Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-08-13

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hc,,sra county, ard tie irss prohibition
600 syesto hold Office 10 Maine, was
300 in Roxhary, Mass, July ls, 1854,
~ vas the son ct William snd Mary A..
pssy.ou. His American ancestor was
r,obsbly John Pearson, OF Bowiey, Mass,
rbo came isom wslss IN i624, and died ia
1853.
Mr. Pearson acquired bis early edaca-
.lon in the public schools Of Roxbury and
ebelsea, Msss.. aud 81 business college
=, Bostoa, sud received his training for
sstive life in the business house OF Pear
son. Howe & stockman, OF Roxbary.
after leaving school he was engaged In
the grocery and provision business until
August. 1857, when no enlisted tor three
wears IN the 10th Massachusetts regiment,
ara served with distinction to the close
Of the war In 1855, being twice offered
commissions and refusing them.
At,ert the close OF the war he engaged
In the chandlsry and chip store business
In the house OF Henry r. Holmes, Boston,
and in 1895 established the firm OF weth-
erby, Pearson s. Co., as successors to
Henry T. Holmes.
In fsT2 Mr.. Pearson came to Portland,
and Immediately after his conversion en-
Gagged IN temperance reform work, and
va. president OF the State temperance
organization for more than three years,
after which he became Identified with
the Yoang Mems Christian association
for two years and halt.
MISSION WORK.
On May 7. 1878, Mr.. Pearson was about
10 leave the city TO engage In the gospel
temperance work at st. John. y. b., when
he wss met on the street By Z. ". Mcksn-
nsy. the evangelist, and after eonsnita-
t,on aud due consideration Of the smpera-
tive needs OF the city, both from rolig-
toss snd temperance standpoint, Mr. Pear
son cancelled his 81 John engagement,
aud enlisted In an effort to establish tho
mission work In Portland.
A search Tor suitable quarters was at
once instituted, and a room In the
Mechanics 6ailding vas secured the same
day. The room was eradeiy fltted up, =
dry goods box serving for platform, and
q wash stand for pulpit, and With Dor
rowed bible ths earnest missionaries be-
gan their work on ths evening of May D.,
less than forty hours after the inception
of the Undertaking.
The seats. comprising twenty Ave chairs
and four borrowed setiee~, were Oiled the
first evening. The service was interesting
and successful, Que convert being secured
who Afterwards remained faithful, and
the work at once took on the impei Us
which led TO an increasing interest and
the saeeessiul maintenance of the mia
sion.
This mission has done wonderful
smount Of good to Portland. I, has ex-
erted widespread influence in behalf OF
morality, Temperance and religion, and
has been attended year after year by
hundreds of people who have found there
the comfort and sympathy which they
could not enjoy eisaw here. Mr.. Pearson
was ordained to the ministry August 9,
1879.
During the time that he conducted this
mission, and he was still connected with
II when elected sheriff and al the time OF
his death, Mr.. Pearson has been reeog'
nlfed as the friend OF the poor. The pro-
visions distributed through the agency OF
the Gospel mission would reach tar into
the tons in weight. ana the money cont
tribatious would mount into tue thous-
ands OF dollars.
Mr.. Parsons reputation as temper
anee orator extended beyond the boanda-
ries of this country. In iss5 be went
abroad, and for a year did temperance
and revival work under the auspices oil
several organizations, and secured over
10000 names to the pledge.
In politics from 1858 until ISIS, when be
became a member OF the prohibition
party, Mr. Pearson wss republican
After identifying himself with the third
party movement he was candidate for
several Offices, but did not poll a consider
able vote until the spirited and pictnr-
esque campaign which resulted In his cleo
tion as
sHEgIFF or CUMBERLAND COUNTY
in 1900. After his nomination be took the
stump, and made speaking tour which
Included nearly syery town and city
in the county. The meetings were
uniformly large. and as the cam
paign progressed there were not
wanting signs of the landslide which was
to result in the election OF the pro-
hibition candidate. Mr.. Pearson prom
ised IL elected rightly TO enforce the Law,
and upon assuming his Office ON January
], 1901, he assembled his newly appointed
deputies, and after addressing them upon
their duties, offered prayer for the success
OF their efforts. The history OF the past
two years In Cumberland county is toe
recent to need extended comment. From
the first, under the leadership OF Deputy
Sheriff Charles A. Plummer, the liquor
sellers we're active, and seizures were nu-
Tnerous.
Whether the results were all that MIR
Pearson had predicted is question on
which men differ. bat II has been gener'
ally conceded that the sheriff was earnest