Abner Coburn
Born: March 22, 1803
Birthplace: Skowhegan, Massachusetts
Father: Eleazer Coburn 1777 – 1845
(Buried: Southside Cemetery, Skowhegan, Massachusetts)
Mother: Mary “Polly” Weston 1782 – 1860
(Buried: Southside Cemetery, Skowhegan, Massachusetts)
Political Party: Federalist Party, Whig Party, and Republican Party
Occupation before War:
Worked on his family farm at a young age.
Assistant to his father who was a land surveyor
Helped Start the firm of E. Coburn & Sons buying lands and dealing in lumber on the Kennebec River.
After the death of his father the Firm became A & P Coburn
This firm would become the largest landowner in the state of Maine.
The Firm would acquire large timber holdings in Wisconsin
Obtained fifty thousand acres of timberland.
1830: Maine State Representative
1840: Maine State Representative
1844: Maine State Representative
One of the leaders in the founding of Republican Party in Maine.
Owner of two thousand shares of Kennebec & Portland Railroad
President of Skowhegan, Maine Savings Bank
President and Director of Maine Central Railroad Company
1855: Member of Governor Anson P. Morrill’s Council
1857: Member of Governor Hannibal Hamlin’s Council
1860 – 1863: Maine State Representative
1860: Republican Party Presidential Elector
Civil War Career:
1860 – 1863: Maine State Representative
1863 – 1864: Governor of Maine
1863: Inaugurated as Governor of Maine on January 7th.
1863 – 1864: Advocate for leasing Prisoners to Manufacturers
1863 – 1864: Leader in support of the Union Cause of the War.
1863 – 1864: Known to have been an honest Governor of Maine.
Occupation after War:
1864 – 1885: Retired living in Skowhegan, Maine
1874 – 1885: Chairman of Board of Trustees of Colby College
Supporter of Coburn Classical Institute
Supporter of Bloomfield Academy in Skowhegan, Maine
Presented Somerset County Maine a new county courthouse.
Presented Skowhegan the city first public hall named for the donor.
Died: January 4, 1885
Place of Death: Skowhegan, Maine
Age at time of Death: 81 years old
Burial Place: Southside Cemetery, Skowhegan, Maine
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