Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-10

gov was SuCceeueu III IL Wy SViii - "stf.s-
Ter. and much later after the state was
admitted, by George w. Stanley, whose
remarkable force Of character Impressed
itself on this community.
The joke was that when Lithgow erect
ed his house, now the Williams home
stead. he put the rear entrance on me
street because Judge Cony lived opposite,
with whom he was not at that time on
good terms. The better reason VIII PC
found in the fact that the front iooks
upon one of the most charming land
Scapes in the world.
The Lithgow library. named for Sheriff
Lithgow's nephew. Llewellyn. Its round
er. perpetuates the pane in manner
more enduring than brass or marble.
James Bridge studied law with, Theoph-
illus Parsons. and established himself az
Augusta in 1880 He was classmate az
Harvard of John Quincy Adams, who re-
fers to him In his diary 'as one OF my
Oldest and in my early life most intimate
friends" and MIR Adams. when PTcsi-
dent, desired to appoint him as one OF the
agents in the then attempted settlements
OF the Northeastern boundary, knowing,
as he said that there is not an individ-
ual in the State In whose able and faith
full performance of this duty | should
place more implicit confidence"
OF the members Of this family probably
Horatio, who was paymaster general OF
the navy: published several interesting
works; and was the intimate friend Of
Hawthorne. became the most widely
known Early in 1856 he guaranteed. ua-
known to hts friend until long afterwards.
$3.50 to Goodrich. who as Peter Farley
had awaited himself ~ Hawthorne's la
bors to defray the expense of bringing
out Twice Told Tales. his first book. II
that book had not then appeared, II Is i'm
possible to say to what extent the advent
of this great author might have been de-
layed.
The next year Hawthorne visited
Bridge at Augusta. and in his American
Note Books he gives some delightful rem
niscences of the place including an in
terestlng trip to catch white perch at an
outlying pond which he does not name.
and which cannot he identified 10y the
mere fact that the fishermen appear to
have taken q good many yellow perch
and horned pout as we'll But he seems
TO have been particularly charmed wtth
frequent walks up Bonds Brook as FAR
as Coombs' Mill. the road 10 which Is
still as beautiful as ever. Coombs Mill
was sometimes called Ladd's mill. from
Joseph Ladd. who came to Augusta about
lS0S and lived at Coombs Mill from 1sl2
to 49,? having married in 1871 daughter
of Theophilus Hamlen.
Judge Joseph North was the son of
Captain North. the valiant man OF
Pemaauid" and it is his grandson.
James w. North. one of our mayors and
foremost business men, who reared
lasting monument in the work referred
to.
James Bridge married a daughter of
Joseph North. and in turn one OF his
daughters married the son of General
William North of Duanesburgn, New
York. Joseph's younger brother, also
born at Pemaquid who was in the ReVo-
iutionary army: aide and intimate friend
to Baron Steuben, and one of his exec
utors; and a senator of the United states
by appointment of John jay; and their
daughter married Daniel Cony, son or
Judge Weston. so cordially welcomed as
the chaplain of the day. Another of
Judge Bridges daughters married Rufus
c. Nose, and their daughter. Daniel, son
Of Daniel Stone. These ramiiications arc
too instructive to be wholly omitted.
We have been greatly favored In the
presence of the surviving daughter OF
Judge Bridge, the widow Of Daniel VIII
liams. who having been part of all these
things. now, in the serenity of sweet
old age, contemplates, with undated In
tcrest, the progress of her native place
When in 1896 the anniversary or ma
;ional independence was celebrated,
Judge Cony presided at the banquet. as
sisted by Judge Weston and Colonel Full
ler and amid the festivities Judge Cony
called upon "a venerable gentleman who
was with him at the battle of Saratoga
and in General Schuyler's army" where
upon Captain Nathan Weston, then near
ly ninety years of age. arose, and, after
some remarks gave the following toast;
''The spirit of l77G, alive, and unspent aft
err fifty years.
Captain Weston came to Hallowell in
IT'S and settled at the fort three years
Court street, on which street he lived.
He represented the town in the general
court, was Selectmau. member OF the
State Senate and of the executive cour-
Gil. His third wife, the mother of Chicf
Justice Weston. was the aunt OF George
Bancroft and the widow of Nathaniel
Cheever of Hallowell, whose son Ma
thaniel published the Advocate at that
place, and whose grandson. George Bar
rell CheeVer, a elassmate of LonSfeliow.
Hawthorne, Bradbury. and Joseph J.
Eveleth, became widely noted in church
vela tions and literary pursuits
Judge Weston, referred to as assisting
on this occasion. was born at Augusta.
July 81 1882; attended William Brooks
school: was fitted at the Hallowell Acad-
envy under Preceptor Moody; graduated
Mt Dartmouth; read law in Boston; and.
with the exception of two or three years
at New Gloucester. resided at Augusta
throughout his life, He was appointed
chief justice of the common pleas at the
age of twenty-nine by Governor Gerry:
when Maine became a State he was called
to the supreme bench as associate jus
tee; and. upon the retirement of Chief
Justice Mellen. became chief justice OF
Maine His opinions are widely known
and frequently cited. His conversational
powers were of the first order and the
anecdotes that he told and that We're told
OF him. would fill a volume. He was
on very kindly terms with his fellow
towns people. and was always called by
them the Judge" He was accustomed
after he had reached an advanced age, to
80 TO the Granite Bank and read the
daily Boston paper. and Treby Johnson.
the then cashier said that on one occa-
sion the judge found some person dill
gently perusng the paper he had come
to see. Time passed on until the reader
seemed to have got engaged with the
advertisements. when Judge Weston ex-
claimed Mr.. Johnson there is Il notice
posted in one of the London clubs to this
effect: Persons learning TO read will
please use Yesterdays newspaper. -