Bailey's Mineralogical Activities Bailey seems to have been introduced to interested mineralogists, perhaps by Nathaniel H. Perry of South Paris or by Augustus C. Hamlin of Bangor. Nate Perry was Bailey's occasional partner when mining at Black Mountain and a visit by him was sometimes indicated in the personals column (May 26, 1885, Oxford Democrat ): "N. H. Perry, esq., the South Paris mineralogist, was in town [Andover] the 18th." Perry returned again the next mining season (June 22, 1886, Oxford Democrat ): "... N. H. Perry ... [was] among the strangers in town last week." In one of the coincidental associations common in Maine mining, Loren B. Merrill of Paris had relatives in Andover (e. g. L. B. Merrill visited E. E. Merrill; September 4, 1888, Oxford Democrat ). This visit occurred during the first season Merrill and Luther Kimball Stone began mining at Mount Mica in Paris. Merrill certainly visited Bailey. After a trip to Mount Mica and nearby localities (August 12, 1884, Oxford Democrat ), Dr. Frank W. Clarke's visit to Andover and certainly to Bailey's mineral discovery on Black Mountain, Rumford was suggested: "F. W. Clarke, chief chemist of the United States Geological Survey, who is on a mineralogical visit to Maine, was in town [Andover] Wednesday and Thursday of this week." Clarke visited again July 22, 1885 (July 28, 1885, Oxford Democrat ). Bailey is acknowledged to have discovered the mineral locality now called the Black Mountain quarry in Rumford. Bailey worked with Augustus Hamlin and Nate Perry on several mining ventures at Black Mountain. Bailey wrote several articles (1883, 1893, 1929, 1930) on minerals in Rumford. He is generally remembered (various taped interviews with Ben Shaub, 1958-1961) with deep fondness. He had a mild, though enthusiastic, manner. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of Maine minerals and his collection consisted of several thousand specimens, most of which are now lost including its catalog. "Bailey didn't sell minerals. He had them from one end of the house to the other and up in to the attic." (Charlie Marble, taped interview, 1958). Bailey's collection contained labels from several famous mineralogists including Henry Hanks (hanksite), Charles Toothaker, Oliver C. Farrington (farringtonite) indicating he traded mineral specimens widely, through the mail, and he probably gave or traded minerals with his "foster son", Dick Nevel. The residue of Bailey's collection is at the University of Maine at Orono. |
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| Ed Bailey 1941 after receiving honorary M.A. degree from University of Maine at Orono. |
| Ed Bailey - page two |
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