History of Calais, (Washington County) Maine United States of America

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Biographies:

Charles Alexander Nelson, librarian, was born in Calais, Maine, April 14, 1839; son of Israel Potter and Jane (Capen) Nelson; grandson of Jonathan and Lydia (Potter) Nelson, and a descendant of Bernard Capen of Dorchester, Mass., admitted freeman, May 16, 1636. He was a student and librarian at Gorham academy, Maine, 1854-55, and librarian of the Washington Irving Literary association, Cambridge, Mass., 1856-61. He was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1860, A.M., 1863; studied civil engineering at the Lawrence scientific school, 1861-62, and library science at Harvard college library, 1857-64. He taught school, 1861-64; was a civil engineer in the quartermaster's department of the U.S. army at New Berne, N.C., 1864-65, and a delegate to the Republican state convention at Raleigh, N.C., 1865. He engaged in business in New Berne, 1865-74; was in the book business in Boston, Mass., 1874-79, and also occupied himself with library, literary and editorial work. He was professor of Greek and librarian in Drury college, Springfield, Mo., 1877-80; manager of the Old South book-store, Beston, Mass., and editor of its publication, 1878-81; catalogue librarian of the Astor library, New York city, 1881-88; librarian of the Howard Memorial library, New Orleans, La., 1888-91; assistant librarian of the Newberry library, Chicago, Ill., 1891-93, and in 1893 became deputy librarian at Columbia university, New York city. He made a special study of library enconomy; was elected a member and secretary of the American Library association; was a founder, secretary and president of the New York library club, and at the Pan-American exposition, 1901, was awarded "honorable mention" for his catalogue of the Astor library. He was married, July 25, 1872, to Emma, daughter of Benson and Eliza. (Quick) Norris of Slaterville Springs, N.Y. He was the Boston correspondent of the American Bookseller, 1875-81; a member of the editorial staff of The Watchman and of Zion's Herald, 1876-88; compiled and edited Catalogue of the Astor Library (4 vols., 1886-88); edited Catalogue of the Avery Memorial Library (1895); compiled Books on Education in the Libraries of Columbia University (1901), and is the author of: Waltham, Past and Present (1879); Weston, in Samuel A. Drake's "History of Middlesex County, Mass." (1888), and The Manuscripts and Early Printed Books Bequeathed to the Long Island Historical Society by S. B. Duryea (1897).

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

Frederick Augustus Pike, representative, was born in Calais, Maine, Dec. 9, 1817. He was graduated at Bowdoin college in 1839; was admitted to the bar in 1840, and practised at Calais. He was a representative in the state legislature eight terms, and a Republican representative in the 37-40th congresses, 1861-69, serving as chairman of the naval committee for six years. He was again a representative in the state legislature, 1870-71; and a member of the state constitutional convention in 1875. He was married in 1846 to Mary Hayden Green, author of Ida May (1854); Caste (1856); and Agnes (1858). Mr. Pike died in Calais, Maine, Dec. 2, 1886.

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