The Republican journal., 1909-09-09
OBITUARY.

Nathan T. Swan died September 3D. at his
home, 2l3 Centre street, Bangor. Although in
feeble health for some time, his death came
Unexpectedly. He had just returned from the
summer spent at Northport. He was Ss years
and six months of age. Besides his wife, who
was Miss Sylvia Thaw of Augusta, he leaves
TWO sons and daughter-Frank T., Fred F.,
and Miss Florence R. Swan. Nathan T. Swan
was born at Poor's Mills, February 10, 1921 and
spent greater part of his youth there. He
went to Old Town when still young man and
became connected with the old veazie railroad
as inspector and section hand, and later was
transferred to the freight house in that town,
working there for several years. In 1851 he
moved to Bangor and went to work for the
Bangor, Old Town & Milford railroad as con-
ouctor, and followed that occupation until he
retlred about ten years ago. December l.
1903, when the road was absorbed by the E. &
N. A. K. R., he was transferred to that road
and IN March of 1890 was again transferred as
conductor to the Bangor & Pscataquis rail-
road and worked with that road until after the
Bangor & Aroostook was organized and took
over the B. & P. r. r. At the time Mr. Swan
retired about ten years ago he was the oldest
conductor on duty in the United States being
IL years old and in spite of his age was active
and considered one of the best and most valued
employees on the road. 1t is remarkable fact
that in the SO odd years of rairoading Mr..
Swan never was hurt and no passenger or
tralnman on his train were ever injured While
resident of Old Town before moving to Ban
gor in 1861 he was one of the organizers of the
Tarratine lodge of Odd Fellows and was ever
active in the work of the order. At the time
of his death he was the oldest living member of
the lodge. Mr.. Swan was man of sterling
character and held the respect of all who knew
him. His work necessarily brought him into
contact with great many people and he prob
ably had the widest acquaintance of any rail-
road man in the State. In his work he was
faithful to the last degree and the officials of
any of the roads for which he worked never
had any occasion to admonish or reprimand
him. In his home he was faithful husband
and father and spent practically all his time
off duty by his own freside and with his fami-
ly At Northport, where he had a cottage, Mr.
Swan was familiar figure and since retiring
he had spent the summers there, going down
early in May or June and being one of the last
to return. He will be greatly missed by the
cottagers who have been accustomed to seeing
him there.
William H. Whiddon, one of the oldest and
best known musicians in New England died
September End in Everett at the age of seven
| ty-two years. While he was an expert violin
ist, it was with theatre and ballroom music
that Mr.. Whiddon was most familiar, and he
has been termed "a relic of old time minstrel
sy and music and was known all about Boston
and down in the Penobscot Valley in Maine,
from Bangor to Rockland. Billy Whiddon,
as he is best recalled, played in and about Bos-
ton for fifty years, leading the orchestra in the
old Continental Theatre as long as it ran. Con-
| temporaries with whom he had been associat-
ed were D. C. Hall, I. M. Carter and Ned"
Baldwin. Besides being an associate leader in
Carters Band for years, Mr.. Whiddon was at
Papantis dancing academy for nearly quarter
of a century. He led the orchestra at Forest
| Garden, Egleston square, when the place first
| opened-Boston Transcript.
| Mr.. Whiddon was born in bennington, Eng
land and throughout his life was devoted to
music. He had played the violin from boy
hood. He was at one time first violin with
Chambers band of Portland and had also play
y
which city his daughter, Miss Jennie Whiddon,
well-known in Belfast, was born Mr.. Whiddon
was twice married. His first wife was Miss
Adelaide Patterson of Belfast, a sis ter of the
late Mrs. Alden D. Chase. OF this union two
sons, Fred of Boston and Robert of Melrose,
Mass, and two daughters, Mrs. Alice Forsaith
and Miss Jennie Whiddon of Everett, Mass,
survive. Later Prof Whiddon married Miss
Emma Morris of Boston, who with two
daughters, Miss Maude of Everett, Mass, and
Annie May, who is married and lives in New
Jersey, survive.
Miss Eliza A Pitcher died at o'clock a. m,
September Sth at her home with her brother,
Mr. Thomas W. Pitcher, Franklin street
She was born March 8, 1918, in the Pitcher dis
trict, the daughter of the late Fisher A. and
Eliza Whittier Pitcher. Of her fathers family
of seven, two remain-Mrs. Tamzen w. Math-
ews of Liberty and Mr.. Thomas W. Pitcher of
Belfast. Miss Pitcher was a business woman
during the active years of her life She was
| first clerk with her brother for Blanchard,
Converse & Co. ofiBoston. In 1860 they re-
turned to Belfast to enter the Sleeper & Co.'S
| dry SOOuS SLore on MAIN SITeet HeT DFotHeT aS
partner and Miss Pitcher in charge of the
cloak department. Later she became part
ner with her brother in the firm of 7. W.
Pitcher & Co., occupying the store where the
City Drug Store is located until they sold out
to Capt. H. A. Starrett in 1887. Since the
death of her brothers wife, 16 years ago,
Miss Pitcher had complete charge of his
household affairs until ill health compell-
ed her to resign it about year ago. Ac-
tive, energetic and impulsive she retained a
remarkable hold of life and its interests
even in advanced years. Last March she
suffered an ill turn and for weeks her death
was hourly expected, and she has been under
the care of trained nurse practically all the
time since. Her family have been identified
with the Unitarian church from its earliest
history and she was an attendant while health
permitted. The funeral will be held at her
home next Saturday afternoon at o'clock,
R ev. Adolph Rossbach of the Unitarian church
officia ting.
James E. Wech died at his home on Bridge
street September End, after few hours in
tense suffering. He had been crippled with