The Republican journal., 1901-03-14
IAlrEs sEsx1rH.

Mr.. Nesmith, the first trader in Bel
fast. came from Little River, in 1909,
and occupied small building on High
street where the McClintock block
stands. The same year, he erected a
store and dwelling on the site of the
Masonic Temple, at the corner which
for many years bore his name. In ear
ly days he was emphatically the magis-
trate of the little community; the one
before whom all minor actions were
brought. He died in 1911, at the age of
Al. The following letter written. in
1906, by William Crosby and Bohan P.
Field, two of the three lawyers then
practicing here, shows their estimate of
the character of Mr.. Nesmith The
original was sent me by Ex-Chief JUS
tice Peters, who found it among the
papers of General David Cobb of
Gouldsboro, a member of the Execu-
tive Council from Hancock County,
early in the last century.
1t is addressed to Hon. Samuel
Thatcher of Warren, now at Boston,
Member of ye House of Representa-
tives, and the postage paid was thirty
four cents.
3 An endorsement in the hand writing
of Gen. Cobb says, Submitted to the
Governor, June, 1906" 1t is needless
to add that Mr.. Nesmith was at once
commissioned as Justice.
JOSEPH WILLIAMSON.
BELFAST, May 27, 1905.
Dear Sir:-Mr. Justice Nesmith of
this place with whom you were former
ly acquainted is now out of commission
AS his situation and capacity would
render him peculiarly serviceable to the
public and the subscribers, they are ex-
tremely desirous that his commission
should be renewed You are sensible
that from our situation on this side of
the Bay it frequently becomes neces-
sary to take Dispositions in the trial of
cases at Castine. Those gentlemen who
are in commission on this side the river
are generally engaged in every disputa-
BILE cause-and we know of no other
gentleman in commission whom we
can safely trust to make out the regular
captions to Deposition except Mr.. Mes
mith.
1t is said that certain objections to
the renewal of his commission were
made at the last session of the Gen.
Court, which were that, being trader,
he has not strictly conformed himself to
the laws regulating licensed houses
you are sensible that from the nature of
the people, the source of the trade here
in lumber and navigation and the situa-
tion of the country it is next to impos-
sible for trader to be stictly governed
by the existing laws on the subject with
out destroying himself unless there
could be universal reform among our
traders.
The same objection could with equal
propriety be made to every other gen
tleman in commission in the county
who is trader. This much we will say
that Esqr. Nesmith transacts as much
and more business than any other
trader in this place-and with as
much order and decency as situation
and business will admit. One other OBJ
lection is said to have been made which
was that he had entered into an i'm
proper contract with the subscribers
with respect to their JUS business.
The facts are simply these, that he is
now and has been for these two years
and more past extensively engaged in
trade and navigation, that it was with
some reluctance he undertook to attend
to our Jus. suits under these circum-
stances the subscribers undertook to do
all the clerical part of the business, Civ
ing him no further trouble than to heal
the causes make up the Docket and
certify the records and issue executions
for which we were to make him 9
certain satisfaction agreed upon. II
there was anything improper i'll this
transaction the blame was ours, not his
If from this view of Esqr Nesmith' S
situation you are OF opinion that his
commission ought to be renewewed, we
wish you to give him that aid which
your situation will enable you to render
We can only say that from an ac
quaintance with him for three years
last past we have found him man OF
pure morals, attached to our govern
ment and constitution, the friend OF
order and better qualified to discharge
the duty of JUS than any other gentle
man in commission mot a law character
on this side the bay and river.
We are Sir, with high esteem,
Your very o'bt servants.
WJIIJAN Cpncpv