davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05

DG lCl W.
Skowhegan, Maine.
Gentlemen
Your favor of December 16, it at
hand. Regarding my grandfather
Judah Mcclellan. Mrs. Henry Dole of
Dexter. Maine has the old Mcclellan
Bible with the records in it. In the
Southside cemetery they are buried
and you can find some data there in
the Mcclellan lot. My grandfather
was born in Woodstock, Conn. May
25, 1880. After he graduated from
college and law school he came to
Skowhegan and opened a law office
There was then only rough road cut
thru the woods from Waterville. In
1903 he married Elizabeth White.
One year later he took his wife on
horseback. riding on pillow behind
him to visit his people in Connecti
cut. Returning. they bought a
chaise in Boston and drove to Show
hegan. This was the first pleasure
vehicle brought into Somerset Coun-
ty and people came twenty miles to
see it as many had never seen one
AS the country developed he built up
large practice and attended court
at Waterville and Augusta and grew
wealthy for that period. He died
think in 1864 (You can find that on
his tombstone) leaving some thing
over $4,000 which was then quite a
fortune. They had eleven children.
One dying at BIRTH seven boys and
three girls growing to maturity.
Emily married Abram Sanborn of
no n 1nu hn Nth tt.fo
Abbie and Helen never married and
died in the old home The other
boys drifted away except John and
Charles who were in trade in Show
hegan for many years under the
name of J. J. & c. f. Mcclellan in
the store now owned by John Nc
Clellan and both died in Skowhegan.
One Frank Mcclellan the youngest, is
still alive. living in Hot Springs,
South Dakota. He was SO years old
last September. Grandfather was a
very upright. conscientious man. de-
spising any kind of trickery and l
have heard him say In all his prac-
tice he never defended criminal
unless he plead guilty and threw
himself on the mercy OF the court.
have heard since his death from
old timers that his trait was so pro-
nounced that IL he defended a man
1t was hard to get jury to convince
as 1t was generally understood that
grandfather must believe him guilt
less or he would not have taken his
case. | lived with my grandparents
from the time l was five years old
until l was fifteen and so remember
his strong Puritan views and how he
despised any kind of fraud chicanery
He was not a brilliant man but a
great student. In his old age he
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
MORE ABOUT DIR. FITZGERALD
Letter from X. w. BurrIn


The following letter from r. " Bur
rill of Bangor contains some more
"reminiscences of the life of DR.. Orrin
Fitzgerald;
Il noticed in a recent edition of
your paper, you would like to hear
some "reminiscences concerning the
late DR.. Orrin Fitzgerald. l pre-
sumo there are a great many who
could tell you more concerning him
than /, but as | was associated with
him about a year and a half in the
capacity of trainer and driver OF his
trotting stock at his famous Colonial
Hall Stock Farm, Tyngsboro, Mass,
can give you little idea Of him In
that branch of his life.
I'm the winter of 1896 he came to
Newport, where | resided at that time
and hired me to go to the farm and
train his stock. which included Sena-
tor Blackburn, Gray Stallion, record
220, that he paid $4,000 for; also
Claude Nelson by Nelson 2.09, that
he bought of the late Amos Gerald of
Fairfield This same horse was own
ed by Ralph Hill of Skowhegan, after
the doctor died The balance were
colts sired by Senator Blackburn and
horses that he would buy and trade
for during his visits to Maine.
II don't think l ever saw man who
could get so much enjoyment out of a
horse dicker as DR. Fitzgerald. He
could enjoy seemingly as much when
he got the worst of a deal as he did
when 1t fell on the other fellow.
remember we'll one morning in April,
he went to st. Albans, and bought a
horse of DR.. Butler, who Is now a
veterinary at Bath. 1t seems this
horse whistled very badly, but as 1t
was good sleighing, and Butler per-
sisted in showing the horses speed, he
put string of old fashioned bells
around the horses neck close up to
the head, thereby making noise
enough to more than offset the noise
made by the horse breathing. The
doctor bought the horse, shipped him
to Tyngsboro, and never harnessed
him until one morning in June when
he rode just a short distance, drove
back laughing, and said, next time
l drive him l must put on bells to
sent Butler a present as a token of
TcsdIu III uOIu6 SO biiSh q Joo.
"He was great lover of all Kinds OF
animals. | have known him to have
as many as sixty dogs at one time
He bred them just to give to his
friends in different sections.
ITO show you his disposition, | will
tell you this little happening. One
morning | was taking him to the train
He said to me, what time is It? AT
that time | was not fortunate enough
to have watch, and his had stopped
| said, Doctor, l don't know. He
looked at me in disgust and said
this is a damned nice outfit, no time
on the place. He Immediately went
to Boston and ordered four dial town
clock put into the barn cupola; from
that time on he was always prepared
to know the exact time.
Mature bestowed upon him a won
derful power. He had many friends
If he knew you once, he always knew
you, was equally as cordial to the
poor man as the rich, in fact he was
man whose name and deeds will live
on for generations
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05

read French novels in the original
Language and loved to read English
history and had several of them by
different authors. | remember as a
boy going to town meeting with him.
He would sit and listen to the debate
when some got so excited over the
argument and finally he would get up
SO deliberated, calm and every noise
stopped as they knew he had it
thought out, and state the whole case
so clearly that there was no more to
be said and when the moderator
would ask ANY more questions the
answer would be from all over the
house Question" He was won
derful, clear thinker, having a very
systematic mind and it was this fact
that gave him such an influence with
the juries. He never had anything
to say until he had it thoroly analyz-
ed in his own mind. He had rather
a stern look and a very dignified
manner but was withal very genial
man and had a compelling PERSONAL
ity. He had a marked military
bearing and was as handsome a man
on horseback as l ever saw. Six
feet tall, broad shoulders and straight
as an arrow even at 80 with long
white hair falling on his shoulders.
he was a sight as he sat so straight
on his horse. He rode horseback
up to his last sickness. His horse
backed the sleigh into well-house
in the yard tipping him out against
the house and when found he was
unconscious. He came too, but was
never in his right mind after that,
but lived several years. When a
boy he fell in barn and had to
have his head trepponned with a sill
yer piece and it was supposed this
hurt displaced that. l think his
death was August 1864 but you can
get it on his tombstone.
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05

Grandmother was four generations
from Peregrin White. born on the
Mayfower, Her father was a noted
farmer and kept a public house in
that early day. While in Skowhe-
and | visited the old Bloomfield
cemetery down the River Road, next
the old Wyman.. farm. There are
three generations of Whites buried
there and most of the early settlers
of Somerset County. The original
town was down there a little below
this graveyard. There were very
few college men in that day and
grandfather was considered a great
catch so my grandmother used to
say. All the girls were after him
and she was the lucky one. Grand
father used to say she was very
handsome girl and 80 bright she
easily won out. She lived to be over
90. l think it was nearly "a. She
was born In 1888.
One OF grandfather's brothers was
General G. B. McClellan's grand
father.
This is rather a rambling letter
but written as 1t comes to me and
you can use ii as seems best. The
house on the hill" Gas we used
to call iU was built in the summer of
1928. The lime used was hauled by
OK teams from Rockland The chin
neys were laid half lime and half
blue clay and my father said he as
a boy drove the oxen to mix the clay
and lime in a pit and he drove the
oxen round and round. They are
still standing and show the blue clay
in the seams between the brick.
Above the roof they were re-laid with
lime motar when I was a boy.
Yours very truly.
w. r. MCCLELLAN,
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
FORECLOSURE NOTICE

Whereas Jeff Steward by his mort
gage deed dated March 21 1914 ana
recorded in Somerset County Registry
of Deeds book 315 page AT, conveyed
to me, the undersigned. all that part
of the Mel Merrill farm in Bingham ~
said county which lies east OF the
county road from Solon to Bingham
bounded. north by land of Frank n:
Curtis. east by land of Ordway ara
Niles. south by land formerly owned
by Clara ]. Gray, west by said roan-
Whereas the condition of said mort
gage has been broken. BY reason ~
the breach of the condition thereof
claim foreclosure Of said mortgage
and give this notice for that purpose
3w27 WILLIAM McDONOuGh-
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
Schedule, Pas
Senger Trains
|[xvlll13
|3lSs|
In Effect June 25, 1917

In Effect June 25, 1917
Trains Leave Skowhegan Week Days
Harmony, Dover and Foxcroft. Bangor,
Oakland, Lewiston, Augusta, Bruins
wick. Bath, Rockland. Portland. White
Mountain points and Boston.
Bangor. Oakland. Kineo. Farmington.
Strong. Phillips. Rangeley lewiston.
Augusta. Brunswick. Bath Portland,
White Mountain points and Boston.
Bar Harbor. Calais, Vanceboro, st
John. Halifax. Except Saturday,
Oak land. Pennington, Rangeley, Lew
iston, Augusta, Brunswick. Bath, Rock
land. Portland and Boston.
2.25 p. m. for Waterville Belfast
Harmony. Dover and Foxcroft, Ban
gor, Mattawamkeag, Bucksport Az
gusta. Brunswiok. Bath, Rocklaud.
Portland, Boston, New York and Wash
Trains Leave skowhegan Sundays
40 =. M for Waterville, BurnhSm,
Pittsfield, Bangor, Augusta, Bruins
wick. Portland. Boston, New York and
Trains Arrive SkOwhegan Week Days
1852 "A. m. from Waterville. Augusta,
Gardiner and South Gardiner.
1917 a. m. from Waterville, Belfast,
Pittsfield Harmony. Dover and Fox
croft, Bangor, Bucksport Mondays
only. Oakland. Bingham, Pennington,
Strong, Phillips, Lewiston, Augusta.
BfunSWlcK, Batn, PORTLAND BOSTON,
New York and Washington.
ABS p. m. from Watervlle, Belfast,
Bangor. Bucksport. Bar Harbor, Vance
boro. Calais st. John, Halifax. Oakland
Augusta, Lewiston, Brunswick, Port
land. Boston.
S.35 u. m. from Watervile, Dover
and FoXcroft. Oakland. Lewiston. Au-
gusta, Brunswick, Bath, Rockland,
Portland. Boston.
Trains Arrive Skowhegnn Sundays
100 a. m. from Waterville. Pitts
field, Newport Bangor. Augusta, Bath.
Brunswick, Lewiston. Portland and
New York.
DC. DOUGLASS, General Manager.
NJ. L. HARRIS, Genl Pass. Agent.
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
THURSDAY, JULY ), 1917
Skowhegan Clergymen Take a Hand

Acceeding to our request, the Rev
Henry Clay Turner furnishes mate
rial for our editorial column, this
week. We have made the same sug-
gestion to the other Skowhegan cler-
gymen and hope they will favor our
readers, in a similar way, in succeed
ing weeks. Pastors OF churches In
other Somerset county towns are also
urged to write brief editorials for
publication in that department of the
independents
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
Don't Miss A Single Issue

We want you to have every issue OF
this paper. 1t especially pleases US
when you plan to have 1t reach you
while away from home. This Is 80
easy to do, II you give the matter a
little forethought. Give US the ad-
dress, or different addresses, where
you are to be and we will forward the
paper, every week.
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
AN OLD.TIME ATTORNEY
Skowi,egan's Long Ago Arlstocrat

The ub-joined letter is in answer
to our request for Information re-
garding Judah Mcclellan. an old time
Skowhegan lawyer. The House
on the Hill' mentioned there
in is now the residence of Amos X.
Butler.
There are, of course, few now liy-
ing who knew Judah Mcclellan but
his reputation and ability, scholar
ship and courtly bearing has persist
ed to the present time.
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
Letter from Former Correspondent

Fort Fairfield, Dec. Is, 1916.
Dear Sirs:-- :
By request and as a former
correspondent for your paper for
several years | deem it a privilege
as well as a great pleasure to furnish
a few lines concerning myself for
the benefit of my friends and rela-
tives who may be Interested to learn
of my Whereabouts and to save time,
as have many correspondents.
send this thru these columns.
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
Boston Post $500

We can furnish the Boston Post,
regular price $3.50. to our subscribers
for $3.50. To take advantage OF this
offer your subscription to the Inde-
pendent Reporter should be paid six
months or more in advance.
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05
NOTICE

III. Morse of Anson, In the County OF
Somerset and State of Maine, has made
application to the Maine Board OF Bar
Examiners for examination for admif
at the session of the board to be held
at Portland. Maine on the first Tues
day of August. A. n. 1917
PHILIP G. CLIFFORD,
3w27 Secretary of the Board-
The independent-reporter., 1917-07-05

The Independent-Report Is reaA
In more Somerset County homes than
all other newspapers. daily ane
weekly. combined.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30

FOR SALE--All the standing grass be-
tween upper Merchant street and Long
street; about and one-half acres extra
heavy; most of this will cut two crops A.
NJ Stafford. lessee; tel. 1872. eOtf
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
Roumanian surerrtitions.

1t is considered lucky to arrive In
Roumania accompanied by rain. II
means abundance, fertility, the hope OF
a fine harvest-wealth. Sometimes the
peasant women put large wooden buck
cts of water before their threshold; a
full vessel Is sign of good luck. They
will even sprinkle water before ones
feet, because water means abundance.
Il have seen," says the queen of Rou-
mania in an article about the people of
her country. tall, handsome girls step
out to meet me with overfiowing water
jars on their heads on my approach
they stood quite still, the drops splash
ing over their faces so as to prove that
their pitchers were full. 1t is lucky to
meet a cart full Of corn or straw COM
ing toward one, but an empty cart Is a
sure sign OF bad luck"
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
GIVE THE CHILD A TREE.
II Possible, Let Him Plant Ono and
Own IL All hinself

II Possible, Let Him Plant One and
Own II All Himself.
Every child should own a tree. A
tree is a symbol OF life. 1t lives. II
stands for everything that is noble. II
is rooted in the soil and stretches itself
toward heaven. 1t stands for patience,
humility, persistence, beauty, courage
and God.
The child should plant the tree him
self and thereafter watch ii grow year
by year. He should put his hands on
its rough bark and say: This is my
tree. will stand by it and live up to it."
1t is curious how blind we sometimes
are to certain ideals because we can.
not see and handle them. We need
something to connect us with the invis.
ible but none the less potent and form
alive world Of aspiration and inspira-
ton. What could be better than treei
There is something about the silent
beauty OF tree than casts over us a
spell of calmness and invincibility. The
storms of life may sway us and break
our branches: the grim and melancholy
autumn may strip us of our brilliance,
but the spring will come once more
and clothe us In a new glory. So we
60 on fulfilling the majesty OF the law.
II your child owns a tree the memory
of its beneficent influence will cling to
him through life-Country Gentleman.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
The Giraffe AZ Il Eeada.

The singular shape of the giraffe IL
adapted to its habits Of life, 1t feeds
on the young branches and top shoots
Of the trees, and its long fore legs and
neck enable 1t to browse at far great.
er height than any other animal In
feeding 1t stretches up its neck and
with its long prehensile tongue. which
1t can protrude to surprising dis
lance, hooks down the tender shoots
and leaves into its mouth. But the
creatures peculiar form, though en-
abling 1t to feed on what it likes best,
Is sometimes the cause OF Its destruc-
ton The fore legs are so long that to
reach the ground 1t has to stretch them
wide apart and bend down its neck In
semicircle, and while drinking In
this defenseless attitude the lion or
leopard springs upon 1t and overpow.
ers 1t before it can recover itself
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
THE SClLLY ISLANDS.
Washed by = Giutton Sea Gorsed With
Human Victims.

Washed by = GIutton Sea Gorsed With
Human Victims.
No more sinister locality could be
found for the sinking of vessel in a
submarine crusade than the neighbor-
hood Of the Scilly islands, where a
number have met their fate. 1t has
been said that large bagful OF pieces
of granite of different sizes thrown In
discriminatory into a small shallow
pool of water will give tolerably cor
rect model Of the islands Of Scilly.
They are seventeen in number, varying
In extent from ten to 1,640 acres, be-
sides twenty-five smaller islets and nu-
merous naked rocks. They are located
In latitude so, longitude 7, about twen-
ty-five miles west by south from Lands
End, Cornwall, England. Those who
recall the scenic effects In "The Pirates
Of Penzance" retain some idea Of the
nature Of the Scillonian panorama
wild and picturesque. sheer cliffs and
yawning caverns followed out by the
ceaseless action Of the ocean waves, a
perilous approach In stormy weather.
In earlier days the islands were In
tested with pirates and smugglers.
while many of the inhabitants picked
up living as wreckers. 1t was on
Gilston rock that Sir Cloudesley Shovel
persisted with 800 men in 1907, and In
the graveyard of st. Mary's repose the
bodies of 311 victims of the wreck Of
the Schiller In 1875. So treacherous is
the sea in these parts that there is an
old proverb that for every man who
dies a natural death the sea takes nine.
AS for the strategic Importance OF
Scilly, Borlase wrote over a century
and half ago: "In time Of war it is of
the utmost Importance to England to
have Scilly In its possession. If 1t were
In an enemy's hands the channel trade
from Ireland, Liverpool and Bristol to
London and the south of England could
not subsist, for Scilly. lying at the
point of England, commands both chan
nels. Bulletin of the National Geo
graphic Society.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
Road WARNINGS,

"Half This Road Is Yours, the Other
Half Mine"
This big sign greets the eye Of the
motorist on the splendid ten mile
stretch of asphalt-macadam road be
tween Asheville and Weayerville,
which is a link of the southern ma
tional highway from Washington to
San Diego, Cal.
The sign is located at the city limits
and Is a powerful reminder that others
have rights on the road.
A half mile beyond at sharp curve
around the rocky bluff big sign on
which is painted skull enshrouded In
black, with "Just Around the Curve"
underneath, involuntarily brings the
driver to slow speed.-Asheville On O.
Board of Trade Bulletin.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30

Jun16-23-3o
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30

Miss NJ. Marcella Fairbanks, gradu-
ate of the Springfield high school this
month, was struck and knocked down
by the automobile of DR.. L. II. Gillette
as she was stepping from team recent
iy. She was taken to the hospital, where
it was found that no bones were broken
but she was badly bruised about the
limbs, chest and shoulders.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
What Make. Business Success.

There is always premium In bust
ness on the man who does his work
palnstakingly," says ]. o. Armour In
the American Magazine, with com
pleteness and finality. He is the man
who will be trusted with more and
more responsibility, up to the limit OF
his capacity. The man who informs
himself adequately about his firm. its
methods, its policies and Its products,
who does his work so well that no one
needs follow him up to patch the rag.
ged edges, is on the safest, surest and
shortest road to achievement"
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
HAYES-SIPLE.
Waterbury Man and Providence Woman
United in Marriage.

The Providence. r. l., Journal of June
26 has the following:
The marriage of Mrs Sylvia Anna
Siple of Providence and Edward T. Hayes
Of Waterbury, VT, took place at SIS.
Peter and PauPs Cathedral yesterday
morning at 7:45. The ceremony was
performed by Rev. FIR. Joseph Trainer.
Following the ceremony a wedding
breakfast was served at the home of the
bride. 2s0 Washington street.
The couple were attended by Miss
Catherine Smith. as bridesmaid. and
James D. Ryan of Boston as best man.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hayes left during the day
for an extended wedding trip.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
MALE AND FEMALE HELP

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS BARRE
SoON-Men and women desiring government
cieriships. departmental, postoffce railway
mail. customs write for free particulars 20
j. c. Leonard former government examiner f.
Kenois Bldg. Washington. 9itl'
PUPIL NuRSES-Male and female. wanted
Of the Taunton State Hospital Training Srhool
for Nurses for particulars address DR. Arthur
v. Goss. Supt-. Taunton State Hospital Taun-
ton. Mass. z01
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
The Sun of Prosperity

doesn't always shine. Provide the sun
shine Of financial assurance BY securing
one Of our annuities- It's your protection
for the future. National Life Insurance
Co. Of Vermont lMutuall S. 5 Bal
lard, general agent. Rislto block. Mont
u-@iisr. Vt
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
state of Ohio. city of Toledo,

Lucas County. 81.
Frank j. Cheney makes oath that he
10 senior partner of the arm of r. ].
Cheney Il Co. doing business IN the City
OF Toledo, County and State aforesaid.
and that said Arm will pay the sum OF
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS for each
and every case of Caterrh that cannot be
cured by the use of HALLS CATARRH
MEDICINE. FRANK j. CHENEY.
Sworn 70 before me and subscribed IN
my presence, this 9Th day OF December.
A. ID. 1886. A. w: GLEASON,
(SeaD Notary Public.
Halls Catarrh Medicine is taken In.
ternaily and acts through the Blood on
the Mucous Surfaces of the System. Send
for testimonials. free.
r. J. CHENEY & CO.. Toledo. O.
Sold by all druggists, TIC.
Halls Family Pills for constipation.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30

Bobbie had been studying his grand.
fathers face. which was very much
wrinkled.
well, Bob" said the old gentleman,
do you like my FACET
Yes. grandpa" said Bobbie. Its
an awfully nice face. But why don't
you have 1t froned ?"-New York Times.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
CABOT
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING.

sPEtIAL TUWN MEETING.
The legal voters Of the town of Cabot are
hereby warned TO meet In the town hall. Sat.
uriay, July Z. 1917. at o'clock D. m. to act
upon the following articles:
l. To see what action the town will take
to provide for the payment Of the 20 per
cent tax as assessed by No. 81. of the acts
Of the general assembly Of 1917.
II. To hear and act upon the report of
the committee which was elected at the town
meeting o. March 8. 1917. 20 investigate the
eift 70 the town. Of the Advent church at
Lover Cabot. for = public building.
DATED ct Cabot. VT. this goth day Of June.
1917. -
r. p. MORSE,
n. II. CARPENTER.
A. V. NELSON,
ssti2s Seleetnen.
The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
PLAINFIELD.

Tonight the Nellie Gill Players will
be seen in one Of the most beautifully
written plays they have ever presented.
The Great Divide" In it Miss Gill and
Mr.. oConnell surpsss themselves in fine.
suppressed, emotional acting.