History of Augusta, (Kennebec County) Maine United States of America

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Biographies:

John Chandler, senator, was born at Epping, N. H., Feb. 1, 1762; son of Joseph and Lydia (Eastman) Chandler. In 1776 he offered himself as a recruit in the army and served out two enlistments as a soldier. In 1777 he removed to Monmouth, in a part of Massachusetts which afterwards became Maine. From 1805 to 1809 he represented Massachusetts in the 9th and 10th congresses. In 1808 he was a specially appointed sheriff of Kennebec county to settle the disputes and quell the rising rebellion of the district. He was made a major-general in the militia and served during the war of 1812. On July 8, 1812, he was commissioned brigadier-general. He was a member of the general court of Massachusetts in 1819, and in the same year was a member of the convention which formed the constitution of Maine. In 1820 he was president of the Maine senate, resigning in the fall of that year to become one of the first two U. S. senators from Maine after its separation from Massachusetts. In 1822 he was one of the committee that selected Augusta as the capital of Maine. From 1829 to 1837 he was collector of the port of Portland, removing to Augusta in the latter year. He was the principal founder of Monmouth academy, and from 1821 to 1838 was a trustee of Bowdoin college. He died in Augusta, Me., Sept. 25, 1841.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Edward Stanwood, editor, was born at Augusta, Maine, Sept. 16, 1841; son of Daniel Caldwell and Mary Augusta (Webster) Stanwood; grandson of Isaac and Joanna (Caldwell) Stanwood of Ipswich, Mass., and of Peter Eaton and Rebecca (Symonds) Webster of Salem, Mass.; great-grandson of Isaac Stanwood of Ipswich, a Revolutionary soldier, and a descendant of Philip Stanwood, who settled in Gloucester, Mass., in 1652. He was graduated from Bowdoin college, A.B., 1861, A.M., 1864; was assistant editor of the Kennebec Journal and correspondent of the Boston Daily Advertiser, 1862?67; was assistant on the editorial staff of the Advertiser, 1867?82, and was married, Nov. 16, 1870, to Eliza, daughter of Samuel and Jane (Blackstock) Toplift of Boston, Mass. On the death of Mr. Goddard in 1882, he succeeded to the editorial chair, which he resigned in November, 1883. He was assistant on the staff of the Youth's Companion, Boston, 1884, and in 1885 was advanced to managing editor. He was special agent of the eleventh and twelfth census to collect statistics of cotton manufactures, and prepared a report on the cotton manufactures of the United States, and for the twelfth census a report on the textile manufactures in general. He was elected an overseer of Bowdoin college in 1886, which institution conferred the honorary degree of Litt. D. on him in 1894. He is the author of: History of Presidential Elections (1884); History of the Class of 1861 of Bowdoin College (1897); History of the Presidency (1898); and American Tariff Controversies in the Nineteeath Century (1903).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Samuel Cony, governor of Maine, was born in Augusta, Maine, Feb. 27, 1811; son of Gen. Samuel and Susan Bowdoin (Cony) Cony; grandson of Lieut. Samuel Cony; and great-grandson of Deacon Samuel Cony, who removed to Maine from Boston, Mass., in 1777. He was graduated at Brown university in 1829, was admitted to the bar in 1832, and located at Oldtown, Maine, in the practice of his profession. He was elected to the state legislature of 1835 and in 1839 was a member of Governor Fairfield's council. He served as judge of probate for Penobscot county, 1840-47, as land agent, 1847-50, and as state treasurer, 1850-55. In 1854 he was elected mayor of Augusta. He was sent to the state legislature in 1862 as a war Democrat, and in 1863 was elected governor of the state, to which office he was twice re-elected, serving 1864-67. He declined renomination in 1867 and resumed the practice of his profession. He was married to Lucy Williams Brooks. He died in Augusta, Maine, Oct. 5, 1870.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Horatio Bridge, naval officer, was born in Augusta, Me., April 8, 1806. He was graduated at Bowdoin in 1825; studied at the Northampton law school and was admitted to the bar in 1828. He practiced in Skowhegan and Augusta, Me., 1828-'38; became purser in the U.S. navy in 1838; served on the Cyane in the Mediterranean 1838-'41, and later in African waters. Upon his return he gave his notes or the voyage to Nathaniel Hawthorne to be edited. The work was published in 1845, under the title, "The Journal of an African Cruiser." and its authorship is usually attributed to Hawthorne. Duty in the Mediterranean and on the African coast occupied the years 1846-'48, and was followed by an interval at the Portsmouth navy yard, 1849-'51. In 185l he was ordered to the Pacific squadron, but while on his first cruise in the Portsmouth, he was recalled and assigned to duty as chief of the bureau of provisions and clothing. He resigned in 1869, and was appointed chief inspector of provisions and clothing, a position which he held until 1873, when he was retired with the rank of commodore. He is the author of "Personal Reminiscences of Nathaniel Hawthorne," published in 1893. He died at Athens, Pa., March 20, 1893.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor