YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Purchased from the income of the bequest of WILLIAM ROBERTSON COE Honorary M.A. 1949, for material in the field of American Studies ' January 24, 1863. ) To the Senate and House of Representatives : I herewith transmit to the Legislature an au thenticated copy of an act of Congress entitled "an act donating public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide col leges for the benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts," together with a letter from Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, relating thereto. ABNER COBURN. Council Chamber, January 26, 1863. To the Senate and House of Representatives : In response to your order asking for informa tion "relating to the establishment and main tenance of the Military Agency at Washington, THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 77 and also the amounts of money already paid for its support," I have the honor to lay before you such information as I possess. This agency was established by my predeces sor, on or about the first day of October last, under the provisions of "an act authorizing the expenditure of moneys for war purposes," ap proved February 4, 1862, and by virtue of a "resolve providing for the safe transportation and delivery of hospital stores to Maine regi ments," approved January 7, 1862. There are now connected with this agency, four gentlemen and several ladies, a portion of whom are paid for their services, and the remainder have no pay, but their expenses are defrayed by the State. There has been paid by the State on account of this agency the sum of $201.16. There are also bills rendered and not paid amounting to the sum of $525.25. There is due, for which bills have not been rendered, the estimated sum of $300. All of these amounts are for services and ex penses prior to the first day of January current. The expense of the agency for the month of Jan uary is estimatedat the sum of $400. The whole expense, known and estimated, of this agency, 78 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. from its establishment to this time, may bo as sumed to reach the sum of $1500. I deem it proper to add, that Maine, in asso ciation with other States, has maintained for ' several months agencies at New York, Phila delphia and Baltimore, sharing with the associate States her proportion of the expense. This State's proportion of such expense is estimated to range from $50 to $75 per month in each of the cities named. It may be proper to add, that prior to the es tablishment of the agency at Washington, that portion of its duties connected with Washing ton exclusively, had been performed, without expense to the State, by the "Maine Soldiers' Aid Association," composed of our own citizens resident at the capital. I believe that an agency at Washington is in dispensable, but it is my impression that the condition of the hospitals in and around Wash ington is so excellent that but little oversight is required there. The assistance and succor of the State is needed at the front, among the reg iments in the field and in regimental hospitals, and for the transportation of hospital and other beneficial supplies from Washington to the sev eral camps. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 79 For such purposes, the agency at Washington should be maintained as the central point. The agencies in New York, Philadelphia, and Balti more serve valuable, and perhaps indispensable purposes toward the State, and should be main tained. As the law at present does not seem suffi ciently definite, I respectfully recommend the passage of some act or resolve, which shall give to the Governor requisite authority to maintain proper and essential agencies, and provide means for their support. ABNER COBURN. Council Chamber, ) January 29, 1863. $ To the Senate and House of Representatives : In answer to your order requesting me to « communicate to the Legislature whatever facts may be within my knowledge, and to lay before the Legislature whatever papers may be under my control, relating to the non-commissioning of the officers of the ununiformed militia, I have the honor to reply. The militia of Maine were enrolled under the orders of the respective Major Generals during the months of April and May last, in conformity 80 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. with the provisions of an act of Legislature approved March 19, 1862. These enrolled men were during the months of July and August last organized into companies under existing laws by the choice of five officers to each company. These companies numbered six hundred and forty -three (643) and comprised sixty-nine thou sand one hundred and seventy-two (69,172) enrolled men of whom, however, several thousand were at that time in actual service in the field. The officers elected by these companies at the date before mentioned, numbered three thousand two hundred and fifteen (3,215.) The organization of these companies had been hastily made without uniformity as to strength of numbers, the companies varying from one hundred and sixty (160) to as few as forty (40) enrolled men. About one-half of their enrolled numbers may be assumed to represent the num ber of effective men in each company at that time. After the organization had been made some twelve thousand (12,000) of the best of this militia enlisted in the service of the United States, reducing the effective strength of companies about one third part, upon an average of the whole and taking away a considerable num ber of their most active and competent officers. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 81 In addition to these facts, which I submit as giving some information upon the subject of your enquiry, I have the honor to lay before you a communication from ex-Governor Waehburn, dated at Orono, January 31, 1863. The precautionary measure which Mr. Coburn adopted in laying before the House of Repre sentatives the communication from his prede cessor, relative to the good standing and loyalty of those therein directly interested, suggests the carefulness with which he treated all matters per taining to the common weal, that came under his observation. By prudent forethought he very wisely enjoyed the confidence and wisdom of those who acted directly as the representa tives of the loyal citizens over whom he presided. We give in full the communication referred to, believing that it will throw appreciable light on the subject under consideration. EX. GOV. WASHBURN'S COMMUNICATION. Orono, January 31, 1863. His Excellency Governor Coburn : My Dear Sir:— I think you will find the pa pers that Senator Wiggin asks for among the files in your room. The fact that there were such re monstrances as have been referred to in debate in 6 82 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. the Senate, had I am sure, very little, if any influence upon the decision to which the Gover nor and Council of last year arrived in reference to corn-missioning the officers of the militia. That some disloyal men might have been elected was not regarded by me as a sufficient reason for withholding commissions from the true as well as the treasonable. But the almost cer tainty that important changes in the militia laws would be made the present winter either by Congress or the State Legislature, or by both rendered it expedient, as we believed, and in this opinion the Adjutant General concurred, to postpone the issuing of commissions until after the sessions of 1863. No practical harm could possibly come from the postponement, but great inconvenience, embarrassment and expense might be occasioned if the commissions should be issued at that time, and so the Governor and Council deemed it wise and prudent to wait the action of the Legislature on this question and I cannot help thinking that these consid erations will be favorably regarded by true and loyal men • who have nothing at heart but the good of the state and country. Very truly yours, ISRAEL WASHBURN, Jr. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 83 I.find upon the files of this department papers alluded to by ex-Governor Washburn which upon examination are found to relate to the issue of commissions to certain officers elect in each of thirty-six (36) militia companies. As regards eighteen (18) of these companies the complaint is tho want of loyalty to the gov ernment in one or more of the officers elect in each company. In ten (10) of these companies it is charged that the elections were illegal. In five (5) companies the complaint is of the unfit ness for duty of one or more officers in each by reason of infirmity, bad temper or defective education. In one (1) company it is said that the officers are not citizens. Another company is simply dissatisfied without alleging reasons. In the remaining company it is objected to one of the officers that he has been sentenced to the State Prison. These papers which are all of every descrip tion on file touching the matter do not in my judgment present any reason why the officers elect of the militia were not generally commis sioned. I presume that they arc not such papers as are contemplated in your order and for that 84 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. reason with other good reasons I do not lay them before the Legislature. ABNER COBURN. Council Chamber, February 2, 1863 .} To the Senate and House of Representatives: In compliance with a legislative order of the Legislature of the 7th inst., I herewith transmit the annual reports of the Indian Agents for the year eighteen hundred sixty-two. ABNER CORURN. Council Chamber, February 11, 1863, I To the Senate and House of Representatives: I herewith transmit a letter which I have re ceived from tbe Hon. S. Brannan, of San Fran cisco, California, in which is presented to the State of Maine a portrait of Sir William Pep- perell. The painting, which arrived before the letter of presentation, already hangs upon the north wall of the rotunda of our capitol, and fixes the admiration of all who enter. Sir William Pepperell is identified with the early history of this State as a citizen spotless THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 85 in reputation ; as a merchant, successful yet honest ; as Chief Justice, pure and blameless ; as a soldier, of such good conduct that he re ceived from the sovereign the first title ever bestowed upon a native North American. He was for more than a quarter of a century the most prominent man of that territory which is now the State of Maine. It is due to his native State, which he hon ored with such long and brilliant service, that she should preserve his lineaments as one of her chief ornaments, and as a token of her honest pride. This graceful gift, coming from a native of this State, who, although he has transferred his residence to the Pacific, still proudly turns his affectionate regard towards his early home, merits from your hands a grateful acceptance and a befitting expression of thanks. ABNER COBURN. Council Chamber, { Augusta, Februrary 12, 1863. \ Gentlemen of ihe House of Representatives : I have the honor, in answer to the order of the House of Representatives communicated to me yesterday "requesting a delay of action upon 86 the life of abner coburn. the nomination of Hon. W. G. Barrows to fill the vacancy existing upon the bench of the Supreme Court," to reply that it will give me great pleasure to grant the request, and that ac cordingly there will be a delay of action as desired. I wish however to inform the House that a delay extending beyond Wednesday next will be inconvenient, as it will detain the Executive Council one week longer than would otherwise be necessary. ABNER COBURN. Council Chamber, March 18, 1863 .} Executive Department, Augusta, October 24, 1863. FeUow Citizens: The President has called for 300,000 addi tional volunteers, to meet the present and pros pective exigencies of the war. Of this additional force Maine is expected to furnish her quota, and she will not disappoint that expectation. Now, as heretofore, her pa triotic men will respond to the call, and promptly furnish her full share of the force necessary to vindicate the integrity of our Gov- the life of abner coburn. 87 ernment, and maintain the supremacy of the laws of the Union. Our people, with almost entire unanimity, have determined that the present rebellion shall be suppressed, and that the Union which it was designed to destroy, shall be maintained. For this purpose they entered upon the contest, and to this end they will persevere until the object be accomplished, and until the world shall be satisfied that free men can endure more, and persevere longer, for the preservation of free government, than can the most desperate and determined traitors for its destruction. The length of the conflict is not to be measured by years, but by events. Treason is to be put down, and to that end should all the measures of the Government be subservient. Great progress has already been made. Two years ago rebellion was bold, defiant, and apparently successful in half the territory of the Union, and our National Capital was literally besieged by armed traitors. Since that time, by the valor of our arms, they have been expelled from the greater part of this territory, ahd the banners of the Union now float in triumph over more than half the States which were then claimed as com ponent parts of their boasted Confederacy. 88 the life of abner coburn. Tbey now find themselves on the point of strangulation by the closeness with which the arms of the Union are pressed upon them. Thousands of loyal men in the South who have been awed into submission by their despotism, are now flocking to our standards. A little more pressure, a few more vigorous blows, and the work of suppression will be accomplished, and our Union will stand forth in all its former glory, not reconstructed, because not destroyed, but stronger for the assault which has been made upon it. These are encouraging omens. But the work accomplished has cost immense labor, and has required immense resources in both men and money. To sustain our armies who have struggled so heroically and success fully, to fill their ranks which have been re duced by the return of those whose term of service has expired, and thinned by the casual ties of the field, and to enable them to hold the vast territory which has been conquered by their valor, aud to bring the war to a success ful and speedy termination, more men are now wanted. Will those men be forthcoming? Who that knows anything of the past, or the patrio tism of our people, can doubt on this point? I cannot. Our. people will not wait' for any coer- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 89 cive power to call them to duty ; all they desire to know is, how much additional aid is desired of them, and I feel full assurance that such aid will be rendered. I therefore, with great confi dence, call upon the citizens of this State, as with one mind they have resolved to suppress the rebellion, with united hearts to provide the means necessary to accomplish this object. The provision for the soldier is most ample. With liberal wages and a bounty of hundreds of dollars, he can go forth with the assurance that those dependent upon him will receive all needed support in his absence, and with the conscious ness that his efforts will contribute to the per petuity of our free institutions, the glory of our country, aud the honor of her brave defenders. I summon, therefore, the loyal men of this State to aid in the speedy accomplishment of this work. I call upon the representatives of every class to contribute of their numbers and their means. Personal efforts and personal sacrifices are unworthy considerations, in comparison with the immense issue at stake. Let not these be im perilled through our inactivity. I believe that a proper appreciation of the necessities of the Government on the part of the people of this State would render but a few days necessary to 90 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. answer the call of the President upon us. I am too well acquainted with the results of deter mined effort in the past, to doubt this. ABNER COBURN, Governor and Commander-in-Chief. Executive Department, Augusta, Nov. 14, 1863, I deem it proper to make public the following communication from the Provost Marshal Gen eral : "If a State furnishes her full quota of Volun teers under the President's Call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000, the draft ordered for the 5th of January, 1864, will not take place in that State. James P. Fry, Provost Marshal General. Washington, November 5, 1863." The quota referred to for this State is 7,581 men, and each city and town has already been advised of its specific proportion thereof. Nothing more than this is asked, and nothing less will be accepted by the War Department. Whatever doubts or differences of opinion may have existed as to the contingency in which a THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 91 draft would be ordered, the above communi cation makes it perfectly clear, and places the duty of all loyal men plainly and unmistakeably before them. Each city and town that fills its quota within the time prescribed will avoid a draft, whereas the delinquent towns will of ne cessity have to submit to one. In view of the vast importance of the struggle in which we are engaged, and of the imperious necessity of promptly re-enforcing our legions in the field, in order that Peace may be attained through Victory, I do urge upon all of the municipal authorities of our cities and towns, as well as upon the good people thereof, the duty of devoting themselves with promptitude and energy to the great work in hand. Large boun ties are offered for volunteers by the National and State Governments, and the authority to proceed in the premises is ample. The quotas in all the towns must be filled within forty days from this date, or the alternative of a draft ac cepted by those that fail. The Government prefers the volunteer to the conscript. It prefers to pay liberally for patri otic service, rather than to exact it by force of law. Let loyal citizens respond to this gener ous sentiment, and let there be a rivalry among 92 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. our towns as to which shall be most prompt in tendering renewed aid to the cause of the Union and of Liberty. Thus far in our great civil contest, Maine has borne a proud part. Her sons have upheld the national banner on the fiercest battlefields, and have earned a fame which we cannot too proudly cherish, and which we should strive to emulate. Let us, in the brief season allowed us, prove that our patrio tism is as sincere, our enthusiasm as warm, and our faith in the national cause as firm, as at any hour since the contest began. Whoever else shall falter or fail, let the men of Maine prove themselves fully equal to the demands now made on their heroism and their love of country. ABNER COBURN, - Governor and Commander-in-Chief. On the opposite page we present a very at tractive view of Colby University and "kindred buildings situated at Waterville, Maine. Among the latter buildings may be seen Co- burn Hall, so named in acknowledgment of ben efactions from one of the most liberal friends of the University, Abner Coburn. For many years Mr. Coburn held the position of Vice President of the University, also that of Chairman of the Board of Trustees. At the time of his death he held both of these responsible positions. This University has well earned a National re nown. Under the efficient management of Rev. G. D. B. Pepper, its learned president, a most flattering future awaits it. Notwithstanding the many benefits the University had derived from his generous donations during his lifetime, by the terms of Mr. Coburn's Will it receives an additional endowment of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars. CHAPTER IV. Abner Coburn as a Private Citizen. The Bloomfield Academy. Is made Trustee and Vice President of Colby University. Coburn Hall. His Timely aid to the University. The Court House of Somerset County. His Private Charities. His Religious Pref erences. His wonderful Business Tact. His Per sonal Character. Reminiscences of His Life. Why He never Married. Miss Kellogg. One would think that the multiplicity and extent of Governor Coburn's business interests would preclude the possibility of his attending to those general duties which make a man useful to society. Such, however, was not the case. Abner Coburn was pre-eminently a public spirit ed man, — one who did not consider his duty done when he had contributed liberally to educa tional or charitable purposes. Few men in Maine have done so much for the establishment of the higher educational institutions. 98 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. To the skillful management of Mr. Coburn and his associates, the old Bloomfield Academy fund was so increased that in the Skowhegan High School, one of the best in the State, gen erations will realize the benefits of opportunities for higher education. For years Abner Coburn has been a Trustee and Vice President of Colby University. To his liberality on many occa sions, to his business tact, and potent influence, this institution owes much of its present pros perity and well assured future. The Trustees have recognized his services by naming one of the buildings Coburn Hall. HIS timelt aid. In a stirring communication to the Zion*s Ad vocate, Rev. F. W. Bakeman, formerly of Au burn, recalls the Commencement of 1864, "when the dawning of day for Waterville suddenly lit up the sky." At dinner on that day, by the side of President Champlin sat a short, plump man with a benevolent face, who was known to few. After dinner, some speeches were made, and a well fed , sleek pastor of a rich church complained of the meagreness of the board. He said he wanted a better dinner when he returned to his alma mater. This unkindness increased the pain ful impression that Colby University was poor. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 99 President Champlin then arose and with pale face and trembling voice announced that the gentleman by his side had made the definite and formal proposition to give the college the sum of fifty thousand dollars as a permanent fund, on con dition that the friends of the institution should add one hundred thousand. It was a surprise. It was dramatic. And thus Mr. Bakeman vividly describes the exciting scene which followed. "For a moment there was stillness, as in the hush before the breaking of the tempest — and then — there was a tempest — a wild demonstra tion of joy and glad surprise, such as I have never since witnessed. Hands, feet, voices, knives and forks rapping on the tables, all bore a part in the concert of applause. Men shook hands and fairly hugged each other in their transports of joy. The hall rang again and again to their cheers. It seemed as if they would never stop. "Meanwhile through all this storm of applause, the cheerible brother, who was its beneficent cause, sat blushingly. To the clamorous calls of his name he made a brief response, no word of which can I recall. The facts of that day crowded out words. What Mr. Colby felt on that occasion no man can know. I have often 100 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. thought that ten years of life would be a small price for the experience of so blissful an hour. Finally the doxology was sung, and the Com mencement of 1864, was over ; the night-time in the history of Waterville College was ended, and morning had come to Colby University !" Mr. Coburn became identified with the College of Agriculture and Mechanics Arts, and for years was President of the Board of Managers. In the interest of this institution he displayed the same zeal which characterized his life, whether engaged in private business or public affairs. On the dark days of the institution, it always had his earnest support which secured it friends> which no other man could have brought to its assistance. To those institutions and several others he contributed liberally. To his liber ality Somerset County is indebted for an elegant Court House ; and largely to the same generous donor the town of Skowhegan is indebted for one of the best public halls in the State. Although not a member, Governor Coburn was a constant attendant of the Baptist Church, to which he was evidently much attached. He doubtless contributed more money for the build ing of churches and forwarding the interest of THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 101 that connection than any other man in the State. His private charities may be said to be almost numberless, and his kindly deeds were done so unostentatiously and so much in the spirit of christian charity, that very few of them were ever known, or ever will be. In this he was a man of deeds rather than words. Neither Abner Coburn nor his brother Philander were ever married. The amount of work which Abner Coburn has been accustomed to do is simply incredible. He always attended to his business correspon dence, writing all his letters in a clear, round hand. Even up to 1872, he did much of the routine work in connection with his business. Most wonderful of all is that with all his cares and responsibilities, private and public, he found time to acquaint himself thoroughly upon all current reports of importance. No topic of importance was discussed in the public press which he did not understand. Iu this particular he displayed a remarkable power of grasping salient points and retaining them. On all leading questions relating to the finances and prosperity of the country, Abner Coburn might well be regarded as an authority. But prominent as is Mr. Coburn, measured by his 102 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. success as a business man, by his capacity as a financier and in the management of great enter prises, and his usefulness as a private citizen and a public servant, his crowning glory will be found in his exalted personal character. His life was singularly simple and conspicu ously pure. Indeed, he was so far removed from the appearance of human frailty, and his life so open and so spotless, that idle gossip never trifled with his name. Wealth and great success did not make him arrogant. His habits and manner of living were simple even to fru gality. He detested that show best known as shoddyism. He respected men for what they were rather than for what they possessed. Slow to promise but prompt to fulfil, he was one of those rarest of men, who perform better than they promise. In every relation of life, wheth er as a business man, a private citizen, a neigh bor or public servant, he was a true man. All these high attributes so harmoniously blended and so conspicuously displayed throughout a long life, affords in Abner Coburn a grandeur of character that may be held up as an illustrious example pre-eminently worthy of imitation, and justly entitled to the homage of the people of a State for which he has done so much. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 103 We have been fortunate in procuring the fol lowing interesting anecdotes of Governor Co- burn : The death of Governor Coburn has made his life and characteristics the chief topic of con versation, wherever he was known, and by people of all callings, by men who have lived in the lumber woods as well as of men who have known him in State occupations whieh have made him known as a capitalist. The anecdotes which have been told to illustrate his character, methods and habits, would make a volume. By no class of men was he appreciated more than the men in the lumber business, who had known him all their lives. It is rare that men have been able to command the confidence, and re gard of such sturdy men as the late William Parker, Joseph Clark and the living Heman Whipple, of Solon. These named, are but samples of the men of sterling worth, and ability, who were connected with him while they were yet young men or bo3*s, and have passed their lives either in his employ or in close busi ness connections ; their confidence and regard, increasing with years. He retained the same hold upon the esteem of the business men with whom he associated for years ; the John* B. 104 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. Browus, the George Pattens, Judge Rices, who have passed away, and the Morrills, the Aldens, the Jacksons, the Joses who yet live. While he was living, they spoke of him in terms of the highest regard, as a man, and of the highest appreciation of his rare business sagacity. Since his death the writer has recalled a few of the incidents which give an insight into some phases of character, and his characteristics. "I knew the Coburns," said a Boston million aire, "nearly forty years ago, when I was sell ing goods to traders in the Kennebec valley. At that time there was very little mouey in this country, scarcely a dollar, but Coburn notes of all denominations, were held by people of means. Indeed, I think the}' were used as currency. Everybody had confidence iu them. It seemed that everybody who had hay, grain, or cattle to sell, were satisfied to exchange them for paper signed, A. & P. Coburn." It is said, that when Abner Coburn was Governor, he was so accus tomed to sign the firm name, that on more than one instance, he affixed, "A. & P. Coburn," to State warrants and in one instance to a bill which the Legislature had enacted. There was a time during the war, when the firm name was in higher credit than that of many States. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 105 Speaking of Governor Coburn's financial stand ing, courage, and the confidence which those who knew him best had in him : Soon after the con solidation of the railroads now making up the Maine Central, the hard times came on. The business fell off and the company had a float ing debt which those who held it were very clamorous to have paid. Things were daily getting into a worse condition. It was agreed to have the President and one or two Directors go to Skowhegan to see Governor Coburn, who was at that time recovering from a severe ill ness. The President laid the case before him and ended with the somewhat startling state ment that there was no way out of the embar rassments but for him to endorse the company's notes for $200,000 at once and $500,000 more during the next 60 days', if necessary. "The Governor's face was as impressive as marble," said some of those present, and he said not a word, and asked not a question, until the speaker had finished. Then he simply asked them to make the notes for $200,000 which he signed. I have forgotten whether the other notes were called for, but the confidence which he inspired quieted the anxiety of many cred itors. One savings bank held $50,000 of the 106 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. paper of the corporation. The manager was nervous. He wanted his money, if the com pany was in a hard place, but he wanted these corporations to keep it if it was sound. "Give me Governor Coburn's endorsement and you can have the money and more as long as you wish." It was given and the savings bank man was happy. The Maine Central has outrode that storm, and is now a strong corporation ; but its best friends will say to-day that Abner Coburn was their sheet anchor. "We spend the money," said Judge Rice, when President, "Gov ernor Coburn pays it." Years ago Mr. Blaine told in his inimitable manner several anecdotes of Governor Coburn, one of which we now recall. During the time the Morrill tariff was being revised and the con tinuance of the reciprocity treaty with Canada was an issue, Governor Coburn and Friend John D. Lang, then Mr. Blaine's constituents, went before the Ways and Means Committee of the National House of which the renowned Thaddeus Stevens was chairman. Mr. Stevens was very favorably impressed with the practical sugges tions of the two Kennebec business men and expressed his admiration to Mr. Blaine, who was then a young member. "There are many THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 107 like able men in my district," said Mr. Blaine. Stevens looked at him and remarked: "Why the devil don't they send one of them to Con gress." Mr. Blaine's attachment to Governor Coburn for years has been of the strongest nature. "Abner Coburn is pure gold," he once exclaimed. Governor Coburn's methods when Governor did not always please the politicians. He always believed that the right thing to do was the best thing — the only thing. He judged men for the State's service just as he did for the lumber woods — for what they were worth. One of Maine's best regiments in the field was well nigh demoralized by reason of the desertion of two or three officers, some of whom had to be pro moted if custom was observed. He listened to the complaints of all the wranglers but said nothing. In a few days two officers of lower rank were announced as the officers for the places over which there were quarrels. "I know these men and know that they will fill the bill," was his reply to the indignant protests. And he was right; the wrangling ceased and the regiment became one of the most famous from the State. The public welfare before individuals was his rule. 108 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. On one occasion, the Governor gave his views on the sources of National prosperity. "The nation whose individuals spend the most money, that is their own, will be most prosper ous, because liberal expenditure means large consumption and large consumptions mean gen eral industrial activity. Individuals may amass more wealth for a season by hoarding, but it must soon come to pass that the general hoard ing of every cent will leave nothing in circu lation from which to hoard. If the people who are able would begin to buy as liberally now as they do when times are flush, there would be a partial business revival at once." That bit of practical sense has more in it than all of Stuart Mill's works on political economy. On the cur rency, the tariff and business questions generally, his views were sound and many of his opinions original. There was a vein of humor in Governor Coburn's make-up, that showed itself frequently. One of the most ludicrous scenes ever witnessed before a Legislative committee, was on the oc casion of the investigation of the sales of the Agricultural College land scrip. Governor Coburn was summoned as a witness. One of the members of the committee was a young Dem- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 109 ocratic lawyer from a rural village, who took it upon himself to examine the venerable ex-Gov ernor. The Governor sized up the limb of the law in an instant and tbe opportunity was one he could not let pass. "What is your occu pation?" asked the bantam. "That would be difficult to tell," quietly remarked the Governor, with ponderous gravity, and yet with a twinkle in his eye. "Have you ever been interested in lands?" pursued the inquisitor. "I have been," was the quiet remark of the man who once owned 700 square miles iu his own State and large patches in the West. "Good judge of lands?" pursued the Solon. "I have sometimes thought I was not," was the quiet reply. "Own lands in the West?" put the lawyer. "Yes," was the answer. "How much?.'' "I can't tell with any degree of accuracy." "Well, tell us somewhere near?" "1 cannot." "You cannot? Have you 5,000 acres?" "I think somewhat more." "How much?" "I prefer not to say." "Do you own 50,000 acres?" "I should say as much as that?" About this time the Governor's face began to beam with the fun, and the auditors began to titter. "Did you have any of the Agri cultural College scrip?" continued the lawyer. "No," replied the Governor slowly. "Did you 110 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. want any?" "Yes," was the answer. "Why didn't you get it?" "Because," answered the witness, "I thought the sale was to take place at 11 o'clock, and it took place at 10. It was all sold when I got there." "You would have paid more for the scrip than the price for which it was sold ?" "No ; not if I could have got it for less." By this time committee and audience, except the young inquisitor and the witness were convulsed with laughter. As a matter of course, the situation afforded much of the amusement, and there was enough of it until Hon. Frederick A. Pike, of Calais, interposed out of regard both for Governor Coburn and the committee. Governor Coburn always had a good deal of State pride. This was wont to appear in the railroad contests when efforts were made by outside companies and capitalists to make the Maine Central tributary to Boston lines. Of late, quite a number of Massachusetts men have been directors of the Maine Central. At a meeting held in Portland within three years, one of these men suggested that it would be more convenient to have future meetings held in Boston. "For once," says my informant, "the Governor seemed touched ; one and another spoke, but the matter was ended by the Gov- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. Ill emor, who said: "I have yet to learn that the distance from Portland to Boston is less than that from Boston to Portland." The rather pre vious Boston man had no more to say, and the meeting of the directors of Maine's great rail road continues to be held in Portland. Governor Coburn was not what would be called a brilliant conversationalist, but he was to a grown man, an interesting and instructive talker. He knew the foremost men of Maine for nearly half a century, and from him one could get a better idea of their characteristics than from any other source. His recollections of his early life were vivid. He never sowed wild oats, or painted the town red. Of such things he could not tell, but of the struggles of two generations ago, of the manner of living, of the peculiarities of men of that time and of his experiences, he could speak in the most en tertaining manner. He never made the pronoun "I" do extra service. If he had egotism, it was concealed. He was very charitable in his judg ment of men and rarely spoke in condemnation of individuals. He did once say of an adroit gentleman : "If you want to track him sure, go in the opposite direction from that which his toes point." Of a Maine officer during the 112 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. war, he said : "He wrote so many letters urg ing his own promotion, that he couldn't have done any fighting." When the greenback craze swept over Maine, some one remarked to the Governor that had turned an advocate of fiat money. "That is proper," he replied ; "that man always maintained that he had paid a debt when he gave his note for it." I never heard him say more than such things as the above about a man, and such as those not often. He liked direct men. "Brown, (meaning the late John B., of Portland,) he once said, "is a man who says what he means, so that you can understand him." "Payson Tucker," he said, a little more than a year ago, "is a man of won derful tact in getting along with people. He is the best railroad man I ever met. "Josiah Drummond is a man you can always believe." Such were his judgments of men with whom he was associated. Governor Coburn was a man who was kindly disposed. When he could and when he thought it would do, he aided those who went to him. He was cautious but often was deceived. He never gave advice and nothing else. Talk was not cheap with him. Those who knew him will remember him as a poor promiser but an excel- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 113 lent performer. He never reminded a man of a favor. He did not trade in the thing as a com modity. To men whom he had a right to ask service, he rarely made the demand. He was no boss. If he had made the obligations he placed men under, a means of promoting his interests, he would have been one of the most powerful men in the State. He was nearly the last of that score of able and vigorous men who did so much to develop the resources of Maine by building its railroad system. Ruel Williams, of Augusta, W. B. S., and Daniel Moor, of Waterville, John D. Lang, of Vassalboro, George F. Patten, of Bath, John B. Brown, of Portland, were on the list. He had many sincere friends and there were many who knew him intimately who admired his sturdy character, his strength of purpose, his kindness and his real manhood. A gentleman who was very intimate with ex- Governor Coburn, contributes the following incidents which illustrate the way in which adventurers succeeded in imposing on the noble old man, notwithstanding the caution which in justice to himself and deserving objects of charity, he usually exercised. "One day," said this gentleman, "an unusually 8 114 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. large number of beggars came in succession. One pretended to be blind and was led by another man. Another was on crutches and seemed to be very lame. All of them had some ail or other. The most of them were given something by the ex-Governor. Afterwards, we found out they were a gang of bummers who met in a neighboring back yard and put up the job. They were seen to disguise themselves and the lame man after he came out was no lamer than I am. There were nine of them in this gang aud it is probable that they divided the plunder. "Another time it was reported a man's house had been burned in Embden. A day or two after this report, a man claiming to be the owner of the burned house, called on the ex-Governor and told a pitiful story of having lost his home and his all. Mr. Coburn gave him $25. A few days later on, it turned out that this man was an imposter. They came around with a subscrip tion for the real sufferer and the ex-Governor gave them $50. "One day, two women and a boy who also claimed to hail from Embden, called on the ex- Governor. One of the women had called before and had been given five dollars. I will name THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 115 her Mrs. A. Well, Mrs. A. and Mrs. B., and the boy told their stories. They were poor and sick and helpless and so on. The ex-Governor heard them and gave Mrs. B. and the boy $5 each and $3 to Mrs. A. "'Why !' exclaimed she, looking at the money. 'Here's only $3. That will only pay for the team. "She had hired a team and paid $3 for it, to come here and beg ! "On a certain evening, a boy called at the house and saw the ex-Governor. He said his mother and sister were very sick and he had a physician's prescriptions for them, but had no money and could not get them filled. The Gov ernor thought it was a hard case and gave the boy $5. I was iu the house at the time and happened to see the same boy, whom I followed out of doors, coming out of a candy shop, ten minutes afterwards. I went in and learned that the youngster had spent nearly all the money for candy. "One day while Philander was alive, a woman who seemed to be a little cranky called. " 'I must see Mr. Coburn' she said. "She was told that he was very busy and she could not see him. 116 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. " 'But I must see him and he must help me,' said she. I'm in want of bread and I must live.' "Philander spoke up and said drily, 'I don't see any special need of it.' "That's the only joke I ever heard him get off. "The letters from impudent beggars, received by the ex-Governor, were innumerable. They came not only from every State in the Union, but from foreign countries. I remember he receiv ed a letter from a crank in Edinburgh, Scotland, who said that $50,000 would do for him at that time but he might need some more bye and bye !" That, while thus vexed aud abused, the ex- Governor did not stint his giving, is remarkable. This comes pretty near being genuine Chris tianity. HOW MR. COBURN WrAS SWINDLED. Mr. Coburn owned a large amount of valu able timber land in Wisconsin. A man from Maine who was a distant relative of the ex-Gov ernor, made a contract to go on it with a crew and work it at the halves. This arrangement continued for fifteen years, a term which expired two years ago. By an accident, Mr. Coburn discovered that his agent and partner was re- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 117 turning about half the amount cut. He had re ported a cut of eleven millions for one winter. The next summer a man who had been em ployed as a scaler by the operator, came to Skowhegan and Mr. Coburn saw him. "How much did you scale, last winter?" asked the ex-Governor. "I came out before the winter was half over and I had scaled about eleven millions, then," he replied. "I guess they cut a little more than eleven millions after I came out." The ex-Governor is believed to have been bled to the amount of $200,000 in this opera tion. His partner, and a number of fellows as sociated with him, made money hand over fist. There is no doubt but if the ex-Governor had lived to operate on his extensive timber land in the West, he could have realized a great deal more from them than his executors can. They cannot be sold for any where near what an experienced lumberman can get out of them by going on and working them. Ex-Governor Coburn was lumbering exten sively in the Maine woods, at the time of his death, one hundred men being employed under his faithful superintendent, Heman Whipple. It was one of the ex-Governor's peculiarities 118 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. that he rarely made a settlement in full with anybody. He kept about square with the world, but seldom exchanged receipts. This will make a lot of trouble for the executors. A great many claims will be presented and they will have hard work to sift them. Some claims of a doubtful nature have been heard of, already. It is likely that not a few of these matters will be settled in the courts. The executors see a twenty-five years' task before them — for which 5 per centum on the property, divided among five men, will not prove a very large remuner ation. A source of trouble is that the ex-Gov ernor was so reticent about his affairs and so little is known about them at the start, that a great deal of digging must be done. Had the Governor employed a confidential clerk during the last five years of his life, his estate would be $300,000 better off. WHY ABNER COBURN NEVER MARRIED. It is not generally known that Governor Co- burn, at one time, had very serious intentions of marriage. Such we are informed was really the case, and no better illustration of the adage "There is many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip" can be presented than that which produced a rup ture between the Ex-Governor and his lady love. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 119 At one time during his earlier life, not until Mr. Coburn had accumulated a large property, however, he paid devoted attention to a very pre possessing and accomplished lady. With a single exception, she possessed the many insinuating charms for which a large majority of her sex are noted. Her family were financially poor. This misfortune had little to do with the Governor's feelings, but on being informed of the prospective union of the daughter with the rich land owner, the parents, brothers and sisters, became so elated over the social advancement in store for them that they could not restrain their joy nor govern their tongues. They boasted of the rich catch the daughter had made. This gossip finally reached the ear of Mr. Coburn who became so disgusted at the weakness displayed, that he withdrew from any further attention to the girl. Thus ended his dream of wedlock. Governor Coburn took a deep interest in the State College and always attended its commence ments. On one occasion at the commencement concert one of the artists was Miss Kellogg, the prima donna. The drinking water at the hotel was not pleasing to her taste, it is related, and she did not hesitate to complain of it. Mr. Coburn, who was characterized by a carelessness 120 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. of dress, was wandering about the hotel, when he heard of the distress of the singer. He im mediately offered to relieve her of her trouble, saying he knew of a spring of good, fresh water and offered to bring her some if she wished. She, taking him for some attendant about the hotel, gladly accepted the offer, and was so much pleased with the draught he brought that she engaged him to furnish her with drinking water during her stay. Upon her departure she expressed her thanks to her attendant, and, much to the amusement of the by-standers, offered him money. This he gallantly refused, telling her that the carrying of the water had been a pleasure to him. When she boarded the train, one of her companions asked her if she knew to whom she had been speaking. "Why, no," said she; "some ser vant at the hotel, I suppose." Her amazement can be imagined when told that it was none other than the Governor of the State. On the opposite page appears a handsome cut of tho Maine Insane Hospital. This very useful institution was established during the year 1840, and is under the direct supervision of the Execu tive officers of the State. The Hospital is con ducted under the management of Doctor Bigelow T. Sanborn who is aided by two assistant superintendents and other subordinate officers. During the last few years, many improvements have been made in the Hospital, designed to ameliorate the condition and minister to the comforts of its inmates. The grounds have also been greatly beautified, and are very attractive. By the Will of the late Ex-Gov. Coburn, this institution receives Fifty Thousand Dollars from his estate. ¦iX1.1""* n*,f? ¦ !l i'f Wm | '1 ". all!1-. '.j*.' :.'. i. -i^Q* ; m1:!,.: !i I.U! ...I1, ' CHAPTER V. His Last Hours. His Death. A Meeting of the Citizens of his Native Town. Governor Robie. The Govern or's Council and Members of the Legislature attend the Funeral. The President and Directors of the Maine Central Railroad. Many other Officials in Attendance. The Resolutions of the Directors of the Maine Central Railroad. Remarks of the Hon. Augus tus G. Lebroke in the Senate, January 8th, 1885. Order from the Senate to the House. Remarks of Representative Walton of Skowhegan. The Rev. Dr. E. A. Wyman, a native of Skowhegan, a year ago, contributed the follow ing lines to the Watchman of Boston, addressed to ex-Governor Coburn : Your star is setting peacefully to rest, Not hid or obscured by a darkened west, But brightly glowing as the colors seven, Melting away into the light of Heaven. 126 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. You ope your coffers with a heart most kind, That your rich treasures may fit issue find, "To lead in wisdom's ways the mighty mind," And through college and church to bless mankind. A long noble life ! and with no heart pained, No one made poorer for the wealth you've gained ! You have taught the world how modest to live, How patient tfo gain, how freely to give. In public and in private worth the same, No hypocrisy blots a well earned name. "To sordid souls the token of their shame, With nobler spirits a perpetual fame." HIS LAST HOURS. Although for many months it had been known that Hon. Abner Coburn was in ill health, and it was feared that he could not long survive, yet his death caused almost as much surprise as though he had been stricken down, in the vigor of manhood. He had only been able to be about attending to his accustomed business, a few days before he went to Augusta, as a member of the Electoral College, to cast his ballot for Mr. Blaine for President. There he had a severe attack of illness and was brought home by special train, under the care of phy sicians. He rallied slowly from numerous pull backs, and for w*eeks before his death, it was hard fo tell whether he was gaining or losing in THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 127 his fierce fight for life,' against many odds. Lat terly he took more nourishment, and was really beginning to pick up a good deal. The Thurs day before his death, he attended to several matters of business, and even in the evening had a consultation with his attorney in regard to a business matter. After the interview, he appeared little if any fatigued, and after con versing with his attendants retired. About mid night he had a severe chill. Dr. Wilbur his regular physician, was summoned and strove for a long time before he could relieve his pa tient. This was the beginning of the end. The next day, Friday, he rallied a good deal, and conversed very freely with all who called, but with night came a severe attack of his old ene my, dyspepsia. Dr. Wilbur was again sum moned and was with him several hours before relief came. Saturday he was in a stupor a large part of the time, although he responded when addressed. He took nourishment several times, but it was quite evident that his end was nearing. Thus he continued to slowly decline, till he passed quietly away at 5 a. m. Sunday, January 4th, 1885. Thus ended a noble life. The deceased had not been free from attacks of dyspepsia since 128 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. his illness ten years ago. At times he had been a great but patient sufferer from this terrible disease. A meeting of the citizens was held at Morri son's Hall, and it was decided to close all places of business, and to attend the funeral in a body. A committee consisting of Col. Isaac Dyer, E. F. Fairbrother, W. H. Fuller, J. P. Blunt and O. R. Bacheller was appointed to make all the arrangements for the funeral. Col. A. W. Wildes, L. H. Webb and J. B. Dascomb were appointed a committee to draft resolutions on the loss the town had met with in the decease of ex-Gov. Coburn. In his message to the Lgislature, January 8. 1885, Gvernor Robie paid the following high tribute to the memory of Mr. Coburn. "An other man upon whom the people have wisely conferred their highest honors has passed away. Hon. Abner Coburn, the representative man of the best characteristics of New England sim plicity, integrity and economy, is no more. Cradled in the adversities of earlier times, he has left a record of bright examples which the young men of our State may well follow. His life is a monument of great usefulness, of high public spirit and patriotism. To his financial ability, THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 129 indomitable courage and high executive attain ments, more than to those of any other one man, Maine owns her central system of railroads. To his liberal endowments many of our educational and charitable institutions owe their developed power of enlarged usefulness. Called to the office of Governor during the most trying period of the late war — in 1863 — he displayed firmness, sagacity and patriotism, of the highest order. His life, character and achievements are an honor to Maine, and proud is the State that can claim the birth and citizenship of such a man." The funeral took place at 2 p. m. January 7th, under the charge of Judge J. B. Dascomb. All places of business were closed from 1 till 4 o'clock. Citizens met at Coburn Hall at one o'clock and proceeded to the Baptist Church to attend the services. A special train arrived soon after noon, bringing the Governor and Council, several members of the Legislature, the President and Directors of the Maine Cen tral, and other former associates and friends of the deceased. They assembled at Coburn Hall, and under the direction of Col. Dyer, the col umn proceeded to the church in the following order, to take part in the solemn obsequies, out of respect for the distinguished dead : 130 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. Governor and Council. President and Directors of Maine Central Railroad. Railroad Commissioners. President and Faculty of Colby University. President and Faculty of Maine State Agricultural College. , Members of Coburn Classical Institute. Clergymen of Town and Vicinity. The Supreme Judicial Court. Members of the Bar and Officers of Somerset County. Members of different trades. Citizens generally. The services at the church were conducted by Rev. Dr. Pepper, assisted by Rev. Dr. Ricker, Prof. Smith and the pastor, Rev. Mr. Harwood. After the services the remains were taken to the family burial lot in the cemetery on the South side. Mr. W- G. Keene, senior member of the firm of Keene Bros., paid his respects to his departed friend. Mr. Keene had always been an ardent admirer of Gov. Coburn, and in his death he feels that he has lost a friend indeed. As a slight token of the appreciation his firm felt for the deceased, he brought with him three mag nificent floral pieces to be placed upon the casket in the church. One, an open book, formed of japonicas, white roses, carnations, Roman hyacinths and other rare exotics. The THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 131 whole on a ground of fern and maiden hair fern and smilax sprinkled in. On a ground of car nations was the word "Character," in immortelles. The word reached clear across the two pages of the book. The second piece was a large pillow made up of carefully selected flowers, also on a background of fern. At the foot was the word "Manhood," in raised letters. The third piece was a floral star, the centre of which was formed of Easter lillies. On this was the word "Honor." The relatives of the deceased made a most profuse display of flowers at the church. RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT. At a meeting of the directors of the Maine Central railroad held Monday the following resolutions on the death of Hon. Abner Coburn were adopted : Resolved, That in the death of Hon. Abner Coburn, this board and the Maine Central Rail road Company have met with a loss such as rarely happens to men associated together in business relations. Connected with the Somer set & Kennebec R. R. Company at its inception more than thirty years ago, he was the main pillar of the enterprise and from that time for ward until his death he was among the foremost in developing the resources of the State by the 132 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. building up and extension of our railroad system. In his thirty years service as a director, and three years service as president of this company, he exercised that wonderful sagacity which led to the embarking in enterprises of real merit, and avoiding any which have led to disastrous or unfortunate results. In the dark days through which the company has passed he had never lost its confidence in its ultimate success and to that end he had given his able services, his sound judgment and even the pledge of his private fortune iu a crisis, in which nothing else saved it from most serious embarassment. In the judgment of the board, the success which this company has attained is largely due to Gov. Coburn, and they desire to put on record this expression of their appreciation of the obliga tion this company is under to him. Resolved, That while this company has lost one of its oldest, ablest and most devoted friends, the members of this board have lost an associate whom they had learned to regard in the highest degree for his sound judgment, his courteous bearing and his unswerving integrity ; the State has lost a most valuable citizen, and the community a public spirited, benevolent and large hearted man. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 133 Resolved, That as a token of our respect to his memory this board will attend his funeral in a body. REMARKS OF THE HON. AUGUSTUS G. LEBROKE, OF FOXCROFT, IN THE SENATE, JANUARY 8TH, 1885. "Mr. President : Profoundly moved as I am, and as I have no doubt the members of the Senate, as well as the people of the State of Maine, are at the reception of the news of the decease of Hon. Abner Coburn, I thought it not unfitting that his death should be noticed iu this body. In the character of Abner Coburn were well epitomized the elements of the true Ameri can citizen. Born within the borders of our own State, educated in our common schools, dwelling among the people, and early seeking ¦ his fortune in the sturdy forests of the North, he arose step by step to well and honestly earned wealth, and to high distinction among his fellow citizens, until he became chief magistrate of the State of Maine. His munificence, known and well understood in the State, was not and has not been extended to institutions of learn ing alone ; not alone has it been extended to build up solid columns and permanent structures for the public benefit; but the poor, the lowly, 134 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. the humble in life, the toiling boy and toiling girl struggling in penury, the father and mother who needed aid in the care of their children, have never, when worthy, called upon him in vain. With an integrity as fixed as his native hills, with an honor which was unbending in his transactions with his fellow men, he has earned a name and a fame which well might be emula ted by those who would rise to distinction in our State hereafter. He has developed the fact that upon our soil and in our vast forests by the advantages of our mighty rivers which grand ly roll on to the sea, there is an opportunity for the accumulation of wealth in the State of Maine, an opportunity to rear homes here, and that our own soil and abundant resources will not suffer in comparison with those regions which have been considered more highly by those who have hastily left our borders. I feel but feebly competent, with no previous notice of this opportunity in the hurried mo ments of this morning, to do anything like jus tice to the memory of that good man who has recently departed. I am glad that a committee of this Legislature is to attend his funeral rites, and out of respect to his memory and as a mat ter of duty on my part and the duty of the THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 135 Senate, I move, Mr. President, that the Senate do now adjourn." The Senate then adjourned. THE FOLLOWING ORDER WAS RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE, JANUARY 8TH, 1885. Ordered, that a committee of three, on the part of the Senate, with such as the House may join, be appointed to attend the funeral of Hon. Abner Coburn, ex-Governor of this State, as a mark of respect to the memory of one of our most distinguished and philanthropic citizens. The committee appointed by the Senate was, Young of Cumberland, Heath of Kennebec, and AUen of Knox. REMARKS OF MR. WALTON OF THE HOUSE. Mr. Walton of Skowhegan, said : As a mem ber of the House from Somerset county, and Skowhegan, the home of the Hon. Abner Coburn, I have to say that last Sunday morning at seven o'clock, Hon. Abner Coburn passed away from earth. In view of his eminently high character and benevolence, which was not bounded by County or State lines, I believe that some expression of this House should be made, and I move that a committee of eight be ap pointed by the Speaker to attend the last testi monials of respect to be given him before he is 136 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. laid away in the silent earth, his last resting place. I undertand that the fuueral will take place at Skowhegan at two o'clock this afternoon. I also move, Mr. Speaker, that when this House adjourn, that it adjourn in respect to his memory until 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. On motion of Mr. Dickey of Fort Kent, it was voted to amend so that the adjournment should be until 10 A. M. tomorrow instead of 9 o'clock. The Speaker joined to the committee from the Senate, Messrs. Walton of Skowhegan, Rack- lift" of Corinna, Stillings of Berwick, Thayer of Waterville, Ames of Portland, Kaler of Scarbo rough, Brown of Milton Plantation, Hobart of Edmunds, and Sprague of Monson. CHAPTER VI. The Last Rites. Impressive Services over the Deceased. Eloquent Address of Rev. Dr. G. D. B. Pepper, Pres ident of Colby University. Governor Coburn's Mon ument. THE LAST RITES. "Where lives the man in this State, whose death would call together such a distinguished body of representative men as assembled in Skowhegan, to pay their respects to the memory of Ex-Governor Coburn? The visitors arrived j by special train. In the party were President Sewall, General Manager Payson Tucker, Direct ors Wm. G. Davis and Gen. Hyde, General Passenger Agent F. E. Boothby, Treasurer J. A. Linscott, Paymaster Thos. P. Shaw, Chief Engineer W. A. Allen, Agent C. O. Baker, Detective John S. Heald, of the Maine Central 138 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. Railroad; Ex-President of the Eastern, Geo. E. B. Jackson, of Portland ; Superintendent L. L. Lincoln, of the Rumford Falls and Buckfield ; Judge Percival Bonney, Treasurer ; Revs. A. K. P. Small, D. D., and A. S. Burrage, Trustees of Colby University; Hon. W. F. Milliken, C. F. Jose, Esq., Lewis Pierce, W. H. Baxter and Thos. H. Weston, Esqs., Portland; Isaac T. Hobson, a prominent lumber dealer, of Wis- casset. C. A. Coombs, Esq., Superintendent of the Knox & Lincoln ; Ex-Director Geo. M. Patten, Hon. Wm. Rogers, M. G. Shaw, N. Stiles, Rev. S. F. Dyke, D. D., of Bath; the Lawrence Bros., and S. Ward, of South Gard iner ; S. W. Jewett, J. H. Gray and J. S. Maxey, of Gardiner. There was a large party from Augusta, including Gov. Robie and Messrs. Bolster, Cornish, Crockett and Swazey, of his Council; Hon. Joseph O. Smith, Secretary of State ; Messrs. Young, Heath, and Allen, com mittee from the Senate ; Messrs. Ames, Walton, Hobart, Rackliff, Sprague, Stillings, Brown and Kaler, committee from the House ; Hon. J. H. Drummond, of Portland, Clerk of the Maine Central Railroad Company ; Hon. Arte- mas Libbey and Hon. Orville D. Baker, of Au gusta ; Hon. Edmund Wilson, of Thomaston ; U. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 139 S. Marshal Geo. D. Bisbee, of Portland ; F. A. Wilson, Esq., Bangor; E. W. Shaw, Newport; President M. C. Fernald, of the State College of Agriculture at Orono ; Hon. J. R. Bodwell, of Hallowell; Col. J. W. Porter, of Bangor; and D. G. Bean, Esq., of East Wilton, Prison In spector ; Hon. Clark II. Barker, Postmaster of Portland ; J. H. Bigelow, Esq., of Boston, U. S. Superintendent of the Railway Mail Service; Hon. Joshua Nye of Augusta, and Ira Sturgis, Esq. From Waterville came, Director John Ware of the Maine Central ; President G. D. B. Pepper, Profs. Hall, Capen, Smith, Foster, Taylor, Elder and Small, also delegates from the several classes — all of Colby University ; • Dr. J. H. Hanson and Rev. A. S. Lane, of the Coburn Classical Institute ; Moses Giddings, Esq., Pres. Bangor & Piscataquis, of Bangor; Rev. Joseph Ricker, D. D., of Augusta; Rev. B. F. Shaw, D. D., and Hon. E. F. Webb of Waterville, Trustees of Colby; Rev. W- H. Spencer, Prof. Moses Lyford, J. W. Philbrick, Esq., G. A. Phillips, Esq., together with a com mittee from the Lockwood Mills Co., consisting of Treasurer J. W. Danielson, Directors R. B. and R. W. Dunn, and Agent C. B. Abbott, all of Waterville. 140 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. From Fairfield came, N. Totman, W. W. Rice and wife, C. G. Totman, A. H. Totman, A. H. Duren, T. G. Heald, C E. Duren, F. H. Totman, A. E. Lawrence, H. W. L. Lovejoy, Lyman Fish, Winfield Cross, C. G. Flood, A. W. Clarke. The visitors were driven to the hotels on their arrival, where they took dinner ; after which they road to the church followed by several hundred citizens, who had met at Coburn hall. The body of the church was reserved for the visitors, but the seats were filled before nearly all of them were accommodated. After prayers at the residence of the late Governor the remains were brought to the church. The casket was a hand some broadcloth with satin trimmings and four heavy silver handles. On the neat silver plate were these words, Abner Coburn, Died Jan. 4, 1885. Aged 81 years 9 mos. 14 days. The front of the altar was tastefully trimmed with smilax, and two vases filled with fragrant tea roses ornamented the sacred desk. The pall bearers were, David Sanders of Greenville, H. S. Steward, F. A. Williams, THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 141 and Omar Clark. Judge Dascomb had charge of the arrangements. After an organ voluntary the services were conducted as below, Rev. R. M. G. Harwood, pastor, Rev. Dr. Pepper of Colby University, and Rev. Dr. Joseph Ricker of Augusta, occu pying the pulpit : Singing — "There is a calm for those who weep," W. F. Sudds Quartette Choir, Selections of Scripture, read by the Pastor. Address by Rev. G. D. B. Pepper, LL.D., Colby University. DR. PEPPER'S ADDRESS. My Friends: I am to speak for you rather than to you. One event has drawn us together. A common sentiment binds us together. We have to-day one mind and one heart, one thought and one feeling. We are about to bear away, to commit to the bosom of Mother Earth, to bury out of our sight, the familiar form of our venerated friend, Abner Coburn ; to bury this body of his, now pulseless, breathless, sense less, silent, motionless, cold, dead, — dead, and yet even in death lovely and beloved. We shall see it no more. None on earth shall see it till the morning of the resurrection. And now thus together in this last tender, solemn 142 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. hour, here where it jvas his wont and his joy to worship Sabbath by Sabbath, we would fain give to our thought of him some expression, how ever inadequate, would at least make the endeavor, however unsuccessfully. It is not to praise him. He is beyond our praise or blame. It is to speak out the word which the heart prompts. That of him which is here with us today, to be seen and touched, is his body. Of some men the body is the major part. Of any mau it is in this life an important, and essential part. Abner Coburn inherited a sound, well-wrought, and well-compacted body, and for this inheritance he wisely cared. He neither neglected nor abused it. He never by dissipation sowed in it the seeds of corruption. Some of you, whose heads are white, doubtless saw him in his boy hood and youth, and can recall the vigor of his physical life at school, on the farm, in society. More of you knew him in mature manhood when that same body served as the sure, steady, solid framework for the unresting, un- hastiug, powerful, efficient, mental machinery within, organ and instrument most fit for such a soul. And even when with stealthy step old age came on, bleaching and blanching the hair, tracing wrinkles on face and forehead, insensibly THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 143 abstracting vigor and elasticity ; even when in addition, one attack after another of disease, which foresight could not avert nor care pre vent, had done its worst, through it all, even to the end, as we all have seen him and known him, how still did that manly form serve its master within right loyally, right royally ; the eye scarcely dimmed, the ear as quick and ready to hear even to the last minute, as in life's morning. Oh ! what a blessing is such a body ! What cause of thankfulness is its possession ! What shame, what pity, the misuse, the abuse, the causeless maiming and marring of the body ! So, to-day, we are glad and grateful as we have these thoughts and take this backward view. We take home anew an ever needed lesson for ourselves. We recall also the intelligence that dwelt within, making the body luminous, and stream. ing out into the lives of others. His was an alert, attentive, watchful, active mind, always awake, quick to see, to hear — to see and hear everything. He not only looked at and on things and persons, but around them, and into them and through them. He was exact in his observation. He saw that very thing which he did see ; knew that very thing which he did 144 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. know ; and knew that he saw and knew that very thing which he did see and did know. There was no blur before his eyes ; no smoke in his eyes ; no fog in or around his head. There was that in him which scattered fog banks as he neared them, and made the air as clear as crys tal, pure transparency. His words were few, but always to the point. He hit the mark every time. There was not a grain of wasted powder. He used a rifle, never a shot-gun. Scattering was to him an abomination. Whether in pleas antry or in earnestness, he was equally apt and pat. He could see the exact point at which to prick conceit, and one touch of his bodkin was enough. The experiment never needed to be repeated, at least by him. As for flattery, did it even venture into his presence ? I know not, but of this I am sure, if it did the venture was a failure, to itself a disaster. His mind, though thus alert, exact, clear, had an equable, easy action. However swift the current, it scarcely seemed a current so smooth was its surface, so even its flow, so without noise of rush and tumble ; also so very clear and almost invisible like the air. You knew the movement afterward by its effects; by finding what it had moved, or at least what THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 145 movements of execution,' his own* or others', it had guided or attended. Accustomed, as we have been, to see his placid features, restful eye, perpetual poise, constant calm, every where, always, as though every year and every day of every year were a Sab bath, a genuine New England Puritau Sab bath, such as he loved, it requires effort to believe that he was at any time watching the gathering and swift coming of storms, listening to the in-rushing, from every point of the com pass, of turgid, mighty, mad streams, threaten ing him and his with wreck and ruin ; that he was, with the swiftness and power of lightning, sending thought all ways to search out all possi bilities of good or ill and to decide where was weal and how to win it. To believe this requires effort, is incredible, and yet is simple fact. This, we all know, was done again and again in his own business, so immense and yet so quietly mastered and managed — managed with mastery — as noiselessly as gravitation manages the motions of worlds ; was done also in the State's business in the whirlwind and whirlpool of our civil war, when, by the will of the people, it be^- came his official duty to make his own the busi ness of the State. Who ever saw Abner Coburn 10 146 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. in a bluster or fluster ? For what minutes of what day did he lose his bead? Where was the place? What the cause? News has been broken to him suddenly of the loss of tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars at one stroke. I have been assured that the bearer of the news could not detect in the tone of the voice, the look of the eye, or the expression of the face perplexity of mind or ruffle of sensibility. This calm and even movement in a mind so active and exact implies extraordinary compre hensiveness of view, and the clear conscious ness of such comprehensiveness. Not indeed as though temperament had nothing, had not much to do with it. It surely had. With him it was an important part, but not the main part. His was not so much the quiet of inertia as of intelligent assurance. It was not indifference. He could not be indifferent. It was not blind ness. Blind he was not. His intellect relied upon itself and he relied upon his intellect, because tho intellect had been found by itself and by him to be reliable; had been, in all affairs falling to its care, compelled so to act as to be worthy of trust — to leave nothing out of the account that should be taken into the ac count, to clear the fog and dust away from the THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 147 whole horizon so as to have a fair view all around. Besides we have abundant evidence of another sort, and more direct, to this compre hensiveness. He did not account himself and is not by others accounted as having been "liber ally" educated. He never went to college ; never fitted for college, even ; had no profes sional or technical training of any sort ; grew up largely in the woods, wholly in the country ; was not a book man, had no time to be, with a business like his own to care for. And yet he was keen-eyed, clear-eyed, broad-eyed, far-eyed enough to see the worth of all kinds and degrees of genuine education — the lower, the higher, technical, professional, all. He saw clearly and recognized with the emphasis of ample gifts — gifts of time, of thought, of counsel, and of money, — the value of all kinds and grades of educational institutions. He was not by pro fession a politician, or through special training a statesman. And yet he gave ample evidence that the underlying principles of government, State and National, had engaged his attention. His convictions were clear and positive. And when placed in the halls of legislation, the seat of a councillor, or the governor's chair, he was not at sea, but very much at home, — perhaps, 148 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. as governor, a little too much the master of the situation to suit the notion of such as would fain have done the business of the government in their own interest. He was not by profession a theologian, never even united with a church. But he was the owner of a Bible, had laid his mind, so clear and calm, to the mind of God as there revealed, had taken up into himself much of that book's truth, had looked into society near and far away and into individual life, and had marked how the book fitted life and what it had done and will do for life. And so few men were better listeners at church, few had sympa thies with religious work more profound and intelligent. His open hand has a thousand times been proof of this — his testimony to those with whom at times he spoke in confidence on such themes is to the same effect. What cause has not been brought to his attention for material aid? What good cause ever failed to gain his aid, which with him was the infallible sign that it had wou first his approval — for he could no more give at random than talk at random. Citizens of Skowhegan, you know full well and love to testify, that along with all the vast interests, private and public, that engaged his thought there was not an interest, great or small, THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 149 of his town and yours which did not command his intelligent consideration and his generous support. All this, with how much more of the same sort, gives evidence, is evidence of intel ligence of high order, of wide compass. What kind of a heart was in him? Was there any? This man whom we saw and knew, with out wife and children, so much alone and apart, so marble and statue like when in view , no flush of emotion on his cheek, no flash of passion in his eye, no gush of song ever escaping his lips, or gleeful laugh or shout of joy — this imper turbable, immobile man — is there in him heart, feeling, sensibility? Who shall dare to say yes? Nay, rather, who shall dare not to say yes. There is no magnet of hearts save heart, and what heart is here that was not drawn to him? When we call him friend, the name is not mere name. He gave how widely, never from cold policy. His heart moved his hand as his mind guided both. Look again upon that pas sionless face. Look upon it as it was in life, as it is even now and here in death, and see there benevolence, sweetness, sympathy, philanthropy. They who knew him best speak most emphat ically and lovingly of his heart. How near did it come to breaking when brother and nephew, 150 THE LIFE OF ABNBR COBURN. stay and hope of his life, went up together be fore him to their God and his ! Yet who that looked upon him, as a stranger might, could have dreamed of what was passing within ? No sign of that great sorrow. No sign saved to the practised eye. No sensibility in him forsooth? And yet I am assured by one who knows, that such was his attachment to his recent pastor that after his removal to an other State the bare mention of his name would start the unbidden tear. His home, being with out wife and children, was thus not completely home, and yet his home, how large, how loved, even here below, — his family circle not bounded by lines of blood relationship or of territorial limitation. His true home above — wide enough, genial enough, that home. Doubtless he could feel and retain indignation. His sense of justice, of injustice also, was keen and strong. He was sensitive, could resent, — resent, though qui etly, yet effectually. Doubtless, too, he had ambitions — strong, permanent, controlling. Why not? Would he have been good for anything without them ! Who is ? All this was not be cause he had not, but because he had, heart. Heart is not mere softness, sweetness, gentle ness. It is these, but it is also strength, force, THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 151 fire. It is something terrible when it masters reason ; something contemptible when there is no reason which may either master it or be mas tered by it. But the forces of the heart acting under and in and for reason, appearing through motive in wise achievement and wide benefac tion, in harmony among themselves and duly adjusted to all the other life forces, give to a life the beauty of dignity with sweetness and make a strong and lovely character. That he was eminent, pre-eminent, conspicu ous in power of will, in executive ability, is universally known — could not be questioned. We measure it by its achievements, and yet so measured it seems almost beyond measure, quite beyond the measure that most of us can use. To know what is required for such achievements, so vast, so diversified, so complicated, stretch ing continuously over so many decades, one must himself have had large experience in af fairs kindred in nature and amount, — experience not only large but successful. Had he done nothing but conduct his own private affairs, in such fashion as he did conduct them, his effi ciency, his work power, had been something egregious. We must remember that what he did he himself did. He put himself in no man's 152 TUE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. hand. In so far as the nature of the case would allow, he put his business in no man's hands, never let it slip from his grasp. Even the infi nite details of it, which, we would think, an other, or others (for not one other adequate could well have been found), might have per formed, he chose not only to watch, but to ex ecute, and this not merely in the vigor of early and mature manhood, when there was great reserve or surplus of physical strength, but to the last. These details seemed rather to rest than to worry or weary him. It was perhaps because of a change from the effort, if we may properly speak of any action of his as efort, — from tho effort of regarding and controlling the major affairs. All this, I say, holds even if we think only of his own private affairs. But our thought will not stop there. We must think of his relations to other interests, to civil government, to educa tional institutions, to railroad corporations, and to how much besides that was kindred in impor tance. But in none of these was he a mere name. If he was anywhere a silent partner or member, the silence was not that of inefficiency. He had a judgment and a will and he used both. This cannot be stated too strongly and its signifi- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 153 cance on our estimate of the man is obvious. But his power of will had still higher though less obtrusive expression. He could and did "rule his own spirit." With insight into men and things such as his, often dealt with in ways which might well vex, harass, and hurry to pas sion and wrong, how yet could he and did he bear. He gave to others their rights ; he would not reciprocate wrongs. He knew his own rights, and "knowing dared maintain." He al ways dared but not always did maintain, for he valued peace and the common good more than his own rights. His simple, unostentatious, quiet, dignified life, so well aware as he was of the consideration which money and official po sition command, was the manifestation of self- rule. While he could well measure the worth of all such things, he well knew that a man's true worth is what he is rather than what he has, in his manhood and not his money. I cannot doubt, from all that I have learned, that the crowning triumph of will had long ago been achieved by him in the submission of that will to the will of God, as revealed in Holy Scripture and in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For reasons known, perhaps, to him self, certainly to God, his confession of faith was 154 -THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. not by uniting with a church and observing its ordinances. It came in other ways and iu most express assertion by his own lips. I can imag ine what might have operated powerfully to keep back such an one as he from church mem bership. I cannot imagine him as making con fession of a faith which was not genuine. So has his rounded and balanced life complet ed itself. He inherited much from his parents. We may say that his opportunities were rare. He was not wholly self-made. No man is. Freely did he receive. Many and divers were the talents committed to him. He was a steward. I now that in his . later years at least he felt himself to be God's steward. He meant to be faithful. May we not say he was faithful? Per haps not ; that is not ours to say authoritatively and with full assurance of any man. This, how ever, we may say, that we have and cherish the. confident hope that last Sabbath morning in the unseen world his Lord and ours meeting and greeting him said, "Well done, good and faith ful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." His work here is ended. He leaves a vast void. Yet he still lives on earth, still works, how widely in the untraceable lines of perpet uated influence, as also in those which can be THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 155 traced back to him. He abides with us in the record of his life's work, in the memory of his character. You most nearly related to him as his kindred will fondly cherish this memory and its power in your lives. But we all, and how many thousands besides, will share with you this good. We shall especially cherish and carry this lesson, "The worth of man is in his manhood." Well has he taught it. May we well learn and live it. An impressive prayer by Rev. Joseph Ricker, D D., followed. Another hymn was sung by the choir, and President Pepper pronounced the benediction. The casket was then opened and an oppor tunity was given to all who wished to looked for the last time on the familiar features of the de ceased. For more than half an hour men, women, and children filled past the casket. Tho remains were then removed to the family burial place, not far from the church, and there laid away in the spot which Gov. Coburn had himself selected as his last resting place. GOVERNOR COBURN'S MONUMENT. Anticipating his early decease, Governor Co- burn, prior to his death, had prepared a suitable 156 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. monument to mark his earthly resting place. This shaft, designed by Judge James B. Das comb, who had entire supervision of the work, was completed May 30th, 1884, at a cost of six thousand dollars. A most beautiful piece of handiwork, it will stand for ages to indicate the spot where lies the dust of the great good man. Conspicuously free from verbiage, this shaft, in its beautiful simplicity, is an eternal reminder of the purity of the ufe of him whose memory it commemorates. It suggests the lines, "Praises on tomb-stones are words but idly spent ; A man's good name is his best monument." CHAPTER VII. The last Will and Testament of Abner Coburn. Full Text of the Document. Over One Million Dollars bestowed on Public Institutions. The Generous Gifts of a Generous Giver. Private Bequests. Incidents. Below is presented the Full Text of the Will of the late Ex-Governor Abner Coburn. By its terms over a million dollars are bequeathed to Public Institutions, besides many private be quests. The thoughtful spirit that impelled Mr. Coburn to give so liberally to public chari ties ; to the endowment of institutions of learn ing, to the missions of Christianity and to the poor of his native town, is but a fair illustra tion of the character of the man. Long will the name of this philanthropic donor be kindly remembered by the citizens of Somerset County, — particularly those of Skowhegan. The Court 158 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. House of Somerset County, located at Skowhe gan, is a munificent gift to the County by Mr. Coburn. The actual cost of this handsome edifice amounted to $40,000.00. Although Mr. Coburn was exceedingly liberal to the public, yet he did not neglect his family connections. Those who had the right to expect from him a recognition have been most gener ously provided for : THE WILL. Be it known that I, Abner Coburn of Skow hegan, County of Somerset and State of Maine, being of sound disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my last Will and Testa ment, as follows, viz : — First — I give aud bequeath to the Maine In sane Hospital at Augusta, Fifty Thousand Dollars, the same to be funded and the income only to be expended annually. Second — I give and bequeath to the Maine General Hospital at Portland, One Hundred Thousand Dollars. Third — I give and bequeath to the Maine State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, One Hundred Thousand Dollars — the same to be funded and the income only expended annually. Fourth — I give and bequeath to .Colby Uni- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 159 versity Two Hundred Thousand Dollars — One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars of which to be funded and the income only to be ex pended annually. Fifth — I give and bequeath to the American Baptist Home Mission Society, Two Hundred Thousand Dollars — one-half of which to be ap plied in aid of Freedmen's Schools, (other than Waj'land Seminary.) Sixth — I give and bequeath to the Way land Seminary, at Washington, D. C, in memory of my deceased sister, Fidelia C. Brooks, late mis sionary to Africa, and Mary A. Howe, late teach er in the Seminary, Fifty Thousand Dollars. Seventh — I give and bequeath to the American Baptist Missionary Union, for a Judson Memo rial Fund, One Hundred Thousand Dollars. Eighth — I give and bequeath to the Maine Baptist Convention, for Missionary and Relig ious Work in the State, One Hundred Thousand Dollars. Ninth — I give and bequeath to the Waterville Classical Institute, iu addition to what I have already donated, as much as will amount in the whole, to One Hundred Thousand Dollars — one-half of which to be funded and the income only to be expended annually. 160 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. Tenth — 1 give and bequeath to Houlton Acad emy, to increase its Endowment Fund, Five Thousand Dollars. Eleventh — I give and bequeath to The Maine Industrial School for Girls, at Hallowell, Five Thousand Dollars. Twelfth — I give and bequeath to the Baptist Church and Society in Skowhegan, for a per manent fund, Eighteen Thousand Dollars. Thirteenth — I give and bequeath to Bloom field Academy to open the same free of tuition, to the public, Seven Thousand Dollars. Fourteenth — I give and bequeath to the Trus tees of Bloomfield Academy, to be appropriated at their discretion in funding a Free Public Library in the Town of Skowhegan, Thirty Thousand Dollars. Fifteenth — I give and bequeath to the Town of Skowhegan, for the worthy and* unfortunate Poor, and to save them from pauperism, to be funded, and one-half of the income of the same to be expended by a Ladies' Aid Society, formed for that purpose, Twenty Thousand Dol lars. Sixteenth — I give and devise to the town of Skowhegan, all that part of the Russell Lot, that lies South of Water Street, in said Skow- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 161 began, for a Public Park, to have and to hold the same, to the said Town forever, for that purpose. Seventeenth — I give and bequeath to the Skow hegan Hall Association, in part to secure a lib eral policy in respect to the use of the Hall for objects of public interest, Fifteen Thousand Dollars. Eighteenth — I give and bequeath to Sarah B. Coburn, Five Thousand Dollars. Nineteenth — I give and bequeath to Eleanor L. Turner, Five Thousand Dollars. Twentieth — I give and bequeath to Helen S. Coburn, Five Thousand Dollars. Twenty-first — I give and bequeath to George H. Ray, Three Thousand Dollars. Twenty-second — I give and bequeath to Aaron Parker, One Thousand Dollars. Twenty-third — I give and bequeath to Payson Tucker, George H. Ray, Z. A. Smith, Charles F. Weston, Greenlief A. Wilbur, George N. Page and James B. Dascomb, One Thousand Dollars each, as a token of regard and friendly feeling toward them. The residue of my Estate, of whatever kind, and wherever situate, I give and devise to my kindred as follows, viz • 11 162 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. To the children of my deceased sister, Eliza C. Marston, the children of my deceased brother, Samuel W. Coburn, and the children of my deceased brother, Stephen Coburn, in equal parts — provided that the share of Alonzo C. Marston shall be held in trust by him for his son, Abner Paul Marston, and that said Alonzo C. Marston shall have full power to sell, convey and reinvest for the benefit of the said son, during his minority, on giving Bonds as testamentary trustee. I will and direct that all the above legacies and bequests shall be paid within five years from the Probate of this Will, and that interest at the rate of four per cent, per annum shall be com puted on said specified legacies and bequests, in two years from said Probate. And that upon whatever payments are made previous to the said two years, a discount at the same rate shall be made. I hereby authorize and empower my Executors to operate upon, manage, sell and convey such portions of my Estate, as they may deem neces sary to carry out the provisions of this Will. And lastly, I do constitute and appoint James B. Dascomb, Russel B. Shepherd, George N. Page, Charles Danforth and Levi W. Weston, THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 163 Executors of this my last Will and Testament — hereby revoking all former Wills by me made — and I further direct that the Executors of this my last Will and Testament give their personal Bond without Sureties. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this twelfth day of December A. D. 1882. ABNER COBURN. An examination of Gov. Coburn's effects by the executors brought out some of his peculiar ities more clearly than anything else could, and emphasized his natural shrewdness. Among his effects are very many interest-bearing notes for small sums of money against as many different persons. At first thought one would look upon these as an evidence of a grasping rather than a benevolent disposition, but when it is recollect ed that he was beset by beggars of every quality it is easy to see that this plan was adopted to free himself from further importunities by the same individuals. So long as he held an over due note against an impecunious person it is safe to say he hardly ever sought any further favorsv There were, however, people around him whom one would have supposed ¦ he would 164 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. have been sure to have remembered because of the care taken for his personal comfort, but whose names were unmentioned in his Will. Had he believed he was so soon to pass away from the scenes of this world he would doubt less have personally remembered their services before it was too late. The amount of the estate left by Gov. Coburn it is impossible to determine because of the char acter of the investments. The value of his lands, which constitute the bulk of his property, depends almost entirely upon the manner of their conversion. A glance at the foregoing Instrument, will demonstrate the fact that Abner Coburn's inten tion was to give his great wealth to the most commendable cause known to man — charity. Charity for the poor, charity for the sick ; charity for the ignorant and unfortunate. The helpless orphan comes in for a share of his bounty, while even the untutored heathen is not forgotten. Church and school are most liberally endowed ; opening a way to high mental and moral training for thousands yet to come. Although it is not definitely certain that Mr. Coburn heartily sympathized with the early agitators of abolitionism, yet it is to be inferred THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 165 that his sympathy for the emancipated race was deep and sincere. The very large amount of money bequeathed to their interests is an indis putable evidence of his desire to see the Freed men elevated to a proper standard of citizenship through the medium of mental and moral train ing. The Missionary Society that he so liberally endowed will, doubtless, long remember the name and revere the memory of their departed friend. All other institutions mentioned in his Will, no doubt will unceasingly enjoy the bless ings bestowed upon them by Abner Coburn. The Maine General Hospital has been a re cipient of his especial bounty. This institution is an honor to humanity, and an honor to the State of Maine, and the city of Portland in which it is located ; a haven of rest to the invalid and needy, and, like similar institutions in other sections of the country, an honor to the Union. Two Hundred Thousand Dollars has been bestowed on this Hospital. Could any gift have been more wisely bestowed? Should the name and fame of any man be held in higher esteem than that of the good Samaritan whose sympathy for his fellow man led him to perform such noble deeds in the interest of 166 THE LIFE OF ABNKR COBURN. humanity ? As we review the long list of char itable bequests contained in the Will of Mr. Coburn, we are stricken with admiration for the man whose noble soul preferred the com mon weal, rather than that a few should enjoy the blessings of his toil. The great bulk of Mr. Coburn's wealth was found to consist in real estate, a very large per centage of which is situate in his native State. This is soon to be so disposed of as to enable the legatees of the Will to enjoy the blessings conferred upon them. With no children of his own to inherit his vast accumulations ; with no descendant bear ing his honored name to share his wealth and perpetuate his memory, Mr. Coburn gave back to the people of his nativity the temporary- bless ings which he had derived from and enjoyed in their midst. We refrain from further comment upon the disposition of his immense fortune, feeling that we are utterly incompetent to do justice to the motives which prompted him to so dispose of his fortune. It is, however, a pleasing thought that perchance the subject of our commentary, from a higher sphere, looks down approvingly upon the past and reflects the smiles of nature's THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 167 nobleman upon those who commend the worthy course which he thought proper to pursue. To those whose selfish instincts debar them from enjoying a thorough appreciation of his philan thropy, we suggest the familiar lines : "111 fares the land to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay.'' CHAPTER VIII. Peculiarities of Abner Coburn. The Coburn House. Its History. A Friend to the Poor. The Skowhegan Park. The Maine Insane Asylum. Governor Coburn's munificent gift to the Institution. Incidents and Rem iniscences of Mr. Coburn. Is chosen President of the Electors from Maine to the National Electoral College of 1884. Hon. John S. Case. — His Tribute. Eulogistic Contributions by Hon. Daniel F. Davis, Professor M. C. Fernald and other distinguished personages. PECULIARITIES OF THE EX-GOVERNOR. It is believed that the late Ex-Governor Co- burn had done more for various societies of the Baptist persuasion than any other one man in Maine. More than twenty different churches have been the recipients of his bounty. When ever any society of the above denomination was in want of means to conduct its affairs successfully, an appeal was invariably made to Abner Coburn. Seldom, if ever, did he refuse to render the re- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 169 quired assistance. Before his death, it is stated, he gave outright over $20,000 towards defray ing the obligations of as many churches. One marked peculiarity of Mr. Coburn was the studied reticence he invariably assumed. What ever he did, from a standpoint of charity, no one ever knew from his lips. By this means he en joyed the full confidence of many. When a de serving suppliant went to Abner Coburn and poured into his ever attentive ear the fullness of grief or misfortune, it was with an assurance that the world would never learn of the secret woe. So guarded in fact was Mr. Coburn, even about his own affairs, that his most intimate friends were never taken into his confidence. Although the weight of years hung heavily upon him, and he must have realized that his journey was well nigh ended, still he failed to enlighten those who were to represent him after he had gone. His most intimate friend, Judge James B. Dascomb, knew no more of the affairs of Govern or Coburn, at the hour of his death, than any one of those with whom the Governor had a mere speaking acquaintance. Two years prior to his death, he made his Will. Judge Dascomb was appointed one of his executors, yet, from Mr. Coburn's lips, he never knew it. Only after the 170 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. death of the Governor he became cognizant of the confidence his old friend had placed in him. When Judge Dascomb entered upon the duties of his executorship, the only knowledge of the affairs of the estate he could derive came from the officers of the Bank, whose President Mr. Coburn had been. HOW THE COBURN HOUSE CAME TO BE BUILT. Several years ago Mr. Haines, the present pro prietor of the above named hotel — which hy the way is an ornament to the town and au honor to its surroundings — kept a small Hotel in Skow hegan, known as the Skowhegan House. This was a very old and unattractive inn. Mr. Haines decided to remodel the old house, make eome slight addition to it, and continue business there. Not very far from this site, was a fine unoccupied location, which offered every advantage for the erection of a large and commodious building. Such an edifice would enhance the value of the adjacent property and greatly beautify the street. When Abner Coburn learned of the intention of Mr. Haines to remodel the old house, which was in an unsightly neigborhood, he divined the idea of persuading him to abandon the project. He knew that the landlord's means were lim ited and therefore made the following flattering THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 171 proposal : The handsome lot on which the Co- burn House now stands was valued at Five Thousand Dollars. He declared that he would pay one-half of the above sura for the lot, pro vided the citizens would subscribe the other half, and present it to Mr. Haines as a special induce ment to build upon the site. His proposition was accepted by both the citizens and Mr. Haines. The lot was purchased and the present command ing structure erected. It bears the generous philanthropist's name in honor of that act. It is said that Abner Coburn took as much interest in every detail, concerning the plans and building of this hotel, as if it were his own. In reality he had no interest whatever in it, save the general advancement of his fellow citizen who was worthy of his kindly esteem and confidence. The Coburn House is one of the finest contrived hotels in Maine. It is an ornament to the town of Skowhegan and an honor to its projector. A FRIEND TO THE POOR. Can any act be more touchingly thoughtful than the generous donation of $20,000 to provide for the deserving poor of Skowhegan, in the event any one of his fellow citizens should become financially reduced and be compelled to appeal to the town for aid? 172 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. To be poor is not a crime, but to become a pauper invariably engenders social ostracism aud weaves about the name of the unfortunate victim an inferiority which is difficult to overcome ever afterwards. It opens the avenue of that neglect from which many a superior man has suffered so cial death. It gives to any who may not be pecu niarily embarrassed, yet whose morals may be of the lowest cast, a license to shun, and even insult the innocent offspring of its victim. Many a sen sitive mind through the adversities of poverty has been driven to the verge of despair, — wretched ness. The tenderer feelings of the intelligent poor are not unfrequently lacerated by the vicis situdes which poverty breeds ; and many a crime has been bred through the influence of hunger and neglect. Few people are born criminals or with a dis position tending toward degradation, yet poverty and hunger have dragged the lofty minds of noble men and women down to the very dust, and stamped upon their once happy brow deep traces of despair. Scorn and neglect have joined forces to produce a desperation foreign to the natu ral instinct of man, causing the victim to per petrate deeds of darkness and disgrace which make him infamous in the eyes of all. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 173 Thousands have felt the gnawing pangs of hun ger ; multitude is the name of those who have shivered in their tattered garmeuts, shoeless and homeless, preferring to beg from door to door, rather than call upon the guardians of the poor for succor. And why? Because the moment the appeal is made social ostracism commands its sway and the helpless victim is shunned, — dis graced. Many an immoral act has been the offshoot of poverty. Many a deserving woman's honor has been sacrificed, simply to provide the necessary means of sustenance and to escape the horror of being branded a pauper. Against any in his native Town ever being brought to this stress, in the kindness of his heart, this man has provided. He knew how to sympathize with those in humble circumstances ; how to arouse the sympathy and endear the hearts of an honest yeomanry to principles of right and philanthropy. The giving to this and succeeding generations the magnificent sum of $20,000, to keep them upon an equal footing with all men, has drawn about his memory an undying appreciation. The little ones of today, in years to come, will tell of the good man's deeds, to their children, and thus succeeding generations shall 174 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. keep ever fresh and green the memory of Abner Coburn, the poor man's friend. THE SKOWHEGAN PARK. By the terms of Governor Coburn's Will the Town of Skowhegan is bequeathed a lot of land to be converted into a Public Park. By some it is claimed that the locality of the land designed for this purpose is so remote from the central in terests of the village that it may be found inex pedient to improve it ; that it is uufitted for the purpose for which it has been devised. When Abner Coburn was a boy the present flourishing village of Skowhegan — the sitely and thrifty infant city on the upper Kennebec — was unknown. Now it is of commanding influence; the seat of one of the most flourishing shoe manufacturing establishments in the State ; two banks ; two of the finest hotels in Maine, printing presses, and various public edifices of beauty and fame, besides many elegant private residences. Among the public buildings are the Court House of Somerset county, and Coburn Hall, the for mer a gift to the county by Mr. Coburn. If in the course of years, within the recollection of the present inhabitants, Skowhegan has been developed as above intimated, it is not unnatural to presume that in the course of a few more dec- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 175 ades it will have extended its limits far beyond the bounds of the district devised by Mr. Coburn, for a park. The observations of the donor, doubt less, led him to this conclusion, and prompted him to designate the plot in the locality named in the Will. THE MAINE INSANE ASYLUM. Of all the unfortunate stages of human ex istence, the most harrowing to mankind is that occupied by any who may have been, from whatever cause, bereft of the sense of reason. In the bloom of manhood, and in the flower of maidenly beauty ; in the maturer years of appreciation, without warning, men and women are stricken down with a malady that robs them of the power of exercising their mental faculties. Any who are thus afflicted are totally helpless to care for themselves, and the dictates of humanity impel society to care for the wants of such unfortunate victims. That this may be humanely accomplished, Asylums have been erected in every civilized community. The State of Maine is not behind its sisters in this respect, and its citizens are deservingly proud of their humane institution. Abner Co- burn, in his sympathetic heart, was among the 176 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. number who pointed with pride to this haven of refuge for those whose lives have been ob scured by the foul hand of this terrible mon ster. He looked also into the future, and see ing the possibility of an increase in the num ber of those who may be touched by this leprosy, gave freely of his worldly store to make comfortable its victims. Fifty thousand dollars is especially set apart by Mr. Coburn as an endowment fund to be expended upon this Hospital. The helpless inmates; the men and women of Maine who occupy a living tomb, could they appreciate the gift of the man, would, in tones of appreciative sincerity, bless the name of him who has thus remembered them. didn't want it. Mr. Coburn at one time had in his employ a contractor who was a poor manager. Fully equipped, Mr. Coburn sent him in the woods one winter to get logs. He had a large crew under him that Mr. Coburn had supplied for the season's work. When the men broke camp in the spring and the manager came to Mr. Coburn for final adjustment of his accounts, it was found that he was over $500.00 in debt to his employer. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 177 Mr. Coburn was obliged to take his note in settlement. When the next season came around the same contractor applied to Mr. Coburn for another job. This he declined to give, but remarked, "You have been unfortunate and have a large family to support, I will help yon. Here is the note I hold against you, I make you a present of it." "No I thank you," responded the debt or, "I don't want it. I had rather owe you and get another job, that will carry me through the winter." It is needless to say he got it. MR. COBURN'S LAST OFFICIAL ACT. Mr. Coburn was a great personal friend and admirer of the Hon. James G. Blaine.' Hav ing been au ardent Republican from the incep tion of the party principle, he was named as one of the electors to be voted for at the national election of 1884. Maine having chosen Republican electors, Mr. Coburn was made chairman of the college. Arriving at Augusta the Board proceeded with its duties. Very soon after the members as sembled, Mr. Coburn was taken suddenly sick and had to be borne to his hotel. This was the last public service he ever rendered. Hon. John S. Case, of Rockland, being elected to 12 178 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. fill the vacancy, upon assuming the duties of this distinguished position, said .* (lentlemen of the Electoral College: For the honor you have extended me I thank you most cordially and sincerely. Through your generosity and kindness I have been as signed to a most pleasant duty, that of presid ing over the deliberations of the Electoral Col lege of our State, and though I regard it as a very great personal compliment, yet I regarded it a much greater honor to join yesterday in extending the same courtesy to the venerable ex-Gov. Coburn, who has been suddenly strick en and now lies dangerously ill at his hotel in this city. It is hoped he may be restored to his usual health and spared yet awhile longer to the people of our State who have known him so long, and who have loved him so well for his many noble and generous traits of character. The foregoing testimonial, from the Hon. Daniel F. Davis, Ex-Governor of Maine will be read with much interest by the many friends of the late Ex-Governor Coburn and himself. The reference made to Mr. Coburn's loyalty to the THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 179 Union cause, during the late war, will at once interest the reader and arouse a sympathetic respect for the memory of the man who loved his common country as well as his native State. For his prompt response to our appeal, asking that he add a word of tribute to the name of the dead Ex-Governor, Gov. Davis has our sincere thanks. GOVERNOR DAVIS' COMMUNICATION. Bangor, March 30, 1885. Mr. Chas. E. Williams. Dear Sir: — I knew the late Gov. Coburn during the last years of his life and from my acquaintance with him' was strongly impressed with his native force of character. His mind was active and eminently practical. His know ledge of human nature was excellent and through a long life he rarely made mistakes in his esti mates of men. He was well informed on the leading questions in our national political history, and kept well abreast of the progress of events. He took much pleasure iu discussing all questions that stirred the public mind. He had great faith in the stability of our Gov ernment and was a patriot in the fullest' sense of the word. 180 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. No conversation was more pleasing to him than that which pertained to the success of the Union cause in the Great War of the Rebellion, and he took pride in the part which his native Slate acted in the contest. On one occasion when a guest at his house I remember of listening with much interest while he recounted to me his feelings as he sat behind President Lincoln when he delivered the immor tal oration at Gettysburg. He seemed deeply moved by the memories of that event and in his quiet w*ay feelingly told me the impressions niade, upon his mind on that occasion. He earnestly spoke of the dead President, of the crowd of people assembled and of the eager ness with which all listened to the President's words. He then referred to the Battle of Gettysburg and especially dwelt upon the part which the soldiers of Maine took in that struggle. On other occasions, at his home, and as I met him from time to time, I could but note his anxiety in regard to the questions growing out of tho War and his solicitude for the public welfare. Ilis deep interest in Education has long been THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 181 known to the people of this State but it remained for his Will, made public since his death, to show how deep and real that interest was. Rarely has any State had a better friend to the cause of Education and for all time the people of Maine, blessed by his munificence, will hold in pleasant and grateful remembrance the name of Abner Coburn. Mr. Coburn was a man who under all circum stances, acted himself. He hated shams in every form and as his own acts were prompted by honest motives he could not tolerate deceit in others. His mode of dealing was direct and to the point and his judgment was the very best. Plain common sense characterized his whole course in life. As a business man 'he ranked among the first in the State and in his death Maine loses one of her best and foremost citizens. Very Respectfully, Daniel F. Davis. Below will be found a very pleasing commu nication from President M. C. Fernald of the Agricultural College. Perhaps President Fer nald was as intimate with many of the kindly 182 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. traits of Mr. Coburn's character as any other gentleman in the State who held, at the time of the death of Mr. Coburn, a prominent position in any one of the institutions over which the Ex-Governor had a kindly eye and a watchful guardianship. president fernald's communication. State College, Orono, Me. Feb. 24, 1885. Chas. E. Williams, Esq. My Dear Sir: — A pressure of other duties has prevented an earlier reply to your favor of the 14th inst. It gives me pleasure, however, to respond to it, by referring, although but briefly, to ex-Gov. Coburn's relations to this College. My acquaintance with him began in 1868 when the College was opened to students, at which time he was President of the Board of Trustees. He came into the Board in 1867 by appointment of the Governor and served as its President for twelve consecutive j-ears, retiring from it in 1879 after serving out, in full, the record term of his appointment. A statute limi tation of age stood in the way of a subsequent appointment. His steadfastness and devotion to the inter- the life of abner coburn. 183 ests of the College were shown by the fact that, however urgent the demands of his private busi ness, he did not fail to attend any important meeting of the Board during this period of twelve years. It is almost needless to say that his counsel, in all matters of moment pertain ing to the College, was eagerly sought and that it was always found to be wise and helpful. 1 hazard nothing in saying that those who had the honor to be associated with him in the Board would bear ready testimony to the state ment that, at all times, he had their fullest con fidence and that he was regarded by them, and by all friends of the College as a steadying and uplifting force in its interest, throughout the State. His fidelity to this Institution was exhibited not only by prompt attendance upon the meet ings of the Board and due attention to the local affairs of the College, but also by his presence before Legislative committees when appropri ations were sought and by the most timely con tributions from his own resources. His gener osity was directed not more to worthy objects than to those special channels of benevolence in which his money would be productive of the largest good, and it was characteristic of him 184 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. that his gifts were always bestowed in the most quiet and unassuming manner. A single inci dent may serve for illustration. In 1876, he was present during the exercises of Commence ment day at Orono. At the concert in the evening, soon after my arrival in the Hall, I was informed that Gov. Coburn desired to speak with me. On responding to his sum mons, he drew from his pocket a roll of bank. bills and selecting one of one hundred dollars, then another of the same value and then a third of fifty dollars, placed the three in my hands, remarking at the same time, "you may put that amount into the Library." He had previously sent checks to the amount of fifteen hundred dollars for the College Library, and he continued to give it aid to the time of his death. He regarded money expended for this pur pose as especially well devoted. In a letter which I received from him Dec. 30, 1882, en closing a check for books, he indicated his rec- ognition of the value of frequent additions to the Library by writing "I think well of keeping this branch of the College in fair running order." From the income which may be derived from his munificent gift, recently made by Will, to THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 185 the College, it would seem only fitting that a certain sum should be set apart and be devoted annually to replenishing the Library, and thus in his own words to "keeping this branch of the College in fair running order." It should not be understood that his interest in the college was limited to any one depart ment. He believed in it as a whole, in its full sense and scope. He especially apprecieated the practical features of the Institution and gave them his most hearty endorsement. lt was his money which at the time rendered the introduction of the system of shop instruc tion, possible. He clearly foresaw what has since transpired, that, with the system once fairly started, its merits would so commend it, that the State would come to its aid and enable the college to develope it in a fairly liberal measure. Other departments of the college have, from the first, likewise profited from his thoughtful- ness and liberality ; not so much from the gift of large sums as from timely aid so judiciously rendered as to bridge the difficulties which seemed to beset them. His last visit to the college was in 1879, after his retirement from the Board of Trustees. 186 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. He came to attend commencement exercises in redemption of a partial promise made months before ; although the visit involved the deferring of a railroad meeting in Portland, at which his presence was of importance and which was to have occurred on the same day. His relations to the college from its organ ization were so kindly and I may add, perhaps, without impropriety, to myself personally, so cordial, that all my remembrances of him are of the most pleasant character. On the evening of July 29, 1884, I made a brief call upon him at his home in Skowhegan. It was the last time I saw him alive. He made special inquiry in regard to all those who had been associated with him in the Board of Trustees, in regard to the members of the Faculty and their families, also in regard to all departments of the college, and evinced the same interest in its welfare which he was wont to manifest when more actively associated with it. In closing this brief and imperfect note of reference to one so worthy and so honorable, I desire to say that it is with a grateful apprecia tion of his generous and philanthropic nature that I recall his munificence not only to this In stitution but to many others, in this State and THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 187 in others, in which he has established for himself the most enduring memorials. With kindest regards Iain, Yours very truly, M. C. Fernald, The life of Abner Coburn affords ample opportunity for illustration. To the youth of Maine it is a living example from which they may copy. There are thousands' of young men in the State today who, with as many advanta ges as possessed by Mr. Coburn, are idling away the precious hours of their youth, vainly hoping that some good fortune may be thrown in their path without a personal effort on their own part to bring it about. Abner Coburn did not tarry by the wayside of life, neither did he allow the weeds of idle pleasure to distract his mind from the obligation enjoined upon man to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. With a heart for any fate ; with a determined and invincible will to conquer misfortune ; with a humane smile of sympathy for all, he hammered away at obdurate misfortune until at last, victorious, he showed to the world what energy, perseverance, and persistence could accomplish. 188 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. The business tact displayed by Mr. Coburn was very remarkable. When disappointment checked any plan which he had matured, and cast to the winds some scheme by which he might have averted a financial crisis, Abner Coburn did not falter, as numbers had done before him. The effect of disaster was only stronger stimulant, which proved to be an incentive through which he could contrive some other avenue of escape. "It is a little singular," says one commentator, "that business defeat was invariably turned to financial advantage by Abner Coburn." Many active self-made men who climb so high up the ladder of fame as did Governor Coburn are apt to display a weakness. He did not. The modest retirement of his nature clung to him even when he occupied the highest gift in the province of the people of his native State to bestow. The humblest citizen could approach him with the same confidence that the most exalted might assume. There was no arrogance about the man, but simplicity of nature charac terized his every action, adding to his popularity as well as to the ease of others while in his presence. Fully appreciating the lack of a thorough THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 189 business and classical education, which know ledge he derived from sad experience, Mr. Coburn turned his attention chiefly to Schools and Colleges. An article from the gifted pen of President M. C. Fernald of the State Agri cultural College in which he mentions an illus trative instance of Mr. Coburn's idea of keeping the library well stocked with books, fully ver ifies the conclusion that Abner Coburn had made up his mind to assist others in the enjoy ment of useful information, although deprived in his own youth of such an advantage. Not only did he believe in a thorough clas sical training, but a thorough moral training as well. If the exact figures could be produced, it would be astonishing to enumerate the num ber of thousands of dollars he bestowed upon various christian denominations. Prior to his death Mr. Coburn had given with a liberal hand, and by the terms of his Will nearly Five Hundred Thousand Dollars have been left as legacies to various organizations engaged in Christian work. There are several fine struc tures in Maine that were built at the expense of Mr. Coburn, and presented to the public. Among these we recall the Baptist Church,, in his native Town of Skowhegan ; for the erection 190 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. of which he subscribed eighteen thousand dollars ; also Coburn Hall, a large and commo dious building. This hall, the Court House of Somerset County- and a similar hall at Water ville, are all gifts to the people by this generous donor. Some men have expressed the opinion that in the giving of such munificent sums of mon ey, Mr. Coburn hoped to gain public notoriety and the homage of the people ; but, when is coupled with his public gifts, the fact that he gave most liberally to the worthy poor, where the world never knew of his bounty, the theory set up by any who fain would criticise his motive falls to the ground. If has been hinted that Abner Coburn became the victim of influence ; that a certain christian denomination wielded over him such power as to lead him to devise a large proportion of his vast estate to the interest of that sect. This, it is claimed, shows an unphilanthropic spirit. The facts and optional privileges of a freeman do not bear out the truth of the charge. Iu the first place, Mr. Coburn had the indisput able right to dispose of his property in any manner he deemed wise. This paramount pre- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBUBN. 191 rogative, in itself, is a sufficient defense against any criticism that may be made. But when the actual disposition of his prop erty by Will, and his liberality before his death, is taken into account a showing is made that should forever silence every one. His gifts to the State Insane Asylum, the Children's Home for Girls, at Hallowell, the Court House of Som erset County, the splendid bequest of Two Hun dred Thousand Dollars to the Maine Gen eral Hospital, and many more endowments of a most liberal nature all refute the criticisms of those who are inclined to stricturize his motives. In a word, it is our belief, that Abner Coburn gave wisely, and well. That Mr. Coburn thought proper to further the interests of Christian humanity, through the medium of that faith which he mostly admired, was only his right, and natural inclination. His entrusting to the Baptist Society the dis tribution of half a million dollars for the pur pose of disseminating the teachings of the Bible, and for the purposes of maintaining institutions of learning was an indisputable privi lege which none have a right to gainsay. It has been also remarked with surprise by many, that he failed to remember his friends 192 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. as perchance some others might have done. On this point many arguments might be ad duced to silence the disappointment of those who looked forward to the enjoyment of the spoils of a long life's accumulation. Perhaps, as has been suggested, had Mr. Co- burn have realized the shortness of time inter vening between himself and the grave, he might have made some provision for those who seem to be disappointed, but it is not probable. If a man is to measure friendship from a stand point of dollars and cents ; and enjoy only the kindly esteem of those, for whose good will he pays a price, then it is better not to enjoy friendship. Where a sinister, or mercenary motive prompts us to look after the interest of our friends, poor indeed is the friendship. For any who had a right, by the ties of blood, or others whom he held in high regard, Abner Coburn made ample provision to convince the most skeptical, that he was not unmindful of his obligations. No one else had the shadow of right upon which to base a claim upon his bounty. His public bequests, through whatever medium he thought proper to bestow them, are monu- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 193 ments to his credit which will long remain an honor to his memory. A partial description of the many conven iences attached to some of the Literary and Humane Institutions of the State in which Abner Coburn always displayed great interest and most liberally gave of his wealth, are deemed worthy of honorable mention in this biography. It had been long conceded that the Maine General Hospital would be much improved by an addition to its commodious apartments as the growing number of applications from year to year indicated that many unfortunates would seek shelter and care beneath its roof. It was therefore decided to build an addi tional compartment to the Hospital, and the able corps of officers at once issued an appeal to the friends of the Institution for means wherewith to carry on the work. Among those who promptly responded to the demand, was Governor Coburn, who subscribed one thousand dollars. The following extract from the report of the Board of Managers may be found of interest to our readers : "The amphitheatre building is placed thirty 13 194 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. feet back of the wing of the hospital, and is connected with it by a corridor. It projects some thirty feet beyond the wing to the east. It is a plain, substantial structure of brick, fifty feet square, and three stories in height, with slated roof and metallic gutters. The base ment story, nine feet high, contains seven rooms, which are so. arranged as to be available in the treatment of out-patients, whenever the time comes for us to occupy that field of charity. In the meantime they can be used, and will be indispensable in connection with the training school for nurses, which we expect soon to have in operation. The amphitheatre proper occupies the great er part of the second and third stories, being thirty-five feet in height to the skylight in the roof. It is well lighted and ventilated, con veniently arranged, and will seat comfortably at least two hundred persons. Adjoining it, in the second story, are bath rooms for patients, an etherizing room, and other offices usually appurtenant to an amphitheatre. On this floor there is also a smaller operating-room for use, where students are not admitted. Above these, in the third 6tory, are additional chambers, one of which will probably be devoted to a patho- THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 195 logical museum, the apartment designed for that purpose in the central building having long since been required for other uses. In our expenditures upon this building, we have endeavored to consult a wise economy. Solidity and permanence of structure have been insisted upon and attained. Unnecessary out lay has been avoided, for our means would not allow of any approach to extravagance. Yet its exterior is in harmony with the surroundings, and we feel assured that its interior arrange ments will prove satisfactory. To the generous friends, whose contributions to the building fund have given us these various improvements, we are deeply indebted. COLBY UNIVERSITY. This institution was incorporated, with col legiate powers, by the first Legislature of Maine in 1820, under the name of Waterville College. It had received from Massachusetts in 1803, a charter as a literary and theological institution, and went into operation as such in 1818. The original corporators were all Baptists of the Dis trict of Maine. The first president of the cor poration was Rev. Jeremiah Chaplin, D. D., who served the college in that position until 1833. Prior to 1866 the college had no endow- 196 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. ment. By the generous gift at that time of $50,000 from Mr. Gardner Colby of Boston, the friends of the institution and the denomina tion in the State were prompted to establish an endowment fund of $200,000. This fund has been increased by several gifts and legacies, including a bequest of $120,000 from Mr. Colby. The present name of the institution was adopted by vote of the Board of Trustees and ratified by the Legislature in 1867. The first class was graduated from the college in 1822. The whole number of the Alumni as given in the General Catalogue for 1882, was 730, of whom 536 were then living. A large proportion of these were engaged in literary pursuits and profession life. The number of ordained clergymen is 219, the number of law yers 158, of physicians 44. The profession of teaching has employed 120, including 7 Presi dents of colleges and 34 Professors. In the war of the Rebellion, 65 of the Alumni entered the service, and the Tablet in Memorial Hall records the names of 20 Alumni and undergraduates who fell in that war. In 1874 it was voted to admit young women to the courses of study, and eleven were graduated between 1878 and 1883. THE LIKE OF ABNER COBURN. 197 LOCATION. The Uuiversity is located at Waterville, on the Kennebec River, nineteen miles above the State capital. The college buildings occupy an extensive campus in the northern part of the village between College Street and ' the river. Directly opposite is the station of the Maine Central Railroad, two of whose principal branches cross here, making Waterville easily accessible by rail. The town has long enjoyed the reputation of being one of the pleasantest and healthiest places of residence in the State. THE BUILDINGS. Chaplin Hall, so named in memory of the venerated first President, Rev. Jeremiah Chap lin, D. D., and South College have recently been so thoroughly renovated as to be substan tially new buildings. They furnish the dormito ries for the students. Chaplin Hall is heated throughout with steam. Champlin Hall, so named in recognition of the distinguished services of the late President, Rev. J. T. Champlin, D.D., LL.D., supplies the large, well ventilated, and cheerful recita tion rooms. Coburn Hall, so named in acknowledgement of benefactions from one of the most liberal 198 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. friends of the college, Hon. Abner Coburn, is entirely devoted to the use of the Department of Chemistry and Natural History. The build ing is of rough quarry stone, with granite trimmings, the walls being 56x48 feet, and 41 feet high. On the first floor are the Lecture room, Laboratories, and Apparatus rooms. On the second floor are work rooms for students in Natural History, and a Hall supplied with elegant cases for the exhibition of specimens. A gallery, more spacious than the main floor, surrounds the Hall. Memorial Hall, so named in honor of the Alumni of the college who fell in the service of their country during the late civil war, is built of stone and surmounted by a tower eighty feet in height. The eastern wing of the building contains the University Library, 44 feet by 54, and 20 feet high, furnished with double alcoves and shelves for 30,000 volumes. The wing con tains, on the first floor, the College Chapel, 40 by 58 feet in dimensions. Above this is the Hall of the Alumni, in which is the Memorial Tablet, surmounted by a copy, in marble, of Thorwaldsen's Lion of Lucerne. The Gymnasium is conveniently located on the college grounds, and is admirably adapted THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 199 to the purpose for which it was designed. It is furnished with suitable apparatus for gymnastic exercise and physical training, and is open to all upon subscribing to the regulations which have been adopted by an Association of the students. OBSERVATORY. The Observatory stands on an eminence near the college grounds, and consists of a central building with revolving dome, and two wings. The main part contains an equatorial telescope, mounted upon a granite pillar supported by a pier of solid masonry. The telescope is five feet in focal length, with an object-glass of about five inches, and was made by Troughton & Simms of London. It is furnished with find-- er, circles, position filar micrometer and eye pieces, with magnifying powers ranging from twenty-five to six hundred diameters. The dec lination circle reads by verniers to one minute of arc, and the hour circle to one second of time. The west wing contains a transit instru ment, also mounted upon a granite pillar. It has a focal distance of about three feet, and the diaphragm carries five vertical and two hori zontal wires. The Observatory is also fur nished with a chronometer, sextant, celestial globes, and planispheres. 200 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. PHYSICAL LABORATORY. The supply of apparatus permits of a great variety of experiments for illustrating and es tablishing physical laws. The collection includes a Kew uni-filar magnetometer, Barrows' circle, Holtz's electrical machine, plate frictional ma chine, batteries, Ruhmkorff's induction coils, Clark's magneto-electric machine, Morse's tele graph apparatus, Page's revolving electro-mag net, a large collection of Crookes' tubes, elec trometer, spectroscope, compound microscope, oxy-hydrogen lantern, camera obscura, camera lucida, porte lumiere, a fine set of apparatus for illustrating polarized light, Lissajous' forks, sonometer, Koenig's apparatus for comparison of vibrations by manometric flames, a great variety of wave apparatus, hydraulic press, Att- wood's machine, and much beside not herein enumerated. CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY. The Cabinet of Natural History, which occu pies nearly the whole of the second floor of Coburn Hall, contains collections of great value, mounted and arranged for study. Most impor tant among these are the following : The Birds of Maine; Birds of Eastern Asia, col lected by Prof. Bickmore, presented by Hon. THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 201 J. Warren Merrill; Fossils, illustrating the life of the different geological ages ; Rochs and Min erals; Recent Shells, a very fine collection, classified and arranged by Prof. C. E. Hamlin. The gifts of greatest value received within a few years are those from Paymaster J. Q. Barton, U. S. N., and Charles M. Coburn. The first consists of antiquities from Egypt and Ephesus, and fossil fishes from Lebanon ; the second is a set of corals from Bermuda. Ward's College collection of minerals has been added to the above, and over 1,500 speci mens prepared for class use. ART COLLECTION. Through the liberality of the trustees, alumni, and private friends of the University a collec tion of portraits and other works of art has been begun. For the present these are placed in Memorial Hall. The following list embraces the more important works, with the names of the donors : Portrait of Rev. Thomas Baldwin, D.D., pre sented by Mrs. Baldwin. Portrait of Rev. Adam Wilson, D.D., pre sented by Mrs. Wilson. Portrait of Rev. George Knox, A.M., present ed by Mr. William Pierce. 202 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. Portrait of Prof. George Washington Keely, LL.D., presented by Mrs. Keely. Portrait of Rev. Prof. Avery Briggs, A.M., presented by R. W. Wood, M.D., class of 1829; Hon. H. W. Paine, LL.D., class of 1830; Prof. William Matthews, LL.D., class of 1835, and A. H. Briggs, Esq., class of 1839. Portrait of Christopher Columbus, a copy of the portrait in the Naval Museum at Madrid, Spain, presented by Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, LL.D. Portrait of Rev. Rufus Babcock, D.D., Pres ident 1833-1836, presented by Hon. Jackson S. Schultz. Portrait of Rev. James Tift Champlin, D.D., President 1857-1873, presented by Mrs. Champ lin. Portrait of Rev. Erastus Willard, A.M., pre sented by his daughter, Mrs. Barrows. Portrait of David Sawyer True, Esq., pre sented by Mrs. True. The Lion of Lucerne, surmounting the Mem orial Tablet, sculptured by Milmore, after Thor- waldsen, presented by the Alumni. A marble bust of John Milton, by Paul Akers, presented by Hon. Henry W. Paine, THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 203 LL.D., class of 1830, and twelve others of the Alumni. A cast of the Apollo Belvedere, presented by the class of 1884. Casts of the Venus de Milo, the Minerva Giustigniani, the Discobolus of Miron, the Soph ocles of the Lateran, the Hermes of Praxi teles, Jupiter Otricoli, and Head of Juno, fur nished by the Trustees. The model of the "Signing of the Compact," Plymouth Monument, from designs by Ham- mett Billings, sculptor John M. Moffitt, pre sented by Hon. William Wilson. The model of the Statue of Roger Williams in the capitol at Washington, presented by the artist, Mr. Frauklin Simmons. A collection of two hundred Photographs,, Heliotypes, and other representations of art subjects, furnished by the Trustees. A collection of Illustrated Books, presented by Rev. E. L. Magoon, D.D. A collection of Books and a Portfolio of En gravings and Heliotypes, presented by Mr. G- D. B. Blanchard. THE LIBRARY. The Library of the University contains 19,- 000 volumes and 9,500 pamphlets. It is open 204 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. for daily consultation and delivery of books from 9 to 10 a. m., and on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 3 to 5 p. m. Members of all the classes have free access to the Library under the usual rules. A card catalogue has been prepared, with an index to periodicals, which is brought down to date. Personal as sistance is given to those desiring to investi gate special topics. Additions are made from the income of the Library Fund, supplemented by annual appro priations, and from the Keely Memorial Fund established by the Alumni. Donations to the Library Funds, aud gifts of books or pamphlets are earnestly solicited from the Alumni and from other friends. READING ROOM. A commodious Reading Room, supplied with daily aud weekly newspapers, and with -the leading monthly magazines, is maintained by the students. PUBLIC WORSHIP. A religious service of singing, reading of the Scriptures, and prayer, is held in the College Chapel every morning at nine o'clock, and all the students are required to be present. All undergraduates are required to observe THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 205 reverently the Sabbath, and to attend public worship. Where they shall attend shall be determined by the election of each one, if of age ; if under age, by the election of parent or guardian . THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. This association is organized on the same plan with those in most other colleges of the country and is affiliated with them. It has for its mem bers the Christian students of the college, and is designed to help them to Christian growth and manhood and to furnish them with facilities for helping others. It conducts a weekly prayer and conference meeting which once a month takes the form of a Missionary Concert, holds a special conference meeting the first Sabbath morning of each month, provides for occasional sermons from eminent preachers, and seeks and uses opportunities for Christian work, both jk in college and in the neighboring communities. It thus in important respects takes the place of a living church. The President of the college co-operates heartily with the Association and the weekly Conference of which he has charge is practically its meeting. HOTEL COBURN. We cannot refrain from calling especial atten tion to the cut of the building which appears on the page opposite, and of which a more extended notice is elsewhere made. This handsome and expensive work of art most accurately portrays the structure it is designed to represent. This building is but one of the many public attractions w*hich stands as a monument to the memory of Abner Coburn. An ornament to Skowhegan it is likewise an honor to its projector. RETROSPECTIVE. The motive that has impelled us to preserve, in the foregoing pages, a record of the subject under consideration, has not been prompted by a mere desire to write or the more sordid inclination to profit by the task. Our aim, to a marked degree, has been of a more lofty char acter. - There are few men in Maine, in fact anywhere in the Union, whose life offers a more worthy illustration of what a man is capable of achiev ing than that of Mr. Coburn. Should the reader attentively follow the narrative of his life ; his early struggle amidst the many ob stacles which surrounded him in his boyhood ; the story of how he gained a common education and then remember the courage and pluck which 212 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. he displayed in early manhood amid the many barriers that arose on every hand in the new and undeveloped country in which he lived, it is with admiration and surprise that we reflect upon the indomitable will and eager fortitude that he possessed. Untutored amid the luxuries of more modern times *, unaccustomed to the advantages of latter day inventions and conveniences ; unaided by the facilities that have so abundantly arisen in the lives of thousands of young men at a more recent date than that through which he toiled in early life ; with contracted opportunities to acquire a start in business ; with no friend to buoy him up on the tide of adventure, he worked, most determinedly worked himself up from the lower rung of fortune and fame to the financial pinnacle of worldly ease and the respect ful admiration of his fellow men. Few indeed are they who have excelled Abner Coburn in the race of life; fewer still are num bered amongst those whose life star sank to rest more highly respected. Respected for the many good qualities that were innate in the man ; respected for the unassuming characteristics which he cultivated and practised ; revered for the kindly interest that he always entertained THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 213 for the welfare of his friends, his neighbors, his State and his Country's weal. The citizens of Maine possess the pardonable right to point with pride to his munificent bene factions so thoughtfully bestowed upon them. The leading members of the community in which he dwelt, who are familiar with the bene ficial results of Mr. Coburn's business qualifica tions, may well point with pride to the course he pursued and emulate his example, nor fear the criticism of any. As our mind reverts to the potential aid he rendered the MainevCentral Railroad in the hour of its critical trial ; at the time when finan cial ruin stared its directors in the face, threat ening to engulf not only the corporation in utter ruin but hundreds and thousands of others who were dependent upon its prosperity for food and raiment, admirably expressive is the thought that arises in our mind, nor are we able to divine language adequate to the expres sion of our admiration for the man who, like Robert Morris of Revolutionary fame, took upon himself the embarassing responsibility of sustaining, single handed, the public faith by lending to the people his fortune and his fame 214 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. that his country might survive the shock of impending disaster. Where is there today in Maine to be found a man who, having surrounded himself with every wordly ease and luxury, by the incessant struggle with fortune, would have risked that accomplish ment for the sake of the good of others? At a time when Constitutional liberty was endangered and the Union threatened with dis solution, by the fanaticism that swept over parts of the country twenty-five years ago, bringing sorrow to every section, none were found who were more loyal to the cause of the Government under which ho had been reared, or took greater pride in lending every possible advantage to it, than Abner Coburn. When amid the trials and vicissitudes of that lamentable fratricidal struggle, it fell to his lot to occupy the Executive chair of Maine, he did it with an earnest desire and determination to be of whatever service, in whatever position, his State and the cause of liberty demanded of him. At the most trying period of the war Mr. Coburn presided over the destinies of Maine. This was the hour when gloom and sadness per vaded the land ; when upon the threshold of dismay and ruin the Nation trembled in its THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 215 bloody agony and its Statesmen, small and great, shrank from the impending doom that threatened to engulf it. Surrounded by a dissatisfied faction at home more dangerous than the enemy in the field, which had to be combatted ; a faction whose lukewarmness and often openly expressed sympathy for the foe sent terror to the hearts of the loyal sons of Maine ; at a time when a depre ciated currency had weakened the confidence of thousands in the ultimate success of the National cause ; when a depleted quota told plainly that patriotism had met with hopeless discouragement and needed something stimulating to arouse the waning fires of two years previous, Abner Coburn, calm, deliberate and collectedly, issued an appeal to the people of Maine which acted like magic. This appeal was not only such an one as would be calculated to stir the blood and arouse the dormant fire, but such an one as carried con viction with it. It plainly and practically ap pealed to the pride of every citizen ; it demon strated the result of defeat and foreshadowed the horror, of disaster. It told of the probable emancipation of thousands of men and women and pointed with pride to the duty of every free 216 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. American whose country had the right to claim a forfeiture of his life in behalf of its honor and integrity. Not only was Abner Coburn strong iu an Executive capacity. To him more than to any other one man, is Maine indebted for many of its vast developments; moral, intellectual, re ligious and financial. The timely assistance rendered Colby University — Maine's much noted seat of learning — an institution from which many have gone forth splendidly equipped to battle with the uncertainties of life ; the Alma Mater which has produced men of talents sec ond to none, conferred on his native Common wealth an advantage possessed by few of her sister States: The great blessing he bequeathed in the inter est of the black race, through the policy of open purse strings in its behalf, adds undying laurels to his fame, and a star to humanity's crown. The State College likewise fouud in Mr. Coburn a devoted friend. One who was ever ready to lend his time and give to it his money ; to speak in its behalf an encouraging word, and to uphold, and sustain its officers in the discharge of their duties. By this means he THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 217 won the respect of a grateful faculty and the admiration of his fellow citizens. But the crowning glory of his life was to be found in the domestic walks of his daily exist ence. Unostentatious and kind ; With a sym pathetic ear ever turned to the cry of distress, he gave to the worthy of his abundance, freely, humanely, and with no expectation of reward. The peculiar position we occupied towards Mr. Coburn debarred us from being familiar with the personal details of his life, therefore much of our work is derived from the contributions of others. To any who recognize matter with which they are familiar, we say that we know of no language more expressive of the ideas we hoped to convey, nor authority equal to that used, and have been pleased to insert the full text of quite a number of contributions. We, hope to be exonerated from plagiarism, as it is our intention to give credit where credit is due. To the Somerset Reporter, Lewiston Jour nal, Boston Journal, Zion's Advocate and the Reports of the State Department we are under especial obligations. We also acknowledge our indebtedness to the President of the Agricultural College of Maine for valuable assistance. Abner Coburn is dead ; his memory, and the many ev- 218 THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. idences of his philanthropy, shall live on. Should the foregoing pages preserve the details of his career fresh in the minds of an admiring pub lic, until some more thorough pen shall have done full justice to his character, we shall rest perfectly contented with this humble work. In his death, Maine has lost one of its most exalted, self-made citizens; his native County has been bereft of its most potential pillar ; his neighbors have been called upon to mourn the loss of a devoted and upright friend and his kindred to lament over a place made void by his departure. Should our endeavor to portray the early life and final success of Mr. Coburn stimulate any one to emulate his example, or point out to that class of young men who are straggling with adversity the sure road to success, we shall consider that our work has not been in vain ; that we are amply rewarded for our un dertaking and shall rest contented with our task. Thus we close this imperfect biography of Abner Coburn, feeling confident of having neg lected many important factors which tend to make up a complete history of so distinguished a personage. We are repaid for the loss, however, in the belief that at some future day, a more able THE LIFE OF ABNER COBURN. 219 biographer shall undertake the task and do full justice to the subject. Although Mr. Coburn has past away, still posterity shall enjoy the many blessings which he bequeathed to it, and in grateful remem brance of his deeds shall honor his undying name and memory. EPIGRAM. Like the gentle fading of a summer's twilight 'Mid the gloamings of a western sky, Unannoyed by flitting memories, He calmly laid him down to die. His'earthly race had triumphantly ended In the consciousness of a life well spent, The eternal past and the future blended In this one grand accomplishment. Well had he fought life's fitful battle ; Well had he e'er maintained the right 'Til, perched upon his mortal banner, Victory dispelled the night. No shade of sadness o'er him came To writhe his brow or joys to sever * But hope lit up the mortal frame — That hope which shall endure forever. Thus passed from earth the]generous soul Of him whose task was nobly done, Whose burdens all were laid aside To taste the fruits of victory won. YALE UNIVERSITY a39002 003987188b