The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-05-22
OBITUARY.

ted suicide at his home Thursday afternoon.
He was about IS years of age.
This brief mention of the death of one of
the well known Bicknell Brothers is from an
exchange. and we have been unable to obtain
further particulars. In 1905 Mr.. and Mrs. Ed.
mund Bicknell compiled and published beau
tiful book to perpetuate the life work and
memory of their departed son, Ralph Edmund
Bicknell. 1t contains his writings from early
youth, notes of his travels, illustrated by his
own camera and collection of photographs and
is dedicated to his friends and presented to
them in his memory" He was an invalid for
years and with his father visited many resorts
in a vain quest for health. In the closing
pages of this memorial volume is an historical
sketch of the firm of Bicknell Bros, which in
1906 had been 81 years in Lawrence, Mass.
Portraits are given of E. and j. BickneN. Both
were born in Searsmont, on the farm now own
ed by Horace Chenery. J. Bicknell. the senior
member, was born in 1874. When he reached
the age of 25 he renounced farming and with
a few hard-earned dollars in his pocket started
for Boston, and lost no time in securing job
as clerk in clothing store. After six months
of clerkship he went to Lawrence land opened
what was then called a clothing store in lit
tie ten-footer at 551 Essex street. A medium
size dry goods box would hold his entire stock
in trade, all of which he paid for from the
aforesaid wallet: first, because he had been
taught to pay for what he bought. and, second
ly, because he had no credit. Thus handicap
ped and for lack of experience the first two
years gave his courage a severe test. He
struggled along in small way, until at the
end of the third year, by large efforts and small
expenses he had gained little" About that
time his younger brother. Edmund Bicknell
the writer of this sketch, tells how he turned
his back the home farm and going to
Lawrence procured a position in the little
clothing store, then known as ]. Bicknell, Jr
The business was still very small. About all
knew how to do was to pick up the loose
paper on the floor, and that was about all there
was for me to do, and my salary. although
more than earned, was not large. One of
the accomplishments we both brought with US
was that of country fiddler. Customers were
scarce and our large surplus was in unoccu-
pied time. Many hours were spent in the
back shop in an effort to get music out of the
old violins. Slowly and steadily the business
increased, and having shown my willingness to
learn, at the end of my first years clerkship
the little money had brought from the farm
was added to the business and l was made
partner in the firm which has since been
known as Bicknell Bros" The business
began to increase rapidly and in the autumn
of 1879 Bicknell Bros opened what was then
one of the largest if not the largest, and most
deliberately appointed clothing houses in New
England, outside of Boston. At the end Of
81 years the management could say that they
had never borrowed a dollar to pay for bill
of goods or paid for bill of merchandise with
a promissory note In this sketch of the bus-
ness career of himself and brother, MIR. Ed
mund Bcknell also writes Interestingly of
boyhood life en- the home farm. There are
many in Waldo county who will be grieved to
hear of his untimely death, and who will SYM
pathize with the bereaved.
Last Tuesday forenoon Charles E. Hender-
son, lineman in the employ of the Penob
scot Bay Electric Co, lost his life when at
work on pole in front of the residence of E.
H. Knowton on Northport avenue. He was
resting his weight on a wire near the top of
the pole when it broke and he fell to the
ground, striking on his head. AS soon as possi-
BILE Mr.. c. R. Coombs' ambulance took him to
the Waldo County Hospital but he died soon
after arriving there and did not regain con-
sciousness. He was born in Columbus, Kansas.
29 years ago, the son of Thomas NJ. and Minnie
Linthiam Henderson. When a young man he
came to Massachusetts,, where he was en-
ployed for time. He came to Belfast in a
sailing vessel and liking the city remained
here, finding his first employment with the
Swan & Sibley Co. After working there for a
short time he was employed by the Penobscot
Bay Electric Company fireman at the East
Belfast station and for the past two years had
been doing linemans work He is survived by
his wife. formerly Lydia E. Dickey of Belfast,
whom he married February 6. 1909. They lost
one child in infancy and have one adopted
child. His sudden death was great shock to
his fellow workers and to his employers and
much sympathy is expressed for the wife. He
was member of Tarratne Tribe of Redmen
and attended the Baptist church last Sunday
with the rder. The funeral will take place
this Thursday, afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. W.
F. Sturtevant of the Baptist church will
officiate.
Mrs. Sarah J. Parker died at her home in
Waldo, May II, 1918. at the advanced age of
Sc years. months and % days. She was the
daughter of George and Phebe (Maddocks)
Hahn, and spent the earlier part of her life in
Waldoboro, Maine, in which town she was
born. At the age of 16 years she joined the
Baptist church in Waldoboro and had lived q
true Christian life. She was patient and
thoughtful all through her long painful illness
and was beloved by all. In 1859 she married
George H. Parker of Waldo, Me-, and had
since made her home in that town. She leaves
to mourn their loss two daughters: Mrs. Ellen
E. Mckinley, and Mrs. Clarence H. Smith, both
of Waldo, Me , and with whom she had lived
since the death of her husband, in 1882; one
granddaughter, Mrs. James H. Ciley, and q
great grandson, Lester N. Cilley, for whom
she had great affection, and one brother,