The Somerset reporter., 1888-01-18
Hon. William Goold.

Hon. William Goold
The recent death of Governor Bodwell
called public attention to recollections of
Governor Lincoln, who also died in Office
The meagre newspaper notices of his life
and death lately published, containing
several errors, and my own recollections
of him while he was resident of Port
land, induced me to gather these facts,
many of which have not before been
printed:
Enoch Lincoln was born in Worcester,
Mass, in 1888. His father, Levi Lincoln,
was one of the most eminent men of
Massachusctt It's. He graduated at Harvard
College in 1872, settled as lawyer in
Worcester, and was President Jefiersons
Attorney General from 1901 to 1905. He
was chosen Lieutenant Governor of his
State in 1907 to 1908, and on the death of
Governor Sullivan while in office, became
Acting Governor for the remainder of the
political year. His son, Levi Lincoln,
was Governor of Massachusetts in 1928
and 1924. The son Enoch Lincoln enter
ed Harvard College, but left before grad
uation, and after studying law settled in
Fryeburg. Maine, and afterwards removed
to Paris Hill. Mr. Lincoln was elected to
Congress in 1920, then only 80 years old
and held the office by reelection until he
was elected Governor in 1926, there be-
ing less than 400 votes cast for all other
candidates. Governor Lincoln immediate
ly removed to Portland, then the capital
town of the State. He took up his resi-
dence at the boarding house of Mrs. Gage,
the widow of Major Gage, a merchant
1t was the house adjoining the residence
of William Pitt Preble, Jr., on Congress
street. When the Governor left Paris he
took with him Otis Paine one of his
neighbors, as valet. coachman and man
of all work. Paine was man of intelli-
gence, but was low in statute and had a
depressed shoulder, which gave him the
appearance of master Walter in Sheri-
dan Knowless play of the Hunchback
There were often questions arising in the
Governors domestic affairs that lone
word from Uhis) Master Walter made
lear as daylight"
The Governor also brought with him
from Paris his two-wheelcd, yellow
bodied chaise and white horses. He soon
obtained mate for the horse and a
barouche, and Paine instead of riding at
the Governors side, rode forward driy-
ing the official equipage to the State
House, which was n handsome wooden
building on part of the lot now oc-
cupied by the City Building.
Governor Lincoln was twice reelected
were there 500 votes cast against him in
the State, but he declined fourth nomi-
nation. Paine, the Called Quotem of his
employer, left him and returned to Par 5,
and the Governor reduced his establish
ment to the original "one horse shay"
About the time the Governor left Paris,
another townsman of his, Timothy Chase,
mason, also removed to Portland. lIav-
ing several boys, and the Governor
wanting a youngster whom he could
trust, Chase consented that his son, + p.
Chase, then IL years old, and now the
well known real estate holder, should
serve his friend, the Governor, in place
of Paine. Although he was a bachelor,
the Governors failing health admonshed
him that he must seek quiet retreat
The Lincoln family owned large tracts of
wild land in the towns of Lincoln and
Garland in Penobscot county, Columbia
in Washington county, and Letter Il in
oxford county. Two months before his
death, Governor Lincoln exchanged three
thousand dollars worth of these lands
with Samuel Burnham, for a farm on the
west side of the "mast road" in Scar
drews, Ebenezer Burnham and Asa Sea
vey Anticipating his retirement from
Office the governor had employed young
Chase with the capacious chaise, in re-
his large library to the farm I'M
til the call to Augusta.
I'm September, 1929, the governor re-
ceived a pressing invitation to visit Au-
gusta, and deliver an address at the cxihi-
ton exercises of the Cony Female Acade-
my. Although in poor health, the gov
ernor, with chaise, white horse, and young
Chase for driver, left for Augusta on Sun
day noon, Oct 4th. He went to Bruins
wick that the day and called ON h ncph-
ew William Sever Lincoln, member of
the sophomore class of the college. The
next day he drove to Augusta, and by
invitation put up at General Cony's on
the east side of the river. The academy
was situated on the same side This
building was. in March, 1888, occupied
as barracks for the Cumberland county
troops, while waiting orders to march to
the boundary in the Aroostook war.
Governor Lincoln was very unwell when
he arrived at Augusta, hut felt compelled
to ill his engagement at the institution.
So weak was ne that he was obliged to
grew rapidly worse, and died at the resi-
dsnce of Gen. Cony on Thursday of the
same week in which he left his home.
The death of the chief magistrate, and
one so much beloved, caused a painful
sensation drought the State. A question
arose about the selection of place of
burial. The Augusta people had purchas-
ed and offered to the State for the capitol
building the lot now occupied by the
State House, running to the river. The
memorial history of Boston says this lot
was purchased for l2i cents per acre.
This was wide mistake, which probably
arose from the facts that the ten town
ships sold by the State to build the
State House, were disposed of that in
significant price.
The Augusta people offered site for
the Govrnors burial on their proposed
State House lot, which wa. acceded to
by his relatives, Great preparations were
made for the obsequies. Nathan Cutler
of Pennington was president of the SEN
ate and, of course became acting gov
ernor. His first official act was to order
five companies of uniformed light infant
ry and one company of riflemen to attend
and do escort duty at the funeral The
services were held at the Congregati ,nal
church on Thursday, the 18th; Dr.
Nichols of Portland, the Governors pas
tor offlcia ing. Following the hearse
came the Governors favorite horse with
military trappings, led by Master Chase,
who was sincere mourner. When a
hand of music came too near, the youth
ful groom required some assistance to
keep the excited horse In his proper place
In the procession. There Is . handsome
monument over the Governors grave,
erected, think, by the State.