The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-06
AT THE NoRLANDs.
Dedication of the New Public Library
Building
Presented to the Town of Livermore
by the Washburn Family.
Addresses by Hons. e. 3. Washburn,
Hannibal Hamlin and VIM.
p. Frye.

LEWISTON, Aug. 5.-The NOrlands, the
home of the celebrated Washburn family,
is spacious estate of $50 acres at South
Liyermore, 20 miles from Lewiston. On a
lofty site overlooking one of the finest OF
rural landscapes are an elegant mansion and
also beautiful Gothic library building of
granite, erected by the surviving members of
the Washburn family in memory of their
father and mother, Israel Washburn and
wife, and presented to the town of Liver
more for public use with 1000 volumes.
Today this fine building was dedicated with
appropriate ceremonies. The building is 80
by As feet with porch. 1t has high slated
roof with iron cresting, and large stained
glass windows add to the beauty of the ex-
terror. The interior walls are beautifully
frescoed and are hung with life-size portraits
OF many persons connected with the history
of the town, notably those of Mr.. and Mrs.
Israel Washburn, by Healy; DR.. Hamlin,
Vice President Hamlin, his son; Hon. Cor.
nelius Holland, ex-member Of Congress
GOV. Washbun of Maine; Gov. Washburn
of Wisconsin; Hon E. B. Washburn, ex-
Minister to France; Hon. w. d. Washburn,
ex-member of Congress from Minnesota,
besides many prominent early settlers of the
town.
There were many distinguished men pres
ent at the dedicatory exercises, which were
held on the lawn at the Norlands. Among
the guests were ex-Vice President Hamlin,
whose father, DR.. Cyrus Hamlin, settled on
the place about the year 1895; Senator VIM.
P. Frye; Colonel E. B. Haskell of the Bos-
ton Herald, native of Livermore; Gen.
Chas. Hamlin, Speaker of the Maine House,
and Hon. John P. Swasey of the Governor S
Council.
The dedicatory address was delivered by
Hon. E. B. Washburn of Illinois, who was
born at the Norlands.
He said it was under the impulse of no ordinary
emotion that he came to the spot where he was
born to honor the memory Of his father and
mother and to pay the tributel of his respect and
admiration for the virtues of the first settlers of
his native town of Liyerm0rc and of his native
county In all the struggles and vicissitudes of
an active life, both in private walks and public
positions, in his own and foreign land, Mr.. Wash
burn said, there had never been a day when he
could not repeat, in abiding affection for his native
spot, the couplet of Goldsmith:
.Where'er roam, whatever realms l see,
My heart untrammelled fondly turns to thee"
Livermore has history of which all its sons
can be proud 1t was named after Deacon Elijah
I4iyermore, the grandfather of ex-vice president
Hamlin; who honored the occasion with his pres
ence. The father of the vice president DIR. Cyrus
Hamlin, was the first physician of Lvermore and
built the house in which Mr.. Washburn and all
his brothers and sisters had been born. Mr.. Wash
burn spoke OF the life, character and public SER
vices of vice president Hamblin and Timothy O..
Howe, U. 5. senator from Wisconsin for eighteen
years, and postmaster general in the cabinet of
President Arthur, who was native of LivernOre
Gen. Publlus, r. r. Pray, who became an eminent
Jurst in Mississippi and judge of the high court of
errors and appeals, spent part of his early life in
Livermore as did also DR.. Henry Bond, an emf
nent physician and author in Philadelphia. The
early settlers of LivermOre are a brave and hardy
race, courageous and honest men, many of them
had been soldiers in the revolution.
He spoke about an hour and devoted nearly all of
his time to personal sketches of the pioneers Of
his father and mother. The address was of much
value as local history and it was enthusiastically
received
Hon. Hannibal Hamlin followed. He re-
lated anecdotes of his grandfather who
used to board around and receive small
salary from the town, as the first physician
of Liyermore and who managed to marry a
daughter of Elijah Livermore, who then
'owned the town." Contrary to Livermore's s
wishes, Mr.. Hamlin devoted most of his
speech to tribute to the Washburn family,
and said another family which had furnished
so many distinguished men could not be
found in the country. The Washburn family
has given the nation four members of Con-
gress from four different States, one Secre-
tary of State, two foreign ministers, two
Governors of two different States, one Major
General in the United States army and one
Captain in the United States navy.
Senator Frye made a ringing speech of a
half hours length, in which he eulogized
Hon. E. B. Washburn. He referred to Mr.
Washburn's having brought out Gen. Grant
by recommending him to Abraham Lincoln
who made Grant a Brigadier General on
Washburn's suggestion. Mr.. Washburn, too
introduced in Congress the bill which created
the grade of Lieutenant General of the
United States Army for Gen. Grant.
One thousand people from the country side
attended the exercises, which were held il
the open air. The local choir furnished
music and fine collation. was served to the
invited guests at the Norlands after the
exercises