The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-03-10

His Ancestry aud Some Facts Relating 90
His Early Life la Portland,

any allusion to his ancestry or to his early life
in his native town Of Portland. I commence
this article to supply that deficiency, having
the necessary personal knowledge of his early
life and the closing half OF that Of his honor
ed father.
George Henry Preble's grandfather was the
noted military commander, "Brigadier" Jsdde-
diah Preble, who was born in York in 1701 and
came TO Falmouth Neck in about 1748. In
1854 he was married here to his second wife,
who was Mehitable, daughter of Capt. Joshua
Bangs, who lived in house which stood on
kuoll on what is now Commercial street, and
few rods west OF India street, and having
wharf and warehouse immediately in front.
He also owned Bangs Island, which took its
name from him. He was q sbipm lster and
merchant, and represented the to Rn in the
General Court in 174l. He died In 1852, aged
7G At tue sale of his estate, his ION in-law,
Preble, purchased the homestead aud the isl
and.
Brigadier Preble had some Command in
some capacity IN most of the expeditions
against the French 10 Nova Scotia, Cape Bre-
ton, and Canada, during his time. He also
represented his town in the General Court, and
was couuci lor under Governor Pownal. AZ
the commencement of the revolutionary trou-
bles, be was a member Of the committee OF
the committee Of safety, and negotiated With
Mowatt to spare the town, bat would not con-
sent to give up the arms.
While a member Of the Provincial Congrels
in 1774, General Preble was elected command
er-iu-chief of the Provincial forces, but de-
clined the trust on account OF his age. He
died in 1884, aged n years. His monumental
epitaph closes by summing mp his public SER
vices in these word: "He acted on all the
stages OF life as a trusty commander ut sea, an
intrepid soldier, prudent general, wise
legislator, and an upright judge"
Brigadier Preble's third son was Edward,
the renowned commodore, OF whose well
known and brilliant career it is unnecessary to
speak.
At the death Of the commodore in 1907, he
left only one living brother,-Enocb, the
youngest, born in 1868. He was the father or
the Admiral Enoch Preble made his first
voyage to sea in 1779, in the midst of the war
of the revolution, when he was sixteen years
old, His second trip was in the privateer ship
Fox OF fourteen guns, his father being part
owner. She took one prize. This cruise was
made In 1880. In 1887 Mr.. Preble was made
master of the schooner Pallas. he was then
at the age Of twenty-four. In ALL aptain
Preble made twenty-seven voyages, in nine
| tsen of which he was master, and the most OF
| them were either to Europe or the coast OF
| Africa His last voyage was to Africa In the
schooner Reporter, belonging to John Oox
| and others, in 1924 The following extract
| from the instructions which he received from
| the owners gives an idea OF the manner In
which the trade was pursued from Portland
| for several years.
"You will proceed with all possible despatch
to the coast OF Africa, and there at one or moro
ports, dispose of your cargo to the best adj
| vantage, and receive therefor in return specie,
gold in bars, dust, ivory, Qarge IL 1t Is to be
| hadl Try hides and any other articles which
| you may think will pay the best freight home,
| and return to Portland" THE object Of the
| owners is merely to give you general instruc-
| tions, coDfiding to your superior judgment to
manage the concerns OF the voyage in such
| manner as will best promote their general In
| terest."
L.. 1900 Capt Enoch Preble was married to
| Miss Sally Cross OF Gorhsm. These were the
| parents Of George Henry Preble. The old
| Bangs homestead was within musket shot OF
Mowatts flag ship, ct the bombardDent, and
of course il was burnt. Two years alter the
| death OF the Brigadier, Mrs. Preble rebuilt the
| house and lived there until her death In 1900.
| At the sale of the homestead, 6er SOD, Capt:
/ Enoch, purchased 1t and lived there until
Il about 1880, when he sold 1t TO Lemuel Dyer,
i TIE shipwright, who made such extensive
| alterations and additions that no one would
| now recognize the plain two story wooden
| house OF 1885, with low hipped roof. There
| was a gardeners lodge at the south corner OF
| the lot. which was nearly smothered 10 gravel
| at the filling up Of Commercial street-it has
| disappeared within two or three years. Capt.
| Enoch Preble was an enthusiastic hortculturist
| and had the best kept garden In town. There
was a green slope from the house and garden
| fence to the capsill OF the breast work, with
| an unobstructed view OF the near anch rage.
Here and of these honored parents, Gsorxs
Henry Prsble was born February 25. 1885,
('the year without summer.
Is it any wonder that he inherited
taste for the SEQ, with such
ancestors, and only few rods OF greensWard
between his home and the dock, whose vessels
we're unloading the products of foreign lands,
and whose jbbooms reached halfway across
the lawn. There were always some outward
bound craft with her flags aloft, getting up her
anchor, with the ooy-oewilchiag cry OF "Xeo
heave o" from the sailors.
Young Prsble attended the public schools
| His last Instructors were Deacon Joseph Libby
aud James Brooks. He left school at the age
of fourteen, and in 1929 be was employed az
| clerk by Samuel Colman and bis successors,
| Colman, Holden and Company, in their book
| store, Exchange street, two doors below the
| present Bank of Cumberland. The writer then
| occupied the store next the bank, where be
first became acquainted with George Preble.
| This bookstore was nnors extensive than any
| other III the town. The firm were the repub-
fishers OF several English reviews and publish
| ers of two magazines of their own. They we're
| importers of goods ia their line direct from
Europe, which then seemed farther off than 1t
now does. Phiness Barnes was then clerk in
| this store.
Young Preble had natural taste for books,
which led him to collect all the current htera-
ture, such as pamphlets and the like, Of the
| time. now have four handsomely bound
volumes, of seven or eight hundred pagee, oi
this kind of miscellany, collected by him In
this store, with an index in each, with occa-
sional notes, in his own handwriting. / there
notice that his name Is written George H. N
Preble."
In May, 1881, Capt. Preble, father Of George
Henry, established a retail grocery, aud tool
I his son from the book store to assist him, bu
the business proving Improbable it was aban
| doned in 1884, Mr.. Colman having sold on
7 | his book store to his partners, removed to Bos
ton and opened similar store in Cornhill, con
. tinuing to publish his reviews and magazines
Knowing the value Of his former clerk al
s assistant, he offered him liberal salary TO q
| to Boston, which he accepted.
{ By the recommendation of John Anderson
/ Mr.. Preble received an appointment ss mid
t shpman. His appointment was dated October
/ 1885, His subsequent career has been writtel
( by several abler pens than mine. He has
since his lie in book store, been a coDstan
4 correspondent of mine, from which haV
0 derived much benefit. His death was an IN
d expected shock.
. must say word more OF Capt. Enocl
n Preble. Iu 1928 he with six others rsnfa
g scented the town in the Massachusetts Legisic
q q ture. In 1925 he was appointed inspector 1
# the Portland Custom House, where he serve
lt | four years. In 1888 he was chosen City MAJ
If shal and held the office, by reelection, fv
y years. BE was President of the Portland MI
II rine Society forty-dve years, declining n
Z election in 1918. Captain Preble died in 1S4.
Il aged 10. W. G..
g. Colby University.
IS The spring term opens tomorrow. A nun
Re Der of the students have already arrived
70 Waterville and all will be present at the opei
<. ing OF the term, with the exception Of vel
r. few " hose winter schools have not yet closes
IS, m, -, IN - it, ;noroaaia.