The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-12-02

Frederick G. Danforth was born in
Norridgewock, the eldest OF five chill
dren of Franklin and Eliza A. Rogers
Danforth, on September Z, 1874 The
Daaforth family is recognized as one
of the first families of that historic
old town and they are direct descend
ants of Nicholas Danforth, who came
from England in 1884. Thomas Dan
forth, late Governor OF Massachu-
setts, was a son of Nicholas Danforth
but Jonathan Danforth was the son
from whom the Norridgewock branch
of Danforths descended. The gentle
man just now deceased was = nephew
of the late Judge Charles Danforth, a
Justice OF the Supreme Court who fell
i'll while attending to his duties as
Magistrate in the Somerset County
court house, several years ago. Ed
ucated In the schools OF Norridgewock
and later at Bloomfield Academy In
Skowhegan, at Kents Hill Seminary
and at Bryant 4 Stratton Commercial
School in Boston, the deceased ac-
quired n liberal education for those
times. In early life he worked In
Portland dry goods store and for a
time conducted a general store in Nor
ridgewock. He decided however, to
it himself for q profession and select
ed dentistry as permanent vocation
Accordingly he entered the Boston
Dental College and at the completion
of his course, located in Boston. He
remained there some two or three
homo
town where he rounded out a quarter
of century in DENIAL practice. at the
end of that period finding 1t necessa-
rv to make some change on account
of his health He always had love
for flowers and when his office duties
we're completed 1t was his great de-
light to work in is garden. He erected
a small green house near his home
which was then one of the beautiful
colonial dwellings which graced the
streets of old NorridgewOck and for
a time raised choice horticultural flow
ers and plants Eventually, however.
he progressed without any planning to
a commercial green house enterprise.
Nineteen years ago he came to Show
hegan and commenced the devlop-
ment of the property which has since
been the scene of his business activities
He purcased the Whitten and r. b.
Shepard estates on Madison avenue,
built the large green houses where
the old Whitten tannery was once OPP
Grated, remodeled the homestead
where his family reside and greatly
beautified the adjacent grounds where
his large lawn now fronts on the
street.
During Mr.. Danforth's residence in
Norridgewock he held many offices oil
trust in Municipal affairs. One OF
these official positions was the presi-
dency of the Old Toll Bridge Company
in that town. For more than nIty
years the deceased has been a mem
Der of Masonic Fraternity. He joined
Lebanon Lodge F. & A. NJ. at NOR
ridgewoek and for fourteen pears was
its Worshipful Master. He subsequent
.ly became a member of Somerset Chap
Ter. Royal Arch Masons. Mount Morlah
Council. Il. & S. NJ. and DeMolay
Commandery. Knights Templar. lie
was a charter member of Cedar Chap
ter. o. f.. S in Norridgewock a
member of the Luther Burbank Soel-
ETY.. The Maine Dental Association
and the Maine Pathological Society.
Mr.. Danforth was a great student OF
botanical subjects and immensely fond
of reading. His library at his home Is
not only we'll equipped but on the
third floor is another big collection OF
books which he has studied and en-
joyed.
On December 81, 1871, Mr.. Danforth
was married to Miss Emma NJ. Sawyer
of Norridgewock. She survives her
husband as do their two children Miss
Alice Elizabeth Danforth, who lives al
home and Harold Frederick Danforth
connected with the green house bust
ness. Besides these relatives there Is
one surviving brother Judge Edward
F. Danforth of Skowhegan and three
sisters Mrs. Sarah J Cheney of Port
land Mrs Henrietta Danforth Wood
of Norrdgewock and Mrs. Elizabeth
Ruceu of NorridgeWOCk,