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

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

Biographies:

Samuel Brannan, pioneer, was born at Saco Me., in 1819. He learned the printer's trade; entered the Mormon church and became an elder and preacher. He led in the Mormon expedition to California in 1845; established The Star a Mormon journal, the first newspaper published in San Francisco, and worked zealously for the growth and improvement of the colony. He opposed the abandonment of the Mormon settlements in California, thus antagonizing Brigham Young and subsequently left the Mormon church, establishing himself in a general merchandise business which made him wealthy after the discovery of gold populated California. He was conspicuous in the efforts to quell the Sacramento squatter riots in 1850, and a leader of the vigilance committee of San Francisco in 1851. He established a distillery at Calistogo, Cal., in 1859, and later having become bankrupt retired to a large tract of land in Sonora, Mex., given him by the Mexican government in recognition of his services, which he tried to colonize, but without success.

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

John Fairfield, governor of Maine, was born in Saco, Maine, Jan. 30, 1797; son of Ichabod and Sarah (Nason) Fairfield, and grandson of the Rev. John and Mary (Goodwin) Fairfield. He attended the public schools and the Limerick (Maine) academy, engaging in business for a time. He was admitted to the bar in 1826. In '1832 he was appointed reporter of the supreme court of Maine and published Nos. 10, 11 and 12 of the reports of the state of Maine. He was a representative in the 24th and 25th congresses, 1835-38, resigning his seat on being elected governor of Maine in 1838. He was reelected in 1839, defeated in 1840 and again elected in 1841 and 1842. He resigned as governor in 1843 to accept a seat in the U.S. senate, having been elected to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Reuel Willlama. He was re-elected to the senate in 1845 and served until his death. He was married, Sept. 25, 1825, to Anna Paine, daughter of Dr. Thomas G. Thornton, U.S. marshal of Maine. She was named for her aunt, Anna Paine Cutts, a sister of Dolly Paine Madison. Governor Fairfield died in Washington, D.C., Dec. 24, 1847.

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

George Lincoln Goodale, educator, was born in Saco, Maine, Aug. 3, 1839; son of Stephen Lincoln and Prudence Aiken (Nourse) Goodale, and grandson of Enoch and Lucy (Lincoln) Goodale. He was graduated from Amherst in 1860 and received his medical degree from Bowdoin and Harvard in 1863. He began practice in Portland, Maine, and at the same time served as instructor in anatomy, materia medica and surgery in the Portland school for medical instruction. In 1868 he became professor of natural history in Bowdoin college and in 1872 became instructor in botany and lecturer at Harvard. In 1873 he was appointed assistant professor of vegetable physiology at Harvard, and in the same year resigned his chair at Bowdoth. He was professor of botany in Harvard, 1878-88, and in the latter year succeeded Asa Gray as Fisher professor of natural history. He was director of the botanic garden at Harvard from 1879, and a member of the faculty of the museum of comparative zo?logy at Harvard from 1881. He was associate editor of the American Journal of Science from 1888. He delivered several courses of lectures before the Lowell institute. Among the societies of which Dr. Goodale was elected a member are: the American society of physiologists; the American society of anatomists; the society of American naturalists, of which he was president; the New York academy of sciences; the American philosophical society, and the National academy of science. In 1872 he was made a fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences. He joined the American association for the advancement of science in 1869, was advanced to fellow in 1875, was elected vice-president of the section on biology in 1888 and president of the association in 1890. He received the degree of A.M. from Amherst in 1866 and from Bowdoin in 1869, and that of LL.D. from Amherst in 1890, from Bowdoin in 1894, and from Princeton in 1897. His published works are devoted chiefly to physiological and economic botany.

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

Richard Cutts, representative, was born on Cutts island, Saco, Maine, June 28, 1771; son of Col. Thomas and Elizabeth (Scammon) Cutts; a cousin of Charles Cults and a descendant in the fourth generation of Robert Cult of Kittery. He was graduated from Harvard in 1790, became a lawyer, and afterward engaged with his father as a merchant, during the time visiting Europe on one of their ships. He served in the Massachusetts legislature, 1799-1800, and in 1801 was elected a representative in the 7th congress to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of George Thatcher. He was re-elected to the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th congresses, serving 1801-18. He displeased many of his constituents by voting in favor of a declaration of war against Great Britain and at the election Nov. 2, 1812, he was defeated as a representative to the 13th congress by Cyrus King. He was superintendent-general of military supplies, 1813-14, president of the office of discount and deposit of the United States bank, 1814-17, and second comptroller of the treasury, 1817-29. He was married in 1804, to Anna Payne, a sister of Dolly Madison, wife of President Madison, and their son, James Madison Cults, was second comptroller of the treasury during Buchanan's and Lincoln's administrations. James Madison Cutts's daughter, Rose Adele, was married, Nov. 20, 1856, to Stephen A. Douglas, and after the death of Senator Douglas, to Col. Robert Williams, U.S.A. Richard Cults died in Washington, D.C., April 7, 1845.

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