The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-06-10
OUR CANDIDATE.
Sketch Of the Career of the Hon.
Joseph e. EodweIi.


Hon. Joseph r. Bodwell, whom the Re-
publican party made its candidate for Gov
ernor at Lewiston, yesterday, was born in
Methuen, Massachusetts,, in 1918. The eigh-
tenth day of this month will be his sixty
eighth birthday. His father through una
voidable misfortune lost his property when
the son was about eight years Of age The
boy then went to live with brother of his
mother. Patrick Fleming of Methuen On
the farm of this uncle he labored until six
teen years of age. For another year, during
1884, he continued his farm life, though re-
ceiying six dollars month as a regular farm
laborer.
Up to this time young BodwelPs training
though rugged had been just Of that sort to
fit him for a life of well Invested and deter
mined activity. In 1885 he learned the trade
of shoemaker. He 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 at
work with She awl
This mode of life lasted until 1888. Mr..
Bodwell was then twenty years of age. On
that year he purchased, III company with his
years, until his fathers death, the two car
ried on the farm together. When farm work
was not pressing he used to do jobs for 9TH
ers, and 1t was one OF these jobs which put
him the way of becoming the successful bus
mess man that he is. The LaWrenceS of
Boston, were just beginning to utilize the
splendid water power furnished by the falls
of the Merrimack. Mr.. Bodwell was en-
pl0yed to haul granite from Pelham, N. H.,
for the construction of the immense granite
do, hi oh fba fl,a
wheels of the great cotton mills of Law
renee. This dam was the foundation of
Lawrence's prosperity; it had much to do
with the development of one OF Names most
important industries. For while the team
Ster made the tedious journeys with his loads
from Pelham to Lawrence, he become ac-
quainted with the process OF quarrying and
working granite, and saw in his imagination
a business which he thought would be better
than farming.
He was not long in putting his information
to use. In 1852, in company with Hon.
Moses Webster, Mr.. Bodwell commenced to
work the granite quarries of South Fox
Island, now called VInalhayen, at the mouth
of Penobscot Bay. Up to that period the
granite islands, headlandS and coast of
Maine were for the most part practically
worthless. Mr.. BodWell commenced opera
tons at Vinalhayen with one yoke of oxen,
which he teamed himself. He even shod
them with his own hands. But the business
DfOSpGrou, anu III cUuISS u IllllG Il cUlupduy
of capitalists was formed to prosecute on a
larger scale the work which Mr.. Bodwell had
begun. This company was called the Bod
well Granite Company. Mr. Bodwell was
chosen president of the company, and has
held the Office ever since. Under his direc-
ton the company has become one of the
leading business concerns of the country;
and the barren granite islands and headlands
Of Maine have been converted into scenes
of activity, The work that has been sent
I
with the finest buildings and choicest mOnu-
mentS.
In 1866, Mr.. Bodwell removed with his fam
lily to Hallowell He had foreseen that gran
tie of lighter color and more delicate in tex
ture than that which had been so extensive
ly used would be required in the future. This
granite he found in the neighborhood of Hal
lowell. 1t was precisely the kind and quail
ty of material demanded for monumental
and artistic purposes. After procuring con-
troll of these extensive deposits he organized
the HalloWell Granite Company in 1870, and
has himself been at its head from that time
until now. The. products of these works
have been sent into every State in the Union,
and the works at Hallowell give employment
to the artist as well as the mechanic, in
shaping the monuments which go from
thence to parks, battle-felds and the squares
of busy cities.
Though it was as a worker of granite that
Mr.. Bodwell gained his first start in life and
as Sucn That he is best known, he has not
devoted himself exclusively to that business.
He is president Of the Bodwell Water Com
hany of OldtoWn, Me-, carries on numbering
operations on the Kennebec, and is pro-
mOter of several railroad enterprises.
Mr.. Bodwell is more than an active and
successful business man however He still
remembers his early struggles as farmer
boy, shoemaker and a teamster, and those
who know him best speak of him as large
hearted and and open handed man. Nor has
he lost his taste for the pursuit which oc-
cupied his attention when a very young man;
and his wealth has enabled him to conduct
in Hallowell a farm according to his own
taste and Judgment. In 1879 he imported
herd of thoroughbred Herefords, and he has
since continued to import the best herds of
foreign cattle.
Mr.. Bodwell has heretofore paid little at
tention to politics. He has been a member
of the lower House of the State Legislature
twice, and has served the city of Hallowell
as mayor for two terms. He was also Gel
egate at large to the National Republican
conventions at Chicago in 1880 and 1884.
During the whole of his career, from the
labors of the farm to the contest of the pres
ent campaign Mr.. Bodwell has been success
full because he has been untiring in his in
dustry and correct in his judgment and
dealings 1t is because they know him to
be such man that his fellow citizens will
make him the Governor of this State next
September.