The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-08-31
Passers on the Avenue


yond.
4 recent auto ride on Northport ave-
nue. evoked memories of those who had
passed UP and down this thoroughfare
within the recollection of the writer in
the past thirty odd years. Daddy"
Hodgdon. the term indicating the regard
in which this kindly old man was held by
his neighbors, and all who knew him,
walked to and from the city when past
eighty years of age. His home was in
the little house at the corner of North
port avenue and the Perkins road, now
owned and occupied by Mrs. W. H. Cliff
ford. II may be of interest to note here
that this house originally stood opposite
where the Kinds house now stands, the
road then passing in front of it, and in
rear of the present houses on that side
of the avenue.
Jonathan Elwell, who lived alone in the
two story house just below Browns cor
ner in Northport, made his trips to and
from the city on horseback, stopping at
the Read house for dinner. Mrs. Pres
ton, noted litigant. was often seen
with her "testimonies" and "evi-
dences," prepared for a coming term of
court to use in her suits to obtain posses
sion of the Cunningham property in
Northport-a valuable woodlot. AT one
time she had Mr.. Dunton, the well
lynnvJr f0aabpr nf l'aro6on
court to testify as to the genuineness of
a signature; hut when shown the sigma
lures without knowing the contents of
the documents to which they We're
attached his decision was adverse to
her cause. Mrs. Preston first married
Jonathan Elwell, from whom she was
divorced; later marrying Judge Preston,
who was deceased at the time of which
write. For twenty years she was at law
with her first husband and finally sue
ceeded in having several pieces of real
estate in Belfast and Northport set off
to her. Her home was with her daugh
ter, Mrs. Emma j. Marshall, on piece
of this property on Northport avenue ad-
joining the Kinds place. The house,
which stood some distance back from the
avenue, the road leading to it bordered
with trees set out by Mrs. Preston, was
built by Mrs Marsball's second husband,
one of the leading steel engravers of
this country, whose portraits of Lincoln
are highly priced. The portrait of Gar
field in Memorial hall was engraved by
Marshall.
Nearby lived George W. Buckmore, in
early life a stage driver "doWn east"
who drove his horse "Chub" up and
down the avenue until paralytic shock
confined him to the house and resulted in
his death. His house and that of Mrs.
Marshall were burned to the ground
later and their sites are still vacant.
Daniel G. Kinds drove his old gray
mare until her term of usefulness ended
and he then bought well known road
ster and became so imbued with the
sporting spirit that he challenged a
neighbor and they went out to the trot-
ting park for match race, the result of
which | do not recall. Mr.. Kinds was
greatly respected by all who knew him,
man of whom it was said that his word
was as good as his bond. His house was
built the same year as lne Games P.
White house at ''the foot of the square,.
now the summer home of Hon. James P.
Taliaferro of Jacksonville, Florida. Mr..
White having more shingles than he
needed sold Mr.. Kinds enough for his
house and it was so years before it need
ed reshinging.
Howard Murphy made frequent trips
to the city with Murphy's root beer,
then in great demand, as this was before
the many kinds of soft drinks came on
the market, and On Saturdays he sup
piled large number of customers with
hulled corn and milk. He also sold gra-
ham meal, made from wheat grown by
himself and ground in the mill at Lib
erty. For twenty consecutive years Mrs.
Murphy's butter took the first premium
at the State fairs, and she then with