Levi Leighton, a resident of Columbia Falls for many years, one of the leading business men of Eastern Maine, was born in the town of Columbia, September 18, 1818, being the second child of Moses and Prudence (Allen) Leighton. His paternal grandfather, Isaac Leighton, was born February 25, 1763. He was an early settler in Columbia, redeeming a farm here from the wilderness. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Worster, was born February 28, 1767. They had a family of nine children; namely, Moses, Samuel, Daniel, Levi (first), Harrison T., Aaron, Lovisa, Sally, and Ann. Moses Leighton, the father above mentioned, was born October 19, 1790. He was engaged during his active life in farming and lumbering. He died in Columbia, January 17, 1875. His wife was a daughter of Gideon and Susan (Rideout) Allen. Her parents also were early settlers of Columbia. They reared a family of nine children; namely, Obadiah, Abraham, Isaac, Nicholas, Jacob, Dolly, Polly, Hannah, and Prudence, who married Moses Leighton. Mrs. Prudence Leighton died at Columbia Falls, May 15, 1871, aged seventy-nine years. She was the mother of eleven children. Levi Leighton in his boyhood and early youth attended the common schools of his native town. Levi then learned the ship-carpenter's trade and worked at it for a while, but, his right hand being injured by an axe, he was obliged to give up manual labor. In the spring of 1841 he entered Washington Academy at East Machias, and was fitted for a teacher. For a number of years after that he alternately taught school and pursued his studies at the academy. In the summer of 1848 he bought his first bill of goods in Boston, and started in trade in Columbia, opening a small retail store, which in winter, when he was teaching, his wife used to tend. Early in 1851 he built a store and settled down to a business life. In the autumn he wrote in his diary: "I have now a snug little house, a convenient little store, and some five or six hundred dollars' stock in trade, all paid for; and, more than all, my health is good and that of my family, a promising girl, Miss E. A. Tibbetts, and a little boy, Horace M. Leighton. " He took his brother Jason into partnership in 1854, and they built up a good business. In May, 1871, Mr. Leighton sold his share to his brother; and in 1872 he took his son into partnership and opened a general store at Columbia Falls under the firm name of L. Leighton & Son. This business also prospered. For a number of years Mr. Leighton kept a public house at Columbia Falls. He was also engaged in vessel building and lumbering. Mr. Leighton was a Democrat in his early manhood, but is now affiliated with the Republican party. He had a seat in the State legislature in 1854; was Town Treasurer twenty- one years; and has served as .Selectman, Town Agent, .School .Supervisor, Assessor, Collector, (Overseer of the Poor, and as Justice of the Peace and Quorum. In this latter capacity he has solemnized more than one hundred marriages. On religious subjects he holds liberal views. A man of strong mental gifts and decided opinions, he is widely known and highly respected. He has written and published his autobiography, and has given several public talks on vital subjects. He was married May 7, 1846, to Mrs. Lucy C. Wass Tibbetts, eldest daughter of Levi Wass and widow of John C. Tibbetts. Mr. Tibbetts was drowned in Machias River, May 7, 1843. He left one daughter, Emvesta A., born June 27, 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Leighton celebrated their golden wedding in May, 1896. They reside near the store at Columbia Falls. Their son, Horace M. , was born in Columbia, April 14, 1850. Taken into partnership by his father in 1872, as noted above, he is now active manager of the store, which, since 1894, has been conducted in the name of the Columbia Falls Packing Company. This company was organized in 1875 by some of the leading men of the locality, Horace M. Leighton among the number. It controls the leading enterprise of the town — canning blueberries — and employs every year directly or indirectly from two hundred to three hundred people. Thousands of cases of canned blueberries are annually sent from here to all parts of the United States. Horace M. Leighton, with his father, did an extensive business in ship-building from 1872 to 1883, and they are now financially interested in ten vessels. Horace M. Leighton was married May 4, 1872, to Maggie L. Wass, of Addison, Me., daughter of Captain Moses L. Wass, a member of one of the old and honored families of Washington County. Mr. and Mrs. Horace M. Leighton have three children: Lucy May, born July 3, 1879; Frank Horace, born August 10, 1881 ; and Josephine Wass, born June 15, 1885. Horace M. Leighton is a Republican. He has served on the Columbia Falls Board of Selectmen for fifteen years, presiding twelve years of that time as chairman ; and he has held many other town offices. He was in the State legislature in the winters of 1892, 1893, 1894, and 1895. He is a member of Tuscan Lodge, No. 106, F. & A. M., at Addison Point; Dirigo Chapter, R. A. M., at Cherryfield ; and St. Elmo Commandery and the Lodge of Perfection at Machias. In religious belief he is liberal.