Short Biographies of the Members of First Maine Senate SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY Vol. VIII Special Number, JUNE, 1920 No. 1 pg. 22-26 Short Biographies of the Members of First Maine Senate By EDGAR CROSBY SMITH The limited space that can be devoted to this article obliges the compiler to make the space devoted to a member short; giving the reader a key by means of which he may search further if he so desires. I regret that I was unable to find any data regarding two of these men and should any reader have information regarding them I should be pleased to receive it. It will be published in a future number. The first Maine Senate had three presidents: JOHN CHANDLER, from (Monmouth) Kennebec county b Epping, N. H., Feb. 1, 1762; d Augusta, Sept. 25, 1841. Revolu- tionary soldier; Commissioned Brig. General, during War of 1812; came to Maine about 1780 and settled on a farm in Monmouth. Senator and councillor in Massachusetts General Court 1803; mem- ber of Congress from Kennebec district 1805-09; member of con- stitutional convention. Was elected president of the Senate on the convening of the legislature May 31, but resigned June 19 to become one of the first U. S. Senators from the new state; served in the senate until 1829 when he was appointed collector of cus- toms for the port of Portland, which position he held until 1837, when he removed to Augusta. COL. WILLIAM MOODY, from (Saco) York county. b Saco, Mar. 15, 1770; d Saco, Mar. 15, 1822. Son of William Pepperrell Moody who came to Saco from Kittery in 1763. Col. Moody's education was limited but by native force of character and intellect he became a prominent citizen. He was a member of the Mass. House 1804-12~ of the Senate 1812-20; member of the constitutional convention; he was elected president of the first Maine Senate upon the resignation of John Chandler but served only a few days, resigning June 28 to accept the appoint- ment of sheriff of York county. He. died suddenly in the midst of his useful life. WILLIAM D. WILLIAMSON, from (Bangor) Penobscot county b Canterbury, Conn., July 31, 1779; d Bangor, May 27, 1846. Graduated Brown University 1804; read law with Samuel F. Dickinson, Amherst, Mass., and was admitted to the bar 1807 and at once located in Bangor. County attorney 1811-16; mem- ber Massachusetts Senate 1816-20; member Maine Senate T820 and elected president of that body June 28, upon the resignation of Col. Moody. By virtue of that office he became acting governor early in 1821 when Gov. King resigned; representative in Con- gress 1821-23; judge of Probate 1824-40; postmaster of Bangor 18[0-21. His greatest achievement was his history of Maine, published in 1832, which is his lasting memorial SENATORS JOSIAH W. SEAVER, (South Berwick) York county. b Norwich, Vt., Apr. 12, 1777; d Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 29, 1847. He was a teacher by profession and for many years resided in So. Berwick: was principal of Berwick Academy 1813-16. JOHN McDONALD, (Limerick) York county. b Gorham, Apr. 6, 1773; d Limerick, 1826. He was one of the early settlers of Limerick; merchant; Major General of militia; for a number of years a member of the Court of Sessions; state senator 1820- 24. He was the father of Moses McDonald, member of Congress and collector of the port of Portland. JOSEPH E. FOXCROFT, (New Gloucester) Cumberland county. b N. Goucester, Mar. 10, 1773; d N. Gloucester, Sept. 11, 1852. Son of Rev. Samuel Foxcroft, first settled minister of N. Gloucester; merchant and one of the leading men of his town and county; postmaster 1804-1844; representative to Mass. Gen. Court, 1803-11 ; commissioned Lt. Col. of Mass. militia, Apr. 23, 18f T ; senator in 1820; appointed sheriff of Cumberland county 1821 and served until 1828. Bought township No. 5, Range 7, N. W. P. of Bowdoin College in 1801 and at once commenced securing settlers for the town; in 1812 the town was incorporated and named Foxcroft in his honor. BARRETT POTTER, (Portland) Cumberland county. b Lebanon, N. H., Mar. 8, 1777; d Portland, Nov. 16, 1865; Grad- uated Dartmouth, 1796. Read law with Benjamin Gilbert, Ban- over, N. H., one year, and finished his studies with his uncle, John Barrett at Northfield, Mass., and was admitted to practice in 1801. He at once located in No. Yarmouth where he remained until March 18o5, when he removed to Gorham. In June, 1806, he located in Portland as a law partner of Salmon Chase. Member of Ex. council of Mass., 1819; member first Maine Senate; in 1822 appointed judge of Probate of Cumberland county, retiring in 1847. JONATHAN PAGE, (Brunswick) Cumberland county. b Conway, N. H., Oct., 1777; d Brunswick, Nov. 18, 1842. Came to Brunswick in 1795 and commenced the practice of medicine there in 1808; senator 1812; member of constitutional convention; member first -Maine senate, also in 1829. He was an original mem- ber of the Maine Medical Society and for many years all instructor in the Maine Medical School of Bowdoin College; for more than 20 years was a member of the Board of Overseers of the College. NATHANIEL GREEN, (Topsham) Lincoln county. b 1782; d Topsham, April 12, 1848. Settled in Topsham, 1804; lumberman and merchant; member of constitutional convention ; member of senate 1820-24 and 1826; member of house 1838-40 and 1846. Was sheriff of Lincoln county one year also register of deeds sev- eral years and at the time of his death was one of the county com- missioners. ERASTUS FOOTE, (Wiscasset) Lincoln county. b Water- bury, Conn., Oct., 1777; d Wiscasset, July 4, 1856. Read -law with Judge Samuel Hinkley and was admitted to the bar in Hampshire county, Conn. in 1800; commenced practice at Northampton, Conn., but in 1801 came to Camden; in 1811 was appointed county attor- ney and held the office until the separation; in 1812 was a senator in the Mass. Gen. Court from Lincoln county; in 1815 moved to Wiscasset; in 1819 was a member of the Mass. House and was a I vigorous advocate of separation; member of the first Maine Senate and in 1820 was appointed attorney general which office he held until 1832. DR. DANIEL ROSE, (Boothbay) Lincoln county. b 1771; d Thomaston, Oct. 25, 1833. Came to Wiscasset as a young man: practiced medicine there from 1795 to 1823; member Mass. Gen- eral Court, 1808 and 1815; captain of militia in War of 1812: leading member of constitutional convention: state senator 1820- 23; and president of that body 1822-23; removed to Thomaston in 1824 to become the first warden of the State Prison. Land agent 1828-9 arid 1831. Selectman of Boothbay many years and held many other town offices. JOSHUA GAGE, (Augusta) Kennebec county. b Mass., 1763; d Augusta, Jan. 24, 1831. Settled in Augusta, 1795; member Mass. House 1805-7; member Mass. senate 1813-15; member of Congress 1817-19; member of Gov. Paris council 1822-23. He was a member of the first Maine senate and was treasurer of Ken- nebec County 21 years ; also a member of - the constitutional con- vention. TIMOTHY BOUTELLE, (Waterville) Kennebec county. b Leominster, Mass., Nov. 10, 1777; d Waterville, Nov. 12, 1855; Graduated Harvard, 1800. He taught in Leominster Academy for one year after his graduation; studied law with Abijah Bigelow I of Leominster for a time and completed his studies with Edward Gray of Boston. Was admitted to the bar in 1804 and cat-lie to Waterville; he served six years in the Maine senate and six years in the House; was always active in municipal affairs. He was one of the founders of the Waterville bank in 1814, a promoter of the Androscoggin & Kennebec Railroad in 1847. CHARLES MORSE, (Wilton) Kennebec county. b Sutton, Mass., Oct. 27, 1785; d Wilton, May 30, T845. Mr. Morse was elected a Kennebec Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resig- nation of John Chandler to become a U. S. senator; settled in Wilton in 1809 and became a leading citizen; colonel in militia; prominent in temperance and abolition movements. ANDREW WITHAM, (Bluehill) Hancock county. b Brad- ford, Mass., Nov. 11, 1768; d Bluehill May, 1858. Came to Blue- hill a young man and became a leading merchant and ship owner; member constitutional convention; member senate 1820, 21, 23 and 29; member House, 1831. GEN. GEORGE ULMER, (Lincolnville) Hancock county. b Waldoboro, Feb. 25, 1756: d Lincolliville in 1826. He was of German descent, his parents being among the immigrants brought to Broad Bay by Gen. Waldo. Revolutionary soldier; major gen- eral in militia; member of Mass. legislature, 1806-1807; member first Maine senate. The Ulmers were among the earliest and most important settlers of Duck Trap, now Lincolnville. JEREMIAH O'BRIEN, (Machias) Washington county. b Machias, Jan. 21, 1778; d Boston, Mass., May 30, 1858. Son of Gideon, who was one of the famous O'Brien family of Machias that took part and led off in the first naval battle of the Revolution; Gideon was a member of the crew of the " Unity " which captured the Margaretta. Jeremiah was a member of the Maine senate 1820-1823, and 1835; member of the House 1832 and 1834; repre- sentative in Congress 1823-1829. DR. SAMUEL SMALL. (Jay) Oxford county. b New York state, 1785; d Wilton, 1869. Came to Jay from New York state and settled on Jay Hill; he was a scholarly gentleman and a wit; town clerk 1805-1809; medical examiner during War of 1812. JAMES W. RIPLEY, Oxford county. 'No data available. JOHN MOORE, Somerset county. No data available. WILLIAM KENDALL, (Fairfield) Somerset county. b July 11, 1759; d Fairfield, Aug. 11, 1827. He was a Revolutionary sol- dier and came, to what after his settlement there, was called Ken- dalls' Mills, and later Fairfield, soon after the close of the Revolu- tion; he acquired the water power there and he and his sons devel- oped it. He was a member of the constitutional convention; member of the first Maine senate; sheriff of Somerset county. He was a major general of the militia. (c) 1998 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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