Charles Farrar Browne (Artemus Ward) was born in Waterford, Maine, April 26, 1834 Sprague's Journal of Maine History Vol. VII May June July 1919 No. 1 page 40-41 Something About Artemus Ward By Charles E. Waterman Charles Farrar Browne (Artemus Ward) was born in Waterford, Maine, April 26, 1834, son of Levi and Caroline (Farrar) Brown, and died in Southhampton, England, January 23, 1867. His body first found a resting place in Kensal Green, England, but was afterward brought to Waterford for reinterment. Artemus Ward's uncle Daniel married Anna Hamlin, sister of Hanibal Hamlin. Colonel Henry Watterson is running a series of reminiscences in the Saturday Evening Post on men, women and events during eight decades of American history entitled "Looking Backward." Colonel Watterson is always interesting, no matter what he is writing about; but it as scarcely to be expected he could write on a subject connected with Oxford County. During his long life Mars' Henry has come in contact with most of the important personages of his own country, and come of those across the water. These include such men a s Huxley, Tyndall, Mill and Spencer. Paradoxical as it may seem his only acquaintance with Oxford County was gained across 3,000 miles of water in England. His point of contact and acquaintance was Artemus Ward, who was then (1866) making a lecture tour through that insular kingdom. It is well known that at this time Charles Farrar Browne, or Artemus Ward as he is more generally known, was in the last stages of tuberculosis, or consumption as it was called at that day. "His condition was pitiable," says Colonel Watterson, "he was too feeble to walk alone, and he was continually struggling to breathe freely * * * * Nevertheless, he stuck to his lecture and contrived to keep up appearances before the crowds that flocked to hear him." In this issue of the Post (March 22) Colonel Watterson give a detailed account of Browne's last days, which were quite generally known to Oxford County people, and then proceeds to give a biographical sketch of him and his parents and in this he makes some mistakes. He says his father (Levi Brown) was state senator and probate judge; but a perusal of the list of senators fails to disclose his name, and no documents among the records in the probate office of Oxford County can be found with his signature as judge. Nor does the History of the Town of Waterford published in 1879 mention such a fact. It seems probable there has been a mix-up in the political records of the family. Daniel Brown, (the children of Levi Brown were the only ones to add a final e to the name) and older brother and partner of the father of Artemus Ward, was state senator, but not Levi Brown. The only man by name of Brown to hold office of probate judge in Oxford County was Dr. Thomas Brown of Paris. Colonel Watterson says "little is known" of Artemus Ward or his antecedents, which appears to be a fact, for he is not the only writer to make mistakes concerning him. Don Seitz, business manager of the New York World, wrote an article about Artemus Ward and his birthplace in Scribner's Magazine away back in 1881, when he was editor of a local paper printed in Norway, only a few miles distant from Waterford, and he made the statement that Levi Brown was a merchant and land surveyor, and that he served the town of Waterford as clerk, selectman and representative to the legislature. The town records disclose the fact hat he served the town in the first tow capacities but not in the last. It was his brother, Daniel Brown, who was the legislative representative. People of Oxford County are interested in everything which pertains to Artemus Ward, for not only is he her foremost humorist but he is near the head of his class in the English speaking world. If Artemus Ward's father never assumed the dignity of probate judge in Oxford County, the will of the humorist reposes in the archives of the office. It was his last "goak." By this document he left millions to Horace Greeley to provide an asylum for printers --millions he never possessed. Quite likely he felt the need of such an asylum, and the grim "goak" may have put it into the head of Anthony J. Drexel and George W. Childs to build the stately home for aged printers at Colorado Springs. Colonel Watterson also says Artemus Ward apprenticed himself to a printer, serving out his time first in Springfield, Mass., and later in Boston. This may be a fact, but there are traditions in his native county that he learned the trade in Norway in the office of the Advertiser, which was owned at that time by his brother, Cyrus W. Browne. The History of Norway says he was employed as compositor there. There is one woman yet alive Mrs. David Porter Stowell, now of Dixfield, who remembers him while employed in the Advertiser Office. ************************************************* * * * * 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. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.