governor - Maine Ghost Hunters

Mackworth Island Pet Cemetery

Maine Ghost Hunters — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:16:00 +0000

Mackworth Island Pet Cemetery

The History and Legacy of Mackworth Island

Mackworth Island, known as “Menickoe” or “Clump of Pines” by the Native Americans, has a rich and varied history. The island was originally owned by local Native Americans until 1631 when it was ‘bought’ by an early settler/colonizer named Sir Ferdinando Gorges. 3 years later he gifted it to a man named Arthur Mackworth. After Mackworth’s death, the island changed hands many times before finally being purchased by James Phinney Baxter, the father of Governor Percival Baxter, in 1885.

James Phinney Baxter, a canning magnate and six-time mayor of Portland, built a large summer home on the island for his family, which included his wife and seven children. The island, teeming with horses and Irish Setters, was a haven for these animals, living their best lives in an open-range existence.

In 1921, Governor Percival Baxter came into possession of Mackworth Island following the death of his father. That same year, he became Maine’s 53rd Governor, a position he held until 1925. During his tenure, the governor donated vast tracks of land to the state of Maine, which is now known as Baxter State Park; including the crown jewel of the Maine wilderness, Mt. Katahdin.

The Legacy of Governor Percival Baxter

Governor Baxter was a staunch advocate for animal rights and belonged to numerous Humane Societies across the US. He was once named “America’s Greatest Humane Governor” by the New England Anti-Vivisection Society.

In 1953, Governor Baxter sold Mackworth Island to the state of Maine for $1.00. He also donated $500,000 to help build the Baxter School for the Deaf, and an additional $175,000 for the causeway between the mainland and the island. The only provision he attached to the sale was that the Pet Cemetery on the island be left untouched and maintained forever.

The Pet Cemetery

The Pet Cemetery on Mackworth Island was built for Governor Baxter’s 14 Irish Setters. He had been fond of Irish Setters since he was nine years old and even wrote a children’s book titled “My Irish Setter Dogs,” which told of his experiences raising Irish Setters from childhood through adulthood.

The last dog he buried in the cemetery was named Garryowen, nicknamed Garry II. Garry II was with Governor Baxter throughout his time in the State House. When Garry II died, Governor Baxter ordered all flags in the state of Maine to be flown at half-mast. This act, while controversial, underscored his deep love for his pets and his commitment to animal rights.

The natural history of Mackworth Island is intertwined with the legacy of the Baxter family, specifically Governor Percival Proctor Baxter. His love for animals and his commitment to their welfare is evident in the pet cemetery he deeded to the State of Maine, to be perpetually maintained and cared for, and to be enjoyed by those who take the time to visit.

The post Mackworth Island Pet Cemetery first appeared on Maine Ghost Hunters.

[1835] The Last Execution in Kennebec County

Maine Ghost Hunters — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 22:24:56 +0000

Joseph J. Sager and Phoebe Sager

Joseph and Phoebe Sager were a middle aged couple residing in the city of Gardiner when the unfortunate incident involving Phoebe’s death, occurred. Phoebe was a 48 year old milliner and dressmaker at the time of her death, and 36 year old Joseph was a saddle and harness maker, and a shop worker. While Phoebe was often sick, she was also known to have a drinking problem that wasn’t at all under control. On the day of her death she fell violently ill after drinking a wine and egg mixture Joseph prepared for her, to have with her breakfast. A local doctor was summoned to help her, but despite his best efforts to help her over the course of the following 6+ hours, he could do nothing to alleviate the excruciatingly painful episodes of unstoppable vomiting, including “bloody vomit”, and she eventually died; the date of her death was October 5, 1834.

Phoebe repeatedly told people who were present with her, during her final few hours, that her husband made her drink the wine concoction. He insisted she drink it, and finish it. This caused the physician to become immediately suspicious. He then noticed a white powder residue in the wine decanter she drank from that morning, and also in the container that held the cream that was added to the wine. His suspicions would eventually lead to a startling discovery.

Another very important person in the murder case against Joseph Sager was a young woman named Ann Rafter. Ann Rafter was a Catholic servant of the Sager household at the time of Phoebe’s untimely passing. During this time in Maine’s history anti-Catholic sentiment was at its height. Catholics were persecuted, ostracized, vilified, and openly discriminated against.

Irish Catholic, Ann Rafter, became the principal witness in the case.

Joseph Sager accused Ann, their house servant, of poisoning Phoebe and there was rumored to be an actual confession by Ann, herself, to that effect but it was never found in any of the documentation or evidence.

But… … another compelling rumor was floating around that she never went to confession again after the trial.

Determining Phoebe was murdered

After Mrs. Sager died her body was sent off for an autopsy. The Doctor present at the time of her death had collected the cream container that had the white residue in it and requested the medical examiner send the contents of Mrs. Sager’s stomach to be analyzed, along with the residue, to Professor Cleaveland at Bowdoin Medical School.

Both contained arsenic.

Trial and Execution

The case of the ‘State of Maine vs. Joseph J. Sager’ started on Tuesday October 23, 1834 when Sager pleaded “not guilty” to the charges of murdering his wife.

The facts of the case were presented as follows;

Joseph Sager, aged 36, was accused of killing his 48 year old wife – Phoebe – by poisoning part of her breakfast – a drink he prepared for her made of wine, an egg, and white sugar. The visiting Dr. sent to treat Phoebe noticed the wine carafe she drank from at breakfast had a white sediment in it. The cream container on the dining table also had this sediment in it so the Dr. saved it and had it tested. The sediment was found to be arsenic, leading to a charge of murder against her husband Joseph.

Two Judges presided over the trial simultaneously, as Maine law at the time stated if the life of a person was at stake during a trial it was to be done with 2 Judges sitting on the bench. The 2 Judges were; Chief Justice Nathan Weston and Judge Albion Paris, who had also served as Maine’s 5^th Governor.

Prosecuting attorneys on behalf of the state were; Attorney General – Nathaniel Clifford (a future Justice of the US Supreme Court) and County Prosecuting Attorney – James W. Bradbury (a future US Senator).

The Legal Defense Attorneys on behalf of Joseph J. Sager were; the Honorable Peleg Sprague, who was the Primary Defense attorney and a current, sitting, US Senator from Maine, at the time; Frederick Allen; and George W. Bacheldor. Court proceedings were held in the old South Church in Augusta, Maine. Oliver Bean of Readfield was the jury foreman.

Joseph J. Sager was found “GUILTY” of the murder of his wife Phoebe Sager by a jury of his peers on Monday October 27, 1834, just 22 short days after her passing. Judge Weston sentenced Sager to death by hanging with the date of the execution to be carried out on Friday January 2, 1835 at the corner of State Street and Winthrop Street in Augusta.

The Trial was a full-house sensation every single day. The courthouse was mobbed with people and no seat was left open. The balcony was full, too.

Joseph J. Sager collapsed into his chair when the “guilty” verdict was read. He was sweating, shaking, and sort of hyperventilating. His representation filed a motion for a new trial based on the claim that material evidence had been suppressed at the trial but the motion was denied

The day of Joseph Sager’s execution, Friday January 2, 1835, was a very cold, snowy, and windy one.

The hanging took place at the gallows in Augusta on the corner of Winthrop and State Streets near the Southwest corner of the jail. Sager was Llkely walked from the jail, across the street to “Winthrop Street Square” where the gallows was erected.

His very last words were “Gentlemen, I am innocent” with a little hitch in the word “innocent” when they tightened the rope around his neck.

The Controversy

The controversy surrounding Joseph J. Sager’s execution had a lot to do with his persistent claims of innocence. Sager claimed his innocence until the very end, even blaming Ann Rafter, the family’s Irish servant for the murder of Phoebe; anti-catholic rhetoric was all the rage among certain political groups during this time, and so blaming an Irish Catholic girl was seen as quite the tactic of desperation. His claims of innocence persisted even though he had been caught pre-meditating his wife’s death on a number of occasions. One example of this was when he told a Kennebec River Steamboat crew member he knew that he’d be a widow soon. Not only did he say this with an odd sort of exciting anticipation, he actually handed this friend a hand written list of women he thought he might be interested in once his wife passes.

Another curious bit of circumstantial evidence that didn’t bode well for his case was that Joseph encouraged Phoebe to drink all of the liquid mixture he mixed for her, telling her “the goodness being all at the bottom” in the carafe the arsenic was found. The only witness to this act, however, was by their servant, Ann Rafter which, of course, Sager had a vested interest in discrediting. Another subject of controversy was that most newspaper articles and historical documentation said the Dr. who tended to Phoebe, as she lay dying, took a container with the arsenic in it with the intent of having it tested and studied by proper authorities, but curiously, there was also the rarer mention that it was Ann Rafter who was said to have carried out this deed. And one doesn’t likely need to be told how much of a conflict of interest it would be if Rafter actually *was* the one in possession of the carafe with the white powder in it, as she was considered the prosecution’s star witness and her influential testimony led to the hanging of Joseph J. Sager.

The Hanging of Joseph Sager

The gallows was constructed near the Southwest corner of the Kennebec County jail. There were between 8,000 and 12,000 people present to view the hanging. To give you a rough idea of what this might look like, in person; in 1830 the population of Augusta was 3,980. In 1840 the population of Augusta was 5,314. This was 1835. So, this singular area of the city of Augusta was a convergence point of 8,000 to 12,000 people – which is easily two, to three times, the population of the entire city at the time – all standing in one small space at the same time.

That day the weather was horrible – snowy, windy, cold, and raw. The crowd was belligerent – men were drinking until ‘plastered’ and treated this execution like it was some sort of entertainment. There were also lots of women, elderly, sick, and children present. People traveled from great distances and spent the night to see the hanging.

There were armed soldiers present – the Augusta Light Infantry – surrounding the gallows. The day was chaotic and at many times, a dangerous place to be. A sea of 8,000-12,000 people pushing forward toward the gallows, to the point the soldiers had to get under the platform for safety. In one instance, someone hollered “FIRE!” which caused the mob to panic.

Militia situated themselves to guard the gallows and then the Sheriff and 2 deputies went to Sager’s cell to bring him to the hanging spot. The Sheriff saluted Joseph Sager at his cell – it’s said to make him feel better about this situation. Joseph didn’t put up any kind of fight and when they led him to the gallows he was carrying the noose on his own right arm.

When this all started just 3 and a half months earlier in October of 1834, Sager was ‘built’ physically. He was a man with physical stature. But, by the day of his hanging he’d lost so much weight he was almost unrecognizable.

Sager’s last words proclaimed his innocence. He wrote them down but had to have been in a state of utter panic when doing so, and so the words were just a mash-up of incoherent gibberish basically pleading for his life. They were read by Reverend Benjamin Tappan who then turned to the crowd and warned them, basically, not to live a life that would lead to this. To look at Joseph Sager and to understand that life choices can have serious life consequences.

Joseph Sager’s mother was in the courthouse begging Governor Dunlap and his advisors to stay the execution, to no avail. Where they were situated inside the courthouse offered them a vantage point with a good view of the gallows when the execution was taking place. Joseph firmly believed his mother’s pleas would save his life.

A Quaker from The Society of Friends in Fairfield also made his way into the Governor’s presence to beg for Sager’s life but the Governor was too busy watching the crowd and the gallows that he didn’t even make eye contact with the gentleman.

George W. Stanley was the Kennebec County Sheriff at the time, and he was responsible to drop Sager where he stood on the platform.

Stanley led Sager to the platform, let his last words be spoken, then put a black hood over Sager, adjusted the noose, took his hand and humanely said “goodbye”. When Sager proclaimed his innocence Stanley told him “this is now a matter between you and your god”. Stanley then walked down the gallows steps and slashed the rope holding Sager in place.

When the trap door was released the words “sickening thud” were used to describe the ‘drop’ and it’s thought he died instantly.

Sager dropped over 10 feet and then just hung, twirling around lifeless, as people gawked – for 20 minutes before his friends and family were allowed to cut his body down and carry it off to be given a proper burial. Dr. Franklin Gage declared him dead. He was lowered onto a horse sled and driven as fast as possible to Hallowell.

The Mystery

Joseph Sager’s body was rushed off in a hurry, to Hallowell, where his friends had a master plan of electrocuting him back to life. The concept they planned to use on him was a much misunderstood version of “galvanism”. Galvanism is named after an Italian doctor named Luigi Galvani – a man who hooked up a dead frog to an electrical charge, and witnessed the legs moving. It was the basis for the plotline in Frankenstein when the mad scientist brings the monster to life by electrocuting it into reanimation.

These efforts failed, of course, and Sager was buried in a secret location on an island in one of the ponds in Winthrop. 50 Years later, January 2, 1885 a newspaper article printed by the Daily Kennebec Journal specified Joseph Sager was buried on Horse-Shoe Island in Cobbosseecontee Pond.

But still, there were people who persisted in their belief that he was brought back to life and ushered out of the state by friends & family, escaping to Texas to live out the remainder of his natural life.

Some say if you go to the spot Sager was hung and you ask aloud “Sager, for what were you hanged?” a voice would reply “nothing”. So this question of his innocence or guilt was clearly in the collective conscious of the local community.

This hanging bothered people and was ultimately the last execution ever conducted in Kennebec County.

The post [1835] The Last Execution in Kennebec County first appeared on Maine Ghost Hunters.

Governor Edwin Chick Burleigh

Maine Ghost Hunters — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:51:33 +0000

Governor Edwin Chick Burleigh

Edwin C. Burleigh: A Legacy of Leadership

Edwin C. Burleigh, the 42nd Governor of Maine, was more than just a political figure. His life and career were characterized by a deep commitment to the people and the state he served. Born into a family of politically active men, Burleigh’s upbringing laid the foundation for his future as a leader at both the state and national level.

Early Life and Career

Born in Linneus, Maine, on November 27, 1843, Edwin C. Burleigh was the son of Parker P. Burleigh, a prominent figure in his time. Edwin’s early education took place in the town school and at Houlton Academy. After completing his academic course, he taught for a time before taking up land surveying. His knowledge of the public lands of the state was unparalleled, leading to his appointment as a clerk in the land office in Augusta in 1870. He later served as Land Agent, Assistant Clerk of the House of Representatives, and State Treasurer.

A Governor’s Legacy

Burleigh’s tenure as Governor of Maine was marked by significant reforms and additions to the state’s laws. His administration saw the creation of a state department for agriculture and a forestry commission. He also implemented tax reforms that increased the State valuation by $104,000,000 and reduced the State tax to two and one-fourth mills. His efforts led to the refunding of the six per cent. State bonded debt at three percent., resulting in an annual saving to the State of $71,530.

Under his leadership, the State appropriation for pensions was increased, a permanent muster field was purchased and equipped, and the Australian ballot law was adopted. His administration ensured that no class of Maine’s population was neglected. Farmers, soldiers, scholars, merchants, workmen, rich and poor, all shared in the increased benefits of wise government and judicious conservation of Maine’s resources.

Ten Things to Know About Edwin C. Burleigh

Timberland Owner: Burleigh owned vast amounts of timberland and was instrumental in passing the anti-forest-fire law, which imposed heavy penalties for purposely or carelessly setting forest fires. He also made the land agent Maine’s “forest commissioner” with wardens in every section.
Investor in the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad Company: His investment helped open up the most northern and wooded areas of Maine.
Owner of the Kennebec Journal: Along with his son, Clarence B. Burleigh, he ran the Kennebec Journal, a central point of communication for the Republican Party.
Advocate for Mental Health: As Governor, he appointed the commission to find a suitable location for a second State Hospital in Bangor.
Congressman: As a Congressman, he was a major reason the U.S. Government handed over the Arsenal in Augusta to the State of Maine.
Lighthouse Builder: He secured appropriations of $140,000 for the building of Isle au Haut Lighthouse, also known as Robinson Point Light.
Supporter of the National Guard: He is the primary reason Camp Keyes became a central muster point for the Maine National Guard.
Saver of the Capitol: The Capitol was not moved to Portland because of Burleigh, saving the State of Maine over $2 million.
Advocate for Representation: Burleigh is why Maine has two Representatives in the U.S. Congress instead of one.
A Loving Husband: He died only one month (five weeks) after his wife, a testament to their deep bond.

Edwin C. Burleigh’s legacy continues to impact the state of Maine and its people. His life and career serve as a testament to the power of dedication, hard work, and a deep love for one’s community.

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Governor Selden Connor

Maine Ghost Hunters — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 15:50:04 +0000

Governor Selden Connor

In this blog entry you’re being introduced to Maine’s 35^th Governor. His name was Selden Connor and he was dedicated soldier, successful banker, and popular politician. He was also one of Maine’s finest Civil War heroes, and one tough nut. I’ll tell you why I wrote that in a minute.

Selden Connor was born in Fairfield, Maine on January 25, 1839. He was educated in local area schools, including The Hartland Academy in Hartland and the Westbrook Seminary before heading off to college at Tufts University. After graduating from Tufts in 1859 he moved to Vermont to study law in the law offices of Washburn and Marsh.

In his second year as a law student in Vermont the Civil War broke out. Selden wasted no time. Within just 5 days of the announcement, he had left his schooling to join the cause to preserve the Union by enlisting for a 3 month tour with the 1^st Regiment of Vermont Volunteers. He quickly moved up in rank to Major, and then Lieutenant Colonel of the 7^th Maine.

Selden Connor was involved in many important military campaigns;

In 1862, at the age of 23, he was put into temporary command of the 77^th New York Regiment after the Union Victory at the battle of Antietam.
He was involved with the Peninsula Campaign, which was a direct Union offensive on the Confederate Capitol of Richmond, Virginia. The campaign lasted from April of 1862 to July 1862. The Union was not successful at capturing the city.
He was also present at the Battle of Fredericksburg, where he was wounded, but not so badly he couldn’t continue on with his duties.
He was present at the battle of Gettysburg where the 7^th Maine joined the right flank.
And he led his men to fight in the Battle of the Wilderness. It was in this campaign he was wounded by a musketball that struck his inner thigh, ripped through his quad muscle and essentially shattered his left femur. This leg injury would cause him much grief for the remainder of his life. It ended his field career and relegated him to administrative duty for the duration.

Selden was promoted to Brigadier General after sustaining this leg injury but was mustered out of the service in 1866. In 1866 he fell and fractured his leg again which left him housebound for 2 years, much of which he was bedridden.

In 1868 is when Selden Connor’s political career began when he was appointed to the position of “assessor of internal revenue’ by governor Joshua Chamberlain. Within a few short years he was appointed the “collector for the Augusta district”.

In 1875 he made a successful run for Governor as a Republican and 2 follow-up re-election bids which he also won – serving from 1876 through 1879. In 1876 he appointed James G. Blaine to fill an empty Senate seat when Lot Myrick Morrill was tapped by President Grant to become the US Secretary to the Treasury. In 1882 he was employed as a U.S. Pension Agent, a position he held until 1886 when the office itself was abolished.

From 1893-1897 Connor served as the 23^rd Adjutant General of Maine. The Adjutant General is an esteemed military appointment, responsible for State Level Military. So, in this capacity he was responsible for all facets of the Maine National Guard.

His later life accomplishments included serving as the President of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, the Senior Vice Commander of the Loyal Legion, and the President of the Northern Banking Company.

He was a lifelong member of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity. He also held memberships in the Maine Historical Society, the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts, and was the Senior Vice Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (or the G.A.R.).

Selden Connor died in 1917 at the age of 78. His death was determined to be caused by “Nephritis of 22 years and abscess of the kidney”. He left behind a political legacy we all still live by today.

Some things Selden Connor was known for;

He was a Civil Service Reform Advocate – which meant he was opposed to the “spoils system” in Government jobs where incoming presidents would wipe out government employees who weren’t of their political backing only to replace them with big money donors, or political party favorites. In short, Civil Service meant that employees who were ‘civil servants’ wouldn’t necessarily identify with the party of the office of the President.
He pushed hard for a free public school system here in Maine. And he signed an act that led to the building of a teacher’s school in Fort Kent, Maine in an effort to Americanize the state’s French Settlers in the Madawaska Territory. It was originally called the Madawaska Training School but that name morphed over the years to; The Fort Kent Normal School, The Fort Kent State Teacher’s College, Fort Kent State College, and finally, the University of Maine at Fort Kent
He was an outspoken voice in cleaning up the political arena of bribery & forced voting practices – where employers wouldn’t hire employees with opposing political ideologies, and who would also force employees to vote for whomever the boss told them to.
He was an outspoken proponent for the Women’s Suffrage Movement to the point he held the position of Vice President of the Maine Woman Suffrage Association.
And finally, Selden Connor was a mighty fine cook. Being the son of a Lumberman meant he knew his way around a bean pot. Lumbermen of the time had this special way of making Beanhole Baked Beans and Selden had perfected the recipe so deliciously it was darn-near legendary.

The post Governor Selden Connor first appeared on Maine Ghost Hunters.

Lot Myrick Morrill

Maine Ghost Hunters — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 16:37:26 +0000

Lot Myrick Morrill

Lot Myrick Morrill: A Beacon of Leadership in Maine

Lot Myrick Morrill, the 28th Governor of Maine, was a figure of steadfast leadership and unwavering moral character. Born on May 3, 1813, in Belgrade, Massachusetts, Morrill’s journey from a small-town boy to a prominent political figure is a testament to his dedication and commitment to public service.

Early Life and Education

Morrill’s early life remains largely undocumented, but it is known that he received his education at Colby College, then known as Waterville College. After college, he served as the principal of a private school in New York called Western College, marking the beginning of his career in public service.

A Life in Politics

In 1839, Morrill began his law practice, first in Readfield for two years, then moving his practice to Augusta. His political career took off in 1854 when he was elected as a Maine State Representative. Despite his disagreement with the Democratic Party’s policies and attitudes towards slavery, he served as the Chairman of the Maine Democratic Party. However, his stance on slavery led him to leave the Democrats and join the Republican Party in 1856.

As a Republican, Morrill was elected to the Maine State House as a Senator and was named President of the Senate. In 1858, he was elected as Governor of Maine, a position he held for three terms until the Civil War broke out in 1861.

A Legacy of Leadership

Morrill’s tenure as a U.S. Senator from Maine was marked by his strong anti-slavery sentiments. He advocated for freeing and educating freed slaves in Washington D.C., sponsored legislation to outlaw slavery, and advocated for equal rights for slaves.

Morrill was also known for his stance on the re-admittance of Confederate States back into the Union. He opposed punishing the South for their rebellion and was a strong proponent of the Military Reconstruction Act. In 1868, he voted in favor of impeaching President Andrew Johnson.

A Man of Principle

Morrill was a man of high moral and ethical standards. He loved his country more than his party, voting to expel Senator Bright of Indiana for being a Confederate sympathizer and communicating with Jefferson Davis. He also voted to impeach Andrew Johnson for his racist attitudes and opposition to political rights for freed men and ex-slaves.

Life After Washington

After his time in Washington, Morrill returned to Maine, where he was appointed as the U.S. Collector of Customs in Portland, a position he held from 1877 until his death in 1883.

Remembering Lot Myrick Morrill

Morrill is best remembered for his advocacy for civil rights, his stance on the re-admittance of Confederate States, and his commitment to national financial security. He lived in the Lot Morrill House at 113 Winthrop Street in Augusta, a Greek Revival Architecture building listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Lot Myrick Morrill passed away on January 10, 1883, at the age of 69, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and commitment to the people of Maine.

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Anson P. Morrill

Maine Ghost Hunters — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 16:33:11 +0000

Anson P. Morrill

Early Life

Anson Peaslee Morrill was born on June 10, 1803, in Belgrade, Maine. As one of the older children in a large family of 14, he spent his early years hunting, fishing, and trapping on the land. His education was sporadic, attending school when it was open and working for his father’s mill, which included a grist mill, carding machine, and saw mill, when it was not. Despite these humble beginnings, Anson’s reputation for honesty and integrity was established early on, earning him the trust of those around him.

Early Adulthood and Political Life

At the age of 21, Anson opened a mercantile store in Belgrade. A year later, he was appointed Postmaster of Dearborn, a position he held until 1841. He moved around a bit, living in Belgrade Hill, Madison, Mount Vernon, and Readfield. In Readfield, he took over the management of a woolen mill that was near financial ruin. He invested his life savings into it, and it became prosperous, allowing him to live comfortably for the rest of his life.

Adulthood and Politics

Anson held various political posts throughout his life. He was elected to the Maine State Legislature in 1834, served as sheriff of Somerset County for a term in 1839, and was elected to the State House from Madison in 1844. He was elected as the first Republican Governor of Maine in 1855, receiving 44% of the votes. He ran for Governor again in 1855 but the legislature chose Governor Wells. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1856 and was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1860.

Later Business Life

After his political career, Anson went on to become the President of the board of Directors of the Maine Central Railroad Company from 1873 to 1875, and later served as its Vice President from 1876 to 1887.

Retirement

In 1879, Anson moved to Augusta, where he lived in retirement. However, even in his retirement, he was elected for the state legislature in 1881-1882, at the age of 77. He passed away in his Augusta residence on July 4, 1887, after suffering a short illness which involved paralysis.

Personal Life

Anson was a universalist who attended church regularly and financially supported it. He was known for his generosity, often helping out his friends in their business ventures, even if it meant suffering financial losses. He was known as a patient, understanding, forgiving, and charitable man, truly the whole package.

Anson Peaslee Morrill’s life is a testament to his dedication to his community, his state, and his country. His legacy lives on in the institutions he helped build and the values he upheld.

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Maine’s Lost Governor

Maine Ghost Hunters — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 15:56:03 +0000

Maine’s Lost Governor

Who Was Enoch Lincoln?

Born into a politically powerful family in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1788, Enoch Lincoln was destined for greatness. His father, Levi Sr., and his older brother Levi Jr., both held prestigious political positions, including the roles of State Representative, Lieutenant Governor, and even Governors of Massachusetts.

Enoch himself was a highly educated and capable individual. After graduating from Harvard and receiving an Honorary Master of Arts degree from Bowdoin College, he studied law with his brother Levi Jr. and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1811.

By 1815, Enoch was serving as the assistant U.S. district attorney, and by 1818, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. His political career culminated in 1827 when he was elected as Maine’s 6th governor, a position he held for three terms, winning over 90% of the votes cast in his re-elections.

Enoch Lincoln was not just a political player; he was a man of wide-ranging interests and a champion for those in need. He opposed slavery, appreciated Native American culture, and advocated for women’s education at a time when such views were unheard of.

The Legacy of Enoch Lincoln

Enoch Lincoln left an indelible mark on the state of Maine. He is the reason Maine’s capital is Augusta, not Portland. He commissioned Charles Bullfinch to design Maine’s new statehouse in 1827. He was also a poet, having published a poem in 1816 called “The Village,” which earned him the title of “Maine’s 1st Poet.”

One of his most significant achievements as Governor was to protect Maine’s Northernmost boundary when it came under scrutiny by England. Despite pressure from the federal government, Enoch stood his ground, ensuring no boundary change occurred under his watch.

The Mystery of Enoch Lincoln’s Disappearance

However, a mystery surrounds Enoch Lincoln. In 1986, a work crew entered the vault where he was supposedly buried to do some restoration work, only to find it empty. So the question remains – where did Enoch Lincoln go?

Some speculate that he was buried under the tomb, not in it, because the state legislature didn’t approve a monument dedicated to him until 1842. Others suggest his body was removed during an earlier cleaning of the vault back in the 1950s and never put back. There’s even a nearly forgotten rumor that his body was removed from the crypt on purpose and re-interred in his ‘home state’ of Massachusetts.

Five Things to Know About Enoch Lincoln:

He was betrothed to Mary Chadbourne-Page of Fryeburg, Maine for a few years, set to be married only a few months after he died.
He was expelled from Harvard for engaging in the Rotten Cabbage Rebellion of 1807.
He was in the process of collecting materials and documentation for writing a book on Maine history, and another on the language & history of the Aboriginals.
He once challenged another lawyer to a duel when he lived in Fryeburg.
He knew he was dying and was buried with Military Honors.

Enoch Lincoln was a man ahead of his time, a champion for those in need, and a figure who left an indelible mark on the state of Maine. His life, his achievements, and the mystery surrounding his final resting place continue to intrigue us to this day.

The post Maine’s Lost Governor first appeared on Maine Ghost Hunters.