Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-06
Letter from John r. Weymouth, Esq.

ROY, Zee. 1900.
To the Editor Of the Kennebec .Joprndi:
| am not now in a condition to give you
such sketch as will be of interest to your
readers. but will do nv best and YOU can
make such use OF it AZ you think proper.
was born in the town OF GRAY on the 18th
Of March, 1895, and was the oldest of four
brothers. One sister was older than | and
two more were younger, but am the only
survivor. My chances for education were
small, but in the district school and at the
home firesde, by hard study had prepared
myself for teaching town schools and also
had mastered Gibson's Surveying when be-
came 20 years of age. taught successfully
in large and advanced schools for quite a
number of years,and have continued to prac-
tice surveying until disabled by age.
During the war of 1872 | was drafted and
called out to aid in the defense of
Portland when an attack from British fleet
was expected. Another man offered to take
my place but declined to accept his offer.
On my way to the city we could hear the can
non booming, and we met many who were
hastily getting out OF harms way. and all
sorts of rumors were ahoat; but no laureis
were to be won in bloody strife on that occa-
sion. as the expected foes never appeared
We had brief taste of soldier experience
and after Is days of service was honora-
bly, discharged.
| married, when quite young Miss Miriam
Staples of my native town. Our union was
blessed with one son who is still living, but a
month after his birth she died A
year after this | left Gray and be-
gan life anew in Pittsfeld, (then War
saw. The forests of that town had then
but just begun to be broken. Not ten framed
houses were to be found within its limits,
and where its enterprising village now stands
there were only two rough dwellings. The
only way of access to the town from the old r
parts of the State was via Canaan Village
and Sibley's Pond Bridge. This bridge was
a high corduroy. one halt mile in length. This
road bed was of round cedar and tine traveller
who drove his team across this structure did
so At his peril. He could, however, if he
chose, call at Canaan Village (then futile.
Mills if going eastward and brace up his
courage with glass of n. f. ram, bever-
age that then flowed too freely at that place
In 1926, | married Miss LYDIA Fuller of
Winslow. Four sons and three daughters
were born. OF these, two sons only survive.
Both have families. One Ia employed in the
United States Armory at Springfield, Mass.
The other is head carpenter at the G. B. &
Q. r r. shops at Aurora, Ill.
For. think, ten years | was Town Clerk
and Chairman of the Board OF Selectmen of
the town of Pittsfeld. and during that time,
a. you are aware, had the honor of represent
ing the district in the Legislature. In 1885,
moved to Burnham and in 1889 began again
on a farm, then covered with forest grow tn in
the south part OF Pittsield. Here was my
home until 1876, and the remains of my wife
and five children are there reposing. One of
them vas our offering on the altar of our
country. He was never rugged enough to
endure a soldiers hsrdships. and he knew it,
but when the noble Lincoln's call for volun-
teers rang out he could not bear to be thought
/ indifferent in the Nations hour of peril. He
went to the front, and died.
For quite number of wears the pains and
infrmities of age have been growing heavy,
but nave retained my physical powers so
we'll. excepting my hearing, and have been
so little changed by the passing years that no
stranger year ago would have thought me
so old as / am.
About seven months ago felony fell to
the floor on which | was standing-and frac-
tured my left hip bone. Not one of all the