Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-20
A MOTHER OF SOLDIERS.
The Interesting Story Of a Noble Old
China Family.

China Family.
In the days when Maine was one of
the Wild and wooded places Of the
earth. before civilization had reached
that little spot and cities had robbed 1t
or Its native grandeur. 2 young man
started. with his gun. to hunt the wild
animals and to set his traps for them.
There was nothing unusual in this
circumstance except that this young
man came to China, Or Harlem, as it
was then called, and put up his camp
on the exact spot where now stands the
hotel at China Village. His name was
Timothy Hamlen and LIE came from
Barnstable. Mass. and was one of the
first settlers of China, or Harlem.
In a short time he cut the trees and
built him a log cabin on what is now
called the Hamlen homestead, joining
Winslow and Vassalboro and at the
age of twenty-One. he took his young
wife. Martha Priest but eighteen years
old. to this new home. Who shall say
that they would have derived more
comfort and pleasure from Il palace,
than from their little cabin in the
wilderness?
In time this was replaced by a large
farm house, the rooms Of which wers
plaSterCd with some Of the first lime
brought into China.
On this farm were born twelve chill
dren: David. Timothy, Daniel. Lois,
Jonas, Otis, Reuben, CALVIN, Sophronia,
Lucy, Sumner and Mary. With the
exception of Timothy, who died at the
nf e,iy hnx 70 l>o I'D
women. Lois died at the age of
twenty-five and the other ten married
and nine Of them had large families Of
their owE. David was the father of
nine. Daniel ten. Jonas eight. Otis four,
Reuben five. Calvin eight, Sumner
none. Lucy had nine. Sophronia five
and Mary eleven.
1t is of the youngest Of these, Mary,
that l am to write a Few lines.
Mary was born Oct. 3. 1913, and until
she was eighteen years of age was very
frail and delicate. With the dark haic
and eyes, she inherited also from her
father some Of the determination and
purpose in life which caused him to
settle here and carve his fortune out OF
the wilderness; and these combined
with her mothers courage and hope
for the best, gave her {. character
which could take her through any
hardships and difficulties. Her educa-
ton was very limited but she made
good use Of her time. and was very
fond of reading. SO she soon made her
self a woman capable of talking on any
Of the subjects of the day.
At the age Of twonty-One she married
Ezekiel r. Harrington and they went to
live with mis- parents. Thomas and
Content Harrington. on farm just
above China Village. At this home.
twins wer born, also one son HOratiO.
The twins died in infancy and when
Horatio was a year and half old they
moved to Troy. While there another
son, Charles. and one daughter Helen
were born. From there they moved to
Windsor where six more were born.
Byron, Reuben, Gustavus. Timothy.
Mary and William. After a time they
moved again to a farm just above
Weeks Mills and it was while they
were living there that the country be-
came agitated by Civil War. Charles
was married and lived in Waterville
and Horatio in Dover. HoratiO was
the first to answer to the call Of his
country and it was not long before four
of his brothers had gone at different
TIMES. Reuben was an orderly
sergeant. Charles A lieutenant. Byron
died at the hospital at Washington,
Aug. 25, 1862. HoratiO received an
honorable discharge and was on his
way home when he died June l, 1864
Reuben reached home aand died Juno
70. 1864 and Charles died in Washing
ton. June 30, 1864. Gustavus. only
seventeen when he left home. died i'm \
hospital at New Orleans. Oct. 30. 1864.
During this time the home was burned
and the family moved to 4 house lit.
tie farther above Weeks Mills where
they lived until 1881 when they moved
to a farm on Chadwick Hill, where this
noble mother lived the closing years Of
her life. Mr.. Harrington died in 1886
and Mrs. Harrington livel with her son
william and his family to the good old
age of ninety. dying March 1. 1904.
For over thirty years she was a sub
acriber to the Kennebec Journal and
always read it's pages with deep inter-
est and the son still continues the sub
scriptiOn.
II our country was built by such
people as these, who loved their coun-
trv well enough to give five sons for it,
what wonder is it that we have the
most prosperous country in the world?
Nav the future bring us many such
noble self-sacrifcing lives as this
mother of soldiers.