The Portland daily press., 1884-11-01
arve, for his paper on Standish, and referred
to the committee on publication.

serve, for his paper on Standish, and referred
| it to the committee on publication.
Mr.. William II. Smith then read very in
teresting paper on William widgery, whom it
will be remembered was one Of the ancestors
of the Thomas family of this city. Following
| is the substance of the article:
WILLIAM wIDeERY.
The town of New Gloucester has occupied an i'm
portant position in the history of the District of
| Maiue. Within its bounds resided the Chambers,
Foxcrofts Greenleafs, Pearsons, Woodlands, Whit
| mans Ma han Weston, Samuel Fessenden and other
| able men who in their day welded an influence
nearly as great as old Falmouth, and for learning
anc ability they had no superioIs in the county
just before the revolution the subject OF this sketch
became resident of this noted town. The family
tradition il thai he WAS born in DeVonsbire, Eng
land, and that the family name was Wedgee; that
when lad he ran away from home and went to The
city OF Philadelphia and chose sea afarng life for
an avocatiIn He began in the forecastle uhat
school now closed) from whence those able 9 M
manders of our merchantmen received their train
ing and carried our flag every port in the world
BY his great force II charac er and k en- insi hit in
to business he not only became the commander of
ships but owned them. and TO the day of his death
loved the seas. He improved his mind AMI, against
great odds. made himself prominent in our early
political history winning positions among men
noted for their ability and in the face of oppstion
unexampled in those days. Mr. Widgery was elect
ed a member of Congress- and during bis term of
service nearly 10 years ago, the following letter
was written to gentleman in this city from
friend of Mr.. WidgeFy:
In my journey, z, / have met and conversed
about Mr. WidgeFy with MIR. Taliaferro of Virginia.
Pendexter of Miss ssppi Cass OF Michigan, Pope Of
Kentucky aud many other men who were active
participants in the scenes that trie mems souls,
aud all, with one accord. Destow on his memory
the need OF their m st unqualified admiration for
bis political holocaust the altar OF his countrys
honor. Those who have looked inio the history of
the war of 1872 with eye to the conflicting COM
mercai, agricultural and manufacturing interests
which then as now forced themselves in the whirl-
pools of dscord upon the curreut of legislation, will
doubtless recollect that which was so deprecated
bv the people of Massachusetts, the very
measure Kentucky 7, joiced in for she ed
treaty home market tor her surplus crop Of corn,
employment for her surplus rihr men and an in-
crease of the naval marine of the sea board, (the
pfrui5 Of war; and to sell her staple crop of
kemp at an eahanced price for the best OF govern
ment pay. That while the honored Henry Clay. de-
serVedls lauded TO the skies for his zeal In promo
tug the for which he did not vote at last
for he was absent at the time OF taking the ques-
tion. Without wishing to draw disparaginZ COM
PARSONS or make invidious allusiODs to those no
stood up to their country. in the hour OF peril
think may be permitted to add that with his high
position as Speaker of the House his brilliant
power and dazzling eloquehce, and a cons utuency
PRAYING for declaration of war. 1t required of Mr..
Clay no exertion Of moral trmness to second his
unquestioned patri dism, but Of Mr.. wdsery almost
superhumsn fortitude to break the relentless storm
OF persecution and misfortune which beat upon his
unshetered head at that heart-trying crisis. Mr..
Wi gerry was in Congress moral hero proving
himself man of more moral mness, more un-
bending integrity aud self sacrificing patriotism by
taking on himself the unenviabie position and dan
gerous responsible OF voti against the express
will OF his constituents for hazardous ~ unequal
war with The better part OF his wealth his shppi 81
uninsured on the ocean to come in and rot at the
wbarves, while his town property (Dut Just recoVef
ing from the desoation OF the embargo-worse for
this infant seaport than war-must again become
unproductive furnishing his declining years pre-
carious support while he also uld have TO buffet
the storm II popular ind Equation which he aid"
Mr.. Wid9ery died July 31st 1922 He was ap-
pointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas by
Elbi idge Gerry in 1872 and was judge at the time
of his decsse. In person Mr. WiJgery was over six
feet in hes hit and STOUT in proportion. lie would
comm md attention anywhere. He was a man of
brilliant wit and quick at repartee One morning
he was coming down Exchange street, and as he
approached the Maine Bank which stood where
the Bank Of Cumberland does now, number of
the directors stood upon two large blocks of granite
that were TO be used in building The vault OF their
bank. One of them said to the others, LET US
have little fun with Widgsry." When Widgery
came along they said, THESE are the stones on
which Moses wIote the law" He replied instantly,
Il should judge so by the Hebrew characters see
upon them" Mr.. Widgery was a member of the
Mssonic fraternity, joining Portland Lodge Dec.
27th, 1885, and was the 111th member on its rolls.
MIR. Smiths paper was received with loud
applause, and later dispo ed of in the same
manner as that of Dr. Messrve. The usual
routine Of business followed, after which the
meeting adjourned,