Cumberland County, Maine - John Mountfort
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Biography
John Mountfort
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 661-662


John Mountfort, a prosperous farmer of North Yarmouth, was born in Gray, Me.,
August 9, 1822, son of Jeremiah and Elmira F. (Fields) Mountfort. He is of
French and English ancestry. His paternal grandfather, John Mountfort, whose
father was an early settler in Portland, was born in Portland on May 4, 1757,
and was nine years of age when that town was burned by the Indians. When a young
man he settled in Gray upon an unimproved farm, which he cleared; and he became
a successful farmer, atone time owning a large tract of land. He engaged in
lumbering with profitable results, being a pioneer in that industry; and he was
an energetic and leading citizen of his locality. In politics he supported the
Whig party, and in his religious views he was liberal. He died at the age of
eighty-eight years. He married Jerusha Fields, who was born in Falmouth, Me.,
April 19, 1975, and they reared a family of seven children; namely, Jeremiah,
Edmund, David, Elias, Greenfield, Lucy, and Esther. The grandmother lived to
reach the age of eighty-five years.

Jeremiah Mounfort, Mr. Mountfort's father, was born in Falmouth, October 22,
1791. In early manhood he settled in Monmouth, Me., where he engaged in general
farming, and was one of the prosperous and successful farmers of that section.
He was a stirring, hardworking man all through, the active period of his life;
and his industry received its merited reward. He died in Monmouth, June 21,
1862. He was twice married. His first wife, Elmira F. Fields, whom he wedded
January, 28, 1819, was born in Windham, Me., April 23, 1794. Three children were
the fruit of this union, namely: David, who was born October 26, 1819; Harriet,
born June 29, 1821; and John, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Elmira F.
Mountfort died June 9, 1824; and on January 11, 1834, Jeremiah Mountfort married
for his second wife Deborah Shaw, who was born October 1, 1791. By this union
there were three children, namely: Elmira, who was born June 1, 1836; Elisha S.,
born April 22, 1838; and Franklin, born March 16, 1841. Of the six children of
Jeremiah Mountfort the survivors are: John, who is the eldest; Elmira; and
Franklin.

John Mountfort grew to manhood in Monmouth; and at an early age he began to
assist his father in carrying on the farm. He attended the district schools, but
his opportunity for obtaining an education was limited to short intervals when
he could be spared from work. At the age of eighteen he went to live with his
grandfather Mountfort, for whom he worked three years, receiving one hundred
dollars per year for his services. He then engaged in various occupations,
carefully saving his earnings; and in 1848 he bought forty-eight acres of his
present farm in North Yarmouth, where he has since resided. Industrious and
capable, he has applied his energies to good purpose, and has made farming pay.
He has added more land to the original purchase, now owning a good farm of
seventy-two acres; and he has made nearly all of the improvements upon the
property.

On April 20, 1848, Mr. Mountfort was united in marriage with Elmira Whitney,
daughter of James and Lucy (Mountfort) Whitney. Her parents were natives of
Cumberland County, and resided in the town of Cumberland. James Whitney was a
shoemaker by trade, an occupation which he followed in connection with farming.
He died in Cumberland at the age of eighty-seven, and his wife lived to attain
the advanced age of ninety-one years. They reared six children, four of whom
survive; namely, Elmira, Loemma, Esther A., and Franklin.

Mr. and Mrs. Mountfort have five children living, namely: James Franklin; Emma
A., who is now Mrs. Hayes; J. Herbert; Charles W.; and Anna B., who is now Mrs.
Davis. Mr. Mountfort is one of the oldest settlers of his neighborhood, and is a
highly esteemed resident of the community. He is a Democrat in politics and
liberal in his religious views. Mrs. Mountfort attends the Universalist church.