Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-01-24

aD0 The cid honke Vas few yeaSs go
Demolished. NJ. Elve,fs charming book
entitled s.Bsys Of ,s5' gives N intefesties
account Of his early years. ard If the COM
ranions of his boy hood days. Mr.. EIwell
ohtaired . good common school education
in the Portland schools, and when quite
young lad . strong inclination for The puf-
sui. Of his father and grandfather. both Of
whom we're ssA-faring men but force Of
circumstances foFtueaseiy changed the
direcCcn Of his career. His drss engage
meat vas IN commission store where he
remained for one year. In 1912, be nrs'
thought Ct acquiring the printers art. and
for that purpose, he entered the service Of
Hon. Benjsmin Kinysbury who ,hsn pub
lished the Daily Amsrican. Here he
remained between two and three years,
vhsa the paper was discontinued. He
then worked for two years - . compssitos
ia the sfiee of the Christian Mirror Of
which Rev. DR.. Asa Cummings vas pub
lisher. Ia lS4T, Mr.. Elwell went to Lin
ef;ck and became foreman in the Of
fee Of the Free Baptist Repository, then
puhli.hed in tina. village. But the pen and
not the composing stick was Mr.. Elxelfs
proper supplement. and July Let, lS4S, he
and Edwin Piummer. Icing since dead,
started ct Portland, 4 literary paper, called
the Northern Pioneer. The enterprise vas
q success from the start, the paper in fo1r
months. reaching 3 circulation Of over .
thousand copies. About this time. Mr..
Elwell bought out the interest Of Me. Plum
uer, and uaited the Pioneer with the Port
land Transcript, . paper established by Mr..
Chas. P. Iilsley in 1887 and then conducted
by the late Ersstus E. Gould. Mr.. E,well
ct once took charge of the editorial coluDs
Of the Transcript, and here was his life
york, and here he remained to the time Of
his death. As . writer, he Was q man Of
great ability and hiss left bic impress on the
literature Of the state and the country.
Under his able management the Trau
script st once took front rank in papers
Of its class. and has always retained it. Ks
was fearless writer and discussed great
public issues on their merits withou, r. ard
to party. The Transcript was prominently
family newspaper, and nothiog was ever
admitted into its columns that was not cal
culsted to amuse, instruct and improve the
mind. Brother Eiwell's editorials were
models; concise yet comprehensive AID he
had the rare faculty of closing gracefully
when he had sufficiently elaborated bis sub
ject. II the use of pure English be WAS g
master, and in his rhetoric he never made
any mistakes. He was diligens worker
and a prolific writer. Besides his work Oh
the Transcript, he wrote large number of
interesting papers which he read before
appreciative audiences in various parts
of the State. He visited Europe in
company with his lifelong friend
Harry Brown, the ar.ief, and bis letters to
bis paper during his absence were read with
great interes. ard widely copied. His pub
lished volumes, beside the Boys Of So"
already referred 10. are Fraternity Papers"
Business Houses of Portland" Portland
ard Vicinity" and xn Interesting and val
uable account of the Editorial Excursion to
Aroostook in 1858, and again after twenty
wears in 1873. He was member Of the
Portland Fraternity, an Association of liter
AIRY gentlemen. and of the Maine Historical
Society, to whose volumes he was 8 fire.
quent and valuable contributor.
MIR. Elwell was a most Interesting and
entertaining companion and his social quail
lies were of the first order. As an extern
poraneous speaker and especially on post
prandial occasions, he had few equals.
While he never conspicuously put himself
forward, he never shrank from any duty
imposed upon him, whether in the way
Of reading, wiring or speaking. This
quality was what rendered him especially
valuable member of the Association; we
knew tina. one could always depend upon
hin and felt assured that be would make
no mistakes. He oftener THAI any other
member, represented our Association in
those Of a kindred character, in other
states, and on these occasions he was ever
popular and made hosts of friends. He
was most lovable man, always gentle and
mild, yet when principal WAS involved, as
firm az a rock. He was premiusntly a
family man and to his children, father at
once ard elder brother. He married in
1852, Sarah C. daughter Of Can't. John
Polleys of Portland, most es.imable
lady and model wife. A few years later
he built him beautiful home in Deering,
suburb of, ard in sight of his native Port
lard. Hi, home was pleasant one as
those of us can testify who have been SO
fortunate as to have been entertained
there. 1t was literary home, filed with
choice books and works of srt-everyt
calculated to improve, Instruct, elevate and
refine.
1t was domestic home where each men,
Der Of the family was unselisbly devoted
to home duties snd home pleasures. twas
quiet home where peace and harmony and
love delighted to make their abiding place,
AMI the entry by death into such a home
and the breaking OF such a family circle
wss indeed great calamity.
Brother Elwell died suddenly at the West
End Hotel, Bar Hsrhor, when on his way
home from the summer excursion July 18Th,
1890. He had been for some years suf-
ferer from rheumatism and resulting hear,
di,esse, and heart disease was undoubtedly
the immediate cause Of his death. A widow,
three Sons and two daughters survive hit
Brother Elwell was not member Of
any church, and whether or not he
favored any particular creed, know not
ror does it matter. The biame.ess life he
led, and the grand work he accomplished
in the interest of human progress, are
worth vastly more and will weigh down in
any true balance, all the barren creeds of
Christeneom. To those of US who were
lorg his associates in this organization, he
has lefta bright example OF patience, for
bearsnce, sympathy and self-tenial. of fra
teroisy, loyalty, and good fellowship. His
memory will ever be dearly cherished by
us sill. To the younger members of the
craft. his life is a constant inspiration,
reckoning aud leading them onward and
upward to higher and nobler attachments in
the broad fields of journalism and litera-
lure. To his family he has left the price
less legacy OF a nobly spent life and an
unsullied re putation.