The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-01-07
OBITUARY..
William Henry Anderson.

William Henry Anderson.
William H. Anderson, former paymas-
ter in the United States navy, for many
wears business man in Portland, one OF
the charter members of the Cumberland
club and at one time quartermaster Of
the National Home for Veteran Soldiers
at Togus, died December 26th after a
long illness at the Maine General Hos
pital. He had been in failing health for
some years and he knew, as did his friends,
that the end must soon come. But he
faced the inevitable with calmness and
courage, bore his sufferings in silence
and with patience, and up to the last
moment of his consciousness was the
same genial, courteous gentleman that
he was throughout his life.
Mr.. Anderson was a man not known
intimately by many people, but those who
did know him loved him. 1t is not often
that this can truthfully be said about
man. that his friends loved him, but in
the case of Mr.. Anderson the phrase is
not exaggeration. To the older men of
Portland, those who look back to the
period ante-dating the Civil War, who
knew Mr.. Anderson when he first came
to this city to study law, who were his
companions in the social gatherings of
that day, he will always be remembered
as their beau ideal of an American gen
tleman No one ever heard him speak
i'll of another at any time. He made no
great effort to form new friendships, but
he had faculty of cementing those he
had made with stronger bonds each year.
In the circle where he moved and was
best known he had little to say at any
time; he never participated in the heated
political or other discussions which agi-
tated his fellows, and it was always Mr..
Anderson who in the end poured oil on
the troubled waters and prevented the
carrying of such discussions too far. He
was the confident of many, but gave to
few men his own confidence. He was re-
firing, gentle, kind-hearted, thoughtful
of the feelings of others, and when the
his load, his older friends could see no
appreciable change in his manner or his
spirit from the Harry Anderson they had
known in ante-belum days.
William H. Anderson was born in Bel
fast 72 years ago. His father was Hugh
]. Anderson, who was Governor of Maine
in 1874 He was educated in the schools
of Belfast and in private schools and
graduated from Bowdoin college in the
class of 1857, in the class of Hamlin
Fairfield, Gen. Thomas H. Hubbard, Gen.
Charles Hamlin and Charles w. Pickard.
After his graduation he taught school in
the Standish Academy and then entered
the office of Sewall C. Strout of Portland
to study law. He was admitted to the
bar and was about entering upon the
practice of his profession when the war
broke out. He was made an assistant
paymaster in the navy and served
throughout the war, and after the war,
resigning with the rank of paymaster.
| After his retiring from the service he
engaged in the life insurance business in
Portland and was general agent for the
State Of Maine for the New York Life
and continued in that business until he
was made quartermaster of the National
Home at Togus in 1908. He served as
surveyor of the port of Portland during
the second administration Of President
Cleveland at the time John W. Deering
was collector of the port. He was treas
urer of the Portland & Ogdensburg rail
road from 1872 to 1876.
During the war he married Alice
Preble, a granddaughter Of Commodore
Preble. His wife and one daughter,
Mary Preble Anderson, survive him, to-
SCCllCI Will d oloCCA, 4NAloo AAoiAAieAAi -.
Anderson, and brother, Horace Ander-
son both of Portland. His war record, I'M
known to many people, was distinguish
ed one.
If Paymaster Anderson had remained
in the service, he would have been re-
tired a few years ago as rear admiral.
The paymaster who was only one num-
Der above him is now living in Annapolis,
Md, holding that rank. What his stand
ing for gallantry was during his service
in the Civil War finds illustration in the
United Service, a monthly magazine hay
ing reference to military and naval af-
fairs In the number for January, 1881,
there is an article by Lieut.. T. B. M.
Mason, U. S. A., entitled "a Medal of
Honor for Officers plea for the adop-
ton by Congress Of recommendation of
Rear Admiral David D. Porter that a
medal Of honor be awarded to officers for
distinguished service. This recommen-
dalton was made in January, 1865. at the
close of long report, in which the adj
miral had recounted scores of gallant
deeds which would have been highly re-
warded in foreign services. Lieut..
Mason, in urging the adoption of the adj
miraPs recommendation, turned to the
official correspondence published in the
| IcpOI 70 VI Vic oCSACIdAy VI Vic navy AOA
the mention of such brave acts on the
part of officers of the navy in the Civil
War as would entitle them to such a
medal of honor, if Congress should favor
ably respond to Admiral Porter's recon-
mendation. In this mention of acts of
bravery, Lieut.. Mason, page Is, says:
Lieut.. Gushing, when the Commo-
dore Perry grounded under a bank in
the Chowan river which was strongly
manned by rebel riiemen, who were
shooting down everybody about the
decks, having driven the men from their
guns, which could not be sufficiently ele-
waited to fire at them, and would soon
have captured the vessel, ran howitzer
into position, assisted by Mr.. Lynch, who
was shot, and Third Assistant Engineer
Richards, and fired charge of canister in
to the midst of the enemy, driving them
back and allowing the crew again to gel
possession.
This was The same Lieut.. Cushing who