Spotlight On: Robert Fulton Wormwood

From 1883 to 1887 Kezar Falls had the good fortune to have a newspaper published in the village which documented that period of remarkable growth and development of the local area and Kezar Falls in particular. Mr. Robert Fulton Wormwood, its publisher and editor, wrote detailed and interesting accounts of what was happening and his editorials championed many causes for the betterment of the residents.  His interest in Kezar Falls continued long after he moved away.

Robert Fulton Wormwood was born June 15, 1858, son of Darius and Abbie Ellen (Wales) Wormwood and attended Porter schools.  His family had a farm in the Porterfield area, but by 1858 they owned the house on Bridge Street that later became Goodwin’s Store and then Kezar Falls Market (closed in 2018).

Robert had a long and successful career in the field of journalism starting at the age of 14 when he apprenticed himself to a German printer in Boston to learn the trade.   After working several years at newspaper offices in the Boston area he returned to Maine and in 1884 married his first wife, Miss Anne M. Stacy, daughter of Jordan and Lydia Stacy of Porter.  They had two children, Mrs. Bertha M. (Wormwood) Doe of Kezar Falls and Mrs. Florence (Wormwood) Garland of No. Parsonsfield.  Annie died in 1893.  He married his second wife, Mrs. Anna Bullock of Biddeford in 1904.

After publishing the “Oxford County Record” in Kezar Falls for five years, he moved the newspaper to Fryeburg where it continued until 1892.  Then, because of ill health, he sold the business to the “Norway Advertiser”.

In 1892 Mr. Wormwood joined the editorial staff of the “Portland Evening Express”.  After eight years he worked for a short time on the staff of the “Lewiston Evening Courier”.  He returned to Portland as editor of the “Sunday Times” continuing until March 1901.  He then became the editor of the “Biddeford Journal”, a position he held until retirement, May 10, 1941.

Robert Fulton Wormwood died at the age of 83 on January 30, 1942 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Daniel Garland in North Parsonsfield.  He was well known in the newspaper field of New England for 59 years – sometimes known as “Fult” but also as “Deak” by his newspaper friends.

Spotlight On: Harry Lord

Harry Donald Lord was born in the Porter section of Kezar Falls in March 8, 1882 to John F. and Mary (MacDonald) Lord.   He acquired his education at the schools of Kezar Falls, graduated from Bridgton Academy, and attended Bates College.  He married Hazel Corinne Hannaford of Cape Elizabeth in 1905.  They had a son Harry Donald, Jr and a daughter, Connie. 

George French was a friend who knew him well and wrote at length about him in Dr. Teg’s “History of Porter”.  He wrote that Harry was a baseball man instinctively.  He was a typical “bred-in-the-bone” baseball player – fast, heady, scrappy, fearless, and a good hitter.  He was well known throughout the professional baseball world from 1905 until he retired in the 1920’s.” 

Harry got his start playing baseball at the age of 14 here in Kezar Falls in 1896.  From then on for some 20 years Harry went up and up on the climb to baseball fame making a name for himself starting at Bridgton Academy and at Bates College. He broke into organized baseball at age 24 in 1906 with Worcester in the New England League and the next year moved up to Providence in the Eastern League.  On September 25, 1907 he began playing professionally for the Boston Americans (Boston Red Sox) continuing until 1910.  After breaking his finger, Lord was traded to the Chicago White Sox (1910 – 1914).  When he unsuccessfully squared off against the White Sox owner, Charles Comiskey, in hope of a salary raise he quickly found himself off the team.  In 1915 he signed on with the “outlaw” third major league - Federal League/Buffalo Blues that existed only 2 years.  With the demise of that league, Lord found himself blacklisted by both the American and National leagues, effectively ending his professional playing career.  He played his last major league baseball game on September 27, 1915.  He came home to New England and managed several minor league teams, ending his baseball career in 1925 at age 43.   His major league statistics were:  972 games, .278 batting average, with 1,024 hits, 506 runs, 107 doubles, 70 triples, 14 homers and 294 RBI’s.

After giving up big league baseball, he settled in So. Portland, raised his family, ran a grocery store, coached and played ball locally, participated in politics, and for several years before his death conducted a coal business in Portland.  He was also an ardent hunter.  He bought the old Simeon Day place near Colcord Pond in Porter, remodeled it, and spent much time there, hunting and entertaining old friends. 

Harry was a member of the Masonic Lodge in South Portland and the Portland Commandery and a former member of the Portland Rotary Club. 

 He died August 9, 1948 in a Westbrook hospital after several years of ill health.  His wife died in 1974.  He and his family are buried at the Kezar Falls Burial Grounds.

Spotlight On: Sewell H. MacDaniel

Sewell H. MacDaniel was born March 20, 1891 in North Shapleigh to Samuel and Mary Emma (Tripp) MacDaniel.  At the age of eight he went to live with his grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. George Tripp in the old Kezar neighborhood of Parsonsfield where he grew up and attended school.

Florence and Sewell MacDaniel

          He worked in the Kezar Falls Woolen Mill and served as a York County deputy sheriff from 1934 to 1938 and as selectman in Parsonsfield from 1937 to 1938.  

In July 1, 1939 Sewell became the 15^th post master of the Kezar Falls Post Office where he served for 21 years.  During his term the post office was expanded from a third class to a second class office.   He retired March 31, 1961 at the age of 70. 

Mr.MacDaniel was honored by the Kezar Falls-Cornish Kiwanis Club at their February 20^th meeting at Norton Hall.  A letter was read from U.S. Senator Edmund S. Muskie congratulating him upon his years of faithful service. He was presented with a plaque inscribed “The Civic Clubs honor Sewell H. MacDaniel for his twenty-one years as postmaster.” and a sum of money given by the Kiwanis Club, 21 Club, Ladies Magazine Reading Club and Keswick Club.

Mr. MacDaniel was a member of the York County Chapter of the National Association of Postmasters and served as president and director of the state organization of National Association of Postmasters.  He was a member of the Drummond Masonic Lodge in North Parsonsfield. He was also a charter member of the Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society and very active in fundraising for their benefit.

Post Office in Kezar Falls

         
 Sewell married his first wife, Myrtle Taylor who soon died.  In November 11, 1925 he married Florence Davey of Prince Edward Island.  She died August 18, 1960.  He had one stepdaughter, Mrs. Gertrude Paasch who was caring for him at her home in Waltham, MA when he died April 26, 1962.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Everyone at PPHS wish you an historically 

wonderful Valentine's Day!

Spotlight On: Frank D. Fenderson

FRANK D. FENDERSON, YORK COUNTY PROBATE JUDGE, ESTEEMED LAWYER, BUSINESSMAN AND STATE LEGISLATOR 

Frank Fenderson was a colleague of J. Merrill Lord and Harvey Granville, the two biographies presented last month. He was born in Parsonsfield, June 15, 1878, son of Nathan and Abbie (Brackett) Fenderson He graduated from Limerick Academy in 1896 and was a member of the first class to graduate from the University of Maine Law School and was admitted to the bar in September 1899. He had a law office in Limerick, Maine until 1904 when he was employed by New England Telephone & Telegraph Company. In 1908 he became a partner in the law firm of J. Merrill Lord and Fenderson in Limerick until 1912 when Mr. Fenderson became clerk of courts of York County where he served for 33 years. He was Judge of the York County Probate Court for two years prior to his death. Mr. Fenderson was also secretary and treasurer of the York County Bar Association and member of the American Bar Association and Maine State Bar Association. 

 Although Mr. Fenderson was a life-long resident of Parsonsfield, he sometimes lived during the winter months in Portland, Limerick or Sanford and was active in public affairs. He was a member of the Parsonsfield School Board, served in the Maine State Legislature in 1911 and during WW I he was a member of the original draft board.

He was also Interested in several business enterprises – was a co-founder and treasurer of the Sokokis Lumber Company in Kezar Falls, a director of the Limerick National Bank and president of Limerick Mills, to name a few.  Mr. Fenderson was a member of the masonic lodge in Limerick and a member of the Maine Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution, the Sanford Lodge of Elks, the Alfred Grange, the Portland Club, the Sanford Town Club and the Maine Historical Society.
He married Laura A. Jose of Newport, Maine in July 1905 and they had one son, Jose Webster Fenderson, born March 30, 1914. Frank Fenderson passed away January 10, 1949. His wife died in November 10, 1970 and son Jose on January 20, 2013. All are buried in the Cornish Cemetery.

Spotlight on: Harvey E. Granville

First Principal of Porter High School and co-founder of Sokokis Lumber Company

Harvey E. Granville was born in Parsonsfield January 7, 1874  to Rufus M. and Carolyn (Pentz) Granville.  He attended local schools and graduated from Parsonsfield Seminary in 1892 and taught school for 15 years. Mr. Granville was the first principal of Porter High School and later principal of Bean Memorial High School in Brownfield.  He also served as superintendent of Porter and Parsonsfield schools.

Mr. Granville served his community in many ways.  He was on the Par Sem Board of Trustees starting in 1915 and was vice president and chairman of the executive board for 20 years.

In 1908 he, with J. Merrill Lord and Frank Fenderson, founded the Sokokis Lumber Company on the Ossipee River in Kezar Falls where he served as treasurer and then president for many years.  At that time he was a Director of the Limerick National Bank.

Mr. Granville served for several years in both houses of the Maine State Legislature during which time he sponsored the bill creating 3^rd class roads and led the battle for the first gas tax measure.  He was keenly interested in farming and road building.  He was also active in the local fraternal organizations: Drummond Masonic Lodge in Parsonsfield and the Knights of Pythias in Kezar Falls.

Harvey Granville married Allice E. Fogg on January 1, 1903 and they had two children – Harry F. Granville born in 1903 and Francis Granville born in 1904.  They resided on Elm Street in Kezar Falls Village, Parsonsfield.  Mr. Granville died Aug. 18, 1948 at the age of 74.  His wife died April 14, 1982.  They are buried in the Kezar Falls Burial Grounds Cemetery.

Spotlight on: J. Merill Lord

J. MERRILL LORD – OUTSTANDING CITIZEN & ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE SOKOKIS LUMBER COMPANY IN KEZAR FALLS.

  J. Merrill Lord was a man of wide interests.  By profession he was a lawyer specializing in real estate law and law related to the developent of hydroelectric power.   He was a pioneer in the development of the telephone system in Maine, founded an insurance company and owned and managed a large apple orchard farm and a lumber mill.  Business did not absorb all of his energy, for he was a member of the State House of Representatives in 1906 and served in the State Senate in 1917 and 1919. He was a member of several local fraternal organizations and took an active part in all phases of community life. 

  John Merrill Lord was born in Parsonsfield, Maine on March 29, 1866, the son of Daniel and Josephine (Merrill) Lord. He attended Parsonsfield public schools and graduated from Parsonsfield Seminary.  In 1891 he graduated from Boston Univisity Law School and taught law there for two years.   He then returned to Parsonsfield because of the ill health of his parents and commenced his law practice, later to be known as Lord & Fenderson, which he continued until his death.  Upon the death of his mother he became owner of  the 235 acre farm which he devoted entirely to apple orchards. He retained interest in this farm run by his sons under the firm name of J. Merrill Lord & Sons.  

  

  About this time he built the first telephone in Parsonsfield, a single wire connection between two private homes, and was instrumental in the formation of the Ossipee Valley Telephone Company, which he later sold to the New England Telephone Company.            In 1899, in partnership with Frank D. Fenderson, he founded an insurance company known as Lord and Fenderson which continued until  1901 when Mr. Lord took over the entire control of the company which he directed until the time of his death.  He sons continued to carry on the business.  

  In 1908 he founded the Sokokis Lumber Company in Kezar Falls in association with Harvey D. Granville and his law partner, Frank Fenderson.  This company continued for many years long after his death.  He married Sarah May Churchill, and they became the parents of five children: Theresa, Frank W., Myron O., Daniel B., and Phyllis Evelyn Lord.      Mr. Lord passed away February 28, 1920 at the age of 54.