The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-06-17
A Sketch of Hon. j. R. BodWell.

AAoAA'
THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF
MAINE.
The next Governor of Maine will fill plump
ly to the arms good, big chair. He is a solidly
built and broad-shouldered man who weighs
$50 pounds, with large head and il strong
face. In Mr. Bodwell, Il wcl-modeled body
and a well balanced mind go together His
complexion is decidedly dark. A black beard
covers the sides of his face and his chin his
upper lip is shaven, disclosing a mouth in
dicating tirmneSs and breadth of character,
while his large black eyes lend vivacity to his
countenance Mr.. Bodwcll's whole presence
is that of a man of great resources and COM
plete self control. He does not look like I $.
Grant i'll the face, but there is much of Grants
air of modest resoluteneSs and solid Judgment.
in his appearance.
No man alive is more Self-made than Mr..
Bodwell. His course in life may be emulatcd
by all young men with credit to themselves.
HIS YOUNGER DAYS.
Mr. Bodwe!l is not quite 6S years old. He
was born June 1Sth 1878, in that part of Me-
thuen, Mass, now called Lawrence. His faith
er, Joseph Bodwcll, owned a farm at the
| mouth of the Spigot river. He was most
worthy man and his wife was Il woman of re-
tinemcnt and exemplary character.
Young Joseph X. was thrown on his own
resources at the age of eight years. his father
having through unavoidable misfortune. lost
his property. Being persuaded by brother
in-law to commit the boy to his care, in this
Iii; snn fan f;'T VI H., !,
nl ,,, io",.1 - itmu WIN Mnoih nc lts'''l''
rnahol ",o,o t'i IN Nc ''?1Ic" 1lnIn ne
,I"n,,.I ,,n vi aiN'Io". nc Ithooi VI
m,atiua "noi ~. Will ~ 'isseu tilcsc LOT
to qualify him for the peculiar successes he
has since so triumphantly achieved. During
in /
was continued III his experience as q farm
| laborerWith the wages of six dollars per month.
In 1888 ne began to acquire the art Of shoe
making and pursued other occupations which
gave promise OF larger and different sphere
OF activity. lie attended school during the
day, and on his return. taking with him the
materials for making shoes, spent his evening
and the early part of his morning i'll their fab
rlratlon. There was evidence of sterling ma
terial in this sturdy and industrious youth.
This mode of life and labor lasted until 1888.
lie then IN connection with his father, pur-
chased farm in Methuen, and aided in its
cuitiVatlon until ms fathers death in lSiS.
Whle thus occupied he took the first steps in
that special business career in which he has
since been 50 prominent and by means of
which he has done 50 much to develop the
| natural resources of his adopted State. When
the Lawrences Of Boston began to utilize the
water power of the Merrimack at Lawrence
MIR. Bodwell was employed to haul granite
from Pelham, \. H., for the construction Of 4
'lim This makes him acquainted with all the
process involved III uuarrNinw and working
granite. In 1892 in company with Hon. Moses
Webster he commenced to work the granite
quarrie> of FoN island at the mouth of Pcnob-
scot Bay. lpto that period the granite islands.
hcadlandS and coast of Maine Were for the
HIS BEGINNING IN GRANITE.
Mr.. BodweIl commenced oncrations ON tov
7
over which he welded the ,soad-Stick. and
which he Shod with his own hands Inf from
this humble beginning sprung results of such
magnitude that Il company Of copit1Ii>tS was
organized TO utilize the ularrics there di,roy-
cred This corporation known aS the RodvrII
Granite COMPANY. elected Mr.. RodwrlI to IFS
presidency Th, office then iutrlstrI to him
he holds at the present ti,ne. Indrr hi. rlI,.l-
gctic and prudent management if has attained
to the position of the leading Granite cornora-
ton in The uitcd STATES
In 1866 Mr.. BodwcU removed with his fau,i-
" to UalloWelI. lie had forsrrn that ~r,nitr
of lighter color and more ,Ielicate i'm texture
than that which had been Sd extensively used
would be required in The future. This Granite
| he found i'm the nrirhborhood of U,jlowrIl
1t was precisely the kind ana oualitv of mate
rial demanded for monumental and artistic
purposes After procuring control of these
extensive deposits he oreanzed the UallowrIl
Granite Company in 1870 and has himself been
at its head from that time until now The
products of this association have been sent in
to every state in the Mon. IL colossal ,t.,tIi
arv. rivaljue white marble in it., broutv i to
be- found in pyrrv ureot city in thr / 'nitrd
States from Portland TO New Orleans. For
buldins work if i in .r,..t .,n,i u;j,.Iy >t,nI-
,.,l deman,l
Wv Wv ''''''' ,, ,
lilN FARM
Mf. BodWtH never lost his early love of
agricultural pursuits. with largely augment
ed means OF gratifying hl> bucolit tastes, he
purchased large farm IN llaloWell ami cult
Na'eu IT Win success lhtNrrmS much self
| apPhtatl9n. HIS accurate Judgment of the
uillerent kii'dS OF I'VE stock necessary to meet
the various demands of the country led him to
icparrJ yery rrmumrraiyr rptur,s ,',' U hut ', In
sinrp continued tu i,,,,trt th tI,.frI ill.,
Black PoIled Angus and Sussex breed. lie is
now one OF the largest importers Of these
SPECIAL stocks. erSatIle and efficient IN diver
Sihed business departments. Mr. BodWeIl i
also president OF the bodWell Water Company
al oidtoWn. Me-. corporation which has the
largest water power Ill New England lie car
fles on limbcrln@ operations on the head wa