Mrs Powell Clayton residence, Belfast, ME. 47102

Mrs Powell Clayton residence, Belfast, ME. 47102

Mrs Powell Clayton residence, Belfast, ME.. Two story home with stately trees, front small porch entrance at street. At the time of this photo, this residence was the home of Mrs. Powell Clayton. Anne "Nannie" Tayloe Langhorne was born August 9, 1874 in Lynchburg, Virginia. She married then Capt. (later Major) Powell Clayton, the son of the late ex-United States Senator Powell Clayton, of Washington, D. C. in January of 1905. She served in various capacities for the Red Cross in Chattanooga and New York during World War 1. Major Clayton (Cavalry Officer) died in a riding accident while on active duty at Fort Sam Houston in Texas December 27, 1916. Among her interests in Belfast, was the Waldo County General Hospital, to which she donated an equipped operating room and substantial contributions for its maintenance. In 1925 she traveled to extensively in the far east, where her brother, Col. George Langhorne, was stationed. she also made several trips to Europe and the Near East. she died at her residence on Q street in Washington, D. C. June 28, 1962. She was buried with her husband July 2, 1962 at Arlington National Cemetery The eight room house (at 199 High Street currently) was built by Zacheus Porter in 1822. It is of the Federal style; with two Greek Revival porticos with Doric columns. It includes an attached barn and servant quarters and features an elevator between the first and second floors (date of installation unknown. Porter established a law practice after he moved to Belfast in 1813 from New Hampshire. The house was later the home of Dr. Gustavus Kilgore, co-owner of the Dana Sarsaparilla Company. PREVIOUS OWNERS During the year 1813, four additional lawyers commenced practice here; viz., Thomas F. Goodhue, Zaccheus Porter, James M. Seaman, and William White. The stay of the first-named was brief. He soon became unpopular, and removed to Columbia, in Washington County, where in 1815 he was indicted for forgery, and absconded. Zaccheus Porter was born at Danvers, Mass., Oct. 25, 1780. His youth was passed in the town of Peterboro, N. H., where his father moved a few years after. Having pursued the study of law for the required term in the office of the Hon. James Wilson, of Keene, he entered into partnership at Belfast, in 1813, with his former fellow-townsman, the Hon. John Wilson, and continued in this connection until his decease, Nov. 9, 1824. Although the professional career of Mr. Porter was comparatively short, yet it was long enough to establish his character as a sound, successful lawyer. He was endowed with an active mind, a great share of good sense, was untiring in business, and faithfully devoted to the interests of his clients. Scrupulously honest and exact in his dealings, he enjoyed an unusual share of the public confidence ; but the laborious duties of his profession early broke down a constitution already, when he came here, impaired by disease. He died in the midst of usiness, highly esteemed for his many social, amiable, and domestic virtues, and surrounded by every blessing but health to render life desirable. DR. GUSTAVUS CLARK KILGORE, a native of Smithfield, was born in 1850. After teaching in several Maine seminaries, he took the degree of Doctor of Medicine at the University of Vermont, in 1880, and commenced practice in Belfast in October, 1880, his first office being in the Johnson Block. He was City Physician in 1881 and 1882 The Dana Sarsaparilla Company was formed in 1888, owing to the success which had attended a sarsaparilla compound, formulated and patented by Dr. Gustavus Clark Kilgore, resulted in establishing a laboratory on Bridge Street, Belfast, where the next year, with Edgar Filmore Hanson as promoter, the manufacture of the article upon a larger scale was undertaken, followed by the organization of a stock company with the above title, having a capital of $25,000. By judicious advertising and enterprise, the business increased beyond the most sanguine expectations of its originators, and two dividends, one of twenty and one of a hundred per cent, were declared. In 1891, 300,000 bottles of the medicine having been sold, more extensive accommodations were required, and the foundry building on Front Street was purchased and enlarged. During the first six months after removal the sales reached half a million bottles. Such good fortune soon attracted outside parties, and in July, 1892, the controlling part of the stock was disposed of to a Boston syndicate for $300,000 cash. The holders thus received twelve hundred per cent on their original investment, besides the previous dividends of one hundred and twenty per cent. Nearly all of this remained in Belfast. Arrangements for placing immense quantities of the article were at once entered upon. The importation of ingredients by the ton, the establishment of a printing-press costing $30,000, and the circulation of millions of advertising sheets which doubled the revenue of the Post-Office, constituted some of the new features. The concern flourished during 1893, but the next year, owing to the transfer of its headquarters to Boston, resulting from a change of management, and dissensions among the stockholders, it began to decline, and the following year became a thing of the past. In June, 1896, its whole property was sold at auction by the sheriffs to satisfy the claim of a New York creditor. Such was the rise and fall of a corporation whose career is remarkable in the history of patent medicines.