Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-12
Historic House.

April 90, 1881, Mr.. Joseph H. Ingra-
| ham gave the town of Portland lot
of land on Spring street, on part of
which stands the stone front building
now occupied by fire engine No. a. The
deed conveying this lot states, In
consideration of my regard and at
tachment for the town of Portland,
and also in consideration of the prom
Use and agreement of said town to
erect schoolhouse on the lot of land
herein described" etc. The town built
a one-story schoolhouse on this lot.
but in 1887 the building was moved to
the north corner of Spring AMI
Bracket street. Mr.. George T. Ingra
ham, a grandson of Mr.. Ingraham
takes the view that as the express
condition of the deed has been violated
the Spring street lot should revert to
the heirs and has placed the matter in
the hands of a prominent attorney Of.
the City for investigation.
In the times of the embargo. 1S07-OS,
Mr.. Ingraham as well as many other
business men of the town. failed and
his home passed into the possession of
the Maine bank. But he soon got on
his feet again, and built the fine house
on Danforth street, which was his
home for the remainder of his life.
This house is now the residence of
Elias Thomas, Esq, whose nifather'
Hon. w. w. Thomas purchased it Of
the heirs in 1876
Mr.. Ingraham was born in York,
Me, in 1851, a son of Edward and Ly-
dia- (HolD Ingraham of that town.
When II years of age he came to Port
land and learned the trade Of silver
smith in the shop of John Butler. Mr..
Ingraham was married three times.
His first wife was Abigail Milk, n
daughter of Deacon James Milk. She
died in 1898, leaving one child, James
Milk Ingraham. His second wife was
Lydia Stone of Brunswick, whom he'll
married in 1856. She lived only a
short time after giving birth to child,
also a son. For his third wife, Mr.. In
graham married in 1889 Ann Tate, a
daughter of Samuel Tate of Stroud
water. a brother to Admiral George
Tate Of the Russion navy. Nine chill
dren were the fruits of this last mar
riage.
BY the bombardment of Portland in
1775 by Captain Mowatt, Mr.. Ingra-
hams house was burned and other
property destroyed, amounting in MI
to the value of about 400 pounds But
misfortune did not check his enter
prising spirit for in 1777 he erected on.
Fore street, opposite Long Wharf, the
first dwelling house after Mowat's re-
vengeful act. This was a two-story
house, and one side of it was used for
his Silversmith shop. The building
was taken down in 1928. In 1898 he
built a block of one story wooden
stores where the old Mariners Church
building now stands on the east cor
ner of Fore and Moulton streets.
These stores were burned in August,
1927 He built Ingraham's wharf IN
1884. which with the extensive addi-
lions made to it is now called Com
mercial' Wharf. In 1899 he opened
State street. SO feet wide, extending
across the % 2 acres of land he had
.lsSu ssses, of the heirs of Commodore
Edward Tying. This street he gave to
the t2Wp. In 1901 he built what is
knakh as the Churchill house on the
corner of State and Danforth streets.
In February, 1905 Mr.. Ingraham gave
the town "a lot of land containing about
four acres upon which the old aims
mouse was. subsequently located March,
II. 1906 he decided to the town for
market purposes the lot on the west
corner of Milk and Market streets the
consideration being SO. Upon this lot
few stalls were built, and later
two-story brick building was erected
for watchhouse and two fire engine
houses with large hall in the second
story. For making such use of the lot
sfhe town paid him $105.
Mr. Ingraham died at his home on
Danforth street, October 80, 1871, at
the age of 30. He was buried in the
tomb built by himself in the Eastern
Cemetery in 1795-Portland Express.