GEORGE C. WING Sprague's Journal of Maine History Vol. VI Nov. Dec. 1918, Jan. 1919 No. 3 page 86-88 GEORGE C. WING It is not often that a man in the full vigor of his life work is publicly honored in quite a remarkable manner by his friends and fellow citizens. Yet this is just what happened to judge George C. Wing of Auburn, Maine at the DeWitt hotel in Lewiston, Maine, April .23, 1918. The occasion was the fiftieth anniversary of his life as a lawyer and member of the Androscoggin bar. Dana S. Williams was toastmaster, and congratulatory addresses were delivered by George McCarthy, Judge Newall, Judge Mansion; Hon. F. A. Moray, Joseph G. Cabot and Justice Dunn of the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine. Among the letters and tele- grams received from absent friends were those from Congressman Wallace H. White, Forest E. Ludden, John A. Morrill (now Judge of the Supreme Court), justices George E. Bird, Warren C. Phil- brook, Arno W. King and Chief Justice Leslie C. Cornish. Judge Wing's response was a happy one from which we make the follow- ing excerpts: There are in this world things that money cannot buy, for which terms of commercial value are inappropriate, and which language fails to describe their worth. And there are debts incurred that nothing known to the human mind can repay, satisfy or cancel. ' Your confidence, your manifestations of respect, your great kindness to me have touched me tenderly, and I am re- warded over and over again for every effort I have made during the struggle of life covering a half century, and for whatever of success I have attained. And I here and now confess judgment in your favor for all my indebtedness to you which covers all my belongings, mental and material. My appreciation of you and each of you is most sincere and while I make no clamor of expression I assure you that the depth of my feeling of gratitude is beyond my power of embodying in utterance. From the bottom of my full heart I sincerely thank you. Fifty years-a half century-what does it mean when we consider the changes wrought during that time in every department of life and effort? It means everything that we now regard as of value or of practical Utility, but it seems like a "watch in the night" when it is past, and as yesterday. Fifty years ago yesterday I left my home in Livermore and came to Auburn, a lonely passenger on a stage coach that at that time made the trip every other day from Livermore Falls to Auburn on the west side of the river. I had taught school a part of every year after I was sixteen and had earned a reputation as a capable manager of surly boys, or young men, and good teacher. I had read and studied law in a country office and had devoured the contents of all the text books it contained, but knew very little of the practical application of that with which my memory was stored. I was familiar with Blackstone and to this day have derived pleasing and con- vincing proof of the dignity of the common law from the writings of the greatest lawyer of his time. I had read the cases in the Maine reports where subjects of the greatest interest to me had been determined by our own court, but I was a good deal of a boy, without the benefit of attendance at jury trials in court, and it is needless to say that when I sought out the examining committee and presented my certificates of character and of the time I had spent in study, there was a very large 'and very hot lump in my throat. The examining committee was composed of Judge Enos T. Luce, John W. May and Augustus M. Pulsifer. Judge Wing is one of the best known lawyers and publicists of Maine. At this time the Lewiston journal summed up his past activities as follows : He was actively engaged in obtaining the conveyance to the city of An- burn by the owners of the Edward Little institute of the land forming the Edward Little park, and establishing the Edward Little high school The conveyance was made on his birthday, April 16, 1874. In March, 1876, with Ara Cushman, John T. Randall, Henry Willis, Moses Crafts, Francis M. Jordan and John F. Cobb, all of whom are now dead, the. National Shoe & Leather bank was incorporated, and from the date Of its incorporation Until now he has been a director. For several years he was director of the Auburn Horse Railroad Company formed in 1881 In 1884 he formed the Lewiston & Auburn Electric Light company, and was its first president. Actively engaged in the location and erection of the Soldiers' monument. The inscription on the monument is of his own composition. Was largely instrumental in obtaining a government post office in Auburn, and it was thru his personal effort that the gift of the library was obtained from Andrew Carnegie. Has been a member of the Auburn school board for several years and several times has been elected city solicitor. Was for a great many years a trustee and treasurer of the Mount Auburn Cemetery corporation. A member of all the Masonic bodies, -the Mystic Shrine, the Knights of Pythias, a member of the Maine Historical society and of the Sons of the American Revolution. He was a member of the Senate of Maine in 1903. President of the Androscoggin Bar association since February, 1902, and from 1913 to 19T5 was president of the Maine State Bar association. Is now a member of the American Bar association. A trustee of Colby college since 1901 and in 1909 the college conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. Director of the Portland & Rumford Falls railway from the date of its organization until it was leased to the Maine Central railroad. The first president of the Auburn board of trade as now constituted. Organized in 1886, the Auburn Home for Aged Women, and since that date has been an officer of the corporation, and for many recent years its president. The present spacious Home was built under his administration. (c) 1998 Tina Vickery Courtesy of the Androscoggin Historical Society ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. 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