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

Our database does not include an historic photo for Kennebunk, (York County) Maine, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

George Barrell Emerson, educator, was born in Kennebunk, Maine, Sept. 12, 1797; son of Dr. Samuel Emerson. His father was graduated at Harvard in 1785 and received the honorary degree of M.D. in 1824; and his mother was a daughter of Nathaniel Barrell of New York city. He was prepared for college by his father and by twelve weeks of study at Dummer academy, and was graduated from Harvard in 1871. He taught school every winter during his college course. In 1818 he was principal of an academy in Lancaster, Mass., and in 1819-21 was tutor in mathematics and natural philosophy at Harvard. He then declined the chair of mathematics and became principal of the Boston English classical school, the earliest free school of that kind and grade in the world. He resigned the position in 1823 to conduct a select school for girls, which he continued until 1855. He was chairman of the committee of the American institute of instruction; a member of the first board of education, which he memorialized the legislature to establish; an active founder of the state normal schools, of the Boston natural history society, of which he was for several years president, and of the Arnold arboretum, established at his suggestion by a bequest from his father-in-law, James Arnold. Harvard conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1859. He published: Report on the Trees and Shrubs Growing Naturally in the Forests of Massachusetts (1846; 2d ed., 1875); Manual of Agriculture (1861); and Reminiscences of an Old Teacher (1878). He died in Newton, Mass., March 14, 1881.

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

John Frost, educator, was born in Kennebunk, Maine, Jan. 26, 1800; son of Nathaniel and Abigail (Kimball) Frost. He studied at Bowdoin one year, and was graduated from Harvard in 1822. He was master of the Mayhew school, Boston, Mass., 1823-27; principal of a girl's school in Philadelphia, Pa., 1827-38, and professor of English literature in the Central high school of the latter city, 1838-45. He was married, May 4, 1830, to Sarah Ann, daughter of James White and Mary (Rhodes) Burditt of Boston. He then devoted himself to historical research and with the help of a corps of writers edited and published nearly 300 histories and biographies. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Franklin and Marshall college, Pa., in 1843. Among his publications are: History of the World (3 vols.); Beauties of English History; Wild Scenes of a Hunter's Life; Illustrious Mechanics; Elements of English Grammar (1829); The Youth's Book of the Seasons (1835); The Class Book of Nature (1836); Book of the Army; Book of the Navy (1842); Indian Wars of the United States (1843); Pictorial History of the United States (2 vols., 1844; rev. ed., 1859); Heroes and Battles of the American Revolution (1845); Life of Major-General Zachary Taylor (1847); Pictorial Life of Andrew Jackson (1847); Pictorial Life of George Washington (1848); The American Generals (1848); The American Speaker (1851); The Book of the Colonies (1852); Great Cities of the World (1853); and The Presidents of the United States (1855); all in their time popular subscription books. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 28, 1859.

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

Charles Coffin Little, publisher, was born in Kennebunk, Maine, July 25, 1799; son of David and Sarah (Chase) Little; grandson of the Rev. Daniel and Sarah (Coffin) Little; great grandson of Daniel and Abiah (Clement) Little, and of Col. Joseph and Margaret (Morse) Coffin; great2 grandson of Joseph and Mary (Coffin) Little, and of John and Elizabeth (Ayer) Clement; great3 grandson of George and Alice (Poor) Little and of Tristram and Judith (Greenleaf) Somerby Coffin. George Little, a native of London, England, settled in Newbury, Mass., in 1640. Charles C. Little went tO Boston, Mass., from Kennebunk early in life and entered a shipping house and later a bookstore kept by Carter, Hilliard & Co., which became Hilliard, Gray, Little & Wilkins. He continued as a men, her of this firm until 1837, when he formed a partnership with James Brown , under the firm name of Charles C. Little & Co., which was subsequently changed to Little, Brown and Co. He was married, Jan. 1, 1829, to Sarah, daughter of William Hilliard of Cambridge, Mass. Mrs. Little died Sept. 29, 1848, and he was married, secondly, Jan. 18, 1854, to Abby, daughter of Henry Wheaton, LL.D., of Providence, R.I. Mr. Little died in Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 11, 1869.

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

George Folsom, antiquary, was born in Kennebunk, Maine, May 23, 1802; son of Thomas and Edna (Ela), grandson of James and Elizabeth (Webster), and a descendant in the seventh generation from John Folsom of Hingham, England, and Hingham, Mass. He was graduated from Harvard in 1822, was admitted to the Massachusetts bar, practised law in Framingham and Worcester, and was chairman of the American antiquarian society during his residence in Worcester. In 1837 he removed to New York city, gave up his profession for historical work, and became a member and librarian of the New York historical society. He was in the senate of the state legislature, 1844-48, and charg? d' affaires at The Netherlands, 1850-54. He was president of the American ethnological society, corresponding member of the Massachusetts historical society, and a member of other historical societies. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the University of Vermont in 1860. He published: Sketches of Saco and Biddeford (1830); Dutch Annals of New York (1841); Letters and Dispatches of Cortez (1843); Political Condition of Mexico (1843); and Documents Relating to the Early History of Maine (1858). He died in Rome, Italy, March 27, 1869.

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