The Somerset reporter., 1905-04-13
Born in Mercer.

We have heretofore understood that
Frank A. Munsey, the successful New
! ork, Washington and Boston publisher,
was born in Mercer in Somerset county,
but had no information OF the pafticu-
lars. A writer in the Lewiston journal
throws the necessary light upon the SUBJ
ct, thus giving Somerset the advantage
of definite Identification OF another dis
tinguished son.
i We quote from the journal:
All things considered, it ia not strange
! that so much grit came from up In the
Sandy river region. The old Munsey
homestead was an intervale farm, TWO
miles out of the village Of Mercer The
roomv, old.fashioned house WAS the only
one thereabout In which all the children
and neighbors agreed that it was big
enough to make anybody feel lonesome"
To-day, few scraggly apple trees and
some OF the stones in the eeller wall are
all that remain of the old homesteads,
where Mr.. Munsey passed the first few
years OF his life. When ne was FIVE
years old, the family moved to Bowdoin
and Grandfather munsey's farm passed
into the hands of Mr.. George Cover,
who Stately passed away in Pennington
Mr.. Cover, at that time, owned property
adjacent to the Munsey place and, on OBJ
tanning the latter, ne tore down the
building to make barn upon his own
land.
10 this connection, 1t is interesting to
note that neighboring the Munsey farm
In those days, lived Leander Shaw, who
also went out into the world to make n
name and money. The grit OF the Sandy
River district was In his veins as we'll
though it is no secret that the Shaw FAM
lily Of Mercer, when Leander was lad
depended more or less upon the town for
aid. Young Shaw was full of promise,
however. He had good head and fine
physique. Everybody saw his future in
halo. The lad did not dsappoint them.
He became influential and wealthy
through the grain business in New York
and before his death, recently, remem
6er"d the little town of Mercer with q
generous gift of the SHAW Library"
Ga Nov. u, 1847, Andrew Munsey
married Mary Jane Hopkins of Pittstleld,
who was born, March 81, 1920 ami died
at Livermore Falls, Aug %, 1882 and
there came of this union Ella A. born,
Sept 3, 1913, died, May 81, 1862
Hl =. NUT VI lJlNtTHlDIt
Falls, born in 1850.
Frank Andrew (the subject of this
sketch) born Aug. p, 1855
Della y. Baker, born Aug. ), 1853
died Sept, &c, 1893, and William G., born
Oct. IL 1851, died MAY %. 1873.
In 1883 on Nov. 10th, MI Munsey
married Mrs. Mary Nj. Cutting OF Boston
and it was in the cheerful atmosphere of
their pleasant home on High street and
mid the curling smoke OF one OF Mr.
Munsey's fragrant cigars on one OF the
coolest days OF the season that we talked
Of his sons success as a financier, pub
Usher and author and discussed the vari,
Gus phases Of his character that make
for success in this life, also the life he
led during his boyhoOd days and up to
! the time when with courage born of
confidence In his ability to wrest success
from publishing venture fraught with
uncertainty, he went to New York, and
contrary to the advice of a friend no
other than James G. Blaine, he launch d
the Golden Argosy.
MANY have got the idea that Frank
WAS born at Lisbon Falls replied Mr..
Munsey to my question regarding his
birthplace, "but IL is not true, he WAS
born at Mercer where | was trying my
luck at husbandry. I've owned two
farms in my life," said Mr.. Munsey with
a smile, "but couldn't make success
at farming. When Frank was about
three years old we moved to Gardiner
and resided there until he WAS about SIX,
when we went to Bowdoin, where we
lived until Frank was about thirteen,
when we settled at Lisbon Falls. Up to
this time Frank had enjoyed what school.
ing usually falls to a boy of his age. At
Lisbon Falls Frank had better education
al advantages. For several terms he al
tended the high school taught by Hon,
Geo c. Wing of Auburn, to whom Frank
to this day feels greatly indebted.