The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-03-26


isiii3i; gicn story long forgotten
Of Daniel Webster, his impulsiveness
and his careIessness. This portrait is
that of q hero of the American revolu-
tion-Capt. Luke tWilder-whos was a
chum of 3Webster,s father, Ebenezer,
the latter, also, having been an ohcer
In the Continental army. Wilder was
one of the closest friends OF the great
orator. go a -e,}sy>
Capt Luke Wilder was porn in Lsn-
caster, Mass, and afterward moved to
Salisbury, N. h. the home of the
Websters, and where the, statesman
was born in 1882. He was a man of
splendid physique, standing over six
feet in height, and was noted for his
strength and courage. At the break
ing out of the Revolution he at once
offered his services to the Colonial
government, and formed company,
receiving captains commission. He
took his company to join Gen. Stark's
forces, and they performed valiant
service at the battle of Bennington.
After the close Of the war Captain
Wilder engaged in various business
enterprises, farming, numbering and
trading, with varying success. -Hav-
ing suffered a serious financial re-
verse, he moved to Maine, and was
located for a time in the town of
Hudson, not far from Bangor, after
ward going to Bangor, where he
died on November "a, 1886.
When Capt. Wilder went to Bangor
the place was a mere village, where
some lumber was manufactured for
Shipment to the West Indies, and
where trading was carried on with
the @-Tarratine Indians, agriculture
conducted by primitive methods sup
plying the majority of the people
with rather scant subsistence. The
friendship between Capt. Wilder and
the Websters was kept up through
correspondence, and in 1904 Daniel
and his brother Ezekial, visited
in Bangor. At that time there were no
bridges across the Kenduskeag
stream, which divides the city into
two parts, and local historians relate
that the Webster boys were obliged
to make their way over the stream on
a raft of logs.
Capt Wilder bought what is known
as the Bruce farm, a few miles out of
the city, on the banks of the kendus-
keag stream-a fine, large property, in
picturesque location, but covered for
the most part with dense growth of
pine and other woods. He cleared
much of the farm, and built there
good house, in which he spent the lat
ter years of his life and where his
children were born. This house was
burned, and in 1926 Capt Wilder's son
built the present mansion, which is a
fine example of early New England
homestead architecture, with wide
wainscoting, huge freplaces, curiously
wrought stair rails and capacious
chimneys. In this house the pres
ent occupant has lived since infancy,
and here hangs the painting of the
Revolutionary captain, which she
holds as the most precious of her
possessions. .lrs. Hassard is wom-
an OF intelligence and culture, and
at the age of seventy-seven, her mind
is perfectly clear concerning all
events within her recollection, and
her conversation, characterized by
quiet dignity of speech and manner,
is most entertaining.
AS the fame of Webster grew, SO,
also, the little town of Bangor ex-
banded, and when, in 1885, the states
man again came to visit his friend,
Capt. Wilder, who was then eighty
three years old, the place had been
incorporated as city, and boosted
one of the finest hotels in New Eng
land-the Bangor House, modelled
somewhat after the famous old Ire
mont house in Boston. 1t was at the
Bangor house. on Sept. %, 1885, that a
great banquet was given in honor of
Webster, and among the guests was
Capt Wilder. Good cheer and good
fellowship ruled at the banquet board,