Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-10-05
MONARCHS OF MAINE.
Such Were Certain Men of Money "A
Their Respective Towns for
Many Years.

| Simpson has held sway over Carmel for
so years. This is well illustrated by the
case of Elder George Higgins, leader of
the Holy Ghost disciples, who was
tarred and feathered at Levant few
weeks ago. Since Elder Higgins was
carried on rail over the town line into
| Glenburn the believers in the gospels OF
Higgins have made frantic efforts to ins-
mortalize John White by calling him
/ the modern Nero. John White owns
| the town of Levant. When the annual
| taxes come due he draws his check for
the full amount and deposits it with the
town treasurer, getting the benefit of
| the ten per cent. discount allowed on
payments made before August 1. Then
he goes among the taxpayers, taking
| hay, stock, potatoes and apples until
| his claim is satisfied. He is the fnan-
cial and moral center of the community,
| higher than whom no man can presume
to be-. What Patrick Jerome Gleason
tried to be in Long Island City John
White is IN Levant, and has been for
40 years. Therefore, while Mr.. White
was not present when Higgins was dec
GRATED, the followers of Higgins be-
lieved the town boss was the instigator
of the outrage. In the hope of implicat-
ing White in the affair, 81 men and boys
were arrested and taken before Judge
Vose, of the Bangor municipal court.
At the hearing three men testified
that they saw members of the mob
scratch matches and apply the blaze to
the tar-coated body of Higgins. In re-
ply TO the question why these men APP
piled burning matches to Higgins,
Reeves Clements said:
Il suppose they wanted to touch him
off,
'Nero!" ''Nero!" cried some of Hig
gins followers from the back part of
the courtroom.
In the days before the civil war near
~ every small agricultural town in
Penobscot county had its local SOW
ereigns, whose functions were similar
to those which John White exercises
in Levant. They were all hardy money
grabbers, but punctilious in keeping
contracts and often generous, particu-
larly when generosity advertised their
business. Their ascendency was gained
by catering to the needs of the people.
The money in general circulation was
state bank notes, which were always
going to protest, and could not be nego-
tiated on any terms outside of Maine.
After repeated losses the poor farmers
learned that the name of leading
townsman on the back of note was
far more reliable than any banks bill.
The issuing of a national currency
saved Maine from ruin. 1t also enabled
the local money lenders to make large
profits from speculation in mortgages,
bills of sale and brokerage commissions
upon everything from the sale of a lit
ter of pigs to the purchase of substi-
tute for some man who had been
drafted and didn't want to go to the
war.
The manner of conducting their OPP
erations was much the same in all the
towns, though every man had some spe-
cialty which distinguished him from his
rivals over the town line. Calvin Whit
ney, who owned most all of DiXmont,
believed he could perpetuate his fame
best by having male children named in
his honor. He paid cash prizes of five
and ten dollars to poor parents who
would attach his name to their off
spring. The result is that about one
third of the middle-aged men who re-
side in Dixmont and Newburg to-day
bear the Christian name of Calvin Whit
ney.
Joseph Wheeler Eaton, for so years
the boss of Plymouth, displayed his tai
ents along agricultural lines. If a man
had yoke of steers valued at $50 and
wanted to raise $25 for immediate use,
Eaton furnished the money and took
bill of sale. When the steers had grown
to oxen and were worth $3.50 or $500
Eaton would go to the debtor and offer
to let him have another pair of steers
as good as the pair for which the bill
of sale had been recorded. The farmer
was glad to consent Then Eaton sold
the oxen for beef, making 5000 profit
on four-years' investment of $25. OF
course the farmer had the use of the
steers all the time they were growing
to oxen, and for this reason he natural
" felt grateful to Eaton for his kind
ness.
Another of Eaton's benevolent plans
was to let out sheep and bees to poor
farmers to double in four years. If he
advanced ten sheep to man he was to
y
later, the farmer paying the taxes and
assuming all risks. 1t seemed very kind
in Eaton to place so much confidence
in a poor man, but as he made 25 per
cent a year he never refused the call of
charity. He was deputy sheriff and
first se1ectman for 25 years, but when
he grew old he married modern wom-
an, who could understand Kant and
read Goethe. They quarreled Cor few
years. Then came long divorce suit.
At last. when Eaton was old and rid of
his wife, he found that his fortune had
gone. and he died soon rather than face
the disgrace of poverty.
John Gardner, of Patten; Nathan
El.ingwood, of Greenbush. and John
Morrison. of Corinth, held sway in their
respective towns. Gardner and Filing
wood are dead. but Morrison, who is Sc
years old, drives n pair of fast bays
TO Bangor. 90 miles away, as often as
once a week, and can train colt or
shave a note as neatly as be could E1if
a century ago. Francis W. Hill, the king
of Exeter, made 100000 before the war.
He put half of his fortune into Maine
Central railroad stock when quotations
were down to ten and twelve cents. Six
years ago Hill died and his estate was
appraised at 100000.
White, of Levant; Morrison, of Cor
NTH. and Simpson, of Carmel, are the
only survivors of 20 or more town kings
who ruled Penobscot county for a quar-
Ter of a century Simpson won last