History of Bethel, (Oxford County) Maine United States of America

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Biographies:

Moses Mason, representative, was born in Oxford county, Maine, June 2, 1789: son of Moses and Eunice (Ayers) Mason; grandson of Moses and Lydia (Knap) Mason and of William Ayers, and a descendant of Capt. Hugh Mason, who settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1634. He studied medicine in the office of his brother-in-law, Dr. James Ayers, and began to practice at Bethel Hill, Maine, in 1813. He was appointed the first postmaster at Bethel in 1814. He was married, June 15, 1815, to Agnes Straw of Newfield. He was justice of the peace, 1821-66; county commissioner, 1831-34; a Democratic representative in the 23d and 24th congresses, 1833-37; and a member of the governor's council in 1843 and 1845. He was made a trustee of the insane hospital in 1844; was a selectman of the town for fourteen years, and was president of Gould's academy, 1854-66. He died at Bethel, Maine, June 25, 1866.

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

LaFayette Grover, governor of Oregon, was born in Bethel, Maine, Nov. 29, 1823; son of Dr. John and Fanny (Lary) Grover, and a brother of Gen. Cuvier Grover. He was prepared for college at Gould's academy and attended Bowdoin college, 1844-46. He studied law under Asa I. Fish of Philadelphia, Pa., and was admitted to the bar in March, 1850. In the fall of 1850 he started for the Pacific coast by the way of Cape Horn, arriving at San Francisco in July, 1851, and at Salem, Oregon, in August of the same year. He established himself in the practice of law at Salem, and was made clerk of the U.S. district court in September, 1851. He resigned the following spring and formed a law partnership with the Hon. Benjamin F. Harding. He was elected prosecuting attorney of the 2d judicial district in 1852, and in 1853 was made a member of the territorial legislature. During the summer of 1853, he organized and led a company of volunteers recruited for the purpose of protecting the settlers against the hostile Indians. In September he became deputy U.S. district attorney. He was again elected to the legislature in 1855 and in 1856, and served as speaker, 1856-57. In 1857 he was elected a member of the convention to frame a state constitution, and was elected as a Democrat the first representative from the state in congress, He took his seat in the 35th congress in February, 1859, and served till the close of the term, March 3, 1859, when he returned to his law practice, forming a partnership with the Hon. Joseph S. Smith. He was married in 1865, to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Carter of Portland, Ore. He presided over the Democratic state convention in 1866, and was chairman of the Democratic state central committees, 1866-70. In the latter year he was elected governor of Oregon and held the office by re-election until 1877, when he entered the U.S. senate, having been elected by the legislature to succeed the Hon. James K. Kelly. He was succeeded March 4, 1883, by Joseph N. Dolph. For many years he was extensively interested in the manufacture of woolen and flour.

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