Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-01
STATE HOUSE.
Attorney Generals Of Maine
During Past 80 Years. il
Some Very Distinguished Men Have
Occupied This Position.
Cattle Commissioner Beai Talks About
.1sixe An Interesting Subject.

4 there have been 26 different incn,,,
/ bents of the office of attorney general
| The first to serve the State in rbai
capacity was Erastus Foote of Wis
casset. who was chosen in 1920 and
served II years. No other attorney
| general has since filled the office for
| so many years. The fact that in those
| early days the place was not regarded
| as of so much value in a financial way
| as 1T is, today, may be the reason for
| the long service given Mr.. Foote. And
yet Attorney General Foote was an
| able lawyer and he accomplished much
In the way of building the law depart
| ment of the new State on a solid
| foundation.
In 1882 Jonathan P. Rogers of BAN
| gor, was chosen as attorney general.
| He did not stay in office as long as his
| predecessor, having only two years to
| his credit. He was followed by Nathan
Clifford of Newfield, whose SUBSEQUENT
| career was as distinguished as that of
| many man who ever had the office.
Mr.. Clifford served four years as attor-
new general, and within 10 years after
his retirement from this office Presi-
dent Polk appointed him to the posi-
ton OF attorney general. He entered
the cabinet in October, 1886 and re-
manned during the remainder of Presi-
dent Folks term of office In 1858
President Buchanan appointed him an
associate justice of the supreme court
of the United States, a position which
he occupied until his death in 1881 at
the age of rs years.
Daniel Goodenow of Alfred, became
~ nr r,J ~,
1871. serving one year each time. Ste
phen Emery of Paris, was elected in
1889 and in 1910. and Otis L. Bridges
of Calais, held the office in 1912 and
1SA3. w. b. S. Moor of WatervilIe
served four years and he was succeed
ed by Samuel H. Blake of Bangor, for
the year 1913. Then Henry Tallman of
Bath. held the office four years from
1S49 to 1852, inclusive.
In 1858 George Evans of Portland,
who formerly resided in Gardiner, was
elected Cor the two years 1853 and 1854.
John S. Abbott of Norridgewock, was
elected in 1855, and Evans was again
chosen in 1856 for one term. Then
came Nathan D. Appleton of Alfred,
who had three years in office. In 1860
G. w. Ingersoll of Bangor, was elected,
was elected. but died during his term
of office. He was succeeded by Josiah
H. Drummond of Portland, who held
the position until 1864, when John A.
Peters was chosen for three terms in
succession.
United States Senator William P.
Frye was Names attorney general
from 1867 to 1862 inclusive, three years
in all. Thos. B. Reed followed for three
years and in 1879, 1874 and 1875 Harris
NJ Plaisted filled the office. In 1876
Lucilius A. Emery of Ellsworth, was
elected and served three years, when
VIM. H. Mcclellan of Belfast, came in
| for a single year. He was followed by
| Henry B. Cleaves of Portland, who had
| five years in office, the longest term OF
any attorney general of the State since
| that of F,rastus Foote.
The law changing the term of all
State officers elected by the Legislature
or the people from one year to two
| years took effect in 1881, and since that
| time incumbents of the office OF attor-
| ney general have been given two terms
| each or four years in all. In 1885 Or
| Vile d. Baker of Augusta, was elected,
and was followed in 1889 by Charles
F.. Littlefield of Rockland. In 1895
| Frederick A. Powers of HoultOn, came
in, and William T. Haines of Water
| Vile. was chosen in 1897. George NJ.
Seiders of Portland, was elected by the
Legislature of 1901 and is now serving
his first time.
OF the 26 attorney generals CHOSEN
during the past so years Portland and
| Bangor furnished five each, although
the Portland gentlemen served IL years
| while those from Bangor were in ONCE
less than 10 years in all. Waterville
and Alfred furnished two, and Wlscas-
set NeWfield, Paris, Calais, Bath, NOR
ridgewock. Lewiston, Ellsworth, Bel
fast. Augusta, Rockland and Houlton
supplied one each.
| Four of Names attorney generals
subsequently, became members OF the
supreme court, one of these serving as
| chief Justice for many years. lheS
were Daniel Goodenow, who were ap-
| nointed in 1855 and who served till 1867
| John A Peters was made an associate
| iustice i'm 1873 and 10 years later be-
came the chief justice, serving III years
in the latter capacity. Lucilius A. EN-
erv was appointed an associate justice
in 1889 and is now the senior membe
of the court Fred A. Powers became
an associate justice in 1900, only shoi
time after his retirement from the at
, torney generals office.
The legal gentlemen who nave occu
MED this important position since ls2
down to the present time have beei
, LAWYERS of marked ability, and thei
4 nublic careers have been somewha
: distinguished. Many of them wer
] called to higher places in the govern
ment of state and nation, one havln'
served as Governor. one as Unite'
States senator, one as attorney gen
Ie,-ai Of the United States and as
member of the United States suprem
Il court. while several have been eiecte
II ton Congress.
"From reports received at III
.r{9sf.g,ynssafti Hon. F. o. Beai OF Bangor
of the state Board of Cattle Commis
u sionets. TT is, quite evident that tn
farmers of Maine are waking up TO IN
wisdom of improving their stock D
the introduction of fine blooded am
mails. Hardly day passes that l
not receive notice from some expires
companv that it has shipped calf I
e