The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-03-31
NUMBER Is.
Joseph Durkee Williamson.

son. Esq, of this city, for memoir of Joseph Dur
kee Williamson, who died in Bangor in 1876 The
memoir, aside from its biographical value contains
much of historical interest and is clearly and con
cisely written. Judge Williamson, the subject of
this memoir, was born in Canterbury. Connecticut,
July 81, l1I9. His father George Williamson a ma
tive of Mdleboro, Mass, served in the Revolution
and participated in the battle of White Plains He
became resident Of Bangor in 1920 and died there
on the 10th Of October, 1922 aged s.. His wife
native Of Canterbury, survived him ten years. and
died. in this city Jan. 10th, 1882, aged %. "For over
half a century," says the memoir ''she was lie.
voted member Of the Congregational church. BY
her superior intellect, her practical bcnevolence
and her exemplary piety, She obtained the highest
esteem Of all who knew her. She was a constant
reader, and of 50 retentive memory that she could
turn to any passage of scripture without a concord
anee, and repeat correctly all of Or. Watts HYMNS
and psalms
The parents of William d. had six othcrthiIlren.
he being the eldest one Of whom, Joseph a LAWYER
and a graduate at the University of Vermont in
1872, resided in this city from 1916 to he time of
his death, on Sept 30h lo54, at the age of o. The
eldest son began his education in the common
schools of Amherst, Mass, and a the age of thir.
aid of a teacher. He pursued his studies under
many disadvantages, working on farm in summer
and attending school in winter until a permanent
injury to one of his arms, in 1897, nduced bv hard
labor, determined him to obtain. If possible a
liberal education. and that summer wa, the last in
which he followed the plough For three Years he
taught school keeping III Lis las9icsl studies ncaa-
while, and in Oct 1900, he entered William. College
rs Fro. baj., tI,o
ty-onc years of age. During the four succeeding
winters he taught school, but Notwithstanding
these absences by constant application Tie v4sabs
to maintain high rank in his class" Political rca
sons led him to remo;e from Williams College and
enroll himself As UCent at Brown University.
lie graduated from the latter institution Sent 5th
1904, with the highest honor, having IN oration in
the afternoon, and in the forenoon ~ SvlIogi,tc
dispute, with three others the best scholars in tie
class Upon leaving college he entered the office o
> f. Dickinson, of Amherst. as a law student, sub
sequently pursuing his studies with the Hon. IamI
Thatcher, of Warren, Maine, and completing them
with Jacob MrtiaW, ESD long an eminent lawvcr
at Bangor Gle WaS admitted to practice a, an at
torney in the Court of Common Pleas at C;t-tiI!c
which was then the shire town Of Hancock county,
on the 18th of November, 1907. His admission a. :,
counsellor in the supreme Judicial Court din not
take place until three years Iatrl. At that period
the profession of the law was maintained at a high
standard. IN attorney counsellor was REGARDED
as bound in honor to indemnify his client, for all
losses or damages which were occaSioncd by ncgli-
.Eencc or want of legal knowledge. The rules re-
quired that nine years, least be devoted to liter
airy and professional pursuits, TO qualify Il person
for admission to the supreme Court is IN attorney
and two years practice therein t" qualify him for
admission as Il counsellor
Mr.. Williamson decided TO establish himself in
Bangor. His success was 50 rapid that i'm tSI2
he wa. able to purchase ana occupy the estate at
the westerly corner Of Main and Middle street,
which for over thirty years was his hcmc. On the
4th Of January, l>0s he w;l4 commissioned bv Gov
ernor sullivan, County ATTORNEY tor the County of
Hancock. He held the same otlrc under d Federal
administration from ISL until 1876 when Penoh-
scot county was formed In 1909 he wa appointed
postmaster of Bangor and held the office until the
separation Of Maine from Massachusetts, in IS3o
In 1916 he was nominated ;s State senator, but
there no election by the people, and the Gencr-
al Court which had Il Federal maiortv filled the
vacancy by choosing the Hon. William Crosby of
Belfast, the opposing candidate, During the sue
ceeding four years Nj. Williamson was returned
by large majorties. lie Wt- am active and irluen-
tial member of the Legislature and 'hs wise in
hnence i'll efecting am ,mic;tblc ACKNOWLEDGMENT
of the political tie which had 50 long boupd
the great Province Of Maine to the Common
wealth of Massachusetts, and in securing an
equitable division Of the public property, wu-
conspicuous, and recognized by his immediate elcc-
tion As member of the first senate of the new
state Before the spring session closed he was
chosen as President, and "by hi, legislative expert
encc and legal knowledge, MIR. Williamson wa,
largely instrumental IN shaping the policy of the
new state BY the appointment Of Hon. VIM.
King the first Governor, a commissioner undertht
Spanish Treaty, Mr. Williamson a. President w
the Senate, became acting ana constitutional chief
magistrate. He held this position from May s2l
until the next December, when he resigned to take
his seat IN the 18th Congress, to which lie had been
elected from the eastern district in September. lIc
dcclined a second nomination and in March, l>2i,
resumed the practice Of his profession at Bangor
The following year he appointed Judge Of
Probate, Il position which he occupied for sixteen
years, until disqualified bv Il constitutional change
III 1889 he was Il Commissioner for examining the,
condition of the banks Of Maine For several years
ne was President Of the Peoples Bank of Bangor.
Under resolve OF the Legislature Of 1910 lie. was
selected AS Chairman of It Commission to visit the
retorlnltory institutions of, all the Northern States,
with view to the Improvement of the Maine state
Prison. The result of his Investigations wal en-
bodied m printed report which Ma Instrumental
in effecting salutHv reforms. This wa> the last
pubic station that he occupied.
OF Judge Wiamson, laDors aS A hiStoriaa
which began in ISL, and of many other interesting
details of his life, we have not space 70 speak. lie
was three times married. His last wife the daugh-
ter of Edward and Abigail Emerson Of York. Me.
still survives, residing at York; the home OF hrr
childhood, at the advanced age VI ~. still retaining
her faculties, both mental ami ply Steal in an uu-
usual degree. BY hi, first marriage he had five
children, three of whom survive Caroline j. now
Mrs.. John Chapman, of Boston; Harriet Hannah.
who married p. K. Hazeltme Of Belfast, Me; and
Mary Celia, now Mrs. Livingston Living-ton Of
no children. The only grandchildren of Judge vii
Hanson now living are Henry Williamson Haynes.
Of Boston, recently Professor Of Greek in the Uni
versity of Vermont; Mayo Williamson lIazeltine,
of New York, and Phillip Livingstone, of Fort Lee,
New Jersey, a student at Columbia College New
York In conclusion we quote the following para
graph from the Memoir OF Judge Williamson it
is said
He lived through important periods of our h-to-
ry, and was close observer Of passing events He
had witnessed the erection of new state the lie.
veopment of new resources and improvements, and
his own village grew beneath his eyes to be one If
the most t1ourishlng cities of the Union. No man
ever contemplated with more delight the prosperity
which surrounded him. Early mbued with the
love of liberty, he religiously cherished il to his
latest breath, and his political preferences were
something more than the mere ambition of the day,
they were founded on an honest and abiding sense
of right In all the duties of life, whether public
or private, he ever acted from the sncercs and
most conscientious motives No man had less du-
plicity OF character, none more devoted to
his friends and none received warner friend
ship in return. Gratitude in him was a sacred duty
never to be relinquishetl, and those only who were
best acq quainted with him knew the depth of his
feelings and the warmth of his heart
Cabinet Gossip.
1t is called a Cabinet of wits