BENJAMIN RADFORD
Another of our very aged citizens, after a long but cheerful journey, has reached the termination of his earthly course. It is but a few days since that we met him in Exchange street, and remarking how lively and buoyant he seemed, we observed to him that he did not appear to be much over sixty years old, and yet the burden of eighty-seven years was resting upon him. He smiled and went gaily on, not thinking in how brief a period, the dark shadow of death would settle down upon his bright and active day.
Mr. Radford was born in Ipswich (sic), Mass., in March 1775. He came to Portland from Salem in 1797, at the age of 22, with a wife, and his brother Daniel, who died many years ago. He learned his trade of Cabinet maker in Salem, and followed the business here near half a century. His brother William, born in August 1779, and still living, joined him in 1802, in the same occupation. These with Wm. Haskell were the principal manufacturers of furniture in town, during the early part of the century, and much of the work, solid and substantial, which they turned out may still be found as relics in some of the old families of our town. It was furniture that would wear, and not like some of modern date, stuck together with Spaulding's glue, that will hardly stick long enough to get to the house. The sign of Benjamin Radford, in Union street, with the picture of a mahogany bureau upon it, which for many a year invited the seeker after household goods, cannot fail to be remembered, by our old inhabitants. In that day we had no furniture warehouses filled, not only with substantial articles of housekeeping, but the ornamental, and all the nick-nacks of which modern ingenuity can contrive, to fill up people's houses, and take away their money.
It is a pleasure to have known such men as Wm. Haskell and Benjamin Radford, men of probity, of integrity and faithfulness: the foundations of their characters were laid in religious principle, the superstructure could not be otherwise than harmonious, consistent and beautiful. We grieve when such men leave us; we feel that society has met with a loss; we look around with anxious care and inquire who are to fill their places? But when we recall the names of the numerous, intelligent and faithful mechanics, who are the successors of these men, we are reassured that although a good, true and faithful citizen departs from among us, the vacant place is filled, and many, young and old, are pressing on to supply all the vacancies which the great reaper Death, is continually making in our ranks.
-- William Willis
Portland (Maine) Transcript
December 27, 1862
Another of our very aged citizens, after a long but cheerful journey, has reached the termination of his earthly course. It is but a few days since that we met him in Exchange street, and remarking how lively and buoyant he seemed, we observed to him that he did not appear to be much over sixty years old, and yet the burden of eighty-seven years was resting upon him. He smiled and went gaily on, not thinking in how brief a period, the dark shadow of death would settle down upon his bright and active day.
Mr. Radford was born in Ipswich (sic), Mass., in March 1775. He came to Portland from Salem in 1797, at the age of 22, with a wife, and his brother Daniel, who died many years ago. He learned his trade of Cabinet maker in Salem, and followed the business here near half a century. His brother William, born in August 1779, and still living, joined him in 1802, in the same occupation. These with Wm. Haskell were the principal manufacturers of furniture in town, during the early part of the century, and much of the work, solid and substantial, which they turned out may still be found as relics in some of the old families of our town. It was furniture that would wear, and not like some of modern date, stuck together with Spaulding's glue, that will hardly stick long enough to get to the house. The sign of Benjamin Radford, in Union street, with the picture of a mahogany bureau upon it, which for many a year invited the seeker after household goods, cannot fail to be remembered, by our old inhabitants. In that day we had no furniture warehouses filled, not only with substantial articles of housekeeping, but the ornamental, and all the nick-nacks of which modern ingenuity can contrive, to fill up people's houses, and take away their money.
It is a pleasure to have known such men as Wm. Haskell and Benjamin Radford, men of probity, of integrity and faithfulness: the foundations of their characters were laid in religious principle, the superstructure could not be otherwise than harmonious, consistent and beautiful. We grieve when such men leave us; we feel that society has met with a loss; we look around with anxious care and inquire who are to fill their places? But when we recall the names of the numerous, intelligent and faithful mechanics, who are the successors of these men, we are reassured that although a good, true and faithful citizen departs from among us, the vacant place is filled, and many, young and old, are pressing on to supply all the vacancies which the great reaper Death, is continually making in our ranks.
-- William Willis
Portland (Maine) Transcript
December 27, 1862
BENJAMIN RADFORD
Another of our very aged citizens, after a long but cheerful journey, has reached the termination of his earthly course. It is but a few days since that we met him in Exchange street, and remarking how lively and buoyant he seemed, we observed to him that he did not appear to be much over sixty years old, and yet the burden of eighty-seven years was resting upon him. He smiled and went gaily on, not thinking in how brief a period, the dark shadow of death would settle down upon his bright and active day.
Mr. Radford was born in Ipswich (sic), Mass., in March 1775. He came to Portland from Salem in 1797, at the age of 22, with a wife, and his brother Daniel, who died many years ago. He learned his trade of Cabinet maker in Salem, and followed the business here near half a century. His brother William, born in August 1779, and still living, joined him in 1802, in the same occupation. These with Wm. Haskell were the principal manufacturers of furniture in town, during the early part of the century, and much of the work, solid and substantial, which they turned out may still be found as relics in some of the old families of our town. It was furniture that would wear, and not like some of modern date, stuck together with Spaulding's glue, that will hardly stick long enough to get to the house. The sign of Benjamin Radford, in Union street, with the picture of a mahogany bureau upon it, which for many a year invited the seeker after household goods, cannot fail to be remembered, by our old inhabitants. In that day we had no furniture warehouses filled, not only with substantial articles of housekeeping, but the ornamental, and all the nick-nacks of which modern ingenuity can contrive, to fill up people's houses, and take away their money.
It is a pleasure to have known such men as Wm. Haskell and Benjamin Radford, men of probity, of integrity and faithfulness: the foundations of their characters were laid in religious principle, the superstructure could not be otherwise than harmonious, consistent and beautiful. We grieve when such men leave us; we feel that society has met with a loss; we look around with anxious care and inquire who are to fill their places? But when we recall the names of the numerous, intelligent and faithful mechanics, who are the successors of these men, we are reassured that although a good, true and faithful citizen departs from among us, the vacant place is filled, and many, young and old, are pressing on to supply all the vacancies which the great reaper Death, is continually making in our ranks.
-- William Willis
Portland (Maine) Transcript
December 27, 1862
Another of our very aged citizens, after a long but cheerful journey, has reached the termination of his earthly course. It is but a few days since that we met him in Exchange street, and remarking how lively and buoyant he seemed, we observed to him that he did not appear to be much over sixty years old, and yet the burden of eighty-seven years was resting upon him. He smiled and went gaily on, not thinking in how brief a period, the dark shadow of death would settle down upon his bright and active day.
Mr. Radford was born in Ipswich (sic), Mass., in March 1775. He came to Portland from Salem in 1797, at the age of 22, with a wife, and his brother Daniel, who died many years ago. He learned his trade of Cabinet maker in Salem, and followed the business here near half a century. His brother William, born in August 1779, and still living, joined him in 1802, in the same occupation. These with Wm. Haskell were the principal manufacturers of furniture in town, during the early part of the century, and much of the work, solid and substantial, which they turned out may still be found as relics in some of the old families of our town. It was furniture that would wear, and not like some of modern date, stuck together with Spaulding's glue, that will hardly stick long enough to get to the house. The sign of Benjamin Radford, in Union street, with the picture of a mahogany bureau upon it, which for many a year invited the seeker after household goods, cannot fail to be remembered, by our old inhabitants. In that day we had no furniture warehouses filled, not only with substantial articles of housekeeping, but the ornamental, and all the nick-nacks of which modern ingenuity can contrive, to fill up people's houses, and take away their money.
It is a pleasure to have known such men as Wm. Haskell and Benjamin Radford, men of probity, of integrity and faithfulness: the foundations of their characters were laid in religious principle, the superstructure could not be otherwise than harmonious, consistent and beautiful. We grieve when such men leave us; we feel that society has met with a loss; we look around with anxious care and inquire who are to fill their places? But when we recall the names of the numerous, intelligent and faithful mechanics, who are the successors of these men, we are reassured that although a good, true and faithful citizen departs from among us, the vacant place is filled, and many, young and old, are pressing on to supply all the vacancies which the great reaper Death, is continually making in our ranks.
-- William Willis
Portland (Maine) Transcript
December 27, 1862
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
Advertisement
