The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-05-27

| leaning and crumbling stones, whose honor
ed names have been nearly effaced by the
| ruthless touch of time. To-day we lay
the choicest flowers of spring upon their
| graves, and recounting their heroic deeds pay
| just tribute to their noble dust.
| "Gone are the living, but the dead remain,
And not neglected for hand unseen,
| Scattering its bounty like summer rain,
| Still keeps their graves and their remembrance
green"
The relationship which the present inhabi-
| tants of Gorham hold with the past can be
divided into three exact periods; for three
separate links of fifty years each connect us
with that historic and memorable day when
our town had its birth, day ever worthy to
be commemorated as the most important In
our local history. personally well remember,
(and this is the case with but very few others
of my fellow citizens) the stirring events OF
the centennial celebration of our town which
occurred fifty years ago. recall the occasion
and the venerable and distinguished men OF
that period Among the number in the pro-
cession were Col Nathaniel Frost the Oldest
man in town, and other revolutionary
heroes On an historic eminence, around
a centennial banner, which received the
cheers of all the people, stood venerable
| men whose shoulders then touched those for
younger men, but whose hands had clasped
the hands of some of the noble men and
women who first settled this town. Inc old
men of to-day are the living connecting link
with our first centennial, and likewise are
moving on in advance of generation who
in turn are soon to fill their places. Thus
looking back we bring near ourselves by con-
tinuity of the same extended chain the per
sonal presence of those who lived and acted
one hundred and fifty years ago, and although
long, long years separate us, we are still
united by such connections that the early
history and traditions OF our town and It's
glorious people seem to be a near part OF
ourselves. Future generations by similar
divisions of periods of time, will be near the
representatives of this great ancestry. The
experiences and acts of the first fifty years
of the progress Of our town are the most
eventful pages of its history. In the year
17S6 on its semi-centennial anniversary it was
said, ''there are those living among us who
felled the first trees, planted the first kernel
of cOrn helped build the first house, and aid
ed in driving the sayages into distant for-
ests." Even then block houses and rude cab
ins had been partially abandoned, and in
their place cultivated clearings and comfort
able homes had made their appearance. The
constitutional liberty of a great nation had
then been secured by the aid of the brave
men and women who first founded this
town. Glorious cycle of timel we bend over
its wonderful revelations, and pay just
tribute of lofty cheers to the memory OF our
early ancestors. The second link OF fifty
years brings us down to the year 1886, and
within that period we find a continual prog
ress in the population, wealth, and material
resources of our town, and among the con-
Spicuous land marks, which more than any
IlllR else, marks Lu6 ClldTdCIcI u It's pCOplC;
is our venerable academy, which was built
in 1906 Education and educated men and
women were among the choicest offerings OF
the period. The war of 1872. in which many
of our soldiers participated, with Its, rights
and its wrongs, was vindieated by the TIL
umph of the stars and stripes, and free
ocean for American commerce was secured.
We now leave this important link, and In
1886 look back upon another period OF fifty
years, which to-day we complete, and add
the third link IN the lpnQthpnad chain. con-
Meeting us with the fixed and written regis
ter of the past. The last fifty years are bet
ter known to us than the record OF any
previous period. Religion, education and
loyalty have been recognized by spe-
cial landmarks, which will forever dis
tinguish this generation, but which, like
others, are passing away for others to sue
ceed. The faith which our forefathers had
in God, which led them in the midnight OF
poverty and independence, among. their first
acts to consecrate place for public worship,
has inspired the present generation in the
sunlight of prosperity, to erect comm0dlous
and beautiful churches in keeping with their
enlarged means, and meeting houses OF this
character everywhere, nestle IN our valleys
and crown our swelling hills" The Gorham
Female Seminary was dedicated in 1887, and
has accomplished much for the town and
State. The Normal School building was
erected in 1878, much to our credit but much
more to our educational advantage. We
point with pride to the willing enlistments
of three hundred and eighty-six OF our sons
in the war for the Union. and feel the high
est emotions of pride and gratitude when we
read the names of fifty-seven of our own
sons who lost their lives as costly sacrifice
upon the altar of freedom. Their names are
| inscribed upon marble on yonder mOnu-
| ment to be thoughtfully read by ourselves,
| and to be honOred by distant poSterlty.
| This monument may crumble and fall, but
| the heroiSm and sacrifice OF our volunteer
| soldiers for a righteous cause are imperisha-
| xyp achievements
| the sons of Gorham, and their bravery on so
| many glOrifed battlefields for the Union, we
| hand down to other generations the proud
| est page of our history, and while we honor
| the living who, with their lost comrade, un-
| der all the vicssitudes of war were equally
| true to their town, State and Nation, we
| cherish in our heart of hearts to-day the
| memory of those noble men of Gorham who
| died to save their country. / joyfully well
come here to-day large company of the
| veteran soldiers of Gorham who belonged to
| the Union Army. Many Of them wear the
| badge of the Grand Army of the Republic.
/ gladly welcome the presence of many of
| tAe representative farmers OF our town, and
| their families, the faithful Patrons of Hus-
| bandry The giant force of the strong right
arm of labor is the prime producing power OF
our national greatness. In our town 1t has
subdued the forest and established cultivated
fields and independent rural homes, and to-
day Gorham occupies the front rank OF agrl-
cultural towns in our State. Our farms IL
lustrate the fruit of industry, frugality and
| intelligence, and farming hereafter must be
| the chief employment of our people. 1t is
the most honorable and useful of all pur-
suits, and may2fnture developments by the
application of art, science and cooperation,
in the hands of progressive people, open
the way for still greater triumphs in our ag-
ricultural history.
welcome here to-day the distinguished
members of Harmony Lodge of Free and Ac-
cepted Masons, the oldest and one of the
most respected of our secrect societies, also
| the worthy fraternity Knights of Pythias,
more recently formed organization, and the
| invited guests of each. You. are the expo
nents of high moral and social culture and
| true humanity.
welcome the Cadets, one of the military
| companies of the State, from the city of
Portland. We are Justly proud of the me-
| tropolis of our State, and her progressive
| growth in everything that constitutes great
| city We respect the power and influence OF
| her educated, business and worklngmen, and
| honor the strong and loyal arm OF her citizen
| soldiers which have and are ever ready to
| protect the lives and property of all our peo-
| Pile.
| Ny task would be incomplete if l failed to
| welcome here to-day, by special recognition,
| the faithful and generous women who were
born in our dear old town. In the forest, ON
| the farm, in polite society, in the great NOR
| al and political contests of the past our no.
| BILE women have always been heroic and true,
| and thus "their uncOunted vote has always
| been counted for the right" Our daughters
| have seemed to illustrate and perpetuate the
| Christian virtues of Mary Gorham Phinney
| Irish, the first white child born in our town,
| as the true type of excellence, and thus as
| mothers they have moulded the correct hab-
| its of our boys and pure character of our
| girls, which has so much determined our
| past history. 1t is the same influence and
| similar teachings, which will secure great
ness to our future history. We extend our
warmest congratulations to Martha Coleman
| Phnney Wentworth, who honors this occa-
| sion with her distinguished presence: She
| is the daughter of James Phinney, who was
| born in 1741 and died in 1884, having finished
| an eventful and faithful life of "a years. She
is the granddaughter of Capt John Phinney,
our earliest ancestor, the niece OF Mary COR
ham Phinney and of Col. Edmand Phlnney,
| of Revolutionary renown, and the widow OF
the late Capt Thomas E, Wentworth OF
Gorham distinguished officer in the recent
war for the Union. | extend to the teachers
and pupils of our public schools the congrat-
ulations and hearty welcome Of all our citi-
zens. You are the pride of our town, and
| worthy of high rank of honor.
The past one hundred and fifty years are
over and gone. The conditions and expert
ences of the past will not be the recorded
| revelations of the future. We are in the full
enjoyment of liberty, power, wealth and
peace, the fruit of the toll and sacrifices of