research, or closeness of application. He was always averse to litigation, and uniformly discoun- tenanced it. Being more successful as a counselor, than as an advocate, his name does not often occur in the Law Reports.
Sociable, generous, and free in his manners, he fell in with the ideas that then obtained, in indulging in " flexible and convivial habits," which werea detriment to his suc- cess. Colonel Wheeler was a man of fine feelings, and kind sympathies, by which he endeared himself to a large circle of friends. His office was in the Masonic building. He died, unmarried, May 1, 1826, aged 37 years .*
Joseph Jones, was born in Warren, Mass., Oct. 14, 1797. When he was three years old, his parents removed to St. Albans, Vt. He came to Camden in 1818, with scarcely any resources, save those of a resolute will, and a deter- mined heart, and was employed by Nathaniel Martin, (who then kept in the Hunt block,) as a store clerk. Remain- ing with Martin about three years, he then went into busi- ness for himself. About the year 1824, he, in company with Dr. Jos. Huse, built the Sherman building, where he traded for a number of years, and then, (near the year 1833,) built the brick store now occupied by his sons. His taste was not in favor of public office, and hence his name does not flourish in that connection, except as Adjutant of the militia, and as President of the Megunticook bank. He was eminently a man of business, and, as such, will
* Shattuck, in his history of Concord, Mass., page 251, gives a brief sketch of Col. Wheeler, and incorrectly states that he was a " delegate to form the Constitution" of Maine.
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always be regarded as being among the most enterprising of his class. In the aspect of character, he was a practi- cal christian, and, without display, exercised the trait of benevolence, as well as the other virtucs.
In July, 1851, Mr. Jones received a paralytic shock, since which time, he has been incapacitated for business. His wife, (who was Mary Ann, daughter of Mr. Nathan Brown,) died in 1847. Of his nine children, all are living but one.
Stephen Barrows, Esq., son of Banajah, is a native of this town. His father was born in Attleboro', Mass., and was one of the first settlers in the west part of Camden. The subject of this sketch occupied, for quite a number of years, the office of town clerk and selectman, and was also Justice of the Peace. While representative of this town, at Augusta, he was chosen Assistant Clerk of the House. For a year, we think, he was one of the Inspectors of the State Prison. For many years he has been one of the lead- ing citizens of the western section of the town. At about the age of 68 years, he still lives on his farm, in Rockville, enjoying the meed of a life of industry and integrity.
Nathaniel Dillingham, son of Joshua, was born either in Bristol or in this town. His father came from Bristol, Me., and settled on the farm now owned by Mr. Henry Knight, on the post-road leading to Lincolnville,
The subject of this notice, married Miss Rachel Mirick of Princeton, Mass., by whom he has had six children, two of whom are living. Mr. D. was one of the selectmen from 182 4 to 1831 ; and was committee on accounts a num- ber of years. For several years he was cashier of Megun- ticook Bank. Being an excellent chirographer, and exact accountant, he often filled positions where he exercised, to public satisfaction, his aptitude in these acquirements. Though a farmer by occupation, he sometimes engaged him- self as a clerk, when not occupied with the business of his
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farm. In comfortable circumstances, he removed to Old- town, about the year 1850, where he still resides.
Dea. Joseph Stetson, son of Micah, was born in Scitu- ate, Mass., Jan. 1792. [For a genealogical register of the Stetsons, see Barry's " Records of the Stetson Family," and also History of Hanover, pp. 378-384.] He came to Camden in Jan. 1813, and returned to his native place in the following December. On his return, he went into the navy yard, at Charlestown, where he worked at his trade, that of a ship-carpenter. In Feb. 1814, he went to Lake Champlain, and there followed his occupation during the building of the American fleet. After the vessels of war were launched, he returned to Mass., and, in June, 1815, again came to Camden, where he became a permanent res- ident. He worked with Capt. Noah Brooks until 1819, when he married Mary, daughter of William and Lucy Eaton. The same year he went into the ship-building business, on his own account. During this year, he was chosen Captain of the Light Infantry company, which posi- tion he held for five years. Although he was not an aspirant for public office, he was sent by his party, (whig,) repre- sentative to the Legislature, in 1844. Mr. S. has superin- tended, as master, the building of something like 70 sail of vessels, ranging from 47, to 1200 tons burthen. Since 1824, he has been an acceptable member of the congrega- tional church, of which he has been a deacon for quite a number of years. Of his ten children, seven are living.
Hon. Benjamin J. Porter, son of Maj. Billy Porter, was born in Beverly, Mass., Sept. 20, 1763. After complet- ing his academical course at Byfield Academy, he com- menced the study of medicine with his uncle. Doct. Jones. His uncle being engaged as surgeon in the Continental Ar- my. in 1779, young Porter became surgeon's mate. It is believed, that he acted in that capacity in Lafayette's regi- ment. While in this position, he became acquainted with
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many of the leading men of the Revolution. Among those with whom he was on intimate terms, were Generals Knox and Lafayette. At the close of the war, Doct. Porter went to Scarboro', where he practised medicine awhile and then went to Stroudwater. now Westbrook, where he remained several years, practising much of the time in Portland, with good success. Entering into partnership with Hon. Wm. King, (subsequently first Governor of Maine,) then of Scarboro', in the lumbering business, he removed to Topsham, where they carried on an extensive and lucrative business, in connection with the mercantile. Soon after forming a business partnership with Mr. King, he entered into a matrimonial partnership with his partner's sister, Elizabeth L. King. Messrs. King & Porter carried on the business until about the year 1810, when the former re- moved to Bath, and there formed another branch. By the freshet of 1814, on the Androscoggin river, Dr. Porter suffered a loss, in mills, lumber, and, as one of the proprie- tors of the bridge, of something like $80,000. During embargo times, his loss in navigation was also considera- ble. Previous to his misfortunes, he was chosen as one of the Massachusetts Governor's Counselors, and was also Senator from Lincoln County. When the separation oc- curred between Maine and Massachusetts, Dr. Porter was chosen as one of the commissioners to make a division of the property. In the fall of 1829, he removed from Tops- ham to Camden, where he remained until his death, which occurred August 18, 1847, at the age of 83 years and 11 months. Dr. Porter was a gentleman of rare conversa- tional powers, and great suavity of manners, " As polite as Dr. Porter," was a rife saying. Of his six children, three are living, viz. : - Hon. Chas. R., of Bath ; Rufus K. J., who lives in Kingfield, Me., and Benj. J., now post- master in this town.
Capt. Samuel G. Adams, son of Joshua Adams, was born at Owl's Head, Thomaston, Sept. 28, 1803, and came
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to Camden, Oct. 1821. He was clerk in the store of Benj. Cushing, Esq., until 1823, when he commenced on his own account. In 1827, he married Adeline Cushing, daughter of his former employer. Devoting his attention to the mercantile business with assiduity, he found but little time to suffer his name to be used as a candidate for town or other offices. Through the solicitation of friends, he ac- cepted a Captain's position in the militia; was chosen selectman, and, in 1840, elected as town representative. Capt. Adams is extensively and favorably known through his connection with commercial affairs. He possesses those elements of character which invariably lead to success. Of his ten children, nine are living.
Joseph H. Estabrook, M. D., son of Rev. Joseph Esta- brook, was born in Athol, Mass., in 1797, and graduated at Williams College in the class of 1818. In 1821, he came to Camden, and entered into the practice of his pro- fession. In 1823, he married Caroline, daughter of Sam'l Jacobs, Esq. Of their nineteen children, twelve are living. Dr. Estabrook's reputation is confined principally to his profession, though not exclusively so. An adherent to the Whig party in politics, that then powerful organization in this State once evinced their appreciation of his abilities, by nominating him for State Senator. This mark of approval is not diminished by the fact that his party were unsuc- cessful in then electing their candidates. A strong token of the estimation in which he is held, by his professional brethren, is that of his having been elected by them, Pres- ident of the Maine Medical Association, a few years since.
As a surgeon, Dr. Estabrook has but few superiors in this State, and as a physician, his name figures among the. foremost in the Allopathic school. As the fruit of his ex- tensive practice, he has acquired quite a wide repute as a consulting physician. For the past few years, he has had for a partner, his son, Theodore L. Estabrook, who is a graduate of the New York Medical University, of the class
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of 1852-53. The latter is to deliver the annual address before the Maine Medical Association, which convenes at Waterville in the spring of 1859.
Hon. Ephraim K. Smart, son of Rev. E. K. Smart, a Methodist clergyman, was born in Prospect, (now Scars- port.) in 1813. In 1831, his father met with a sudden death. A year after, his father's property was destroyed by fire, which consequently left the subject of our sketch, at the age of eighteen, without assistance or friends to aid him. Determined to obtain an education by his own ex- ertions, he applied himself with diligence to his studies at home, and afterwards, for two years, placed himself under the tuition of Dr. Holmes, of Winthrop, and then went to the Maine Wesleyan Seminary at Readfield, where he re- mained five terms. In 1835, he came to Camden, and entered the law office of Hon. Jonathan Thayer, and after three years study, was admitted to the bar. He afterwards married Sarah, daughter of Judge Thayer. In 1838, was appointed post-master of Camden. In 1841, at the age of twenty-eight years, was elected to the Senate of Maine. Was appointed Aid-de-camp to Gov. Fairfield, with rank of Lieutenant Colonel, in 1842. The same year, he was re-elected to the Senate. In 1843, he went to the State of Missouri, and was admitted to the practice of law in that State, as an Attorney and Counselor at law and Solicitor in Chancery. In the following year, (1844) he returned to Camden, where he continued to practice in his profession. In 1845, he was re-appointed post-master of Camden. In 18 47. he was elected to Congress, by the Democratic party, and returned by them to the same position in 1850. The marked ability with which Col. Smart served his constitu- ents, while in Congress, shows that they did not over- estimate his talents. Soon after his term of office at Washington expired, in 1858, he was appointed Collector of Customs of Belfast District. While acting in this capacity, he established the Maine Free Press in 1854,
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which he edited with much vigor, for about three years. His term of office, as Collector of Belfast, having expired by limitation, in 1858, he returned to the practice of law in Camden, in company with Thaddeus R. Simonton, Esq .. a graduate of Bowdoin College, of the class of 1853.
Col. Smart's wife, by whom he had three children, two of whom survive, died in the spring of 1858, greatly be- loved and respected by all.
Hon. Maurice C. Blake, son of the late Dr. Blake, of Otisfield, we think, graduated at Bowdoin College in 1838, soon after which he commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. Samuel Fessenden, of Portland. About the year 1841-42, he came to Camden and entered into the practice of his profession. In 1846. he was elected, by the Whig party, town representative. Under President Tay- lor's administration, he was appointed Collector of the Belfast Revenue District, which place he held for four years. Believing that a wide sphere of action would be more compatible with his taste, he started for California, in August, 1853, and arrived there in the ship " Whistler," the first part of November. after a passage of one hundred and thirty-one days. Taking up his residence in San Francisco, as a lawyer, he soon became identified with the interests of that city. Belonging to the renowned " Vig- ilance Committee," he was elected, principally through the suffrages of that organization, as a member of the Legis- lative Assembly from San Francisco, in 1857, which place he held for one year. In the following year, he was elected by the " Peoples' party," Judge of San Francisco County, and took his seat upon the bench, April 5, 1858, at a salary of 86000 per annum. Judge Blake is possessed of latent talents, which, when brought into exercise by op- position, reveal themselves to be of no inferior order. While a resident of this town, he maintained the reputa- tion, which has since followed him, of being a man of un-
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disputed integrity of character. As yet, he has never entered the " state matrimonial."
There are other gentlemen whose prominence, as citizens, suggests a continuation of these biographical delineations, but should we proceed further, we fear our eventual line of distinction could not be made without engendering in some minds a feeling akin to invidiousness, more than we may already have unconsciously enkindled. There are a num- ber, undoubtedly, whom we may have passed over. with- out design, whose conspicuousness, as citizens, would en- title them to the same regard we have shown to some of their contemporaries. Such, and all other deficiencies ob- servable, we submit to the charitableness of the discerner,
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