The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1915-08-26

CdtiOu WdS CouLiuucN IL tuS PooiiS
schools and at Bloomfield Academy,
at various times until he became TWEEN
ty years of age. Among his teachers
was Daniel Dole of Skowhegan after
wards a missionary to Sandwich Is
lands and father of Sanford Ballard
Dole, president of Hawaiian Republic
Mr.. Westerns natural instincts led
him to become lumberman and in the
spring of 1S41 he went to Moosehead
lake to drive the logs out of Spencer
stream into the Lake. For six years
during the spring season, he continued
to drive logs, having crews of men and
sections of the main river drive. One
of his early business deals was that
of assisting in the building of the
starch mill in this town and where
after its erection he superintended the
making of starch for three seasons.
In 1847 Mr.. Weston then a young man
! left home and visited various towns
| including journey to Philadelphia.
He later returned to Lowell, Mass.
where he remained for two years be-
ing employed in machine shop. At
ter this he returned to Skowhegan and
established machine chop, the first
permanent shop of the kind in town.
After running this plant for 3 years
hn
Fletcher and uniting the two branches
of business, rebuilt and enlarged the
plant. After selling out half inter-
est in the firm he sold out his re-
naming interest in the spring of 1858.
His first marriage was in 1853, to
/ Sophia Wyman Walker, who died five
and one half years later, leaving no
children. After her death Mr.. Weston
travelled quite extensively paying a
visit to his brother, Henry in Logtown,
Mississippi. Returning to Skowhegan
in June 1859, he subsequently bought
one-half of the saw mill and lumber
business in Skowhegan, but who lived
! in Colorado and continued the bust
ness together with his father under
the firm name of J. W. & l.. W. Wes-
ton. After the withdrawal of the
senior member from the firm Mr..
Weston was associated with Col ". F.
Baker of Moscow, later assuming the
entire business himself and still later
taking into partnership. his step-son
c. M. Brainard. In December 1884,
! they bought the carding and cloth
dressing business mill of Benjamin
| and Calvin Stinchfield, which brought
| into their possession all rights and
| interests of the island water-poWer
except ono-half of the old grist mill
property Mr. Brainard died in 1893
and in 1894 Mr.. Weston bought of
Mr.. Brainards estate, his late part
ner's interest, and continued the bust
ness under the name of L. W. Weston
& Co., his daughter Miss Gertrude S.
Weston being associated with him in
this firm name.
Mention of Mr.. Weston's connection
with corporations and other forms of
industry reads almost like business
directory of the town during the ac-
tive years of his life. One of the earli-
est public enterprises with which he
was connected was the block built
for a town hall in connection with
the Odd Fellows fraternity. This
building, which was enlarged about
twenty-five years ago, is still standing
on Water Street and was for many
years occupied by the Somerset Re-
porter. The municipal offices were
on the ground floor and the town hall
and fraternity room on the second
Mr. Weston served on the building
committee for this structure. and sub
charge the work of the engine hall
on the island near the North Channel
bridge, the Congregational church, the
high school building, the starch mill.
both buildings of the Anderson mills,
the shoe factory and the Garfield
school AS member of the school
board for the old town of Bloomfield.
Mr.. Weston had to do with the build
ing of Bloomfield Academy and several
other smaller school buildings. He
also was member of the committee
which selected and purchased the lot
| for our present municipal building
| Other positions of trust in which Mr.
! Weston has served. were as trustee OF
Bloomfield Academy, which included
| the management of the Skowhegan Ii
| brary. trustee OF the Skowhogan Saw
ings Bank. the Coburn charity bequest
and Coburn hall bequest He served
| rs president of the Loan * Building
Association for over thirty years and
was one of the executors of the Will
| OF his cousin. Abner Coburn. He
/ was al one time "A selectman of
| the town of Bloomfield. and after the
union OF Bloomfield with Skowhegan.
had charge. AS agent. OF the school
/ Affairs of the united towns, he side