The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-07-18
What One Farmer Has Done 10 Help
Feed and ClOthe the World

The following remarks were given
by Charles Gilman of Bingham. at the
Athens Grange meeting held n Athens
last Saturday afternoon.
We have no need 10 journey TO the
far west or south to find men who
have acted as pioneers in the farming
industry. II you do not believe then
listen to this. The following facts
were told to a reporter at the time OF
the sale of nearly 1000 pounds OF
wool the clip of the years 1918
from the flock of sheep owned by
Charles g. Gilman of Bingham. The
following Is few interesting facts OF
his life
He was horn in the back part OF
Bingham, so called, on farm which
he now owns, in 1897 seventy-one
years ago. As a little lad he had 10
do the general hard work of the farm
and beginning at the age of six he
began 10 look forward to the time
when ne would be able to have a farm
Of his own and at the time he decided
that there was no place that would
suit him better than on the old farm
of his father and grandfather.
He received an ordinary education
such as boys of the time were given
However. this did not satisfy his taste
for learning and his desire to know
more of the things that would aid
| him in his life as farmer. SO he
sent to different noted book companies
and State departments and got the
/ best and most reliable books on farm
! ing. A large per cent of these were
on sheep and cattle. These books
have all been kept and would prove
very interesting TO any one now.
As he grew older his interest in
farm life increased and he became the
owner of his fathers farm. In 1852
he heard his country's call for SOL
diers and atho having a wife and two
| children, a boy and girl, he enlisted
and became a part of the First Maine
| Cavalry, serving two years and then
was honorably discharged because OF
physical disability. At the present
time he has grandson who also
| heard his eountry's call for service
| in her time of need and who is now
Somewhere in France as a member
| of Co. f, Forrest Gilman by name.
| At one time he was transferred and
was member of the Supply Co Mr..
Gilman has three sons, Daniel, George,
and Alonzo who are all farmers. He
also has two or three daughters.
Now let us see some of the things
that Mr. Gilman has done that might
make him a pioneer among farmers.
During his life he has cleared and
prepared for cultivation over one
hundred acres OF cumberland from the
forest. All of this is a part OF the
four hundred acres Of his farm that
he now owns. To enclose this land
he has built over six miles of cleared
fence. At the present time he has
in his possession either seven or nine
deeds that tell a story of his early
success in farming life, and his later
life has been just as prosperous. This
| thing is also to be remembered, that
is all the result of the labor of him
self and boys. And is all straight
farming, as Mr.. Gilman never specu-
! lated in anything. Forty years ago
from a pasture he plowed and sowed
twenty acres of wheat from which he
reaped in the fall three hundred
bushels. If piece like that was to
be seen in Somerset County we would
think ii was quite a wheat farm
During his life we find that Mr..
Gilman has always been very careful
that all things should be carefully re-
corded He has an account of all
wool that he has sold which amounts
to over $4,000 pounds and from which
he has received the price Of anywhere
from ID to 20 cents per pound.
To help feed the world he has sold
from his farm over two hundred head
of cattle and $500 sheep and lambs
The herds of Mr.. Gilman are the same
breed that his father and grandfather
used to own. That is the Devon
| breed of cattle. And the old breed
of sheep so common to Maine. AT
the present time he has about 100
sheep and several OF the Devon stock
This perhaps will show that there
are great opportunities still left in
farming If young fellow wants to
study and to work hard Mr.. Gil
man says that he has never seen a
time in which there were greater
possibilities than at the present
There are many more interesting
things that would be learned from a
talk with Mr.. Gilman, which space
will not permit us to give.