The Somerset reporter., 1906-05-03

ne years ana uBefulneBs OF this much
respected couple might be indefinitely
prolonged. A feature Of the dinner was
a wedding cake made by their daughter.
Mrs f. l.. Bray of Pitchbnrs, Mass It
was handsome piece Of CONNECTION,
frosted and Ornamented by A. Often of
the City Bakery. WaterVille It bore
the dates 1876 1905 and in the center
stood miniature bridal couple
ALOSz9 RICHARDSON was born n Belgrade.
Kennebec county, July 20, 1870 lis age IS.
therefore practically coincident with that Of
the State Of Maine which was admitted 10 the
union few months earlier, Marchi =. Alon
20 had the advantages Of the town schools al
Belgrade until nine years Of age when his
father removed with his family to Milburn,
now Skowhegan, occupying the farm in East
Skowhegan which is now Mr.. Richardson's
home. For the first year he had the chance
to 60 to the district school winter and sum.
mer but after arriving at ten years Of age 1t
was school in the winter only, as his services
were needed on the farm in all other seasons.
At the time the Richardson family moved TO
Milburn the custom was to keep the summer
terms Of school in a barn and in winter in
some private house. The hrst school house
was built IN that district in 1892 This was
en- the richardson hill, and some years after
ward the same building was moved down on
the "Plains' near Oak Stream Its place
vas afterward taken by new school house,
built IN 1912 and this building is serving the
people OF that district today, though il has
been many times repaired. Here Mr. Rich
ardson attended all the winter terms Of school
until he became Of age.
About tins time Mir Richardson struck out
for himself his first important ventur at ae
distance from home being employment in the
woods at Parlin Stream and Long Pond
where he saw many giant pine come to the
ground and worked as long as he could see
at b tn ends Of the day for SII per month
Alter his irst winters work he took a few
months schooling at Belgrade Academy,
worked IN the saw mill at Old Town through
the summer, taught school the following win
ter and returned again to the academy at
Belgrade the following spring. The amount
OF schooling we have referred to above would
seem rather meagre in these days but it was
more than the average young man in those
times managed to get and, as Alonzo made
the best possible use of the privileges he had
ii gave him distinction, from an educational
standpoint equal to that enjoyed by a mod
ern college graduate. This led to his taking
up teaching as a profession for time and he
kept in all forty terms Of school. His ser
vices were often in demand on educational
matters and he as been a member Of the
school board in the towns Of Clinton Pitts
field and Skowhegan.
The form of military service in the time Of
Mr.. Richardson's youth vas very different
from our present army establishment but he
had his share in il. lie was appointed to es-
cort duty when 3 years of age and later
played the base drum for the local military
company four years. At the end of this per-
iod, at the election Of officers he was chosen
Ensign and at the same time Nathaniel B.
White was elected captain and Humphrey
Lambert. lieutenant, these officers serving to-
gether for three years, until the state repeal
ed the military laws and the company was
for the time disbanded
MIR. Richardson was chosen Captain Of an
organized rife company in 1889 at Canaan
and served the company as commander until
the Adlulant General called for the niles to
be used for drill for the enlisted soldiers at
Augusta in Sept, 1901 His war record is
that he was drafted in September 1864 and
year and served his time and was honoraby
discharged. He paid Mr.. Brown $500.
The town Of Clinton voted to pay each man
who enlisted or furnished a substitute S42S
in one year with interest so the war of the
Rebellion cost him about SIS with extra
taxes added. Mr. Brown is hale and hearty
and now lives in Canaan
fify-one years ago Mr.. Richardson was
appointed Justice Of the Peace and later Trial
Justice efficiently serving in these capacities
until 1909 In all these years he has Joined
in marriage no people, the first couple eng
Hiram W. Buz1ell and Mary T. Goodwin,
both Of Skowhegan, the marriage being per
formed on March 9, 1886. Nh and Mrs
Buzzell are long since deceased. Mr.. Rich
ardson has kept of course a careful record
OF all these marriages and the last entry Is
under date Of March 40, 1901, the parties
being Samuel Mason and Mrs. lrena Nelson,
both of Clinton.
Mr. Richardson became the owner OF a
farm OF loo acres in I linton in December,
I845. paying $1,000 for the same, and moved
there April 1, 1916. This was his home for
IS years and at the end of that time he sold
the place for $1,000 and bought the Adams
farm in West Pittstield for $1,000. Here he
resided for three years, holding the office of
postmaster most Of the time and held that
office at the time of Lincoln's assassination
Then came the sale Of his place to Gro. p.
Garfield for $500 and change in residence
to his fathers home place in East skowhcgan
where he proposes to remain for the rest Of
his days.
Mr.. Richardson is often asked how it is
that he enjoys good health and the possession
of his faculties to such a degree at his ad-
yanced age and he always replies that he VAS
never hurt by play or hard work and that he
always kept good company.
PRUDENCE 7. ANEs. the young woman Who
united her fortunes with Alonlo Richardson
sixty years ago, was born in log cabin,
situated north Of the road leading from
Canaan village TO Skowhegan, on what was
then known as Patten HILL August 20, 1878.
She was the eldest child Of Rev. Isaac T. and
Lydia webb Ames and was one of a fam
ily Of eleven, six boys and five girls. all OF
whom lived to maturity were married and
had children OF their own. The family NOV.
ed from Patten Hill to the Geo Richardson
place on East Skovhegan Plains IN IS36
Of the union Of Aonzo Richardson and
Prudence Amcs were born two sons and four
daughters, all of whom grew to manhood aa1
womanhooj and were married. All are ua0
living except the Youngest son, Theodore.
who died September O. 1907
Mrs. Richardson, in her gitlhood daHs,
worked in the season OF spinning and weay
ing and received Is, oil Is cents) per week
for her labor; at other times doing house-