The Portland daily press., 1888-11-27
THE PORTLAND CLUBS GUEST.
Something About the Career OF
Covernor-elect Burieigh.

early DAYS viii prove OF unusual interest to
the readers of the PRESS at this time he is
a self-made man. and his life, like that of
thousands of others who have made their
mark in the world. has been one of almost
constant application and industry. 1t is a
somewhat surprising fact that large nunA
Der of the men who are successful In life, as
the world terms it, were born and reared up
on farms, and in examining the careers of
the prominent men of Maine who have come
up from the farm none, perhaps, is more
striking than that of Mr.. Burleigh.
He came Of that hardy substantial stock
which has made New England what it is and
placed her people among the most intelligent
and enterprising in the world. His grand
father was Colonel Moses Burleigh, ma
tive of Sandwich, N. H., who in early life
removed to Palermo, In what is now Waldo
county, Me. Here he was the leading man
OF the town, prominent ana influential in all
town affairs. His fellow citizens honored
him by electing him representative to the
legislature of Massachusetts, Maine then
being only district, and delegate to the
constitutional convention held In 1876 to form
a State constitution in anticipation of sep
aration from Massachusetts. He was also
captain of militia, and when the British
sailed up the Penobscot river to destroy the
United States frigate Adams in the war of
1912, Captain Burleigh and his company Of
militia were called out, and went as far cas-
Belfast. but there was no engagement. Col.
Burleigh also carried the first mails and
drove he first stage through from Augusta
to Bangor in 1926, and his advertisement ap-
pears IN the opening volume Of the KenneDec
journal in 1925. In one number of the
Journal issued in 1926 are two advertise
ments, one being that of Colonel Burleigh
lowell, Augusta and Bangor mail
coach. Hallowell at o'clock a. m.
at Bangor, 6p. M, Hallowell, Augusta and
Belfast" The firm name of Burleigh and
Arnold follows. The other advertisement is
that of Jacob Chick, Of Bangor, Mr.. E. c.
Burleigh's grandfather on his mothers side.
Mr. Chick was then proprietor of hotel in
that city and his announcement was Jacob
Chick, Maine coffee house and sta ge tavern"
Hon. Parker P. Burleigh, the Governors
ployed by Mr.. Chick whose daughter was
one of the fairest ladies in the city An at
tachment sprung up which resulted In we'd
lock. Later on Col. Burleigh removed to
Linneus. i've miles from Houlton, in Aroos-
took county, then almost an untrodden will
derness, and Inhabited mainly by pioneers
who had entered upon this life OF priyation
and toll to make themselves homes and
farms.
Goyernor-elect Burleigh was born in Lin
neus on the old Moses Burleigh homestead.
Nov. q. 1S43, and thus the dinner to be ten
derod Mr.. Burleign by the Portland Club
this evening falls upon his birthday, when
he is As years. of age. The main part of the
house where he was born is still standing and
in those days was the only frame
building in town, the remainder all being
constructed of logs His father, at the time.
was running OUT the town Of Littleton.
The homestead afterwards passed into the
hands of one of Mr. Burlelgh's uncles by
whom it is now owned. Young Burleigh's
life which followed was like that of many
other well-to-do farmers boys and gave him
the splendid physique, endurance, capacity
Tor application and energy which have
served him well In his undertakings of later
years. He went to school when it kept in
small wood colored schoolhouse located at
the foot OF hill, and his grandfather took
hlmup on two horse sled the first day he
attended. The house was of exceedingly an
Client pattern the seats being arranged on
the sides, rising from the front, and the
schoolmaster's desk being at one end.
Among the teachers whose pupil young
Burleigh become, were Mr.. Zemro A.
Smith. now editor and proprietor of
o. Smith, his brother OF Skowhegan. Al
ter passing through the town schools the
young man attended Houlton Academy. five
miles away, and walked to and from the
academy daily, distance of 10 miles Here
he acquired very good education SO that he
became school teacher, himself, having
taught successfully many schools In his sec
ton. The young man was thorough master
OF farm work in all its branches and could
NOW swath or WELD pitchfork as handi-
y US any Of his fathers hired men. The
forests were all old growth trees and no
small number of these, some of them being
| solid rock naples, three and four feet
through, fell beneath his axe. Once he had
| a narrow escape from serious, II not fatal
injury. He was on rack loading buck
wheat and driving span of horses. when
one wheel struck rock and
Burleigh was thrown violently
| forward off the load, the broken tine of a
pitchfork which he held in his hands striking
him on one side and injuring him so severely
that he was carried hone.and did not recoy-
er for several days. Had he fallen upon the
whole tine 1t would have passed through his
body. There were the usual huskings and
| pairing bees In the fall of the year at all of
which the future Governor was one of the
leading spirits. He was always very fond
of athletic sports, ball playing, swimming
and nshing. There was handsome lake in
| the vicinity of the Burleigh residence and he
remembers how with long pole cut in the
woods and a club for bait he caught 8
and pound trout, swinging them aloft in the
air over his head and upon dry land. With
the exception of the years of
1so4-65 when he was clerk in
| the Adjntant Generals Office at Augusta,
MIR. Burleigh remained on his fathers farm
until 1870, when he was q years old. Dur
| ing this period he gained very fair knowl-
edge OF surveying and was engaged in making
| surveys to considerable extent. He was
also clerk in his, fathers store at various
times. He was chosen worthy chief templar
| of the local Good Templars' lodge and served
| in that canaCity for Tn
Aodgdon was another lodge presided over by
| Hon. Joseph o. Smith, and the lodges fire..
| quently exchanged visits.
In 1870 he bade adieu to life in Aroostook
| county and entered the Office of his father in
| Bangor who was State land agent. There
| he remained until 1875, gaining SO thorough
| knowledge of the States land business that
in 1876 he was appointed land agent which
office he held until the spring Of 1879, also
| acting as assistant clerk of the House
in 1868. Mr.. Bureigh was a
| fourth time elected assistant clerk in 1880.
| but resigned in February to accept q clerk
| ship in the State treasury department. He
| held this position until In 1884 he was elected
| treasurer Of the State, serving until July
14th last, when, having been nominated for
| Governor he resigned. There is no denying
that Mr. Burleigh has achieved rapid pro-
gress Ia his official career, but it has been
ness TO the interests of the people, as we'll as
| integrity and honesty, SO that he has every
where won the confidence and regard of his
| fellow citizens. Probably there is no public
man in the State who possesses so extensive
a personal acquaintance as Mr.. BurIeigh. 1t
extends into every city, town and
| plantation and he can take thousands
| of people by the hand and call them by name
| Recently he sat down and dictated 10000
names of Maine citizens t0 parties who
wanted them, and could have given more
Mr.. Burleigh is a man of the people in every
respect. He is with them, not above them.
and this has contributed in no small degree
to his popularity and success In political
life. he is also temperate man,
never using liquor in any form, or tobacco.
In his business ventures Governor-elect
Burleigh has been both sagacious and fortu
nate, his Investments having been mainly in
| timber lands. The first land he ever pur-
chased was W Aroostook county, 5000 acres
| covered with forests. He paid 81 per acre
| and in six months sold the entire lot at So an
acre, clearing the respectable sum of 5000
He Is connected with his brother in the tim
Der land business, the two now own
ing between 100000 and 100000 acres. II
| Is located in Aroostook and Somerset
counties, along the st. john river, about
Houlton and In Penohscot county. Mr. e.
| c. Bur)eigh himself owns half township in
the vicinity of Caribou, which is fine farm
ing land They derive handsome annual
| income from the sale of stumpage.
Mr.. Burleigh's family affairs have been
very happy. He married when but 81 years
of age, Miss Mary j. Bither, the daughter of
| neigh DOR, Mr.. Benjamin Bither. She was
the Young est of fifteen children and tho fwn