Person:Martin Mower (3)

According to Walter L. Mower's Mower Family History:

Martin Mower was the tallest of the family and set his mark correspondingly high. He had a powerful muscular frame of almost unlimited endurance. His ambition, which knew no bound, was to obtain wealth, by large transactions. He first commenced on a farm in New Vineyard. His method for clearing was original. In 19 days he notched the trees on 15 acres and a strong wind laid all prostrate in an hour. Finding farming and clearing too small business for him, with two or three others, he bought part of a township on Dead River and for two winters devoted himself to logging. Built a saw mill in Georgetown, Maine, at Robin Hood Cove for the purpose of working up his lumber, but the enterprise proved a failure and unsuccessful. The snow upon which he had calculated for water supply wasted away so gradually that no freshet resulted and his largest logs refused to float to the mill. He next built a steamboat, the "Experiment," and ran it himself on the Kennebec River from Bath to Augusta - the first one that plied these waters. Made his first testing trip to Gardiner by night; as he said "using the cover of darkness to conceal what defects and failures might be found on board." The experiment was, however, a decided success, but current stories were told of the queer impressions produced on the unsuspecting by the strange puffing and whistling in the night. Subsequently he sold this boat for $5,000. Used it to tow vessels becalmed at the mouth of the river to port. Transported lumber from Brunswick, Maine, and carried from Quincy, Massachusetts, a portion of the granite from which Bunker Hill Monument is made. By turns he was rich and poor.

At last, after having lived in 12 different places, settled in Bangor, Maine, where he cleared a large farm, kept tavern for several years, built a meeting house and parsonage on his own land, and spent the evening of his days with his son George on the farm.

He was twice married. His first wife was Mary Underhill of Chester, New Hampshire; a lady of attractive features, charming presence and great executive ability. His second wife was Philinda (Fuller) Hill.

Gravestone - Martin & George Mower families

Mower Homestead in Bangor, Maine