Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-16
BELFAST
Brief Sketch of Lincoln r. Col.
cord, the Searsport Poet,
Who Wrote "Visions
of War
HARRY BOWKER CRITICAL.
LY ILL AT HIS HOME

A4HcolH II. oOlcOru, the student
dreamer and writer. after writing
novels and short stories of the sea,
every one Of which made a place for
itself in the world of fiction, has
tucked himself away in his home in
Searsport. where his ancestors lived
for generations, and lives the quietest
sort Of life. devoted to his wife, his
paby daughter IneZ and to his work
Long tramps cross country are his
chief diversion and with Mrs. Colcorh
he is frequently met on this highway
about SearspoEt, miles from their
home. Although many writer would
consider himself buried in the little
village. it is while living there in the
past year or more, that he has done
his greatest work. his wonderful
poem Vision of War; which has
made his name famous and placed
him among the foremost of American
writer's. One critic has spoken of him
as "the greatest peace advocate of the
times"
1t is no wonder that he has written
and the orient for he was born on
the high seas, off Cape Horn.
when his father, the late Capt. Lin
coin A. Colcord, was commander Of
the ship c. A. Littlefield. His mother
was formerly Miss Jennie French
SWeetser, both parents natives OF
Searsport, where their families for five
generations have followed the sea.
Until ii years old Lincoln Ross Col
cord went to sea with his parents. Wis
iting every country on the globe and
unconsciously storing away a wonder
full fund of experiences, atmosphere
and color, which have in later years
made his stories SO highly priced.
especially by those who have gone
down to the sea in ships.
One of his early stories was ''The
Floating Diamond" and his book of
short stories, including The Game Of
Life is one of his best known. His
most recent work, Vision Of War"
is meeting with a success beyond all
expectations and has been the most
widely discussed poem Of the day.
After IA years voyaging with his
parents, young Colcord returned 70
Searsport and entered the High school,
from which he was graduated in 1900.
From that time until 1906 he attended
the University of Maine intermittent
lily. finally leaving in his Junior year.
During his college course he was =
scribbler and even then did some re-
markable work, as the Stein Song"
of Maine will testify, the words being
from his pen. He took up the course
| of civil engineering and was for a
, time with the Bangor Aroostook Rail-
road in the Maine woods. His love OF
literature, however, was too strong
and he later gave his entire time to
its pursuit. He was married in 1910
to Miss Blanche T. Nickels of Sears
port and they have one child. He is
a Democrat, a member of the Kappa
Sigma and a Mason.
Mr.. Colcord has been invited to ad
dress the Twentieth Century Club of
New York on the 26th. Some Falla-
cies Of Democracy" being his sub
ject.
On the 21st Mr.. Colcord will speak
in Belfast before the Mems Club of
the Unitarian church on the same sub
ject.
Harry Bowker. younger son Of Mr..
and Mrs. Edwin S. Bowker of Con-
gress street, is in a very critical con-
dition as the result Of an overdose OF
calomel, which has caused mercurial
poisoning. About two weeks ago. the
young man. while attending business
college in Portland. was taken i'll and
went to a druggist and bought some
calomel. He took 10 quarter grain tab
let's He became so i'll that he was
hardly able to reach his home in Bel
fast, but this he finally did, since when
he has grown steadily worse. until
yesterday when he had several hem
orrhages of the bowels and his con-
dition is considered very serious. The
young man has never been very
strong and it is also thought that
there may have been typhoid condi-
tons. The family has many friends
who with them are very anxious over
the outcome Of his illness.