name: Jan Charest email: jchares2@maine.rr.com message: Taken from" The Centennial History of Harrison, Maine" published in 1909 by the Southworth Printing Company of Portland, Maine: Hollis, b. March 22, 1860; he succeeded to the estate and business of his father, and greatly extended it to include a store containing a vast quantity and variety of useful merchandise. He is a close attendant on his varied business concerns and applies his energies to constant extension of his trade. He married , 1st, Mary A. Rodick of Freeport, Me. Nov.1, 1883; she died Aug.3, 1888. (note...her stone in the Harrison Village cemetery indicates she died on 8/21/1888...not 8/3/1888 as indicated in thisaccount) He married 2d, Feb. 22, 1890, Edith L. Rodick of Freeport, sister of his first wife. Children by first wife: Bessie G., born Aug. 3, 1888. By 2d wife, Martha Elizabeth, b. Jan. 22, 1904 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Taken from MY FIRST SIXTY YEARS IN HARRISON , MAINE Written by Ernest E. Ward in 1966 "In 1891, Hollis H. Caswell bought from Howard L. Sampson the lot on which the Anchorage now stands and erected a woodworking shop run by water power near the site of the Harry Maxfield home. The following year he built a large store and grain mill, and also two large storehouses. It is interesting to note Mr. Caswell- who was an experienced carpenter- (with the exception of one man for three days to help frame the store) completed the entire building alone making the windows, doors and frames in his shop. Upon completion he opened a general store in the main building and a grist mill in the building now occupied by Harry Maxfield's filling station. This business he carried on for a number of years under the name of Hollis H, Caswell, later taking in his Son-In-Law Harry Chapman, as a partner under the firm name of Caswell & Chapman. Mr. Caswell sold his interest in the business in 1919 to Everett T. Chapman. The business continued under the name of Chapman Brothers when Everett Chapman sold his interest to his Brother Harry , who continued the business for a short time , selling out to Portland parties. It was closed out as a store. In 1939, the land a buildings were bought by the writer and the main store converted into an up-to-date restaurant seating fifty. The grain mill was converted into a filling station which was purchased by Harry Maxfield, together with the adjoining building which was remodeled by him into an attractive home. The dine and dance hall did not prove to be a financial success and in 1942 the building was again remodeled into a sixteen room house where I now reside. In 1946 a six room cottage, boathouse and garage was built on the premises." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Newspaper clipping for his death. Taken from my Grandmother (bessie Caswell Chapman's scrapbook) HARRISON'S OLDEST RESIDENT DIES AT 92 Harrison- March 8, 1953 HOLLIS H. CASWELL "Masonic funeral services were held Tuesday at Greene's Funeral Home for hollis H. Caswell, 92, this town's oldest resident, who died suddenly at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ernest Ryan, Malden, Mass, where he had made his home for the past eight winters. Mr, Caswell retired about thirty years ago after operating a grain and general store here for many years. He was born here, March 22, 1860, son of Newell and Elizabeth Gathercole Caswell. He was the holder of the fifty year medal of the Bridgton Masonic Lodge. He was a Past Noble Grand of Odd Fellows Lodge and a charter member of Woodloand Rebekah Lodge. Besides Mrs. Ryan, he leaves another daughter, Mrs. Harry Chapman, Harrison, six grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. Interment will be in Harrison Village Cemetary. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ADDITIONAL NOTES By Janice (Chapman) Charest I have copies of old Harrison Town reports dating back to 1898 which my Father, Clifford, had collected. The store was mentioned in the 1899-1900 report in itemized expenses for the "Town Farm". The town of Harrison paid H.H. Caswell $159.56 for grain and another $18.77 for drain tile. Itemized payments to H.H. Caswell continued through the 1911/1912 Town report. The first mention of the store as Caswell & Chapman was in the 1912/1913 report. Harry Chapman married Bessie Caswell on 1/1/1912, so it would appear that Hollis probably made Harry his partner as a wedding gift. The 1920 Town report shows the first mention of Chapman brothers which agrees with the account by Ernest Ward above. Payments in Town reports continued through 1930 and then no further mention. This would lend credibility to my Father's recollection that the store was lost in the depression to bankruptcy which was also confirmed by Eleanor Chapman Bennett in a recent conversation. Ernest Ward's account that it was "sold" to Portland parties is probably not quite true.