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

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Biographies:

Wilbur Fisk Crafts, author, was born in Fryeburg, Maine, Jan. 12, 1850; son of the Rev. Frederick A. and Maria L. (Seule) Crafts; and a descendant of Griffin Crafts, first settler of Roxbury, Mass. He was graduated from Wesleyan university in 1869, and from the School of theology, Boston university, in 1872. He was stationed at Nahant, Mass., 1870; at Haverhill, N.H., 1872-73; Dover, N.H., 1874; New Bedford, Mass., 1875-77, and at Trinity church, Chicago, Ill.; 1877-79. In 1880 he travelled in Europe and the east, and in 1880-83 was pastor of the Congregational church of Christian Endeavor, Brooklyn, N.Y. He then became a Presbyterian clergyman, having charge of the First Union presbyterian church of New York city. After a five years' pastorate he rounded the American Sabbath union, an official union of fourteen denominations, and became its field secretary. In 1892 he removed to Pittsburg, Pa., and became editor of The Christian Statesman and lectured widely on reforms. In 1895 he established at Washington, D.C., an international agency for the promotion of reforms, having the corporate name, "The Reform Bureau," which "promotes those reforms on which the churches sociologically unite while theologically differing." He is author of: Through the Eye to the Heart (1873): Trophies of Song (1874); Childhood (1875); The Coming Man is the Present Child (1876); The Two Chains (1878); Rescue of Child Soul (1880); Plain Uses of the Blackboard (1880); Talks to Boys and Girls About Jesus (1881); Talks and Stories of Heroes and Holidays (1882); Must the Old Testament Go (1883); Successful Men of Today (1883); What the Temperance Century Has Made Certain (1885); The Sabbath for Man (1885); Pocket Lesson Notes (1886); The Civil Sabbath (1890); Practical Christian Sociology (1895); Before the Lost Arts (1896); Social Progress (1897); Practical Child Study (1899); and contributions to periodicals.

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

Samuel Fessenden, lawyer, was born in Fryeburg, Maine, July 16, 1784; son of the Rev. William (Harvard, 1768) and Sarah (Clement) Fessenden; grandson of William (Harvard, 1737) and Mary (Palmer) Fessenden; great-grandson of William and Martha (Wyeth) Fessenden; and great, great-grandson of Nicholas and Margaret (Cheney) Fessenden who emigrated from Kent county, England, about 1674, and settled in Cambridge, Mass. His father, William Fessenden, (A.M. Harvard, 1771), was the first minister at Fryeburg, judge of probate, and representative in the state legislature of Massachusetts, and died in 1805. Samuel was graduated at Dartmouth in 1806, was admitted to the bar in 1809, and practised at New Gloucester. He was married in 1813 to Deborah Chandler of New Gloucester. He was a member of the general court of Massachusetts, 1814-16, and a state senator, 1818-19. He was major-general of the 12th division, Massachusets militia, 1819-33. He removed to Portland in 1822, and was an acknowledged leader in the state of the Federalist party, a representative in the Maine legislature in 1825-26, and an early anti-slavery advocate. He declined to be considered for the presidency of Dartmouth in 1828, and was defeated as the candidate of the Liberal party for governor of Maine in 1847, and for representative in congress in 1848. Bowdoin gave him the degree of LL.D. in 1846. He died in Portland, Maine, March 13, 1869.

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

James Ripley Osgood, publisher, was born in Fryeburg, Maine, Feb. 22, 1836; son of Col. Edward Louis (1806-1864) and Abby R. (Dana) Osgood; grandson of Capt. James (1757-1815) and Abigail (Evans) Osgood, and a descendant through Samuel, James, Samuel and Capt. John from John Osgood, the immigrant. He was graduated from Bowdoin, A.B., 1854, A.M., 1857; was a clerk for Ticknor & Fields, publishers, at the Old Corner Book store, Boston, Mass., 1855-64; member of the firm, 1864-69; of the firm Fields, Osgood & Co., 1869-71; James R. Osgood & Co., 1871-78; Houghton, Osgood & Co., 1878-80; James R. Osgood & Co., 1880-85; London agent for Harper & Brothers, 1885-90, and of the house of Osgood, Mcllvaine & Co., London, 1890-92. He was elected a member of the Century association, New York city, in 1866. He never married. His sister, Katharine Putnam Osgood, born May 25, 1842, was the author of: Driving Home the Cows and other poems. He died in London, England, May 18, 1892.

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

John Winchester Dana, governor of Maine, was born in Fryeburg, Maine, Jan. 21, 1808; son of Judge Judah and Elizabeth (Ripley) Dana. He was admitted to the bar and practised in Fryeburg, where he held several local offices. In 1834 be was married to Elizabeth Ann Osgood. He was governor of Maine, 1847-50; charg? d'affaires at Bolivia, S.A., 1853, and minister resident, 1854-59. In March, 1859, he returned to his native state but in 1862 again visited South America for the benefit of his health. He died in Rosario, New Grenada, S.A., Dec. 22, 1867.

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