The Portland daily press., 1885-03-19
A SOUTH PARIS BOY.
How n Poor Boy of Oxford County
Worked His Way Up in the World.

Lewiston Journal.)
VIM. Deering, the founder of the firm of
Wm Deering 4 Co, Of Chicago, the most ex-
tensive manufacturers of agricultural imple-
ments in the world, was born and bred at South
Paris and his father, Judge Desring, now lives
there. A more successful business man than
VIM. Deering never went out of Maine. By
his own exertions he has amassed fortune es-
timated at five to ten million dollars, and is
still increasing his pile. Forty-five years ago
he was poor boy in Oxford county.
He went to the town schools at Soath Paris
and his father, desiring to put him through
college sent him to Readfield to fit at the SEM
mary there. About this time his father start
ed wooden mill at South Paris. He was IN.
fortunate in the enterprise and sunk the most
OF his property. William gave up his idea of
going to college, and thought he would become
doctor. He studied the doctors books for a
while, but he had too strongly speculative in
stinct to settle down TO study, and with a small
capital started country store. His father
says, civilian never could do a small bust
ness," and his career proves that his fathers
remark is true. He soon became the leading
merchant Of South aris. Then he went into
buying land warrants and made a handsome
fortune in the speculation. He drifted to
Portland and founded the dry goods iobbing
house of Deering & Milliken, which has be.
come widely known. Ill health led to his re-
tirement from this house. During the war,
Deering made two or three hundred thousand
dollars as a contractor for clothing for the Ma
tional troops.
After Mr.. Mccormick had invented his fam
ous harvester and binder and it had secured
worldwide reputation, man named Marsh
patented an Improvement, which, since its
perfection, has doubled the value and efic-
iency of the machine. When the Marsh i'm
provement was in its crude state, Elijah Gam
mon, who had been Methodist minister and
preached at South Paris. bought the patent
and spent considerable money in attempting
to perfect it, He had to work 10 a small way,
as his means were limited. Through his ac-
quaintance with Cannon. whom he had
known at his old Oxford county home, Deering
was induced to devote his capital to the de-
velopment of the patent He saw that there
were millions in 1t, and he went into the en-
terprise as he went into everything on bold
and grand scale. He spent several hundred
thousand dollars, before he got anything back
When he had perfected the machine, it justi-
fed his foresight and confidence. 1t has had
an immense sale in all parts OF the civilized
world. Deering has taken the lead over all
competitors. His factories cover twenty-five
ceres OF land in the suburbs of Chicago he
employs 1900 men and sold $4,000 harVesters
and binders last year.
Mr.. Deering is go years old. He has given
an interest in the concern to his two sons, his
daughters son, and three of his principal
workmen. Elijah Cannon, the one-time
Methodist preacher, retired from the firm after
he had made three or four hundred thousand
dollars.
Mr.. Deering has paid strict attention to his
business, since he has been in the West, and
has kept out Of politics. When ne was in
Maine he was something of a politician, and
served as member of the Governors Council.
The venerable Judge Deering and his
equally venerable wife have lived together the
remarkable term of sixty-three years, Oa the
wall OF their cosy home at South Paris hangs
large oil painting of their sons mammoth
works, recently sent to them by their grand
sons as Christmas present. The judge occa-
sionally remarks that he guesses it was provi-
dental that he did not make a success Of his
woolen factory, and that William ava up his
idea of becoming DOCTOR