HISTORY OF PORTLAND From Its First Settlement with Notices of the Neighbouring Towns, and of the Changes of Government in Maine

Portland: Printed by Day Fraser & Co, 1831. First edition. Hardcover. Very good minus. First edition. Hardcover. Two volumes in one. Vol. 1: 243pp. with large folding lithographic map of Ancient Falmouth. Vol. 2: 355pp. 1 folding lithographic view, 1 engraved Illustration (toned), and two maps: folding map of land Grants and larger folding map of "Falmouth Neck as it Was When Destroyed by Mowett, Oct. 18 1775," printed on tissue paper. 3/4 buckram with marbled paper boards and endpapers. Boards and leather rubbed on edges and corners. First map and folding view are neatly repaired on verso: map has a couple marginal splits at folds. Falmouth Neck map has some professional repair and a few spots on the edges. This copy from the library of James Shearer with his name on spine and two ownership signatures. Also has later gift inscription dated 1946. Front hinge cracked, but sound; evidence of bookplate removal on rear endpapers. Howes: w/506.

"Shearer served as president of the First National Bank, the Bay City Water Works and Saginaw Valley Lumberman's Association. He was a trustee for the Bay City Public Library and First Presbyterian Church, and was elected to the University of Michigan Board of Regents in 1880 where he served for eight years. Most notably James Shearer was one of the commissioners who selected the design of the Michigan State Capital, designed by his friend, architect Elijah Meyers. When he passed away in 1896 he was among one of the wealthiest and influential men in Michigan."-Doug Copeland.