The Portland daily press., 1875-10-06

al Il alnOutn III the TFOVlnce OIL MAINE. Ine
commission went into effect Oct. 5, 1775, and
reads as follows:
By AUTHORITYof the CONGRESS.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, ESQ
Appointed Poftmafter General of all the
United Colonies on the Continent
of North America.
To all to whom thefe prefents may come,
tends gree ting: Know ye that I, the fad Ben
jamin Franklin, having received good Tefti-
mony of the Fidelity and Pubiick Spirit of
Samuel Freeman, IN the Prouance Of Maine
Gent and repofing great Truft and Confidence
Samuel freeman, to execute the Office and Du-
ties required OF Deputy Poft Natter have
deputed, Contributed, Authorized and appointed
and by thefe prefents do depute Contribute,
Authorize and Appoint the faid Samuel Free
man to be my lawful and fufficient Deputy to
execute the Office Of Deputy Poft Matter at
Falmouth IN the Province Of Maine, to have,
hold, ufe, exercife, and enjoy the Rights, Priv
ileges, Benefits and Advantages to the fame
belonging from the Fifth day Of October Unfit.
receive new Commission, or until the prefent
be fuperfeded under fuch Conditions, Cove
nants, Pr0vifoes, Payments. Orders and In
ftructions to be faithfully obferved, performed
and done by the faid Deputy aud Servants, as
he or they fhall from time to time receive from
me, or by My Order. In witness whereof l.
the faid BENJAMIN Franklin, have hereuuto fet
my Hand and caufed the Seal of My Office to
be Affixed: Dated the Firft Day of October,
1775. B. FRANKLIN.
The seal, in strict accordance with official
etiquette, is on the left margin, and bears the
following ''image and superscrpsion an out
stretched arm holding in the hand a pair of
balances with the motto, "Suan cuique tribue,"
which being interpreted is, ''Render unto every
one his due.''
The signature is in Franklin's handwriting.
The commission is printed in the old-fashioned
type, and is dusty and yellow with age. Judge
Goddard received it from Charles M. freeman,
Esq, of Baldwin, son of Rev. Charles Free
man, late of Limerick, and grandson of Dea-
con Freeman. 1t has been framed, and hangs
in Judge Goddard's Office. 1t is a most valua.
BILE relic of "ye olden time"
POSTMASTER FREEMAN.
Deacon Freeman is remembered by many of
our older citizens as tall and erect gentleman
of very energetic manner. He persisted in
wearing knee breeches and shoe buckles to the
day of his death, in 1881. He wore his wig
and cock hat until very late period, and then
only at the earnest solicitation of his most in
innate friends he reluctantly gave it up. 1t
seems that he wore wig at the age of ten
years, when his head was shaved.
Samuel Freeman was born in Falmouth in
174S. He began life as trader, occasionally
doing little law business, and in the winter
teaching school. In the early part of the ex-
element in regard to the Revolution he became
an earnest Wing, and in 1775 was elected a del
egate to the Provincial Congress from his ma
tive town. He was appointed Secretary Of that
body and held the Office for three years. In
1776 and 1878 he was reelected to Congress,
and while there was appointed Clerk of Courts
for Cumberland County, place which he kept
for forty-sx years. The same year he was ap-
pointed register of probate, and as above stat
ed postmaster In 1871 he was chosen deacon
of the first church, and continued in Office for
ty-ive years. In 1888 he was elected one of
the seectmen Of the town, and was reelected
for twenty-four years. In 1902 he was made
president of the first bank in Maine
A record is still extant in his own hand writ
ing, showing the number of offices which he
held at one time, being then ffty-four years
old, in September, 1897. He was "Justice of
the Peace, Clerk of the Court of Common
Pleas, Clerk of the Court of General Sessions
of the Peace, Register of Probate, Postmaster,
Selectman, one Of the School Committee, Clerk
of the Proprietors of sufferers townships, one
of the Committee of the Proprietors to settle
the towns, and one of the committee to pur-
chase lands for settlers, Treasurer of Bowdoin
College, committee to sell townships granted
to the college, Clerk of four eastern townships,
Narraguagus lands, and agent therefor; COM
mittee for building the Jail, Parish committee
and Assessor, committee for building the school
house, Secretary for Portland Academy; COM
mittee to sell lands in Standish, besides acting
as administrator and guardian for several pri-
vate parties"
He had quite literary taste, and while hold
ing all of the above positions, found time to de-
vote to literary labcrs. Among the works he
prepared for publication there was Town Off
Ger, Clerks Magazine, and Probate Direc-
tory, and later in life the Journal of Parson
Smith, extracts from which have often been
published in this paper. He remained single
until the age of thirty-four, when he was mar
ried to Miss Mary Towle of WATERFOWL. She
lived but eight years after the marriage, and
left three children. Deacon Freeman was mar
ried one year after her death to Mrs. Betty
Jones, daughter of Enoch Ilsey of Falmouth
Mrs. Betty Freeman died in 1881, leaving six
children as the fruit Of the union, which lasted
"A years. Deacon Freeman lived but few
months alter his wife's death.
He is spoken of as a warm hearted and pub
| lie spirited man. His public and private life
was without blemish, and his domestic rela-
tions were of the most pleasant nature. He
was firm in his religious principles, and was a
constant church goer. His eyesight was some
thing remarkable, and up to the time of his
death he was in the habit of reading fine print
without the aid of spectacles.
During the first year of Mr.. Freeman's in
| cumbency his income from the post Office
amounted 10 92 3s. cd. The mail arrived once
week and averaged only four or five letters.
| For the first eleven years of his service the
whole remuneration of the postmaster amount
| ed to only $40 2s Sd. In 1887 the first mall
wagon was put upon the route between Ports
| mouth and Portland; until that time the mail
had been carried by post riders. In 1888 ar
rangements were made whereby the mail was
| brought from Boston three times week in
summer, and twice week in winter. AS late
| as 1901 letters were four days on the road be-
tween Boston and Portland. In 1920 Josiah
| Paine contracted with the department to bring
the mails from Boston daily in twenty-seven
hours. The arrival of Paine's coaches at seven
O'Clock in the morning was then great event
As the roads improved the trip was shortened
| to twenty hours. AS late as in 1910 travellers
who were in haste left Portlan by the mai
coach at a. M, and arrived in Boston at 10 p
NJ; by the accommodation stage two days were
consumed in making the same journey. The
railroad reached Portland in 1912, and the malls
DOW pass over the same route in four hours.
Postmaster Freeman kept his Office for TWEEN
ty-nine years, until 1904, and then, as he wa
neither ready to die nor willing to resign" hi
was removed by President Jefferson to MAKE
room for Thomas M. Prentss Prentiss wa
succeeded in his turn by Robert Ilsley, DR.
Low, Nathaniel Mitchell and Thomas Todd
The dates of these appointments are lost, bu
application has recently been made to the Post
master General at Washington for the nfol