, 1902-03-20
RELIC OF WEBSTER.
STATESMAN ORDERED PORT RAFT
PAINTED, AND FORGOT IT.
iksssss Of Capt. Luke Wilder. Rsvs-
lstionary Hero. 10 Preserved Il the
Old Brace Farmhouse Near Bangor.
Mains-history Of the Picture.

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Especial Letter.)
0NA pom the sitting room wall
vi In the old Bruce farm
A house. near Bangor. Maine.
hangs an oil portrait, dim
med and mellowed by age.
wv that recalls to some Of the
older residents Of this re-
gi0n q story long forgotten
of Daniel Webster, his impulsiveness
and his carelessness. This portrait Ia
that Of a hero Of the American revolu-
ton Capt. Luke Wilder-who WAS =
chuH OF Webster's father, Ebenezer.
the latter. also. having been an officer
in the Continental army. Wilder was
n Of the closest friends Of the great
orator.
Capt. Luke Wilder was born in Ian
caster. Mass, and afterward moved o
Salisbury, N. H., the home OF the
Websters. and where the statesman
was born in 1882. He was a map of
splendid physique. standing over six
strength and courage. At the break
ing out of the Revolution he at once
offered his services to the Colonial
government, and formed q company,
receiving a captain 8 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 q time in the town Of
Hudson, moi far from Bangor, after
ward going to Bangor, where he
died on November "a, 1886.
When Capt. Wilder vent to Bangor
the place was q 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 q scan subsistence. Tho
friendship between Capt. Wilder and
the Websters ~ kept up through
correspondence. and in 1904 Daniel
and his brother Esekial, visited
in Bangor. At that time mere were no
bridges across the KenduskeaS
stream, which divides the city into
two parts. and local historians relate
that the Webster boys were Obliged
to make their way owe the stream on
. raft Of logs.
Capt Wilder bought what Il known
al the Bruce farm, q few miles out Of
the city. on the banks Of the ksndus-
keag streams dne. large property. In
. picturesque location, but covered for
the most part with a dense growth OF
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 1925 Capt. Wilder's son
built the present mansion, which 10 =
fne 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. .Irs. Hassard is a wom-
an Of intelligence and culture, and
at the age of seventy-seven, her mind
Is perfectly clear concerning all
- -. 80
her conversation. characterised BY .
quiet dignity of speech aQd manner,
u most entertaining.
As the fame of Webster grew, 10,
also, the little town Of Bangor a.
banded. and when. In 1855. the states