Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-02
AUGUSTUS VETERAN BLACK.
SMii.1
Chester M. Clark Has Worked 43 Years
at Forge.

Chester M. Clark celebrates his for
ty-third anniversary as blacksmith,
today Few of the people who see
him stepping around SO actively in his
Cony street shop, are willing to believe
that he has been contributing his share
to this earth's activities for Ga years,
yet Mr.. Clark was born on the 18th
of November, 1888. His boyhood was
passed on a farm in the town of China,
and he worked as a farm laborer for
some months after attaining his ma
jority. On Monday, the second of
April, 1862, he left his home at the
south end of China pond, and walked
across the pond on the ice to Theodore
M. Jackson's blacksmith shop at
South China. He arrived early and
was set to work at seven o'clock, learn
ing how to build forge fire.
The blacksmith apprentice stayed
there till May of the following year,
when the Civil War unsettled business
SO badly that he found himself out of
q job, and only his good health and
common sense to fall back upttI, for
his trade was not half learned. He
worked as a farm hand through the
summer, and then found an opening at
blacksmithing in the shop of John
Kirkpatrick in Rockland, where he
stayed six weeks. From Rockland
the next change was made to Belfast
where a place at the anvil was found
for him from November, 1861, to Sep
TENDER, 1862, in the shop of M. P.
Wescott.
October, 1862, found him for the first
50, - IL
month he formed a partnership with
William Jaquith at East Vassalboro,
remaining there an even three years
Dissolving partnership, the junior part
ner went to Weeks Mills and bought
d shop of his own, and stayed there
sixteen years and four months when he
sold out to Cyrus Davis. Mr.. Clark's
next forge was in the Simpson carriage
shop at Watervine where he leased
shoeing room, for seven months. In
October, 1882, he began work in Au-
gusta, buying a partnership interest
with A. c. Merrill in the shop on Will
low street. That partnership was dis
solved in February, 1884, and Mr.. Clark
bought the Severance stable that stood
where the present City building is. He
stayed in the livery business till Sep
TENDER, 1885, and did all his own shoe
ing for the stable horses with an oc-
casional job for somebody else, though
not running a regular custom shop.
The livery was sold to it's present pro-
prietor, Parker N. Savage, and after
wards the stable was moved back from
Cony street and enlarged. 1t was in
September, 1856, that he went out of
he h1Ic ic
mind to stick to the anvil. His first
job after forming that resolution was
with p II. ellison at Gardiner, and it
was also the shortest of them all, last
ing only three days. Then from Octo-
Der till February he pounded iron in
the shop of Fish Brothers at Hallowell.
In February, 1887, he went to Rhode
Island. for the first time leaving his
native State except on a visit, and
found a job with NJ. f. Hewett, and
stayed there six months leaving it to
take possession of a shop which he
had bought on South Main street, in
the city at the head of Narragansett
bay. August, 1888, witnessed a sale
of the business, and he returned to
Maine, leasing a shop at Weeks Mills,
which he kept till April, 1889. The
month following he came to Augusta
again and leased the Harry Whitney
shop on Cony street, which he has
since bought and where he may be
found on six days of the week.
Forty-three years at the trade have
not bent his back nor dimmed his eye
and he is as spry and easy of move
ment as men of half his years. He
expects to live to be a hundred, and
see a longer life than any of his an
cestors who are a people remarkable
for longevity. Mr.. Clark says that so
far as he knows he has worked more
years at an anvil than any other man
in Maine.
In the Masonic bodies of Augusta,
Mr.. Clark is a great favorite with the
craft, being not only able at n moments
notice to fill almost any office in the
Lodge, Chapter. Council or Command
cry but also very faithful in attendance
and always ready to help out whenever
he can.