The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-01-09
IN MEMORIAM.
Frank w. Gowen pays Beautiful Tribute
to the Memory of Nathan P. Bennett.

to the Memory of Nathan Z. Bennett.
The sad news of the sudden death of
my uncle, the late Nathan P. Bennett of
Center Montville, has reached us in this
sunny land of Southern California, so far
away from the dear old town of my boy
hood and of fondest memories. His sui
den death has fallen with keen sorrow
upon my father, Mr.. George A. Gowen,
who has reached the age of so years,
from the fact that so many of his friends
and associates cf years ago at the Center
are now fast Passing away from earth.
But such is life; Cod knows best and we
bow 70 His will. My late uncle was
man ct many fine qualities. as everyone
who had any business dealings with him
cantestify, and therewas never purer or
more loving husband and father than he
All. those happy days of my boyhood at
his fireside, how they come back to me
now as write. There was hardly a day
for years that some member of our fam
lily was not found in his pleasant home,
or some one of his family running in to
see us at the dear old home at the Center
of other days.
| can hear his merry laugh ringing
cut now as though it were yesterday,
for there was no jollier or happier man
in all the town, or in Waldo, County. in
those days than my late uncle. But after
the death of his wife, over ten years ago,
be retired from all active duties of life
and made his home with his son, Everett
l.. Bennett, who tenderly cared for him
in his declining years. In politics uncle
Nate was always a Republican, with the
exception that he was a great admirer
OF the late Hon. Scion Chase and was a
Greenbacker and supported that party
in the Greenback time; and only once
since those days has voted anything but
the Republican ticket and that occurred
in the campaign of 1890, when he split
his ticket and voted for my father, who
was a candidate for State Senator on
the Prohibition ticket in Waldo County.
He vas quite an extensive reader and
for years took the New York Tribune.
then later the Boston Daily Journal and
also The Republican journal, and was
well posted on public questions of the
day. The only public office he would
ever accept was in town affairs whare
his strict accounting and honesty in
handling the money of the town are
well remembered. He was a skilled
workman, as many fine building in
Montvilie can attest, and a man of good
sound judgment.
No soldier who took part in the great
struggle in the war between the States
had a finer record than my late uncle.
He enlisted soon after the opening of the
mighty conflict in arms and fought
bravely in the campaign which resulted
General Benjamin F. Butler. He never,
however, regarded Butler as very
great general, but had a different opin-
ion of Sheridan, under whom he served
later in the war. Often did he speak to
me of the surrender of General Lee and
his impression of this great general as
he saw him on that famous day at Apo
mattoX. His presence, said my uncle,
was much more distinguished than that
OF Grants; and his poor, ragged soldiers
wept like children at his parting words
Lee loved the South with ali his heart,
as Grant loved the North, but unlike him
drew his sword against the flag of his
country. It.was a great pity, said my
uncle, for he was one of the greatest
military leaders in our history.
At the close of the war my uncle re-
turned home from the South and bought
his fathers place, and soon after married
Laura NJ. Clement, daughter of William
and Sarah Clement, one of the p'om-
nent families Of Mortvile, My mother
often used to spend the day with her sis
ter and usually took US children, MY sis
ter, brother and myself, with her. Some
times father, after his daily duties 1t his
~sAt rag T oilt'PS, NOQlu IOlDe dIIeI US Win
the team and also take supper, for my
aunt, like my mother, was most excel
lent cook. After eating heartily my
uncle and father would sit back from
the table and talk of the battles in which
they had taken part during the Civil War
and also discuss the q eat issues upper
most in the minds Of the people during
ante belum days. Oh. what memories
take me back to those days of my child
mood at the Center, to me hallowed
spot, where | 50 often listened to my
father and late uncle talking of the
wants and suffering of the South as
result of those terrible days of civil
strife which shock our nation from
ocean to ocean.
But my uncle has met the common
fate of man and can speak no more on
earth. Hail and farewell to him on that
distant and happy shore; in a land that is
fairer than day he mas at last found rest.
Brave soldier of the Civil War, rest in
peace for evermore.