Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-05-03
FORTUNATE BUCKSPORT.
The ssFishcr Ames Spofford FUND.-
Its Origin and Use.

another big check to be added to the
Fisher Ames Spofford Fund" for the
poor calls attention to this noble fund,
which means so much to Bucksport.
One of the first families of Bucksport
is the Spoffords. The name extends sew
eral generations back, and the race is
now represented in town by Hon. Parker
Spofford, well known through the State.
There were three Spofford brothers:
Frederick, franklin and Fisher Ames,
the father and uncles of Parker Spoffurd.
They were leading citizens in their day
and generation and great lovers OF their
native town. OF the brothers, Fisher
Ames had no family. He was a deaf
mute, but highly educated, and for years
teacher III n well-known institution.
lie accumulated a considerable fortune
by his own industry and good invest
ments. On Oct. /, 1877, Fisher Ames
Spofford went the way OF all the earth,
and was laid TO rest in peaceful Oak Hin
cemetery, where sleep all those " no made
up the life of old Bucksport.
In his viii, after making number OF
requests, he specified hat the residue of
the poor of the town OF Bucksport, the
income to be fund to be known as the
Fisher y. Spoford Fund.-, to be used
for the relief OF the needy poor of Bucks
port, especially the widows. This fund
amounted to S11 800.
The town of Bucksport was in need of
money itself, and borrowed the fund en-
tire at per cent. interest, giving its
note to .he overseers of the poor, max
ing all amount OF Si72 per year available
to hep the needy poor.
Whcn application for help is made to
the ovursecrs OF the poor, they use their
judgment in giving relief from cit her he
Spudlrd fund or the poor fund OF the
town. 1t Is special condition and un-
drr>tLnding that the benefit OF the Spot
lord fund is to be strictly charitable. 1t
is designed especially for the unfortunate
OF "A respectable class who need perhaps
only temporary help. No one knows who
j. helped by the fund but the overseers of
the poor, and the auditor who looks the
account over once year. The records
are not public, aud the b neticiarles are
not pauIers. They have the privilege OF
refundinE, which many do when able.
The town raises the Interest money ut
each annuai meeting which is practically
taking The money out OF one pocket ana
putting into another, for what Is paid
from the Sponord fund lessons tie
general poor tunc, and in many cases til.
taxes on small t-tatts are paid from tine
Spofford fund which otherwise would
needs be ahated.
But the rosicuary legacy referred to
above Was not all tnat Fisher A. Spufford
provided. Ia his MI lie bequeathed to
his "dterly neioved niece, Emma A.
Buck" the sum of 80 900, the income to
be used y her during her Lille aud al her
death the principal to he passed to the
town Of Bucksport to be added to the
Fisher y. SpUfford fund. NJ i-s Buck died
in 1850, ard two months later the $4,000
was passed to the credit OF the town.
The town borrowed OF Itself again, and
from that time up to the present has
raised annually ssh, as interest upon
the 81 800 Spofford fund. There has
been that amount available for the de-
serving poor OF the town and there have
g !. to. haa,, ,hn, ~. ,ha ,,a,,l,,r1,,,'.,
=, .,,. -, t,.
,.. 49,. ,..., a., 1870. 49,,
o,.ar .cro o,,, l,.., ,,., ,,s-o,.,.,,...
needy of that amount without the stigma
OF paupers or town charges.
But that * not all. There has been
od,,,.,, oco-
,,ra,,o,a $40, t..,,d 500 -, "a o,74
tber.h, ,,.,..,,,, ,,o,,,ar ,ots w,..,n ~.
tou,r r.,,.;,.,s', 20 600 a., r,,,,,
pn.l, a..,.,'., .,.l.a,t-.,
wsstott,a n,.,,.,r ~, il ,a.,,,t 1,hara
was lot ,.a J., a,,,,. ,,a, ,,,.,
E,,,,o p,.,i- o'';,.-,, 80 sro ooo t-o,,, ho-
nno,o E,sho Zoo 80. DIN, pioho.a