Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-29

THE LATE JOSEPH A. Holman.
taking prizes. He was once taken
prisoner by the British. but was SUD
sequently recaptured and later served
on board the frigate "Constltutloh'
After the war he made foreign voyages
on mercantile vessels. rising to the
position of mate. His last voyage was
I'm 1922, when the vcsse! WAS lost OH
voyage from Charleston. :. e.. |"
Cronstadt Russia, and he undoubtedly
persisted in the wreck.
At her husbands death Mrs. Holman
was left in Marblehead perfectly destl-
tute, but being of an energetic and
self helpful nature she met misfortune
braVely and succeeded in supporting
her children until they were large
enough to care for themselves. This
she did by accepting position as
housekeeper for Thomas Motley of
Boston. father of John Iothrop Motley.
the historian. leaving her children in
the meanwhile in the care of a sister
In 1924 she began housekeeping in
Boston for herself and her children,
and shortly after she married Aaron
Trull, Boston distiller and d worthy
man. who proved a good husband and
step-father.
| Mr.. Homan was about eight years
old when he went to live with his
mother in Boston. Their residence
was on South street and he WAS sent
| to a school on Fort hill which was
under the charge of a Mr. Stickney as
head master. Perhaps the most not
able experience of this period of his
life and one that he always remembers
ed. was the occasion of Gen. Lafayettes
| visit to Boston in 1S2425 when the
noted Frenchman, friend of Washing
ton and of America, was received
everywhere with the greatest enthu-
siasm.
feature of the Boston ceIcbrati ion
was parade of the school children
and a review on the Common. Here,
as the children of the Fort hill square
school We're stationed on the Common
street wall. Gen. Lafayette passed
down the line to the end, at which
young Holman was standing. to whom
the general gave a hearty shake of the
hand.
His school days We're short how
ever. for on reaching the age of ten
years he had to go to work, obtaining
his first employment in the office on
Court street, of William G. Crosby. who
WAS hfterWard Governor of Maine
subsequently he obtained a position
IN the office of Judge Orne, who also
removed to Maine. becoming one of
the prominent citizens of Penobscot
county and founding the town Of Orne-
vile. OF which he owned the greater
part. AfterWard Mr.. Holman worked
IN several different places in subordi-
nate capacities, among them the New
England Type Cos. foundry
At the age of II he obtained = nl,cc
IN the printing office Of the Indcpen-
dent Chronicles and Patriot. which was
then under the rditorShip of John
Bra%l"r Davis. He remained with this
paper Two years, when it was merged
INTO the Boston Daily Advertiser. i'm
the Office of which h" became AN an
prentice. When neatly II he left the
Advertiser to work on the New Eng
land Galaxy. which was the first purely
literary paper to be published in Bos-
ton. After completing his apprentice.
ship he worked in connection with
isaac {. Pray. the poet and Henry T.
Harrington. who started the first penuv
paper in Boston. the Boston Times. |
which failed however. in 1887, after a
brief existence
About this time Mr.. Hnman became
connected in u literary way with va
flouS publications. to which he con-
tributed both poems and prose articles |
soon after he became strongly intcr-
ested in private theatricals. and with
some of his associates fitted IN g., stag,
IN building on Hawley street. where !
Charlotte Cushman. then at tho hc-
ginning of her great career. used some
'llneS to come and sing for them. The
stage continuing To have a strong
fascination for him. he not long after
ward made a public appcarancc =.
Tue Ola fremont theater in the part
OF Ambrose in The Two Friends" and
alterWard played other roles in the
Hawiey street theatcr
Up to this time he had continued his
connection with the printing business
but he now discontinued il and going
to Albany. \. Y. Joined the stock. COM
pany of William Rufus Blake. with the
view or serving a regular apprentice
snip to the dramatic profession. He
went through the usual drudgery. was
given small parts and afterward those
d more Importance. which he PLAYED
very acceptably. In Albany he played
On the stage with Charlotte Cushman.
ana also with Forrest. taking the part
u the slave in Damon and Pythias.,
Sut after some months experience as !
regular member of the profession he
made up his mind that he was not cut
nut Tor star. and the atmosphere of
he ]theater becoming less congenial to
linn, he renowned the stage and start
a for New York, where he arrived