Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-20
LATE CHANDLER ]. DOW
EXTENSIVE TRAVELLER

Skowhegan, Me-, Dec. 19.-(SpeciaD
Funeral ceremonies for the late
Chandler j. Dow are to be held from
the home of his niece, Mrs. f. T. Good
rich on Madison avenue, Wednesday
AFTERNOON at 2.3O. Rev. George Mer-
Ram Of the Bethany Baptist Church
Will ofhciate and the body will be
placed in the receiving tomb to await
burial. In the spring at the North Gem
etery.
Chandler ]. Dow who passed awav
Monday afternoon at 100 was born in
Athens on farm abdnt two miles
west the village on the Scion road. He
was the son OF Joseph and Margaret
(Weston) Dow. The mother was born
on the old Weston place which is now
portion OF the State Reformatory for
women estate. There was little in his
early life to suggest the unusual career
OF his coming years, but the history
OF his journeyings form a not uninter-
esting story. In the fall of 1853 when
young Dow was 10 years old he be-
came an instructor in the center school
district at Cornville. He accented
these duties when attending school at
Somerset Academy in Athens. He lat
err taught in Greenville, but in the fall
OF 1855. he gave up teaching and start
ed for the West. He had thought TO
| teach in that newer country, but on
the way fell in with one Frank Brown
who was going to the Black River Dis
trict in Wisconsin with a crew of men
to go into lumber woods. He accord
ingly hired out to drive an OK team
for the winter.
One day man who proved to be Mr..
BOWS uncle, Samuel Weston came into
camp. He had come expressly to ask
his nephew to go into his business
Office and arrangements were soon
made for him to go to Lacrosse in the
spring of 1856. He was Obliged to
come east on account of ill health, but
returned in the fall of 1857 and re-
sumed his duties in the fall of 1857 in
the office of the firm which was then
known as Weston & Colburn.
Young Dow was soon sent to Bur
Hngton. Iowa. where his firm operated
a mill and where he was left in abso-
lutte authority for the next four years.
At the end of that time owing to the
death OF his uncle, he was instructed
to wind up affairs Of the mill so that
settlement could be effected with the
estate. He had been an important pa :
tron in his lumber shipments ct the
Chicago. b. & @. r. r., and this COR
| poration persuaded him to take charge
of their yards. ETC., at East BURLINGTON.
He continued in this responsible no.
sition for about four years, when again
i'll health caused him to change his
plans. His physician advised a Jour-
ney across the plains and he accord
ingly determined on going to Montana.
which was then being rapidly devel-
oped as a silver mining region. He
invested in six wagons. built especially
for overland transportation travel and
bought four yoke Of oxen for each
wagon. A big foundry and machine
company at Burlington on learning
that he was to make the journey Of
fered to take an interest in his team
and in return to give him an owner
ship in a large stamp mill which they
wished taken overland to Montana.
This journey was through a wild
and unsettled region for more than
1000 miles. 1t was the country infest-
ed with Indians of which Old Sitting
Bull was the leader. They were a
warlike tribe. At that time Gen. Cur
tbs was in command of the western
division of the United States Army
with headquarters at St. Louis. He
had sent Col. Darlington with full
regiment out on this trail with in