Maine Genealogy Archives

Graduates of Farmington Normal School, 1869

Source: George C. Purington, History of the State Normal School, Farmington, Maine : with sketches of the teachers and graduates (Farmington, Me.: Press of Knowlton, McLeary & Co., 1889).

"The address given at the beginning of each sketch is that taken from the records of the School when the graduate entered. At the close of the sketch, the present [1889] address is given." [p. 37]

[p. 57]
CLASS OF 1869.
Fourth Class.—Graduated June 2, 1869.
George F. Billings, Hallowell, Me.
Has taught 270 weeks,—two terms in Newport, three years in the State of Missouri, and one year in Washington, D. C. Is now engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Ashland, Oregon. Is a member of the School Board, and has been Superintendent of a Sabbath School for nine years in the city where he resides.

Married, Dec. 16, 1879, Frances M. Myer of Ashland, Oregon, and has two children: Ralph, born Feb. 7, 1881; Homer, born July 5, 1885.

Ashland, Oregon.


Maria N. Billings, Fayette, Me.
Taught a district school one term, and was an assistant in the Normal a year and a half. Married, Aug. 9, 1870, Roliston Woodbury, Class of 1867. Mr. Woodbury, as before stated, died Nov. 1, 1888, leaving three children: Ernest R., born July 3, 1871, and just graduated from the Castine School; Nelson L., born May 22, 1874; Willie B., born April 20, 1877.

Castine, Me.


Henrietta Cobb, Buxton, Me.
Taught more than 300 weeks in Calais, Biddeford, Buxton, Gorham, Kennebunk and Cape Elizabeth (State Reform School). Married, May 8, 1880, Capt. George C. Gordon, a sea captain of Biddeford, and has three children: George Milton, born March 14, 1881; Berenice Elizabeth, born Aug. 6, 1883; Olive Cobb, born Dec. 2, 1885.

Biddeford, Me.


[p. 58]
Thirza S. Cushman, West Leeds, Me.
For the three years succeeding graduation she taught in Calais in the grammar grade. In 1872 she went West and taught two years in Blair and one year in Omaha, Neb., where she married, in 1875, Mr. James W. Love, a teacher in that city. For the next two years she was her husband's assistant in Onawa, Iowa, where he was Superintendent of Schools, and then five years in Omaha and Plattsmouth, Neb., when she gave up teaching, holding a State Certificate of the First Grade.

They have two children: Para C., born in 1876; and Roma Louise, born in 1884.

Fremont, Nebraska.


Ella F. Downing, North Auburn, Me.
Had taught up to 1879, when she quit teaching, nine terms in the primary grade at North Auburn. Died, July 31, 1884.


Edgar Leavitt, New Vineyard, Me.
Has taught 72 weeks,—ungraded schools in Farmington and Pittsfield, grammar school in Bath, and high schools in Searsport and Strong.

Went to Minneapolis, Minn., in 1872, and, after remaining there eight months, he went to La Crosse, Wis., where he remained nearly a year. June 1, 1874, he received a license to preach and settled as pastor of the Church of the Messiah at Fort Atkinson, Wis., where he remained four years, having been ordained in June, 1875. Has also been pastor for four years at Columbus, Wis., and for the past three and a half years, pastor of St. John's Universalist Church, and State Agent of the Wisconsin Universalist Convention at Oshkosh, Wis. Is at present visiting in California. Has studied German, Greek, Latin and Hebrew since graduation. His literary work has all been in the line of his profession. Visited Maine in 1876 and 1888. Married, Aug. 14, 1878, Miss Ada Winslow of Fort Atkinson, Wis., and has one child, Thora Alberta, born Sept. 3, 1881, died Feb. 25, 1884.

Fort Atkinson, Wis.


Louise D. Mayhew, Mt. Vernon, Me.
Has taught with fine success for more than fifteen years in Maine schools, in Calais, Lewiston, Kennebunkport (six years), Edgecomb, Mt. Vernon and Caribou, more than one-third of that time as principal of high schools. At the present time she is Principal of the High School at Bristol Mills. Graduated from Advanced Course in June, 1885.

Mt. Vernon, Me.


[p. 59]
Marie V. Page, Hallowell, Me.
Taught two or three terms in Maine and as many years in Massachusetts. Has resided for several years in Worcester.

Worcester, Mass.


Lucilla E. Smith, Farmington, Me.
Was the first Principal of the Model School, where she remained one year, resigning to accept a responsible position in the public schools of Washington, D. C., where she remained until 1873, when she was entrusted with the organization of Washington Normal School, and was its Principal for twelve years. More than two hundred of her graduates are to-day doing excellent work in the Washington schools.

In 1885 she resigned to accept the position of first lady teacher in the newly established Training School for teachers in Brooklyn, N. Y., and still occupies that position.

During her connection with the Normal, the school prayer-meeting, which has been productive of so much good, was organized in her room.

Since graduation she has taken with specialists courses in Mineralogy, Botany, Zoology, Psychology, Drawing, Physical Training, Meteorology and English Literature, and during the present summer is enjoying the pleasure of a trip in Europe.

231 Lincoln Place, Brooklyn, N. Y.


Ashley St. Clair, Rockland, Me.
Began teaching in Calais immediately after graduation and has taught sixty consecutive terms as Principal of the Milltown Grammar School. Has taken the Chautauqua Course, and is now studying law. Has been a member of the City Council one year.

Married, Sept. 7, 1871, his classmate, S. Evelyn Tarbox, who died Jan. 20, 1887, leaving three children: Louise E., born June 3, 1872; Eda Estelle, born Aug. 18, 1874; Alice Winnifred, born Sept. 27, 1883, died Aug. 12, 1885.


Clara S. Stevens, Dixfield, Me.
Taught 56 weeks in Maine in ungraded and high schools, and then taught two years in Allston, Mass., where she married, Feb. 28, 1873, David B. Morrill, a market gardener of that place. Graduated from the C. L. S. C., class of 1887. For seven years has taught in the primary department of the Brighton Avenue Baptist Sunday School and is Superintendent of that department at the present time. She is also a member of the W. C. T. U. She has four children: Lester S., born Jan. 27,


[p. 60]
1874, died Sept. 2, 1874; Lewis S., born March 16, 1875, died June 2, 1880; Charles C., died April 11, 1877; Clara N., born Feb. 17, 1881, died Nov. 2, 1888.

Corey Hill, Allston, Mass.


Hattie F. Stevens, North Fayette, Me.
Taught 92 weeks in Calais, East Livermore, Fayette and Turner. Has completed tghe C. L. S. C. course, and been for seven years a member of the Auburn Art Club, of which she is now President. Married, Nov. 11, 1872, Charles E. Wing, Esq., a prominent lawyer of Auburn, and has three children: Hattie A., born March 1, 1877; Nellie C., born June 19, 1878; Alice M., born Jan. 22, 1880.

259 Court Street, Auburn, Me.


Josephine L. Tarbox, Westport, Me.
Taught "about 600 weeks," one year in the Grammar School, Lewiston. In 1870-1-1 taught in Leavenworth, Kansas, and in 1883-4 was Vice-Principal of the Grammar School at Pine Grove, Shasta Co., Cal., and has received from the State of California an "Educational Diploma" and also a "Life Diploma." Married, December, 1872, Mr. James H. Bell of San Antonio, Texas. For several years they have resided in California, and have three children: Gertrude, born Jan. 16, 1874; Edith, born Oct. 9, 1882; Ralph A., born Sept. 5, 1884.


S. Evelyn Tarbox, Phillips, Me.
Taught in Calais one year and married, Sept. 7, 1871, her classmate, Ashley St. Clair, a teacher in that city. Mrs. St. Clair died Jan. 20, 1887, leaving three children. (See Ashley St. Clair above.)