The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-11-25

The name of Heselton has been
very prominent in Somerset County
business affairs for many years and
especially that of Frank B. in con-
nection with the hotel business in
Skowhegan. He was the son of
William Gilman and Elizabeth (Bak-
er) Heselton, born March 16, 1910 in
North Anson The family were then
living in an upstairs tenement while
the father conducted a tin shop and
stove store downstairs. This was
situated near the John Taylor black
smith shop. Taylor boarded with
the Heselton family for years. The
last of his life he passed on a farm
where he died only few years ago.
Frank B. took up teaming at very
early age Among the first people
for whom he drove were Mark Stew
ard of North Anson, Miles Standish
and son of Flagstaff, Abijah Coleman
of New Portland and Elias Milliken
of Augusta. A good deal of this
work was in the woods and some of
it was totfng between North Anson
and Skowhegan. Mr.. Heselton was
so young when he commenced, that
he had to have help at both ends of
the line. His father would help load
and unload at North Anson and Bob
Goodrich used to help him out in the
same way in Skowhegan. This
teaming really lasted until he was
about thirty In the meantime, when
Frank was about II, the family NOV
ed to Skowhegan. going into the hotel
business. Successfully, they man
aged or owned the Elm House, Turn
cr House and Heselton House. In
these various changes Frank b. fig
ured as owner or manager oftentimes,
and after the Turner house fire, he
built the Heselton House investing
| $4,000 in this venture,
The stage business went naturally
with these hotel enterprises and
Frank Heselton owned at one time OF
another lines to Athens, South Solon
The Forks, Norridgewock and Mer-
J GER Older residents will recall some
of his drivers, Peter and Andrew
lIurd who drove the Athens line; Ed.
p. King, who drove to South Solon {;
and Irving Young and Charles Colby,
who pioted the coaches to and from
The Forks. This business involved
the ownership of some fifty or more
horses at time with thousands of
dollars invested in harness, coaches,
slcighs and other equipment. The
autos aud the railroads have dis
placed it and the present generation
can hardly grasp the conditions
which prevailed as to transportation
in those stage-coach days.
Mr. Heselton had about every ex-
treme of luck both bad and good.
Perhaps his most startling misfor-
tune was the loss of several thousand
dollars worth of horses from gland
ers in his various stables on The
Forks line. At this time one of his
hostlers at Bingham contracted the
disease, was quarantined in the
stable with the animals and died
there.
1t should also be mentioned that,
in connection with his hotel and stage
business, Mr. Heselton also operated
a livery stable at Skowhegan Among
those who worked for him In the
livery department were Henry Wey-
mouth and John Nutting.
It is not generally known that
Frank b. Heselton furnished a good
deal Of the capital for the horse buy
ing which was such an extensive
business in this section in the 1S70's,
SOS and COS. He was in company
with Bishop for many years and
more or less related in a business
way with Morgan and other promi-
nent buyers. They must have bought
and shipped something like 100
horses year for ten years. The
animals mostly in demand were
picked up at about 5000 but they
paid as high as 5000. Mr.. Heselton
bought for his own use, 1no, from
Mr. Hight of Norridgewock. whose
son, Walter H.. is now a prom
inent Skowhegan business man. An
other horse owned by Mr.. Heselton