The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-20

Hon. Samuel Greely Hilborn, member
of U. S. House of Representatives from
California, was born In Minot, Me-, Ds-
cember Q, 1894. He was the son OF Samuel
and Nancy (Noyes) Hilborn. His grand
father, Robert, came to Maine from
Pennsylvania, by water. landing at (then
Falmouth, now Portland, early in the
Revolutionary War. He almost immedi-
ately enlisted in Capt Lowell's company
in 1776, serving one year and eight
months, meantime marrying Lucy Riggs,
VINO had become the Widow Chadbourn.
From Falmouth he struck out into the
country to establish his home. and Sc
cured farm In the limits of the present
town of Hebron, where he lived num-
ber of years. He was the father OF good
sized family amcng his children being
Seth b.. now deceased, long resident
of Portland.
The founder of the Hiiborn family in
America to which this branch belongs,
was Thomas, follower of William
Penn. He came to America about the
year 1000 and having means, secured a
tract of 1000 acres Of land in Buck coun
ty, Pa, not far from Philadelphia. His
descendants mostly fell away from the
tenets of Friends and scattered in the
second and third generations as pioneers.
A few. however, still remain true to the
old doctrine and live near the old home
in Pennsylvania.
The subject of this SIX etoh was a gradu-
ats of Tufts college, studied law and
was admitted to the bar in Maine about
1859. Soon after this he migrated to
California, settling down for work at
Vallejo, which at that time was mere
hamlet. AS the settlement increased so
did his practice, which soon became re-
munerative.
At Vallejo he also found his wife, who
was native of Herkimer, N. Y, Luana,
daughter of Jonathan and Louisa Hill
dreth) Root She and their only child,
Grace A. Hilburn. survive him.
He was appointed US. attorney for the
northern district of California In Janu-
ary, 1873 and took up his residence In
San Francisco. He held this office until
1887, when his long service in that Ca
pacity ended. Then he took up his resi-
uence across the bay. at Oakland. and
resumed his professional practice at san
Francisco, with his nephew, Frederick
w. Hall, as a partner, under the style of
Hilborn d Hall. He has served two
terms and half in Congress, his last term
Just ended. He has teen particularly
Cisting ulshed as a careful. hardworking
end influential member of this naval COM
mIttees,
In his first election to Congress in 1892.
there was narrow margin In this favor.
His seat was contested befor3 Demo
cratic majority in the House. Although
the integrity of Hilborn's election was
amply shown, the party whip was applied
and he was unseated about the end of the
long session. His constituents showed
their disapproval of this perversion of
their wishes by returning Hilborn to
Congress in 1894 by majority of 5000
votes. de as reelected in 1896 In 1898
he was not given the denomination,
probably attributable to his failing
health.
MIR. Hilborn remained away from his
native state nearly 30 years without q
visit. Growing up with the state of his
adoption his ideas and modes of life and
estimation of the advantages of the east
were colored with the hue that gradual
ly settles down upon our sons who leave
u.s. but in California there is large
contingent of men from Maine, who with
their sons and daughters, make con-
siderable army and nave u Maine Asso.
citation, generally holding meeting annu.
ally attended by many hundreds. Mr.
Hilborn WAS husiastic in this soci-
ETY., serving occasionally as toastInaster.
as orator and as president. During tho
last 10 years he has visited Maine sew.
eral times twice in the Congressional
body appointed to attend the funerals
OF our Congressman Milliken and Ding
ley.