The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-05-16
territory Of the State involate, but was not sue

territory OF the State inviolate but was not sue
cessful.
Gov. Kent resumed the practice of the law
at Bangor after the close of his last gubernato-
rial term with Mr.. Cutting, with whom he con-
tnued until he was appointed consul to Rio
Janeiro by President Taylor in 1S49. The du-
ties OF this Office he discharged satisfactorily for
four years or until President Pierce relieved
him by appointing his ancient opponent Col.
Parks. He resumed his practice again in Ban
gor in association with his brother George and
continued in his profession until 1852 when
Gov. Lot NJ Morrill, appointed him justice OF
the Supreme Court of Maine. On the bench
he found himself once more in association with
his old colleague at the bar, Judge Cutting.
Judge Kent was reappointed in 1866 by GOV.
Cony and held the office until 1878.
After leaving the bench he spent year IN
Europe visiting England and the continent
In 1874 he again resumed the practice OF the
law at Bangor, and between this time and MS
death he was engaged in a number OF impor-
tant cases. The last public position held by
him was that of president OF the convention
for the amendment Of the Constitution OF the
State in 1875. At the time OF his death he was
a member of the Maine Historical Society TO
which he was elected in 1881.
Judge Kent was twice married. Ills hrSt
wife was Sarah, daughter of Nathaniel john
son Esq. of Hillsborough, n. IL. By her he
had three children, but none of them survive
Mrs. Kent died in 1858. In 1853 he married as
Lynn Mass. She and one child bearing his
fathers name are still living.
One who was intimate with Judge Kent
gives as the most prominent features OF
his character, openness of nature, amenity and
kindness of disposition, capacity for and appre-
citation of wit and humor. He was not only wit
ty himself, but the ''cause OF wit in others. ="
His humor was of delicate kind and his con-
versation was always free from ribaldry or
coarse and vulgar anecdote. He was a
~,
rem at the bar, and often INDUCED himself in
relating them though never in spirit of envy
or malevolence. Many anecdotes are related
illustrative of the Judges keenness and ready
wit. On one occasion plain and honest farmer
being shocked by the anti-religious sentiments
of a man who was haranguing on board a
steamboat, stepped up to the Judge, who was
on board, and expressing his horror, asked the
Judge if he knew the scoffer and if he wasn't
a fatalist. "Oh he's druggist" was the sug-
gestive reply Once, when Governor, he OBJ
jected to the day his council selected as
Thanksgiving, on the ground that there was
no moon on that day, and therefore the young
folks couldn't enjoy moonlight sleighride.
Riding in stage coach one day soon after he
had been elected governor, with Hannibal
The hostler brought it back lighted and about
half smoked up. Turning to the hostler he
said "Well, friend, as you have taken so much
trouble and got along so far you had better
nnlSn H. Uneu turning 10 MT. I1dlnlln ne SAID,
81 might perhaps have gone it few weeks ago,
before the election, but it is a little too demo
cratic for me now.' The Judge used to tell of
member of the Maine bar who introduced as
witness very aged person and continually
spoke of him in his argument as the "old cen
turion". Once a convict appealed to him for
clemency on the ground that he had been
abandoned by his wife and had no home.
''You want home," pleasantly replied the
Judge; ''you have acquaintances in the State
Prison, have resided there, have you not?,,
eyes," replied the criminal. Gin that case, !"
replied the Judge, 81 think the State Prison
will be very good home for you for eighteen
months
Judge Kent was possessed of a splendid
physique, of a benign and attractive counte-
nance, and a courteous and engaging manner
He was fond of society and one of the sweetest
enioyments of his declining years was to revive
with the friends of his youth recollections of
bygone days. He abhorred meanness and COW
etousness and was content with a modest COM
potency. The death of his old friend, Judge
Cutting, was great shock to him. 'When 1
heard he was dead" said he, II felt that the
world would have less of sunshine for me here
after" Soon after the Sth of January, 1876,
his seventy-fifth birthday Judge Kent's
health began to decline His visits to his
office became irregular and the public learned
with sadness that he was afflicted with fatal
disease. He gradually grew worse until the
morning of the 10Th of May, when his life
closed.
On this paper remarks were made by Hon.
Geo. F. Talbot, Gov. Washburn and Lewis
Barker.
On motion of Gen. Brown thanks were voted
to Judge Godfrey and Gov. Washburn.
Rev. Charles w. Hayes brought up the sub
ject of the repair of the Gorges monument in
Plymouth church, England, and it was recon-
mitted to him and the standing committee to
carry out the repairs.
At the evening session Gov Washburn' s
paper was completed and the thanks of the So
ciety were tended him for his valuable con-
tribution on the Northeastern Boundary ques-
ton, and the standing committee on publica-
ton was instructed to take into consideration
its publication as a third volume of the adocu-
mentary history of Maine.
The meeting then adjourned.