George Hartwell Donham

Born: February 5, 1851 in Readfield, Maine
Died: December 3, 1932
Buried:

George’s family moved to Patten and then to Island Falls in the mid-1850s, and George grew up here. His father was a doctor who enlisted into the Civil War army and died in service in 1864. George was mostly self-educated being known as a great reader always, with knowledge far beyond his years at Island Falls schools.

George was involved deeply in town affairs. He held the office of town clerk for 35 consecutive years, was elected postmaster and served as a trial justice and deputy sheriff. George was responsible for our unique stone jail building being built; when the building housing post office and town office burned, his declaration being that he’d “build a building that would not burn flat, by God”. This 1911 building was entered in the National Register of Historic Places on April 4, 2019.

George’s presence in our town is recorded frequently. There are school records with his name as he served as part of the superintending committee for years. His name is on documents pertaining to investment in the electrical company when it was new. He belonged to the Masonic lodge holding all offices and was the first Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star organization when it formed.

As a newspaper publisher and editor, he visited towns around to gather printable news. The Katahdin Kalendar and the Island Falls news came from his press and his editorials were printed there for response from the readers. He wrote an early history of the town, printing it in excerpts in his paper and others.

George is said to have had great musical ability, a gift for speaking and acting. As Island Falls was a center for shows and concerts through the 1890s and into the 20th century he was part of the entertainment of the town acting and speaking on stage as well as playing in the town band for many years.

At the same time, George farmed the family farm. Known as the Donham farm clear up to the 1990s he kept cows, chickens, and a garden, attending to them into his 80s.

In tending to his civic duties, George walked the mile into town for his mail each day. He then conducted such business as was needed, walking home to tend the farm.

In 1931 he celebrated his 80th birthday. He had been married 56 years at that time and was still able to farm. He then held the Boston Post Cane as the town’s oldest citizen, expressing that at some point he might “feel the need to use it”.

George left an impression as his name is still familiar to many and his influence on and participation in the building of many aspects of Island Falls holds firm through today.