The Portland daily press., 1889-04-11
j. Franklin WoodsIde.


Some Of the older alumni Of BOwdoin Col
lege may remember the brother whose name
stands above, who went out from her halls
in the class of '42, now nearly half a century
ago, to commence the stern conflict of
life.
He was native, we believe, of Bowdoin-
ham, or perhaps Greene, the son of worthy
farmer. The catalogue shows that he could
not have been poor scholar for ne won his
second degree-Artium Magister, and he
was not dull man at any time Of his life
After spending his Freshman year at Wa
terville College, now Colby University, he
entered Bowdoin in sophomore standing.
After his graduation he taught school
awhile in the town Bloomfield "happy
omened name," as Henry Kirke White says
'For while fields shall bloom the name shall
live."
Then he commenced the reading of the
law with John W. Davis, Esq, (Bowdoin 800
of Topsham and continued his studies with
Samuel Moody, ESQ.,, of Lisbon, and Jacob
Hill, Esq, of Webster. in this State, and
concluding his professional preparations
with the late John j. Clark, Esq, of Rox-
bury, Mass.
Admitted to the practice of the law, he
opened an Office in the fine old town latter
ward city of:Roxbury, now the Highlands
of Boston, and became attached to the Nor
folk county bar.
At this time he had for his contemporaries
such men as the late Francis Hilliard, David
A. Simmonds, j. Wilder May, Roland C.
Shaw and the yet living. honored lawyer
and gentleman, Ex-Governor William Gas
ton.
In law, Mr. Woodside was a moderately
well read man, not hardly practical enough;
but useful particularly as a ound counsellor
and in general Office practice.
As to politics he was always an cid fash
ioned Democrat "in peace and war, success
or defeat" not offensive in speech, firm in
belief and action, yet never seeing his way
clear to higher state of political progress.
In literature he was a very good scholar,
clear in thought, studious in habit and ever
ready to express his views and to sustain
them by able and acute reasoning. 1t was
in this realm that he most delighted to do
well. He was for instance a decided Baco-
nian in the trial Of the cause now going on
IN the high court OF Letters, viz: Francis
Bacon VS.. William Shakespeare, to ascertain
the true authorship OF the plays and poems
which now pass under the name of the re-
spondent; and he could advance an ingen-
ious, II not conclusive argument in support
OF his fayorite position. He dug up from
the writings Of the great jurist and chancel-
lor remark which he made relative to his
own works to the effect that they seemed to
him somewhat like the tuning Of musical
instrument, producing sound harsh, disa-
greeable and inharmonious, but yet very
necessary operation in order to produce the
sweet and perfect music which is to follow.
Mr.. Woodside interpreted this to indicate
the belief that pervaded the mind of Bacon
that though the people of his time knew not
and to considerable extent cared not TO
know the authorship of the plays, yet that
perhaps in three or four hundred years af
terward the choice melody reposing in them
as produced by Shakespeare upon his boards
at the Globe Theatre in London in 1900
would be recognized as his own lin fact by
the cryptogram), and not that of the success
ful manager who gave representation to them
so well, and afterward retired to his home at
Stratf0rd-upon-Avon and there enjoyed the
profits thereof by buying back some Of his old
real estate and living there comfortably un-
til his decase in 1916
Mr.. WOodside was really an instructive
and pleasing conversationalist, little pro-
lix at times, but seldom dull, and ever
ready TO adduce plausible reason, at least
for the faith that was in him.
In religion he became at last an adherent
of the Roman branch Of the universal Chris
lts
and finally he died In its embrace at the Car
ney Hospital, attended by its devoted nurses.
Within the last two years he lost two sons
by death, one while student at Harvard
University, and the other, last summer, an
attache to the bookkeeping department Of
the Boston Globe, and both these were deep
affiictions to him, and no doubt hastened his
DEATH His wife was Miss Helen Frances
Winslow Of Belfast who died in 1870
For the last few years broken in health
and afflicted he had no law office, but held
his conversational counsels or gave his ad-
vice in the lobbies Of hotels notably in the
stately and still grand old fremont House.
He was a philosopher withal and his very
happiest moments were when he ascended
the highest flights Of which he was capable,
and like Socrates of old drew around him an
attentive number Of choice friends, especial
ly natives of Maine, or alumni Of Bowd0in,
who could appreciate his c0llOquial powers
when in full exercise and enjoy his intelli-
gent and instructive conversations.
Of his class mates there are not many of
the original thirty members who vet remain.
two only are happily residing among us,
viz: Samuel Trask, Esq, our esteemed and
gentlemanly citizen, and Mr. Thomas Tash.
the able superintendent of the public school
system of Portland.
Rev. George Gannet is at the head Of a
ladies in Boston.
Ex-Prof. Henry II. Boody of Bowdoin
now resides in New York, interested in rail,
road and real estate enterprises. Other class
mates, are Prof. Hosea II. Smith, president
oI d German Collegiate Institute in North
Institute. Huntsville, Texas; Prof Paul
L; Chandler of 0berlin College, Ohio;
Cnaries L. Soule, ESQ, a prominent law
yer OF New ork city, once the law partner
OF John Z. Hale (Bowdoin, % Rev. Prof.
william l.. Hyde Of Ovid Academy, n. r.,