F. M. Lancaster 1903

F. M. Lancaster 1903

The F. M. Lancaster home on Church Street, Belfast in 1903 was built in 1864. It is Italianate in style and reminiscent of an Italian villa. It features a belvedere with finial on roof, pendants on brackets. Francis Merriam Lancaster was born at Northport, November 27, 1817, son of Humphrey and Lucy (Elwell) Lancaster. Mr. Lancaster went west in the California Gold Rush in 1851 where he remained for four years, returning to Belfast in 1855. On his return to Belfast he engaged in the grocery business on Main Street for 52 years, retiring at age 91. He married, January 18, 1844, at Northport, Angelett 0. Brown and had one child, Ella Angelett, born March 27, 1847, who married James Llewellyn Sleeper. Francis Merriam Lancaster died December 14, 1910 at age 93, EATONS This was the home of Lorimer K. Eaton, a prominent Belfast attorney and his wife Ruth M. Eaton for many years in the latter half of the twentieth century. Lorimer was born on April 11, 1912 and died in June 1958 at age 46. Eaton entered into a law partnership with Richard Glass in 1956. The firm later included Francis Marsano and Lee Woodward. Ruth was born on July 9, 1912, in Prospect, the daughter of John and Grace (Clark) Rainy. She was a graduate of Eastern State normal School in Castine and went on to teach school at the one-room schoolhouse in Monroe for many years. She also taught elementary school in Swanville and Searsport. She was interested in civic affairs and was, throughout her life, a very active volunteer for many area organizations.