The Portland daily press., 1892-01-29
BARS MEMORIAL DAY.
Marks Of Respect to Memories Of De.
ceased.
w. TT. SARGENT AND ELLIOT KING
THE SUBJECTS.

the Late George e. b. jackson, but
They Were Observation-Disclosures by
Judge Putnam and Messrs. George e.
Bird, George C. Hopkins, and Charles
Dunn, Jr.-Judge Haslkell's Reply.
In the Supreme Court yesterday after
noon. occurred the memorial exercises IN
memory of the late William H. Sargent
and Elliot King. The resolutions In
memory of the late George E. b. jack
son were also to have been presented,
but it was explained by Sewall q. Strout,
ESQ.,, that the committee having them in
charge were not ready.
Hon. William L. Putnam presented
the resolutions relating to MI. Sargent,
saying as he did so:
May it please Your Honor:
hold in my hand appropriate resolu-
lions concerning our late brother, Mr..
Sargent, which have been prepared by
another member of this bar, an appreci-
ative friend, and which resolutions the
committee adopts. These will move in
behalf of the committee before closing
I desire to say, most emphatical1y, that
in moving these resolutions and in act
ing as chairman of the committee hav-
ing them in charge, I am performing no
merely perfunctory duty.
If sad task like this can be grateful,
it is with the utmost qualification that |
find myself possessed of the opportunity
and privilege of uttering tribute to the
memory of our deceased brother-a tri-
butte none the less heartfelt because, I'M
der the circumstances, it must be brief.
NV first acquaintance with Mr.. Sargent
of such character as to be worthy of
the name, commenced at his entrance on
the study of the law, when he became a
student in my Office. Never have had
student more
Enthusiastic, Earnest, Willing,
devoted and unselfish than he, or more
courteous and ready to assist whomso-
ever else might be about the office.
His disposition was to probe every
thing to the bottom with great eagerness
the same disposition which he has
shown in the useful work accomplished
by him with reference to the York rec
ords, and many other matters of public
historical interest.
His earnest and lighted-up counte-
nance betrayed the student, as it after
ward betrayed the man.
For some time after he was admitted
to the bar he remained in my office as a
practitioner, to my great satisfaction and
coRtentment in every particular; and his
departure on the hazardous and bold en-
teIiprise in the Spanish main, of which
he took the lead, was to me source of
regret-not through lack of hope for his
Nf mol
loss of his daily assistance and compan-
ionship.
From that time on our acquaintance
continued of an intimate and most
friendly character SO long as he lived;
and can say no more for anyone than to
give my testimony to the fact that he
was, always, in all relations, true, ear
nest, generous and brave.
I move the passage of the resolutions.
George E. Bird, ESQ.,, in seconding the
resolutions, said:
May it please the court, before second
ing the adoption of the resolutions offer
ed by Mr. Putnam. beg permission to
read short biographical sketch of our
deceased brother which / have prepared
at the suggestion of the committee.
William Mitchell Sargent was born
September 5, 1S4S, at Eldorado, Ark,
and died at Portland on Easter morning
in 1891.
Although he was born in the South,
his parents were Of New England origin,
both being natives of Yarmouth, Me-,
where tileir families had long resided.
He continued to live at the place of his
birth until the
commencement of the Civil War
1. 10 TO ,Jo+o
his education. His parents soon follow
ed.
Entering the high school at Portland
in 1861 and passing the usual time in pre-
paration, he was admitted in Jnly 1866
to Harvard College, which gave him the
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1869 and
1872 that of Master of Arts.
After graduation. two years were
spent in teaching in Connecticut and
New Jersey and reading law as time was
afforded. In June 1871, returning to
Portland, which thenceforth became his
home, he entered the Office of Hon. w.
L. Putnam and was admitted to the bar
of Cumberland county in October 1872
Immediately he began, and for the next
eight years, continued the practice Of
his profession, being largely employed
IN the 1nVeStlgatl0n OF Jules, winch I'M
doubtedly led to fondness for anti
quarian and genealogical research, in all
of which he became well and enviably
known.
But in 1880, his belief in the possibility
and proftableness of river mining in the
United States of Columbia led to his I'M
dertaking the organization and equip
ment of an expedition to the river
Atrato. Into this enterprise he threw
himself with all the
Ardor and Ropefulness
of his nature and by his energy and
resoluteness overcame multitude OF
difficulties. He sailed with the expedi-
ton he had organized in February. 1881,
but overcome with labor and anxiety a
serious illness compelled his return i'm
mediately on his arrival at Cartagena.
His recovery was slow.
He, however, resumed his practice in
1882 or 1883. Shortly after he began,
under the direction of the Maine Histor-
ical Society, the editing of the earliest
volumes of York Deeds, six of which
were published under his supervision.