Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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EBL Eluseph Qshurp liitmau The heurl Io COl7CU!'L'L'. the tinderslcznding Io direct. lhe hum! lo erectile. -Junius. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH News travels quickly in a small country community where the total population does not exceed six hundred. lt was in such a town. Appleton, Maine, on June 30. 1867, that the news was spread among the townsfolk that a son had been born to Vklilliam Henry and Ruth Anne illichardsonl Pitman. In this little town, where more than one-fourth of the population was of Mayflower ancestry, it must have been with a great deal of pride that they recorded the birth of Joseph Asbury Pitman-descendant in nine different lines from Mayflower stock, including that of YVilliam Bradford. the second governor of Plymouth Colony. The Pitman family. after coming from England to Salem in 1639, mi- grated northward until they finally settled in Maine. The Richardson ancestors likewise appeared first in Salem, in 1630, with Governor NVinthrop. and migrated into Maine. lt seems as if the hand of destiny had some part in send- ing this child, whose father's name and mother's name both originated in Salem, back to Salem in 1906. What a clever stroke of fortune that years later the students in his school were to study a system of shorthand originated by Sir Isaac Pitman, who was of the same family stock as Joseph Asbury Pitman. Surely this child, so richly blessed with a staunch New England inheri- tance, has followed the traditions of the family by dedicating his life to gener- ous and unselfish service, both in his profession and in the civic affairs of his community. None will deny that this inheritance was one of the important factors contributing to his success. No less important were the influences of his early home in this small town. He spent a most happy childhood on the old farm which had been the home of his grandfather. His was the simple, yet happy, carefree life of the typical Maine country lad. His education began at the age of six in the public schools of his home town. his first teacher being an aunt, a sister of his father. Outside of school hours there were numerous interests for an active boy. There were horses and cattle as well as other kinds of stock on the farm. He had his own animals to be tended and cared for. There were no other children in the family near his own age, his sister being nine years younger and his brother fourteen years younger. At an early age. one of his life hobbies- collecting-manifested itself. Starting with simple collections such as stamps and coins. his interests broadened until we find him at the age of thirteen or fourteen tramping through the country that he knew so well. gathering geo- logical and mineralogical specimens. These specimens were not just a passing fancy: they may be found today intact in a display cabinet in his old home on the farm where he was born. 25