Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-28
STATE HOUSE.
Speakers of Maine House Dur
ing Past 80 Years.
No Farmers Institutes Until Summer
Comes Again.
Executive Council Meets on "Wednesday
of This Week.

pants of the Speakers chair of the
House of Representatives since Maine
became a state.
| Cumberland county leads in the num-
| Der of sessions at which one of its citi-
ztns presided over the lower Legislative
body. The total service of the follow
| ing gentlemen was II sessions: Josiah
s. Little. Portland. 1871; Hugh D. Nc
| Lcllan. Gorham. 1S41-4S; Josiah S. Lit
tIc. Portland, 1856; j. II. Drummond,
| Portland, 1869; Frederick Robe, Cor
ham, 1872: Wm. w. Thomas, Jr., Port
Hand. IS14-15- Frederick ROBBIE, Gorham.
| 1876: Melvin p. Frank, Portland, 1879;
Fred \. Dow. Portland, 1879; and Seth
l.. Larrabee. Portland, 1891
The first Speaker to be elected from
| kennebec county was George Evans.
Gardiner. in 1929. In 1881 John Ruggle;
resigned from the SpeaEership and
Heni. White, Monmouth, served the
balance of the term. In the Legislature
of 1858 J. II. Drummond. Waterville,
was elected Speaker: VIM. T. Johnson,
Augusta, 1859; James G.. Blaine. Au-
gustn, 1SGl-62; w. A. =. Dillingham;.
Wa.crvillc. 1860; Reuben Foster, Wa
teryiIl". 1870; George f. Weeks. Au-
gusta. 1880: j. Manchester Haynes, Au-
Susta. 1883; and Joseph II. Manley. Au-
eusta, 1901. Ten full terms and part of
another term have been served by Ken
ncbec county representatives.
| Penobscot county was first represent
| r,l in the Speakers chair by Hannibal
! iIamlin of Hampden. in 1897. Elisha
| Allen, Bangor, presided over the House
in the session of 1898, and Hannibal
HImlin again welded the gavel in the
| session of 1880. George l.. SeWall was
Speaker in 1S51-52: Lewis Barker Stet-
son, 1861: Edward T.. Ncalley. Bangor.
1874; Henry Lord, Bangor, 1873; Charles
.Iamlin, Bangor, 1855; and Isaiah X.
Stctson. Bangor, in 1889. 1t will thus
be seen that Penobscot county repre-
seIhatives have been Speaker through
out 10 sessions.
During seven sessions York county
was represented in the chair behind the
Speakers desk. In 1894 Benz. Greene,
South Berwick. occupied the position.
Daniel Gcodenow of Alfred. was Speak
er in 1880, and Nathan Clifford, New
field. afterwards chief justice of the
isupreme court of the United States.
was Speaker in 1888 and 1884. Moses
Mcdonald was Speaker. in 1915; James
NJ. Stone, Kennebunk,s in 1866, and Ed
yin Il. Smith. Saco, in 1871.
Androsooggin county has had five
occupants of the chair, and one served
two terms. Charles Andrews of Tur-
ner. was Speaker in 1912; David Dunn
Poland. 1913: Nelson Dingley, Jr., Lew
iston. 1S63-G4: l.. Fl. Hutchinson, Lew
iston. 1881. and Albert r. Savage, Au-
burn. in 1888
Three men have represented Knox
lCounty as Speaker of the Maine House,
nut they served in eight different ses-
sions. John Ruggles Of Thomaston,
afterwards United States SENATOR was
Speaker at the sessions of 1S25-26-2 %,
land again for II portion of the session
of 1891. He filled the position with
great credit. When Thomas Davee Of
blanchard. resigned from the Speaker
ship in 1855 Jonathan Cilley of Thorn
aston, was elected in his place. Both
of these gentlemen served in Congress.
CilIey was made Speaker in 1886. and
that same year was elected a congress
/ man. KNOX county was not again
| heard from. so far as the Speakership
was concerned, until 1887, when Charles
Z Il. i4ittltiitl'l NSS tittttu. IiiS
| predecessors from the county. Ruggles
] and Cilley, he also went to Congress
4 and is at present the member from the
! | % district.
Washington county has had three
Speakers: John G. Talbot, Jr., Lubec,
in 1852: Noah Smith. Jr., Calais, in 1853.
. | and Frederick A. Pike, Calais, in 1860.
Charles A. Spofford, Deer Isle, 1857 !:
Z. c. Woodman, Bucksport, 1861 and
Andrew L! Wiswell, Ellsworth, 1891,
have maintained the honor of Hancock
county. 4
Sagadahoc county has had one Speak
er during the existence of Maine as a
State. Technically speaking, the coun-
: ty is entitled to no credit in this par
ticular. for at the time the county was
mot in existence. 1t probably would be
5 NEARER the truth to say that Bath has
n been represented in the Speakership
i, ldurng four sessions, in 1S20-21-22-23
i Benjamin Ames was the incumben:
and for a portion of the year 1921 he
lactcd at Governor.
! Piscataouis county had Thomas Da-
lvee for a portion of the session of 1885;
III F,benezer Knowlton of Montville, rep
Nlresented Waldo in 1916; Samuel Belcher
! Pennington. stood for Franklin in 1919
oxford county had Sidney Perham
VI Woodstock, in 1855; and Llewellyr
j Powers of Houlton, represented Aroos
took in 1885,.
Portland has been represented I'm th'
Spe9kership s times; Thomaston, 4
Augusta. 6: Bangor, 5; Bath. 4; Water.
Vile, 4; Gorham. 4; Lewiston, 3; New
field. .: Calais, 2; Hampden. 2; and
South Berwick, Gardiner, Alfred. Mon.
mouth. blanchard. Turner, Poland
Limerick. Montville. Pennington, Ole
Town. Lubec. Woodstock. Deer Isle
Kennebunk. Stetson, Bucksport, Saco
Rocland. Ellsworth, Auburn ant
Houlton, once each.
John Ruggles was Speaker five differ
ent times. Benjamin Ames served dur
ling four sessions. Nathan Clifford ha'
two terms and Jonathan Cilley serve
part of two terms. Hannibal Hamli
served twice and so also did Josiah
Little. Hugh d. Mcclellan, George I
: Sewall. James G. Blaine, Nelson Ding
~ ley. Jr.. j. H. Drummond, Frederic
Robbie and W. w. Thomas. Jr. 1t is
Z peculiar fact that j. II. DrummOn
= alaotaJ Sneaker in 1SEQ xyhan II