HAMOR - EBEN M. - Eden

MR. EBEN HAMOR DEAD

Bar Harbor Record

Nov. 9, 1910




People throughout the town of Eden learned with the most sincere regret Sunday morning of the death at midnight Saturday of Eben M. Hamor of West Eden, one of the most thoroughly admired and respected. Mr. Hamor lived to the great age of 87 years and 21 days and died at his home at Town Hill, as that part of eden is commonly called, within a short distance of the spot where he was born.

He had been sick for two weeks, althrough able during part of that time to move about his room occasionally.. The immediate cause of his death was heart failure caused by lung service, the organ being simply worn out and unable to perform its function. For the last three or four days before his death Mr. Hamor had been unconscious the greater part of the time and the end came peacefully and without pain.

He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Ida Rich or West Eden, one brother, James Hamor, a grand daughter; Mrs. Fred Gonya of Bar Harbor, and a grandson, Chester Rich, of West Eden. Funeral services were held at the chapel, West Eden, Tuesday afternoon at 1 o'clock.

The members of Mt. Desert lodge, F.and A.M. of the town of Mount Desert with which Mr. Hamor had been identified for many years attended the funeral service in a body and a large number of Bar Harbor Masons were present. Mr. Hamor was born at West Eden and lived there continually except for a short period when he carried on a store in the village of Somesville. He married Miss Apphia Salisbury, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Salisbury of Eden, whom he survived by some twenty five years. In his younger days Mr. Hamor taught school in Bar Harbor and other parts of Mount Desert Island and studied surveying as opportunity offered. He worked for many years as a surveyor in different parts of hancock County and became very familiar with land titles, especially on the island of Mt. Desert.

In middle life, Mr. Hamor served the town very effectively as a member of the board of selectmen for many years and he has also been town treasurer and collector of taxes. He has been agent of the town school and for many years and was elected to that office at the last annual meeting of the town. He was representative to the legislature from the class towns of Eden, Mount Desert, Tremont, and Cranberry Isle for two terms.

Mr. Hamor also assisted in the preparation of Mt. Desert, a history by George E. Street, and in a number of articles which have appeared from time to time in various newspapers and magazines. He was always appealed to for testimony in disputed land cases as to events in early years. At the annual Hamor reunion, one of the largest social events on the island, he was the most prominent figures, and the witty, piquant speeches that he always made were among the most prominent and important features of the gathering. He will be deeply missed in every way and in his death Eden has sustained a deep loss.

Mr. Hamor was a generous contributor and a deeply interested member of the Baptist Church there, and took more than a personal pride in the handsome little edifice that was erected by the self-sacrifice of the people of West Eden.

At the time of his death he was the postmaster at West Eden, which office he has held for a good many years, except under president Cleveland's administration. He was in business as a general storekeeper in West Eden and Somesville for more than half a century.

Mr. Hamor was a prominent figure in town meetings for a generation, and his views expressed in convincing terms, were always given careful consideration and carried great weight with the voters. He stood firmly for what he believed to be the best interests of the town and his counsel in town affairs was recognized as wise. Al through a resident of the western part of the town he invariably supported any measure looking to the improvement of the town even though the immediate vicinity of his house would not be benefited by the improvement so directly as another part of the town. He believed that good schools, good roads, a good sewer system, good lighting, etc. in Bar Harbor benefited every citizen of the town wherever he lived in the village of Bar Harbor or in the most remote district of the town. He believed in a broad liberal policy in conducting the affairs of the town and advocated such a policy on every occasion.

Years ago Mr. Hamor began the work of gathering material for a history of the town. About four years ago the first volume was finished by Mr. Hamor and presented to the town, and at the annual town meeting in 1909 the second volume, written by Mr. Hamor's own hand since his 81st birthday, was given to the town.

Those two volumes contain matter concerning the town and its inhabitants of the greatest historical interest to the people of Eden and of inestimable value. They represent a vast amount of work and research on the part of Mr. Hamor and are a good addition to the liturature concerning the orgin and growth of the town. With the volumes of history in a copy of the original grant by the state of Mass. of this part of the island of Mr. Desert to Madam Degregoire.

Of such importance does the town regard this historical account that at the annual meeting of 1910 a committee of five was appointed to consider the question of having it printed in book form.

About four years ago Mr. Hamor built a new house at West Eden in which he has since lived with his daughter, Mrs. Ida Rich, and his grandson, Chester Rich and his wife. Mr. Hamor was a member of the Baptist Church at Salisbury Cove.

In politics he has always been a Republican.

Mr. Hamor had a keen intellect, and retained his faculties in a very remarkable degree up to the time of his last sickness. He was a splendid, rugged character. He was a broadminded, liberal, farsighted Christian gentleman. In his death Eden mourns one of its foremost citizen.