The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-08-17
The Judge meIlen House and its owaers

GU.
The Judge NeElen House and lis Gwaers.
Mr.. EDITOR; On passing down State street
in early summer I noticed preparations for ex-
tensive repairs on this house. This called up
the memory of the family of the eminent jur-
ist who erected it, and of the last, more dis
tinguished occupant.
Prentice Mellen was born in Sterling, Mass,
Oct IL, 1764. He was a graduate of Harvard
College in the class of 1884 He studied law
in Barn stable, and was admitted to the bar in
Taunton in 1888 According to custom on that
occasion he treated the court and bar with half
a pail of punch. He came to Biddeford and
opened an office in 1892 According to his own
description his beginning was of the most
humble kind. He said, ct opened my Office
in one of old Squire Hooper's front chambers,
in which were arranged three beds, half a
table and one chair. My clients had the priv
ilege Of sitting on some of the beds. In this
room l slept, as did also sundry travellers fire.
quently, the house being tavern" The whole
county of York. which then included large
part of Oxford, had only two other lawyers,
one of whom was in Biddeford. One term of
the Court of Common Pleas was then held
there. Mr.. Mellen became from 1904 the most
prominent lawyer in Maine, practicing in every
county In 1906 his practice in Cumberland
being extensive he removed to Portland, which
was then enjoying successful commercial
business. Mr.. Mellen became an executive
councillor, an elector for President in 1916,
and a Senator of Massachusetts in Congress in
Ear Ii1
On the organization OF Maine as separate
state Mr.. Mellen was appointed Chief Justice
of its Supreme Court, and the same year he re-
ceived the honorary degree of LII, D. from both
Bowdoin and Harvard Colleges. He became
constitutionally disqualified by age for the
office of Judge, being 20, in 1884, In 1888 he
was appointed by Gov. Fairfield to the head of
a commission to revise the public statutes of
the state. which were by them reduced from
nearly 1000 chapters to 17S-ths was the first
volume of revised statutes of Maine. and this
was his last public service. In 1895 Judge
Mellen married Miss Sally Hudson, of Hart
ford Conn. She died in 1888, having been the
mother of six children. all born in Biddeford.
The eldest son, Grenville, graduate of Har-
ward, is well remembered by many as liter
airy man, after studying law-he died in 1871
aged AZ.
Associated in my mind with this spacious
mansion are my recollections of Frederick Mel
len, the youngest son of the Judge, and our
comrade in the Old Rifle Corps. He was
member of the noted Bowdon class OF 1926
and seven others of that class also became
members of the Rifle Corps. viz: Edward d.
Preble, only son of the Commodore, Henry W.
Longfellow, the poet, Patrick Henry Green
leaf, son of the Professor. who became an
Episcopal clergyman, Josiah S. Little, George
w. Pierce. John d. Kinsman and Stephen
Longfellow, jr. The four last were law
yers of Portland, 'joly companions every
one" Frederic Meilen read law with
Stephen Longfellow, senior, and was adj
mitted to the bar, but his taste was
for painting and music. He opened law office
and his father tried to impress him with the
dignity of the profession, but Coke and Black
stone were overshadowed by the easel and can
vas-what he did read of law was with the pal
lette on his thumb. He finally turned his office
into studio in which he produced some fine
pictures. His favorite subject was a quiet
landscape with hazy atmosphere-on these
he excelled. He also wrote poetry and sung it
with enthusiasm, having fine voice. When
carrying rifle in the ranks of the fine old
corps he always led the refrain which eased
the step in weary march, yet there was a tinge
OF melancholy about him which cropped out in
all his poetry. He died In art life in Boston in
1884 aged 80 years. At the anniversary dinner
OF the company the next year, James f. Otis,
member, sung an anniversary song, which
was composed and sung by Frederick Mellen at
a previous similar dinner. The following Sc.
lection will convey an idea Of Mellen's style
and sentiment:
Sand as we pour the ruby wine,
Let not the hearts now hushed in death
Fer be forgot but memory Irvine
Around their names fresher wreath.
They rest in peace. The drums quick beat,
The trumpet's call no more are theirs;
But be it ours, as here we meet,
10 bless the brave OF olden years.
CHORUS.
Aud let our watchword ever be
Our Corps, our homes, and liberty
The last line of the chorus was adopted as the
motto of the company. and was emblazoned on
Gnelr banner in large Roman letters on q plain
neld of green silk. Otis supplemented this
song with one of his own composition which
sung to the air IA Soldiers Tear" with the
entire company standing. The following are
the second and third stanzas:
Where is the manly voice
That once so freely gushed,
In songs we all so dearly loved?
Alas! in death tits hushed!
All never more those notes
Shall charm the ravished ear!
Then comrades, pause amid your mirth,
Nor check the rising teaIi
Where is the friendly hand
So often clasped in ours,-
The hand. whose cunning art could Gull
Sweet natures fairest flowers!
No more It's cordial grasp
Shall ever greet us here!l
Then comrades, pausei and DER his grave,
Let friendship drop atear
Many soldiers tear acas shed at the close
ana this was the last of Frederic Meilen. His
I manner was that of a perfect gentleman under