History of Berwick, (York County) Maine United States of America

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Biographies:

Moses Butler, surveyor, was born in Berwick, Me., July 13, 1702; son of Thomas Butler, descended from the house of Ormond in Ireland. Moses is first mentioned in the colonial records in connection with the seizure of logs by the king's surveyor of woods, which aroused such a spirit of resistance that sixty pounds was voted at a town meeting in 1729 to defray the expenses of an aggressive campaign against him, and Mr. Butler was chosen to represent the remonstrants of the colonists before the general court at Boston, whence the complaint had come. Upon his return to Berwick, the town paid his expenses, and in 1733 elected him to the board of selectmen until 1738. From 1734 to 1756 he held the office of crown surveyor, and from 1747 to 1756 again served on the board of selectmen. In the latter year he was chosen moderator of town meeting. In 1744 he was among the first to recruit a company for the service of the Louisburg campaign which he commanded, under Sir William Pepperell, during the siege and captured the fort. In 1748 he again attended the general court in Boston to reply to a petition executed against the town of Berwick, and in the following year was chosen a representative to the general court. In 1754 he again took the field and served through the campaign of 1754-55. See Thomas Butler and his Descendants, by Geo. H. Butler, M.D. (1886). His death occurred at Berwick, Me., between Sept. 15 and Dec. 13, 1756.

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

Ichabod Goodwin, governor of New Hampshire, was born in Berwick, Maine, Oct. 10, 1796; son of Samuel and Nancy Thompson (Gerrish) Goodwin. He attended South Berwick academy and left there to enter the office of a merchant and ship-owner in Portsmouth, N.H. Subsequently he became supercargo and finally master of a ship. In 1832 he settled in Portsmouth as a merchant. He served six times in the New Hampshire legislature; was a delegate-at-large to the Whig national conventions that nominated Clay, Taylor and Scott for the presidency; was vice-president of the first two conventions; and governor of New Hampshire, 1859-61. In 1861, when President Lincoln called for troops, the legislature of New Hampshire not being in session, Governor Goodwin accepted $680,000 tendered by the city banks and raised and equipped ten regiments. He was an active member of several railroad and other corporations and interested in charitable institutions. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by Dartmouth college in 1857. He died in Portsmouth. N.H., July 4, 1882.

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

Nathan Lord, educator and theologian, was born in Berwick, Maine, Nov. 28, 1792; son of John and Mehitable (Perkins) Lord. He was graduated from Bowdoin college, A.B., 1809, A.M., 1812; was assistant instructor at Phillips Exeter academy, N.H., under Benjamin Abbott, 1810-11; was graduated from Andover Theological seminary in 1815; was ordained May 22, 1816, and was pastor at Amherst, N.H., 1816-28. He was called to the presidency of Dartmouth college on the resignation of the Rev. Dr. Bennett Tyler in 1820, and filled this position until 1863, when he resigned and was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. Asa Dodge Smith. During his presidency the chairs of Greek literature and language, of astronomy and meteorology, of modern languages, of intellectual philosophy, and of natural history were established; three halls, a chapel and an observatory were built, and the Chandler scientific department was founded. He was a staunch supporter of the institution of slavery as it existed in the south, and at the same time instructed colored youths in the college, and was the only college president who admitted them to equal privileges with the white students. He was married to Elizabeth King Leland. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Dartmouth in 1821, that of D.D. from Bowdoin in 1828, and that of LL.D. from Dartmouth in 1864. He edited the selected sermons of his son, the Rev. John King Lord, in 1850, and is the author of: Letters to Rev. Daniel Dana, D.D., on Parks' Theology of New England (1852); An Essay on Millennium (1854); Two Letters to the Ministers of All Denominations on Slavery (1854-55), and many contributions to theological reviews. He died in Hanover, N.H., Sept. 9, 1870.

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

Hannah Tobey Shapleigh Farmer, philanthropist, was born in Berwick, Maine, March 20, 1823; daughter of Richard and Olive (Tobey) Shapleigh. On Dec. 25, 1844, she was married to Moses Gerrish Farmer whom she materially assisted in the development of many important discoveries and inventions. She was active in charitable works and during the civil war she originated and conducted a series of entertainments for the benefit of soldiers, by which large sums were realized and distributed through the Christian commission and other benevolent channels. In 1888 she erected, in Eliot, Maine. to the memory of an infant son, "Rosemary Cottage" "to give shelter and food and comfort" to needy women and children. This institution was subsequently given over by Mrs. Farmer to the care of the city missionary society of Boston, Mass. She contributed both prose and poetry to the general press, writing largely for the advancement of various philanthropic movements, She died in Eliot, Maine, June 27, 1891.

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