Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-02-12
Edward H. Elwell.
BY DR.. W. Il. LAPHAM.

| BY DR.. W. Il. LAPHAM.
Read at the annual meeting of the Maine Press
Association at Augusta. Jan. q, lcal.l
One of our foremost members and one
who is much missed Oh this occasion. has
departed this life since our last annual
meeting. l need hardly say that | refer
to Brother Edward ii. Elwell. Brother
Elwell was one of the organizers of this
Association and its second President. His
name has stood at the head of our list of
members fol more than twenty years, aud
not only this, but he has always had q
leading part. and indeed think may
safely say the leading part, In everything
pertaining to the interest and welfare Of
this Association. He has generally been
present at our annual meetings and on
hand for the summer excursions aud
think you will.approve the statement that,
in attendance upon our meetings during
the twenty-six years of our association
life, no member has been more panctual or
contributed more to their success. His
literary contributions both in prose and 10
verse, have been among the best, while his
fine social qualities ever made him gen
eral favorite, But he has left US. and we
shall see him no more. Brother Elwell
was not old in years. but If it be true that.
That life is long that answers life's great
end" few have lived longer than he, for
few have accomplished more.
Edward H. Elwell was born IN the city
of Portland, December l4th, 1875, and
spent nearly all his life in that city. His
father was Charles Eiweli, sea captain
who sailed in and out of Portland Hsrbor
| for many years. His place of birth was
on Free street at the corner of Cross
street, and the old house was few years
ago demolished. MIR. Elwells charming
book entitled, Boys of 81" gives an in
tereSting account of bis early years, and
OF the companions of his boyhood days.
| Mr.. Elwel obtained good common school
education in the Portland schools, and
when quite young had strong inclination
for the pursuit of his father and grand
father both of whom were sea-faring
men, but force OF circumstances fortunate
iy changed the direction Of his career.
His first engagement was in commission
store where he remained for one year. In
1912, he first thought Of acquiring the
printers art. and for that purpose he en-
tered the service of Hon. Benjamin Kings
bury who then published the Daily imert-
can. Here he remained between two and
three years, when the paper was discOn-
| tlnued He then worked for two years a.
| \ compositor in the office OF the Christian
Mirror of which Rev. DIR. Asa Cumming.
| MAS publisher. In Is41, Mr.. Elweli went
TO Limerick and became foreman in the
office OF the Free Baptist Repository, then
published in that village. Bat the pen and
/ not the composing stick was Mr.. Ewelrs
proper implement, and July l,t. ls4s, he
aud Edwin PluDmer. long since dead,
started at Portland, n literary paper, called
/ the Northern Pioneer. The enterprise " as
success from the start, the paper in four
Dir. ,I.t,.
! thousand copies. About this time, Mr..
Elwell bought out the interest of Mr..
P!ummer and united the Pioneer with the
Portland Transcript, paper established by
Mr. Chas T. lll,ley, in 1887, aud then con-
! ducted BY the late Erastus T.. Gould. Mr..
/ Elwell at once took charge Of the edito-
rial coluns of the Transcript, and here
| was his liie work, and here he remained
| To the time OF his death As a writer he
was man of great ability. and has left
| his imprrs, on the literature of the state
and the country
/ Under his able management the Tram
/ script at once took front rank in papers
OF its class. and has always retained it.
! He was fearless writer and discussed
! great public issues on their merits without
regard To party. The Transcript was pre-
eminently family newspaper, and moth
~, ,,,t tcaI,.,,I.,,a 80 ann.a ;n.,r,,c,
! .ri i,nrrava ~. ,nird Rrn,h.r EIwell..
| ..ditorisI. y.r., ,,nd..Iu o,,nciu, r., con-
| ,r.b.rs;v. and N. b,d ,ba r.r f.,cultv ~
! cl.sirg grac.fuIIy ,,bsn h,, h,d snf,Ici.ntlv
.Ishnr,,, ,.d his snbi.rt In m. nse nf mr..
English h., w.s ! master and In his rho.
,orjc he never mada any mistakes a.
| x.. ail;y.r, vyorl.r and . nrnlitc ,yri,.r
| R..ide. Ma work IN the Tr,nScrjnt h.
wrot. a laroe nnmh.r az interesting naners
which he rrad hafore annr.c,atlye and.
fences in yarious parts of the State. He
visited Europ. IN comnanv with his life
lony friend Harry Rrnwn m. artist and
his letters to his paper during his absence
were read with great interest and widely
copied. His published volumes. beside,
the BOYS of 81. already referred to. are
.Frsternitx psners ".Rusip.s. uouses Of
Portland Portland and y,c,uitv" and
an interesting and valuable account Of IN.
| Editorial Excursion 10 Aroostook in Is5s,
and again after twenty wears in 1878. He
| was member of tb.. Portland Frat.rnitv
an association of literary gentlemen and
| of the Maine Historical Society. to whose
volumes h. WAS fraon.nt and vsluable
contributor
Nr Elwell was a most interesting and
entertaining comnanion and his socia,
oualitie, we're of ihe trst order a an
eyt.mnoranaous sneaker and asnac;slIv n,
nos,.nrsndisl occasIons h. hal few rnnsls
Wall. he meyer con.nicnou.lv nnt h;ms.lf
forward ~. never ,.hrant from anv dn,v
imnosed nnon him whether in ,ba wav ~
r,.ading wrjtino or snestjng This onslitv
| .,os MA, ranI',..,J hi,, os,1,ciaiI,- ,aIno.
h,a ,n,har af in, ,sotlf,;l',, tr,..
,hat nna 1.',rId aI,,a,s danani no, III ~
snJ f,It ,.s,,rad ,ht; h., ,rnr,d 'p inat., no
,ni.,aLns H., So. .han al, n,,..,
-. ,,.ea .s.is,;l, :,
,h.Ia,t ii,,a-ad ,..-', j., n,h''r
s,at,s and On ,h..s, on.a.i|'nS ho ,,1a, a.,.,
.a,,,I.n n a,,a ~ n'i+ hNN,S - f.;oIs ~,
n. ra, I,,nahi, | ,o 1,.or t,ns,i, ,,d
Ia ~ ,'.,'''.' r;.nI'iaI . e,..id "ne
a., a., ,lat r. a r ,,,;,,',i'. .
fa,,iIn ,,,an and j. IL oh;fi.a, fa,h.. a,
nnna ond aItar br',har d. a.riat ir
Is55 Sar.b r. Jau"h,ar nf Can, Iobn
pnIIsrs ~ por,Iand mas, as,;mahIo ,aa,
ana a mndal ,,,if. fa,, r,,sr. I.,.r H.,
hn;I, ,'n, hoan.if,i 80 ~ ~, -, =
snhnrh nf and in .iah, nf b;s r,,ive port.
land III, hnma ,sss rias.an, ona a.
,hnsa ~ ne ron tas,;fv wbp hara haan -
for,nna,e as 10 baya h.er en,nr,ainsd ,hsr.
II was a literary home allad with choice
hooks and worts ~ a., ar,Eararv,hina caIcn-
lated m imnrove instrnct eleya,e and ret;n..
II was domestic bnm. where each
member of the family was unseltish,v de.