Cumberland County, Maine - Levi Lincoln Cummings
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Biography
Levi Lincoln Cummings
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 693-694


Levi Lincoln Cummings, City Electrician for Portland, is a native of Maine,
Paris, the county seat of Oxford County, being the place of his birth, which
occurred June 18, 1843. His father, the late Captain Benjamin F. Cummings, who
was the commander of a company of State militia and a well-to-do agriculturist,
was a lifelong resident of Paris. He married Elmira, daughter of Moses
Twitchell; and to them six children were born, Levi being the fourth child.

Levi L. Cummings was reared on the home farm, attending school when it was in
session, at other times assisting his parents. Foreseeing the advantages of life
in a larger place, Mr. Cummings located in Portland in 1865, securing a position
under the city government in the city fire-engine house. After a short time he
became driver, continuing thus engaged until the establishment of the fire
alarm, which he assisted in putting in, in 1866, 1867, and 1868, being
subsequently elected superintendent of the system. When first constructed there
was but one circuit, with twenty-five alarm boxes and three police signal boxes;
but under the supervision of Mr. Cummings, wires have been extended to every
part of the city, the number of boxes increased to sixty-eight, with thirty-six
police signal boxes, containing the latest improvement, a fine automatic
repeater.

Mr. Cummings continued as superintendent of the Fire Alarm Department until the
office of City Electrician was created, under the wise administration of Mayor
King, when he was elected by the City Council as an incumbent of the new office.
With the exception of two years, when the opposing political party was in power,
Mr. Cummings has annually been elected to the same office, which he has filled
in a trustworthy and able manner. During his term of service the city bells have
been tolled at the time of the death, and on the occasion of the funeral, of
three prominent generals - Grant, Garfield, and Sherman. The facilities for
extinguishing incipient fires have been greatly increased, the Portland Fire
Department being one of the most efficient in New England, and with its present
equipments might easily have prevented the great conflagration of 1866, which
started in a small building containing wood seasoning for shoe soles.

In June, 1874, Mr. Cummings was united in marriage with Miss Susan L., daughter
of Paul Ford, of Lyman, Me. They have resided for a number of years at 541
Cumberland Street. Mr. Cummings is a stanch Republican, but not active as a
politician. Socially, he is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Beacon Lodge, No. 67,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.