The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-09-26

SAINTS ON eartn, mas been taheu itom us 10
saint in Heaven. The places which ha,
so long known her, and been so long famili;
to her, will know her no more. Abigail Ho
ton, the beloved Quakeress, died Sept. 16t
at the great age Of so years, months ST
was born in Ipswich, Mass, May 26th, III
She has left but two persons in the city, oldt
than herself. At the age of twenty years, Sd
came to Portland to visit friend, when SD
formed the acquaintance of Rufus Horton,
young Quaker, then in active business j
Portland, and was married to him in 1902
Her maiden name was Lord, descendant
Robert Lord, one of the first settlers of lbs
| witch. She was a sister of the late VIM. Lor,
| for many years the faithful treasurer of Port
land. Although she was educated Congre
gationalist, she was led by the associations o
her husband TO join the Society Of Friends
which contained at that time some of on
most respectable inhabitants; as Samue
Hussey, VIM. Purington, Josiah Dow, Gage
the Winslows, Halls, &C., and became eve
after firm and consistent member of that de
nomination. Her husband came there from
Milton, Mass. in 1888, and actively engaged
in trade, as partner, first with the late John
Hobart, then with Isaac Mcclellan, and after
wards with his brother John. His place o.
business was the Warren brick building on
Fore street, in part of which he lived for a
time, and subsequently in the one story house
which stood in the rear, the Proctor House
the oldest in town when it was swept away
with the brick store in which he kept, and
all the other brick, stone and wooden build
ings, like hay and stubble, before the destruct-
i've fire of 1866. How strange it seems to us
OF this generation, especially the new corners
to our city, to hear or see the names of these
elder inhabitants revived, who have gone
with the buildings they occupied, anu in
many cases even their families, and left no
trace behind, except in the decaying memo
ries of some ancient contemporaries. What
fieeting thing is human life. "Strangers
Iced our flocks, and aliens are our vine dres-
sers," truth and virtue only remain perma-
nent and perpetual. So let it be.
When Green street was opened in 1901 Mr..
Horton purchased the lot of land on the cor
ner of Congress and Green Streets and erect
ed the brick block now standing there, part
of which was finished for dwelling house, in
which he ever after lived and where both he
and his wife died; his death took place in
1910 at the age of 81. They had six children,
one son Rufus, whose sudden and lamented
death occurred August 10, 1867, and five
daughters, three of whom survive. In 1862.
these children, except two then dead, gave to
their mother birth day ovation to commem-
crate her Goth birth day. The children,
grandchildren and great grand children as
sembled at the old homestead to the number
of thirty, tu pay their a6estionate regards to
the venerable mother who bore them and
trained them TO usefulness and responsibility.
Her son Rufus then 81 years old led the grace
full procession,and all engaged in pleasant remi-
nisences and innocent amusements becoming
the occasion and the happy group then col
lected together. She was taken round town
to revisit the scenes of her earlier lite and en-.
younger portion of the company. 1t was
happy family circle; life had flowed smoothly
and sweetly with them; the principles of their
sect had been consistently maintained; in
tegrity, industry and virtue had character.
lied their lives and faithful, and quiet dis
charge of duty had brought its full and just
reward.
At the age of 80, her hearing was as quick
as that of young person, her sight good; it
was one of her greatest comforts TO be able to
read, and the Bible was the solace of her leis-
ure hours. She enjoyed excellent health until
within the last year. She engaged in house.
hold duties, and often took long walks abroad.
The death of her only son, who had been her
stay and staff and joy, was great and abiding
sorrow, and overshadowed the last years of
her life; he was everything son should be,
kind, considerable, affec.ionate, and returned
to his aged parent the assiduous and devoted
attention which had reared him to usefulness
and honor.
Mrs. Horton had lived through great chang
es; she had seen the town of 5000 inhabitants,
with scarcely brick building in it, and but
three church buildings, become commercial
emporium, with splendid public edfces, ware
houses richly stored with merchandise from
all chimes, grand churches, and luxurious pri-
vate dwellings which may rival those of the
largest cities in the land. 1t was her privi-
lege to ride in the first four wheeled carriage
ever introduced into Portland, which was
brought here from Boston, by Peter Warren.
She lived to see innumerable livery carriages
OF Itch and splendid structure, with numerous
private carriages in the use of wealthy fami-
lies. She remembered, as well as does the
writer of this notice, when the first private
four wheeled coach was introduced, and this
was by Capt. Asa Clapp,and attracted much no
tice and general comment. And also remem-
Der when no physician in town used a horse in
his practice; they all made their rounds on
foot, and 1 dare say they found that species of
practice beneficial, at least to themselves.
Another of the old land marks is now re-
moved, and though her usefulness would seem
to have long since ended, yet her wonted place
and sphere will be vacant, and there is no one
to fill it, We look with sad eyes to the va
cant arm Chair; the life so long protracted
must come to an end. God has set its des-
tined duration in the heart of everything; the
desire of the aged Barzillai is accomplished in
our deceased friend, that she might die in her
own city and be buried by the graves of her
friends. She has gone to her long home, and
her funeral walks the streets.
Thus in the calm retirement of home she
had occupied for over go years, surrounded by
children and kind friends, has closed this long
and simple life; the vanities of the world all
around her, and yet she always apart
from them, unmoved by the pomp and pa
geantry If the time, or the vicissitudes which
have thickly occurred during the century OF
her existence. She lies quietly in her grave,
and time and change will come to her no
more. No pomp attended her funeral, no
herald marshalled the procession to the hum
BILE tomb of this sainted woman. W.
MAINE CENTRAL ExTENsIoN.-The first pas
senger Car passed over the Maine Central Ex-
tension last Friday, with the following
officials: Hon. r. D. Rice, President; Ex-Gov.
A. T. Morrill,, Vice President; A. D. Lock
wood and G. M. Patten, directors; Edwin
Noyes, Gen. Supt.; L. L. Lincoln and Arthur
Brown, Assist. Supts. A. w. Wildes, s. r.
Corser, Allen Colby, Geo. Nevens and w. c.
Pitman were on board as invited euests The