The Portland daily press., 1884-05-23
MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The Spring Meeting Report of the Libra
Mountaineering Papers Read.

ming. Perhaps score of members and score
more OF visitors were present at the afternoon
meeting. Among those noticed from out of
town were don. j. W. Bradbury, Augusta; r.
x. Sewall, Wiscassett; Joseph Williamson,
Belfast; j. g. Elder, Lewiston; Hon. j. w.
Porter, Bangor; DIR. Lapham, Augusta; VIM.
Goold. Windham; Rev. Samuel Longfellow;
e. FL. Elwel. Alexander Longfellow, E. P.
Burnham, saco; Henry c. Thayer, woolwich,
and Prof. Geo. T. Little, Brunswick.
President Bradbury called the meeting to
order and called upon the Secretary. Mr.. Fl.
W. Bryant, who presented the following re.
poxt:
Mr.. President and Genllemen:-Itis NV pleasing
duty 70 acknowledge large number of important
accesslons TO our library and cabinet since our win
ter meeting. w.
Hannay's History of Acadia is received from W.
from H.. W. Richardson. The Woods and Lakes of
Maine from Lucius l.. Hubbard Three bonnd
volumes and one hundred miscellaneous pamphlets
from Charles +. Nash. These are important as
serving to complete certain departments in Maine
photography. From Mr.. Nash are also received
several early Maine newspapers. The Archives of
Maryland. Volume from the MARYLAND Histori
cal Society; 20 volumes of State reports; SO
volumes OF Congressional Globe; 20 numbers
American Advocate of Hallowell 1911: 90 num-
bers Oxford Observer 1926; an account of the
semi-centennial of the Oxford Democrat: 70 num-
H y. tt Sro Norway advertiser, Herald of Liberty
anu otheI early Maine newspapers and bound
volume OF jerks Portland Gazette from 1901 to
1873, an from Dr. VIM. B. Lapham. The 9th re-
port OF the Records Commissioners from the city
Of Boston and also Liber of the Snffolx deeds
from the same source Dorothea Scott from g. d.
fth birtb6 deporE OF the celebration Of his eighty
history OF the 36th regiment MASSACHUSETTS, yolun.
deer 4l IRON Key Henry s; Burrage. Sermon on the
II. Levensaler A large sheet pedigree' Of the
Conant family, from +. Q. Conant. Several copies
o. an ADDRESS delivered at Worcester on Maine, its
geography ana history, from the author, Albert p
Marble OF Worcester, Mass. Volumes 2 and 5 of
their collections from the Chicago Historical
frona o an ADDRESS on the Generals Dearborn
me oneida Historical Society," from c. W. Darling
OF Utica. Six volumes and twelve pamphlets from
Wells family of Maine. from Charles x. Wells of
Miiwaukee. The New YORK Historical Society's
orSa aOr hooi from the society. Memoir of
Of S 5ea Nayi2auon, from the author and the
Ssteadfass friend Of our society, Rear Admiral
From Admiral Preble we have received also the
smpmasters, Assistant, published by Daniel john
son SOM IN Portland, 1907. 1t was printed by j. Mo
Mr.. PreDle remarks, this work was the parent of
numerous editions of Shipmasters' Assistants pub
hshed In Boston and New York.
From our corresponding member Robert N
Gouroln, Esq, OF Charleston, s. c., we have re-
celved eight important pamphlets relating to South
carolina In Mr.. Gourdin's letter of acceptance to
our corresponding secretary he saws 81 am oIsd Of
tne opportunity to ask you to give them place be-
cause belieye that whoever of your people may
ieau tnem Will Draw from them fairer and better
knowledge of their countrymen here than probably
they had before They are sent to promote con-
cln d and good feeling through means of truth
ana not 10 OFFEND. and will cheerfully send you
additional copies should they be called for"
Volume 1, Spirit of the Times; Volume q Scien-
from Miss j. W. Wildrage. The history ' Of ST
Jonn prize essay from the author. d. L. lack
Inirty Bowdon College catalogues from Mr.. Jo-
rvo1x,
are now in fair way to complete our collection of
the Bowdoln Annual and Triennials from the be-
s elnnfhg. e. we nave completed volumes third and
lour OF inc miscellaneous Genealogical ct Herald
ca published in London and have the indexes We
nope IN time to secure the missing numbers of the
Two previous volumes. We have made Begin
ming in classifying our Maine pamphlets by towns
Many towns are represented only BY a single pam
palet. we should be glad to have the cooperation
ol our members throughout the State in making a
good showing for each town and city in its various
reports, lists of tax payers, etc.
BY exchange and purchase we have secured the
History of sutton Mass; the BOSTON Gbronic1 1
Hol: l, I168; History of Bandon Island; Draper's
history OF Kings Mountain and its Heroes, and
IlLcomDs OF New England People,
You will observe that the bust of our late distin
gulshed associate, Israel Washburn. has been
placed upon the wall of the library and surmonnt
ing his portrait in crayon Both are considered
lar hkenesses and will serve to remind us of one
VINO being dead yet speaketho
The Cabinet Record; the Broadside issned nv tho
Gun cumberland Bank of Portland in 1911 Offering
SIoooo reward for the recovery of its stolen prop
ehy presented by Philip G.. Brown; numbers Of
the Columbian Centinel for 1893 and 1897. from
y; d; Wyer; the Falmouth Gazette for February
10, 1876, from f. j. Rollins banner of the No K
FIRE Company of Portland, organized in 1901 from
the Casco Fire Company; records Of tbe iictin.
g1!nsner Engine Company of Portland 1918 to
ioo9, with hst OF members, from P. G. Manning;
PPaIcIIment qeed to Joshua Scottow and others Of
scarborough, Me-. 1884, signed by Thomas Dan
l0rtn, VINO was president of the District of Maine
In n rs an original title deed and embraces most of
sno LOWE OF scarborough. 1t is presented by Mrs
Natnan clifford. Abel Bowen's Map of Portland for
1919. from DR.. w. b. Lapham. This is one of the
earnest maps OF this city that gives the names of
the streets. From DR.. John S. ii. Fogp Of South
Boston. massachusetts, and corresponding mem
Pet o. t6e Society we have received volume
g 10wn OF Eliot, Maine, in 1887, with their ages
Inc DOCK contains many signatures; also from DR.
OF Enot also several Confederate bonds and broad
sides. From MIR. James E. Fallon we have several
grlaa Comments relics Of the late rebellion.
90 DuiIet pioughed up at Northport Maine in
1888, and supposed to have been fired nv the
Brltisn IN skirmish there September %. 1874
from David Drinkwater of Northport A mortar
MADE from the trunk of tree and used for grinding
corn Dy the garrison at Wells, Me-, in 1876 from
Byron Trip Of Wells. Acollection of North var
mouth and Belfast manuscript letters and sermons
from Dr. G. e. Clark of Boston. Dr. Clark is son
OF Portland and has had the good fortune to rescue
date back to colonial time, Silho1ettes of the
classmates Henry w. Longfellow and our reyered
RTe aa are received from Mrs. j. A. Titcomb
gether for the past half century
SILHOUETTE OF LoNGFELLow
The reference to the two silhouettes of Longfel-
low and the president called forth some few re-
marks from the latter He said that during the
senior year of Longfellows class it was pronosed tn
exchange silhouettes before separation Hawthorne
was 50 shy and medtatiye, absorbed in his thoughts
ana the companionships of his few friends that
they were unable to obtain his. good number
were secured however and his book now contained
ley, Pierce and Shepley and Others now living At
the both anniversary of the class Is were living
put death has entered the number since and but
seven now remain of the class of 1926 1t had not
then been discovered that the sun would do the
work OF portrait painter and this was the only
way TO preserve what would be to the eye remind
or OF our friends. Reference was made to the duel
go called, in which Cilley fell; and to the wonder
Iu changes made since that time III every direction
ana 10 the amazement which telegraphic dispatch
excited when sent from Washington to Baltimore
70 the convention which nominated Polk for the
PRESIDENCY In 1874. The President closed his re-
marks with an interesting description of journey
which Longfellow and some of his classmates once
made by water to Portland.
Rev; Samuel Longfellow, on the close of Presi-
dent Bradbury's remarks presented to the society
TWO autograph letters of William Elery one of the
signers to the Declaration of Independence, one
each OF FISHER Ames and Joel Barlow, and an orig.
nal petition Of ancient date presented by the in
cut.
The thanks of the society were extended to Mr.
Longfellow.
Hon. Joseph Williamson was next introduced to
read me nrst paper OF the Historical Review of
II
stract.
HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE OF
MAINE.
In TOO Rev. Samuel Body was ordained az
minister at York, under discouraging circumstsn-
ces, when Indian wars had wasted the country and
in one of which his own predecessor had perisbed
He is known not only as a clergyman but as a
pioneer in Maine literature being the author of a
number of religious books and of several election
sermons. well known pamphlets. Besides these
publications there is little of what refers to the his
tory or literature of Maine up to the close of the
Revolution at the close of the war; the popula-
ton of this region doubled commerce increased and
a separation from Massachusetts, was urged The
Falmouth Gazette, printed in 1885, was the first
paper printed in the district and next February
will complete hundred years of printing in our
State. An anonymous phamplet containing glow
ing account of lands in Maine was one of the most
Sullivans history the most important contribu-
ton to Maine literature before the close of the last
century. The earliest bound book published in this
State entitled ''Female Friendships'' and
published at Hallowell Very little was written
by Maine menup to 1900, and nothing whatever
was printed on fiction, art, or science After this
Maine rapidly increased in population, and books
poured into the State, though written abroad and
save in politics and perhaps theology we had
acquired little in the way of literature up to the
year 1920. In 1910 Bowdoin had library of but
1000 volumes while Gen. Knox had perhaps the
only private library worthy of the name in the dis
trict With the separation in 1920 came an ad-
vance in every direction, though few books were
printed our literature just then beginning to
crystalline. How it had proceeded since the large