Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-06-08
Death of John M. Lorqyear
A "REMINISCENCES

The death of Mr.. Longyear leads
Col. Frederic f. Boothby to bark
back. 1t would seem that in 1856
Col. and Mrs. Boothby, Hon. and
Mrs A. A. Strout and Col. Boothby's
brother. Col. w. A. r. Boothbv.
VINO was a member of Gov Robes
staff. joined a Raymond & Whit
comb party for California and of
their experiences much might be
written.
The man who represented Ray
mond & Whitcomb as in charge of
the party on the trip, was none other
than George II. Ellis, father of Mrs.
Parmenter. wife of one of the pro-
fessors in Colby college. While on
the trip they were so well cared for
they made upitheir minds to make a
trip to Mexico with the same tourist
agency, and while on the Mexico trip
conceived one across the continent
over the Canadian Pacific; and, what
is something remarkable, both Jour-
neys were made on the very dates as
planned.
On the trip to Mexico Mr.. and
Mrs. John NJ. Loagyear and a daugh-
ter were of the party. and during the
month or so occupied in making the
trip quite an agreeable friendship
was formed. 1t happens the same
persons from Portland were invited
by friends to pass Christmas 1889 in
Chicago. While in Chicago the
thought came to them why not go UP
to st. Paul and see Mr.. and Mrs. Jos
f. Blabon who were there looking
after the business of their son, JOS
w. Blabon. who happened to be sick
at the time. At the Hotel Ryan in
st. Paul they made the acquaintance
of the superintendent of the st. Paul
& Duluth railway who suggested that
visiting Duluth and that they might
have his car and he would arrange
dinner at the best Duluth hotel. Tn
der the circumstances consent was
given and a lovely trip had and a
planked fish diner awaiting them. the
dining room very much to their en-
joyment being on the top floor over
ioohlllS LAM ouPSi lOt. w illS at
dinner the thought came to then
what fools they were to return to
Portland via Chicago when it would
seem there was line leading
straight that way via the Duluth,
South Shore and Atlantic and Cana
dian Pacific railways and. mention
ing the matter to Mr.. Strout. he fell
right in with the proposition and at
last said. "Why that takes us through
Marquette where the Longyears
live" to which assent was given.
Whereupon he said, I'm going to
wire Longyear wo would like to see
him at the station" Sure enough
Mr.. Longyear was at the station with
two carriages and a baggage wagon
kept them at his house some days.
one being Jan. /. 1890. and at the
time the people there hadn't given
up the practice of making New
Years calls. SO entering into the fes-
tivitieS a most enjoyable time was
had. At Marquette was doctor and
his wife who came from Lewiston
anu Sidu tIts "Clc " SIC oolItoijS
from Maine.
When we got ready for home the
superintendent of the d. S. 4, a. told
the party that he would take his car
and go as far as he could and get
back same day.
The Longyear afterwards came to
Portland to visit.
The papers have, given the rea-
sons why Mr.. Longyear decided to
move his house from Marquette,
though he would not have done so if
real estate men in Boston had used
him rightly. as he intended to pur-
chase one of the houses on Arlington
street facing the Public Garden. but
the agents angered him by keeping
coming up on the price. A few
years since some of the party calling
at the home on Fisher hill in Brook
line. were invited to visit the room
occupied at Marquette.
1t is Mrs. Longyear who made
possible the Christian Science church
in Boston.
Some members of the Mexican
party referred to used to hold re-
unions each year with ex-Lieut.- Gov.
Weston at Dalton. Mass. Joseph
Wight at Wellesley Farms. Philip H.
Brown at Care Elizabeth. or Hon. A.
A. Strout at Cumberland Foreside.