The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-04-05
OBITUARY..

=
DR.. Gustavus Clark Kilgore died at 10 a. m.
March 29th at his home on Primrose hill, 1876
High street. He had been in failing health
for some time with Briahts disease and fully
realized his condition, but strove to make the
best of it and attend to his large practice. and
was at his Office on Main street the day before
he died. That evening he had serious i'll
turn and his nephew. Dr.. Harry L. Kilgore
was called and administered such remedies as
the case called for. He slept quietly that
night and was apparently resting we'll the next
morning. Failing to arouse him Mrs. Kilgore
summoned DR.. Harry Kgore and later DR.. E.
A. Wilson and with the assistance Of a trained
nurse from the Waldo County hospital every
thing possible was done. but he passed away
in bis sleep about two hours later.
DR.. Kilgore was born in Smithfeld, Somer.
set county. Maine. March 8, 1850. the son of
Samuel and Lydia (Hinckley) Kilgore. His
father was the third Samuel Kilgore, his grand
father and great-grandfather bearing the
same name. The great-grandfather was a na-
tive of Massachusetts and was one Of the
pioneer settlers of Newry, Oxford county
Maine. The second Samuel Kilgore, the doc
tors grandfather, was born in Newry and
spent the early part of his life there About
1910 he removed to Somerset county, where he
died at an advanced age. OF the seven chill
dren born to him and his wife, Mary Hastings
of Massachusetts, none survive
Samuel Kilgore, the father of DR.. Kigore,
was born in Newry Dec. g. 1906. He learned
the wheelrights trade when young man and
followed that occupation. also cultivating
farm. About 1889. he located in Smithield.
Maine, and during his life was identified with
the welfsre of that town. One of the organ
| izers of the town, he was first selectman for
number of years. was also postmaster and
filled other offices. He a Lieutenant
Colonel in command of a regiment ordered
out to the blcodless Aroostook war in February
or March 1889. About 1884 he married Lydia
Hinckley of Mercer. Maine, an intelligent and
noble woman, who had taught school for some
time previous to her marriage. She died in
July, 1881, at the age of 70 years.
Gustavus C. Kigore was reared on his faith.
er's farm and received his early education in
the district school, fitting himself for college
by his own exertions. He began to teach
school when eighteen years of age and has
remarkable record an educator. For two
years he was principal of Oak Grove Seminary.
Vassalboro. and the attendance during his ad-
ministration increased from less than thirty
students to an average of over one hundred.
In 1872 he accepted the position of principal
of Freedom Academy, which then had an
average attendance of twenty, and when he
resigned the average was ninety students. At
China Academy, of which he was principal for
| some time, the attendance increased from
twenty. five to eighty. While he was principal
of Oak Grove Seminary, which had a normal de-
partment under the control of the State, more
teachers received certificates from that de-
partment than from any OF the purely normal
schools in Maine. He was also the principal
for one year of the Albion High school. His
| specially was mathmatics.
His career student was also distin-
guished one. He graduated in July. 1880, from
the University of Vermont second in class of
sixty, won the gold medal prize, and was one
of the four honor men who received an honor
|
He came to Belfast in October, 1880, and his
first Office was in the Johnson block on Phoenix
Row. He soon built up large practice
physician and surgeon. In 1885, in partner
ship with Everard A. Wilson, he started The
City Drug Store in Hayford block, having his
office in rooms at the of the store. While
a member of the firm Mr.. Wilson attended the
| OF ModicaI CnllpUa in Rnrliputon Vt nd
after graduating member of the faculty
for time. He then returned to Belfast and
! j lined DR.. Kilgore in general practice, and SO
| great were the demands for their professional
services that in 1900 they sold their drug busi-
ness to Edmund Wilson, reeiste. ed pharma-
cist, Who had been in their employ for some
years, and he moved to the Thomas W. fit-
cher block, Main street, Drs. Kilgore & Wilson
having Offices in the second story of the same
building. Mr., Wilson retired about two years
ago. and the business is continued by Read &
Hills.
Dana's Sarsaparilla, in its day leading
patent medicine, originated in the City Drug
Store DR. Kilgore formulated and patented a
sarsapariIla compound known as Dana's Sa sa-
parila. and it was compounded in the base
ment of their store. The sales increased SO
rapidly that more room and more capital was
needed and a stock company with $25. .O0U csp-
tai was organized and the business moved to a
building Bridge street formerly occupied
a rrisge repository. DR.. Wilson originat-
ed method of advertising, that of publishing
with the testimonials portraits of those who
testified to the virtues of the medicine. This
advertising proved very effective and was fol-
lowed later in other lines of business. The in
creasing business soon called for larger plant
and more capital and the large building at the
foot Of Main street long known as the Dana
building was bought and the capital of the
company increased from 1000 to $4,000. The
additional stock was readily taken up by local
people. The first dividend paid by the COM
pany was 20 per cent and was soon followed
by one Of 100 per cent. The business then at
tracted the attention of outside capitalists and
DR.. Kilgore went to Boston in 1892 and sue
cessfully negotiated sale of the plant and
business by which the stockholders realized
$1,000 on each 500 invested besides the dvi-
dends of l20 per cent previously r. ceived DR..
Kilgore was the leading spirit in the business
from ils start and to him it's success was main
! Ar,G