The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-08-09
Hon Samuel e. Spring.

AA"h' O@lhuOi L. spring uleu al Ills resi-
dence in this city yesterday afternoon, pass
Ing away quietly and apparently painlessly,
surrounded by all the members of his fami-
ly. For more than a year he has been in
falling health, much of the time great suf-
ferer, aud for many months has left his
house only occasionally. His disease was a
cancerous affection of the stomach causing
an inability to assinilate food and resulting
in complete exhaustion
Samuel Evans Spring was born in Brown
field, Oxford county, May Is, 1912, being the
youngest son of the eleven children of
Josiah Spring, one of the first settlers Of the
town and soldier of the Revolution. His
grandiathers, Spring ard Evans were among
the founders of Fryeburg, further up in the
Saco valley, and both had seen service in the
French and Indian wars.
AT the early age of fifteen Mr.. Spring be-
gan bis business career as a clerk in
small cou ntry store; and soon thereafter be-
came propr eor. Herehe spent ten years
removing to Boston in 1887 Four years la
yer, his health failing him, he went to Bue-
nos Ayres, where his nephew, the late Ar
drew Spring, was then living, with whom
and Samuel B. Hale, a Salem boy, the CO.
partnership of S. B. Hale & Co. was formed,
which lasted till 1854, when the Springs re-
turned 10 Maine, establishing their homes
here in Portland. in 1854, and soon after
ward for med the cc-partner ship of A. & S.
e. Spring, under which firm name that great
aud growing South American business has
been done to this day, although Mr.. An
dew Spring died in 1876 For many years
the business consisted of lumber shipments
to Buenos Ayres; but for a long time the
arm has given its whole attention to the i'm
portalion of hides and wool SKINS The per-
sonal oversight, the expert knowledge and
the rare executive ability enlisted in the
prosecution of the business has given it I'M
broken success, and made the firm name re-
spected and honored in all the great markets
OF the world.
Mr.. Spring was twice married. His first
wife, daughter of General Daniel Bean of
Brcwnfield, died In Buenos Ayres in 1872
By this union he had two children, one of
"AS13 1Aips RhAip NCo'OllS ID sui itfIllS
In 1S49 be married Miss Zilpah Wadsworth
Barker of Hiram, who survives him, and by
which union there were six children, tour
of whom-one son and three daughters
are living.
Mr.. Spring was Republican in politics
having been Wing before the breaking up
of the old party lines-and an earnest aud
able worker in that organization In poll
tics, as in all things, he always held very de-
cided opinions. From the earliest to the
latest days of his life he had clear and un-
waverng purpose. He never drifted. His
political opinions and his political friend
ships were very strong, and his help In any
cause was most eagerly sought. Fortunate
was the man who had Mr.. Spring for a sup
porter. In 1857 and 1858 he was a member
OF the Board of Aldermen and in 1862 he
sat in the Common Council. In 1861 he
represented Portland in the Maine House of
Repre- sentatiVes, and in 1863 and 1864 was a
member of the Maine Senate. He was Presi-
dental Elector in 1872, and was delegate
to the Union convention in Philadelphia in
1866 called to clare against the policy of
President johnson. In that year, at the
earnest solicitation of many leading Repub-
licans, his name was presented to the Re-
publican State convention as candidate for
governor. AT any other time than at the close
OF the war, and against any man but the
have been nominated; but he was defeated
by few votes 10 the largest convention
that ever had been held in the State. De-
feat did not lessen bis party zeal, but on the
contrary he made his influence felt in the
campaign, as the large majority in Portland
and Cumberland county in 1866 showed
Many times in later years he has been Of
fered public positions, but has always stead
lily declined them, although never for mo-
ment abating his loyalty to the cause he
championed or the friends he loved.
Mr.. Spring was all his life public-spirit-
ed man in the truest sense, taking an active
part in every enterprise calculated to ad-
vance the interests of Portland. He had
been director in the Casco Bank since
1855 and for many years was its president.
He was a director in the Portland Compa-
ny, in the International Steamship Compa.
ny, in the Boston & Maine Railroad, Port
land & Rochester Railroad, Portland Star
Match Company, director and president of
the Atlantic & S. Lawrence Railroad, di-
rector and presid, Mt of the Westbrook Man
ufacturing Company, and commissioner of
the Sinking Fund of the Atlantic 6 St.
Lawrence Railroad. he was also a Direc-
tor of the Maine General Hospital TO whose
success he had contributed by influence.
time and money. He was member and one
of the chief supporters of the Park street
church. He was one of the founders of the
Merchants Exchange in which he was al
ways deeply interested, and an active mem
OF the Board of Trade for many years. He
was for time a Trustee of the Mercantile
Library Association.
In all matters of public concern he took
genuine, hearty interest. There was no
jealousy and no hypocrisy in his heart. He
could always be counted upon to do the gen.
erous and manly thing in the way of helping
a neghboring village or distant city if it
suffered from fire or food or pestilence; and
his prompt and cheerful response made 9TH
ers ready and anxious to help. No mans
name was more promptly upon the subscrip-
ton list for any worthy object, and none
carried more influence with it. He was a
noble benefactor, as he was a strong mer-
chant, and spirited citizen. In a creditors
meeting, in the Board Of Trade. or in the
lesser councils of his friends and neighbors
he was conspicuous for his earnest, hopeful
and charitable views. He was fettered by
no pet plans or theories, but went at once TO
the heart OF things, and like all men of pow
erful impulses was without ostentatious or
cumbersome methods in the bestowal of IA
vors or gifts. A well known officer of a
Maine Regiment, returning from the front at
the close OF the war with the remnant of his
command, arrived in Portland, en- route to
Bangor, at five o'clock, one Saturday night,
eve had," said he, writing of the matter al
forwards, "eaten our last ration as we left
the Sound steamer at daybreak, Rations
were telegraphed for to Boston Int when we