Powers, Llewellyn

Llewellyn Powers (courtesy Maine State Museum)

Llewellyn Powers (1836-1908) a U.S. Representative, was born in Pittsfield on October 14, 1836. He attended the common schools of Pittsfield and St. Albans Academy. He was graduated from the Coburn Classical Institute and attended Colby College. Powers was graduated from the law department of Union University, Albany, New York in 1860, was admitted to…

Randall, Benjamin

Benjamin Randall (1789-1859) a U.S. Representative, was born in Topsham on November 14, 1789, he pursued an academic course, was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1809. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1812 and began his practice in Bath. During the War of 1812 in September 1814, Randall served in the State…

Reed, Isaac

Isaac Reed (1809-1887) a U.S. Representative, was born in Waldoboro on August 22, 1809, probably a son of Isaac G. Reed of Waldoboro, also active in public affairs. Reed prepared for college at Bloomfield Academy in what is now Skowhegan, but by preference became a merchant-ship builder. He also engaged in banking. Town clerk of Waldoboro…

Reed, John H.

John H. Reed (courtesy Maine State Archives)

John Reed (1921-2012) the son of a prominent Fort Fairfield potato grower, was born in that town on January 5, 1921. He attended local schools and graduated from the University of Maine in 1942. Upon graduation, John Hathaway Reed entered the U.S. Navy and served until 1946. Following his discharge from the service, Reed joined…

Reed, Thomas Brackett

Thomas Brackett Reed, courtesy Maine State Museum

(1839-1902) was a Representative from Maine and a powerful Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was born in Portland on October 18, 1839, attended the public schools, was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1860, and then studied law. Acting assistant paymaster of the United States Navy from April 19, 1864, to November 4,…

Rice, John Hovey

John N. Hovey (1816-1911) a U.S. Representative was born in Mount Vernon on February 5, 1816. He attended the common schools. A clerk in the office of the register of deeds in Augusta (1831-1841), he engaged in business and became a deputy sheriff. Rice was aide-de-camp to General Bachelor in the Aroostook War, the northeastern…

Ripley, Eleazar W.

Eleazar Wheelock Ripley (1782-1839), brother of James Wheelock Ripley, was born in Hanover, N.H., April 15, 1782, was a U. S. Representative from Louisiana. He was graduated from Dartmouth College in 1800, studied law, and was admitted to the bar. Ripley began his law practice in Waterville. He was a member from Maine of the…

Ripley, James W.

(1786-1835), brother of Eleazar Wheelock Ripley and a U.S. Representative, was born in Hanover, New Hampshire on March 12, 1786. He attended the common schools and Fryeburg Academy, studied law, was admitted to the bar and began his practice in Fryeburg. Ripley served in the War of 1812 and was a member of the Massachusetts…

Robie, Frederick

Frederick Robie (courtesy Maine State Museum)

(1822-1912 ) born in Gorham on August 12, 1822, was descended from early immigrants. Both his paternal and maternal ancestors had emigrated from England to America in the 1600’s. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1841 after attending Gorham Academy and receiving the benefit of private tutors. Initially teaching at academies in the South, he…

Robinson, Edward

Edward Robinson (1796-1857) a U.S. Representative, was born in Cushing November 25, 1796. He was self-educated while going to sea at the age of ten. At nineteen he commanded a small vessel and three years later he was captain of a square-rigged ship. In 1837 he was a trader in Thomaston. A member of the…

Rose, Daniel

(1771-1833) was an engineer during the War of 1812 and became the first Warden of the Maine State Prison in 1823. While President of the Maine Senate from 1822 to 1824, he briefly served as acting governor when the outgoing chief executive, Benjamin Ames, died on January 2, 1822. Rose, a Democratic-Republican from Thomaston, acted…

Ruggles, John

John Ruggles, courtesy Maine State Museum

John Ruggles (1789-1874) a Senator from Maine, born in Westboro, Massachusetts on October 8, 1789, attended the common schools, graduated from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island in 1813. He studied law was admitted to the bar and began his practice in Skowhegan in 1815. Ruggles moved to Thomaston, in 1817. A member of the…

Sawtelle, Cullen

Cullen Sawtelle (1805-1887) a U.S. Representative, was born in Norridgewock on September 25, 1805. He received his early education under private tutors and was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1825, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1828 and practiced in Norridgewock until 1841. In 1845 Sawtelle built the classic Greek Revival Temple style…

Scamman, John F.

John Fairfield Scamman (1786-1858) a U.S. Representative, was born in Wells on October 24, 1786. He attended the common schools and engaged in business pursuits. A member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1817; he became a member of the Maine House of Representatives in 1820 and 1821. He then served as collector of…

Severence, Luther

Luther Severance (1797-1855) a U.S. Representative, was born in Montague, Massachusetts on October 26, 1797. He moved with his parents to Cazenovia, New York in 1799 and attended the common schools. He learned the printer’s trade in Peterboro, New York, then established the Kennebec Journal in Augusta in 1825. He was a member of the…

Sewall, Arthur

(1896-1900) was born in Bath, son of one of the City’s first shipbuilders, in whose shipyards he worked learning the trade. In 1854, he and his brother Edward formed E. & A. Sewall continuing their father’s business. It became Arthur Sewall & Co. when his brother died. Arthur Sewall’s firm built 80 ships over 50…

Sewall, Sumner

Sumner Sewall, Maine Senate President, courtesy Maine State Archives

Sumner Sewall was born in Bath on June 17, 1897, the son of a wealthy Bath banker and shipbuilder, and grandson of Arthur Sewall, was educated at Bath public schools before attending Harvard University in 1916. In the middle of his freshman year, he joined the American Ambulance Field Service and served for six months…

Shepley, Ether

Ether Shepley (1789-1877) a U.S. Senator from Maine was born in Groton, Massachusetts on November 2, 1789, attended Groton Academy, and graduated from Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire in 1811. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1814, and began his practice in Saco. A member of the Massachusetts General Court in 1819,…

Smart, Ephraim Knight

Ephraim Knight Smart (1813-1872) a U.S. Representative, was born in Prospect (now in  Searsport) September 3, 1813. He attended the common schools, completed preparatory studies under private tutors and attended Maine Wesleyan Seminary (now Kents Hill School) at Readfield. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1838 and began his practice in Camden.…

Smith, Albert

Albert Smith (1793-1867) a U.S. Representative, was born in Hanover, Massachusetts, January 3, 1793, attended the common schools and was graduated from Brown University in 1813. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and began his practice in Portland in 1817. A member of the Maine House of Representatives in 1820, Smith was United…