The Republican journal., 1912-10-17

suffering by the better knowledge OF
medical and surgical practice, by the
erection of hospitals which provide fol
every disease and the training of multi
tudes of nurses-one of our best modern
blessings-has been reduced hundred
fold.
''In the accomplishment of these, it is
hard to say which has outstripped the
other in the last 100 years, the brain OF
the heart, but l am inclined to think
they do their best work united under the
protection Of law and the inspiration of
love. Neither is it my province on this
occasion to speak of the men and women
whom Jackson has given to the country
in all the activities of life. To do so with
any degree of justice would require ma
terial not in my possession.
SOME "REMINISCENCES.
II must. however, be permitted to say
word in closing in the way of recollec-
ton, and also in TIE way of gratitude.
On the farm now owned by my brother,
there lived in my boyhood days man of
splendid character, of broad views and
of high ideals. refer to Samuel John
son. l shall never forget his efforts to
encourage me and others of my age as
we started in life. Going further up the
road, we find the farm on which John
Wright was born and reared. 1t was
my privilege to spend six months in his
family. after leaving home. His life
was sweet and sanity. His companion
ship was blessing and an education.
"Going south to the second corner and
then turning east, we come to the farm
on which Mark Stiles lived. l also lived
short time in his family. His name
always seemed to me to be a synonym of
personal probity and official capacity. l
do not know what his politics were, but
l guess it made no difference, for he
nearly always held the office of chairman
of the board of selectmen.
Il remember when boy entering the
church one morning and seeing man
reading book which he had brought
with him and taking it up and reading
again while the choir was singing. He
was home on visit. That man was
afterwards one of the revisers of the
New Testament, the distinguished Amer
lean scholar and librarian of Harvard
university. But | must 90 no further.
Multitudes of others will come to your
mind. They have all contributed to the
stream Of local history, the treasure of
worthy lives, and that stream has flowed
into the river of our national life. May
the blessings of God follow every good
deed which has come from those whose
memories we cherish and whose lives we
celebrate and honor today"
This closed the program of the after
noon and the meeting was adjourned.
Saturday evening a dramatic reading
was given by Miss Florence L. Eaton,
assisted by Mrs. Wynifred Staples Smith
as vocalist; Miss Olive Hatch and Miss
Ora Morton as piano soloist, with Mrs.
Lena Chase as the accompanist. The
readings were The Spanish Student by
Longfellow.
SUNDAYS EXERCISES.
The exercises were continued Sunday
when special exercises were given in
honor of the old Congregational church.
The services We're held in the church,
which was finely decorated for the occa-
sion. The building was crowded to it's
utmost capacity and many were unable
to find seats. Services we're opened at
1870 a. m. with an organ voluntary, and
this was followed with the hymn, Holy,
Holy, Holy.
Then came the reading of poem en-
titled, The Old Cobbler, written by
Erastus johnson. 1t was a revival Of
some of the old scenes such as were in
cident to cobbler shop in those days
and was much appreciated.
Mrs. Wynifred Staples Smith then
gave Unto Me as vocal solo, after
which came a notable address by Rev.
Franklin w. Barker of Amesbury, Mass.
His subject was, Citizenship and Re-
ligion. 1t was an uplifting sermon and
was listened to with the closest interest.
The afternoon services began at
o'clock with another great audience in
attendance. After music had been CIV
en- by the Jackson chorus, Mary A.
johnson Root read poem entitled,
Retrospect and Greeting. Then came
the reading of many letters from old
time residents who were unable to be
present. Among these was one from
Hon. G. c. Roberts of Hollywood, Ill.
1t was reminiscent in character and told
of some of the famous men of a former
day, as follows:
Chicago, Oct. 8, 1912.
''My great-grandfather Joseph Rob-
erts, was the first settler of Brooks, and
Joel Rich, grandfather of my mother,
was nearly first in Jackson, both removed
1IOll DIOOhAcAu, UOIu Revolutionary
soldiers, both raised large families,
Joseph Roberts, "a children, IL by each
wife. Joel Rich of Jackson, 16 children,
ten sons and six daughters, all of whom
lived to maturity, except one daughter,
who died in infancy, ter of them living
to the ages of Is to SO years.
''None of them were addicted to the
use of spirituous liquors and only two
used tobacco and then moderately.
"Moses W. Rich of Belfast at the age
of 80 is the only survivor of all the chill.
dren OF the 16 offspring of Joel Rich and
Betsy Gates.
REV. Luther Wiswell was for Is
years pastor of the Jackson and Brooks
Congregational churches, tte Jackson
church being now 100 years old.
Levi Rich was one of the younger
sons of Joel, whose grandson, B. K.
Knowles, is one of the prominent farm
ers of Thorndike, having removed there
from Aroostook county. Samuel Whit.
ney was the leading clergyman and poll
tician in early days in that locality,
member of the constitutional convention
from Brooks, first representative, State
senator and member of Governor
council. Though. uneducated he was a
natural orator. He was Free Will
Baptist preacher and farmer. He died
past SO, in Jackson at the home of my
grandfather, Joseph Rich, who cared for
him in his last years. John Whitney, a