STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 165 



1865 until his death and was a director in the Knox & Lincohi 

 Railroad for twenty years and held till he died, a nominal posi- 

 tion on the board, and he served in other offices of trust and 

 responsibility. He was also president of the Lincoln Bar Asso- 

 ciation. Mr. Ingalls was for many years an active and promi- 

 nent member of the Democratic party, but the only political 

 office that he held was that of representative to the Legislature 

 from W'iscasset in 1880. He was a candidate for Congress in 

 1856, but was not elected. He was married December 17, 1855, 

 to JMiss Mary Farley of Newcastle, Maine, who died November, 

 1890. Four children were born of this marriage; three died in 

 infancy, and one, Grace Ingalls, survives him. He died Decem- 

 ber 10, 1896. 



GIDEON KING STAPLES. 



This society has never had a stronger friend than the subject 

 of this sketch. For many years he has been an exhibitor at 

 our fairs and borne away many of our premiums. Although 

 his orchard stands almost under the shadow of Mt. Blue, in the 

 Boston market where his apples went usually about the first of 

 March, they were quite likely to take the lead until they were 

 gone. Added to the quality of the fruit it should be added that 

 he was an honest packer, and the dealers never had to examine 

 his fruit. 



Too old to be trusted away from home for several years some 

 of his family attended the winter meetings with him. The last 

 one he attended was in Foxcroft two years ago; he wanted to go 

 to Presque Isle, but the distance seemed too far to him. In 

 September last the writer met him at Mr. Whittier's fruit meet- 

 ing. In reply to our inquiry for his health he said: "I am not 

 good for much now. I have not done anything the past summer. 

 When is the winter meeting to be held?" He still thought of 

 the society and its welfare. We could see that his strength was 

 failing and only a few weeks later he passed to his rest. 



His son writes: "There was no event in the year that my 

 father anticipated with so much pleasure as he did the winter 

 meeting of the Maine State Pomological Society and he was 

 keenly disappointed if prevented from attending these meetings." 



Exhibitors at our winter meetings have learned to respect 



