The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-04
Oliver cerrisin.

yesterday. at his residence on Winter street,
aged 90 years and II months.
Mr.. Gerrish was born in Portsmouth, N.
H., January 4th. 1916. His father was Tim
othy Gerrish, gold and silver smith, who,
during the latter sixteen years of his life
was deputy jailor and sheriff. Timothy Ger
IRISH was son of Andrew and grandson of
Timothy, descendants of Captain William
Gerrish, of Newbury, Mass. the latter hay
ing been born at Bristol, in Somersetshire,
England, August Goth. 1917, and having emf
grated to Newbury in 1910.
Oliver Gerrish's mother was Pickering,
whose ancestor, John Pickering, went to
Portsmouth from Massachusetts, having
come originally from England, as stated by
G. w. Brewster in his "Rambles about Ports
mouth"
On leaving school, Mr.. Gerrish went with
Mr.. John Gains to learn the Matchmaking
business, in the autumn of 1910. and served
until he was twenty-one. In March, 1917, he
went to Boston ito seek employment and ex-
perience in the business" as he remarked,
and found it with Messrs. Williams and
johnson, on Cornhill, the corner Of Wash
ington and Court streets, continuing with
them about nine months, when they closed
their business by failure. he then went with
Messrs. Baldwin aud Jones. on Washington
street, and continued there a year and a
half, having good opportunity to learn to
trade in merchandise as well as to gain ex-
perience in the watch business He then
concluded to start for himself, and the APP
preaching separation of the Province of
Maine from Massachusetts,, seeming to indi
cate prosperous future for Portland (Which
was fulfilled by S population increasing one
half in the next ten years., he came here in
the summer of 1919, and at once commenced
business for himself. In that business, I'M
der his own name, and for twenty
years as Gerrish & Pearson, his became
with the exception of the Marks Brothers
the Oldest firm in town, Abner Lowell, Will
lam Senter and other veterans having learned
their trade with him.
On January 9th, 1926, Mr.. Gerrish married
Sarah Little, daughter of Hall Little, of
Windham. Previous to this, he had attended
the First Parish Church, but about this time
the New Jerusalem Society was formed, and
he became and continued an earnest and
active member of it, holding places of trust
in the State and National societies. nd serv-
ing faithfully as teacher in the Sunday
school,
He was an earnest worker in educa-
tional aud benevolent societies, having serv-
ed as treasurer of the Provident Association,
Bible Society Of Maine, New Church Asso-
citation, Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Ma
sons ga years. ST. Alban Commandery and
Mount Vernon Chapter ga years.. trustee
and president of Portland Savings Bank,
and the Masonic Fraternity (of which latter
board he was chairman), president of the
Mechanics Association and Aged Brother
hood, and member of the Board of Trade,
the Natural History Society and the Port
land Athen@um.
He always took deep interest in Masonry,
having been initiated In Ancient Landmark
Lodge Oct. 20, 1919. On the 50th anniversary
of his membership, Nov. "a, 1869, the lodge
presented him with Junior Grand War
denis jewel of solid gold He was made a
Royal Arch Mason in Mount Vernon Chap
ter Nov. II, 1923, and the fiftieth anniversary
of that event. in 1873. was observed by the
Chapter, which invited all its old members
to meet at supper, where old times were
discussed with much interest and good fell
lowship
In January, 1886, during the height of the
Morgan excitement, he was elected Grand
High Priest of the Grand Chapter. in which
place he served three years, after which, for
81 years, he served as treasurer until he de-
clined reelection, after which he was for
many years annually elected one of the CON-
mittee on finance
For whole generation he was Presi-
dent of the order of High Priesthood, and in
1859 he was Junior Grand Warden Of the
Grand Lodge. In 1866 he was Master of the
Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters.
He held the Office of treasurer in st. Alban
Commandery for two years, and was an
efficient officer in the various bodies of the
Scottish Rite. OF his official life, he said. on
seeing how many positions he had held: Il
can frankly say that | have never sought
Office, and, it seems, seldom declined one.'i
Mr.. Gerrish leaves three children, one
daughter and two sons, Charles, married and
living in Saco, and DIR. Frederic Henry Ger
rish of this city. Another son, William s.,
was killed during the Rebellion. The daugh-
ter is unmarried and resides at home. Mrs.
Gerrish died a short time ago.