The Portland daily press., 1883-04-19
(Caials Ilmes.)
JEREMIAH CURTIS.


Additional Facts Concerning HIS History
In our last issue we noticed the death OF
jeremiah Curtis, formerly a well known busi-
ness man OF Calais, and republlshed from the
Baptist Weekly brief mention Of his life
Facts for more extended notice have since
come TO hand
He was possessed OF qualities which would
have ensured his success in any business or
profession. Starting as poor boy and en-
countering the usual yicissitudes Of mercantile
life, he lived to attain great wealth. He
was native OF Hampden. And the newspap-
ers generally have been wrong IN stating that
he was once the Prohibitory candidate
for Governor Of Maine. He was Ethe 4 Lib
erty or Abolition candidate in 1s41, receiving
1862 votes. John Fairfield was the Democrat
&c candidate and Edward Kent the Whig can
didate. Mr.. Curtis was not only one Of the
early abolitionists, but pronounced temper
ance man as well, in days when temperance
advocates were few and far between.
When quite young man Mr.. Curtis went
from Hampden TO Freedom, in Waldo county,
where, In connection with Thomas Pickard Of
Belfast, he engaged ia business, and was very
successful by his enterprise and activity. At
the time Of the great land speculation in Maine
Mr. Curtis removed to Calais, and with his
brother-in-law, Mr. Richards, went into the
lumber business, the firm being Jeremiah
Curtis e. Co. AS before said Mr.. Curtis was
strong Abolitionist, and while living in Calais
he created quite sensation by entertaining at
his house Fred Douglass, who but short time
before had made his escape from slavery. The
pastor OF the Baptist church, OF which Mr..
Curtis was a member, was a pro-slavery man,
and commotion was created which ended in
the pastors seeking pulpit elsewhere. Mr..
Curtis was also prime mover in building at
Calais what is believed to have been the first
temperance hotel erected in Maine. These
were days when rum reigned everywhere. He
also established bank here, and built, from
Calais TO Milltown. the first railroad in Maine.
Having been unfortunate in his business
adventures at Calais Mr.. Curtis removed TO
Bangor, where with Mr.. Perkins Of Portland,
he established the well known firm OF Curtis &
Perkins, druggists. Soon after the firm got TO
work they put in the market what has since
proved 10 be one of the most profitable of So
called patient medicines-Mrs. Winslow's
| Soothing Syrup. The recipe or formula was
obtained from Mrs Winslow. the mether-in-
| law OF MIR. Curtis, who first prepared and used
| it, Curtis * Perkins did not sit down in their
Bangor store and wait for customers to call up
dleIs' carts, BY which their goods were carried
TO everyone's door in this and adjoining Staies,
These carts were handsomely painted and dec
GRATED, drawn by fine horses, and created al
most as great sensation in the smaller places
then as a circus procession does now. They
were the first to equip their agents in this fine
style, and the first TO put on sale chewing gum
| prepared in small round sticks. They sold a
painkiller also, but the soothing syrup became
the great feature OF large and growing busi-
Mr. f,urffe OuIV QnfaFnFiclOu
| but original in his methods. This latter
/ quality he showed in advertising his business,
| and in creating a sale for the novel, Nova
days" written by his daughter, Miss Laura
| Curtis. Months before the book was published
4 the agents of the firm were busy painting
s'Now-a-days' on rocks, walls and fences al
| over the State The same line appeared in
/ all the newspapers. Public curiosity was
| wrought up to the highest pitch, and then,
| when the book was ready, the usual an
| word Nowadays" A large sale was the
natural result. Miss Curtis subsequently, pub
| lished second book, entitled Christine, !"
which does not appear TO have attracted much
| attention.
About 1852 or '53 Mr. Gusts removed with
his family to New York, taking up his resi-
| dence in Brooklyn, and continuing his busi-
| ness under the name Of Jeremiah Curtis &
| Sons, his former partner, Mr.. Perkins, re-
| turning TO Portland. A large factory was
erected, covering a whole block, and business
| was conducted on large and prosperous
| scale. The second daughter married Loomis
| Taylor, Esq, of Bangor, and Miss Laura Cur
| tis became Mrs. Bullard. The latter obtained
prominence In social and literary circles, and
was one of the editors Of The Revolution, a
voman's rights weekly published for several
| years in New York. Mrs. Taylor died some
| four years ago. Mr.. Curtis has left a widow,
two daughters, and two sons, Jeremiah and
| George