Cumberland County, Maine - Hugh J. Chisholm ********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: C. Wendland SilverDrusilla@aol.com Copyright (c) 2005 by C. Wendland Caitlin's Gold Award Project, Girl Scouts USA, Rio Grande Girl Scout Council, El Paso, Texas ********************************************************************** Biography Hugh J. Chisholm Biographical Review Cumberland County, Maine Boston Biographical Review Publishing Company 1896 Page 306-310 Hugh J. Chisholm, a citizen of Portland whose career in the business world has been one of eminent success, was born in the little town of Niagara-on-the- Lake, Canada, May 2, 1847. His parents were Alexander and Mary Chisholm, natives of Inverness, Scotland; and he can trace his lineage back without break to the year 1300, when the Chisholm clan flourished at Strathglass, in the Highlands of Scotland. Mr. Chisholm has samples of the plaid adopted by his forefathers and worn by them through generations, and is justly proud of his race. He visited Scotland during the summer of 1894, and erected a monument to the memory of his grandparents. Alexander Chisholm came to America in 1827 on a sailing-vessel, and on his arrival located near Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. There he spent the remainder of his life, a respected citizen; and there his son Hugh attained the age of thirteen years. In May, 1860, Hugh Chisholm secured a position at Toronto as newsboy on the Grand Trunk Railway. His inherent business talent at once asserted itself; and he soon saved money enough to buy his own stock, taking his own risks and profits instead of the percentage usually allowed a newsboy. His first fifty dollars of surplus capital he paid out for a Bryant & Stratton College course at Toronto, as he realized that he must be better educated in commercial matters in order to cope with others in the business world. Still attending to his newspaper route in the daytime, he pursued his studies at night until his course was finished. He was in business alone for about a year, his route being from Toronto to Detroit; and during that time he made the acquaintance of a newsboy contemporary, who has since become famous - Thomas Edison, whose route was between Port Huron and Detroit. At the expiration of a year Hugh Chisholm's business had so increased that he decided to take a partner; and, accordingly, in 1861 he divided his responsibilities with his brother, establishing the firm of Chisholm Brothers. They shortly began to employ other boys, and soon had control of the business on nearly all of the Grand Trunk Railway, running east as far as Portland. In 1866, six years after Hugh made his modest start, they had contracted to sell papers on trains from Chicago to Portland and as far east as Halifax; and also on the steamboats, including the principal lines of travel in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Northern New York, and Canada, in all amounting to five thousand miles. At this time they employed two hundred boys, their head office being at Montreal, besides which they had several branch offices; and they were far ahead of other similar firms in Canada or the United States in the amount of business done. They were the first to use uniforms on the trains, for at that time the officials of the road even did not wear them. They were also engaged in the publishing business, producing the first railroad and tourists' guides, and also books and albums descriptive of routes of travel. Being pleased with the city of Portland, Mr. Chisholm established here a branch office, and has practically made this city his home since 1872. In 1876, selling all of his Canadian interest, he purchased the interest of his brother in the New England States. He established a publishing business in Portland, making a specialty of fine lithograph work, having produced three hundred separate sets of view albums, ranging in size from the smallest pamphlet to the beautiful large quarto volumes descriptive of picturesque Maine, albums showing the scenery along the principal railroads of the United States, including Colorado Midland, Denver, the Rio Grande, also the "Garden of the Gods." Mr. Chisholm has also published beautiful works descriptive of cities of the United States, including the "White City" of the Exposition. A great deal of his engraving was done in Germany, where the finest lithograph stone is found, and where he could have first-class work done at a low rate, so as to place his publications within general reach. Mr. Chisholm contracted with the leading news companies of the United States to handle his goods exclusively, and the works were sold by the hundred thousand. In 1880, Mr. Chisholm became interested in wood pulp, his first venture being in the manufacture of fibre-ware. He was one of the original patentees of the new product, and invested considerable money in the venture, being obliged to surmount many unlooked-for obstacles before his efforts were crowned with success; but after two years of hard work and a large outlay of money he brought the idea from nothing to a happy and profitable realization, and now fibre-ware tubs, pails, and other utensils are sold all over the country. His experimental plant was located at Portland, and his first permanent manufactory at Waterville. This being burned, his company with others established a factory at Windham, near Portland. After the new factory was running successfully and on a paying basis, he sold out his interests in order to devote more time to the manufacture of pulp and paper. In the mean time he, with others, had organized the Somerset Fibre Company at Fairfield, Kennebec County, Me., incorporated with a capital stock of two hundred thousand dollars, in which he is still a Director. In 1881 he established the Umbagog Pulp Company of Livermore Falls, with a present capital of over two hundred thousand dollars, of which he has been President and manager from the start; and he was the organizer of the Otis Falls Pulp Company, which has at present an invested capital of seven hundred thousand dollars. The paper and pulp mill at Otis Falls is one of the largest in the United States, the daily output being about eighty tons of newspaper. Of this industry Mr. Chisholm has been since its organization Treasurer, General Manager, and principal owner. These mills have built up a thrifty town, whose assessed value, exclusive of the mill property, has been trebled since their advent. In 1882 Mr. Chisholm, in company with Charles D. Brown, began to buy, piece by piece, the property around Rumford Falls, until a large extent of territory was in their possession, together with the river rights six miles above. Where the thriving town of Rumford Falls now stands was then all timber land; and the evolution of the town was due to the business sagacity and forethought of Mr. Chisholm, who saw what could be done with the water-power, and had the courage to venture on its development. Purchasing the old Rumford Falls & Buckfield Road, he organized a new corporation, changing the name to the Portland & Rumford Falls Railroad, of which he is President, General Manager, and four- fifths owner. He built the roads from Canton to Rumford Falls and from Mechanic Falls to Auburn, Me., putting in fine iron bridges and heavy steel rails throughout, and fitting the road with first-class rolling-stock, so that it is now one of the best roads in the State; and, considering that it is the undertaking of one man, it is a great accomplishment. In the mean time Rumford Falls was being developed by building dams and laying open-way canals at different levels, the developed power amounting to forty-two thousand horse- power, which is several times greater than the power at Holyoke, the greatest paper-manufacturing city in the United States. Mr. Chisholm interested capitalists to establish the Rumford Falls Paper Company; and their mill is one of the largest and most flourishing in the States, with connecting sulphide pulp plant. The Rumford Falls Sulphide Company, of which Mr. Chisholm is Treasurer and one of the Directors, was also established through his instrumentality; and he was influential in incorporating the Woollen Company, the Light and Water Companies, and the Trust Company of the town, in all of which he is a Director, being principal stockholder in the latter. In the city of Portland also he is a financial factor, being a Director of the Casco National Bank. Looking back over this remarkable career, with its list of dazzling accomplishments, it almost seems as if Mr. Chisholm had been endowed with the Midas touch. On September 5, 1872, Mr. Chisholm was united in marriage with Henrietta Mason, daughter of Edward Mason, an old and prominent resident of Portland. They have one son, Hugh, a bright boy of nine years. Mr. Chisholm is a member and a liberal supporter of the First Parish (Unitarian) Church of Portland. Though a busy man, he has found time to cultivate his taste in literature and art and to travel extensively in the United States and Europe. He has brought home many gems of art from Rome.