From the Franciscan brothers who manage Friars’ Bakehouse in Bangor to television funnyman Eddie Driscoll to Stephen King, a new book about Bangor’s most important locals explores Bangorians through history with pithy profiles.
“Legendary Locals of Bangor,” by Richard R. Shaw and Brian F. Swartz was published earlier this month by Arcadia Publishing. Its 115 profiles begin with those who first settled Bangor in 1769.
For Shaw, a former Bangor Daily News editor and feature writer, the project was attractive since it explored Bangor history through its people, which intrigued him and he felt would intrigue readers as well.
“I don’t think any book has ever been done just on people,” said Shaw.
To select people to profile, Shaw said he used a three-pile system — one with those who definitely had to appear in the book such as Paul Bunyan and Tabitha and Stephen King, one with maybes and one with probably nots.
Co-author Swartz, also a former Bangor Daily News reporter and editor, complimented Shaw’s experience, bringing a different perspective.
“He’s strong on the Civil War,” said Shaw.
For his part, Swartz said that his favorite profile was of Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, who had two wives.
“He married Sarah Jane Emery of Paris (Maine) in 1833, and they raised five children in Hampden. Sarah died of tuberculosis in 1855. In late summer 1856, Hannibal married Sarah’s half-sister, Ellen Vesta Emery of Paris. She was 26 years younger than Hannibal and 20 years younger than Sarah. Ellen had two children with Hannibal; the family moved to Bangor, where the second child was born,” said Swartz in an email. “I was fascinated with how Hannibal kept his marriages ‘in the family’ and how he also served in a militia company during the Civil War. He was called to active duty for about a month one summer.”
As for working with a co-author for the first time, Shaw enjoyed it and appreciated that the final product has what he thinks is a cohesive voice.
“It worked really well. We got along really well,” said Shaw.
“Legendary Locals of Bangor,” by Richard R. Shaw and Brian F. Swartz is available locally at Book Marcs on Central Street, Books-A-Million near the Bangor Mall and The Briar Patch on Central Street, among other booksellers.