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Read, A. Estelle
Teacher at Birch Street Primary School. From Souvenir of the Biddeford Public Schools (1901). [Photograph]

Read, James
(1839-1912) Father of Charles T. Read. Obit BDJ 01/18/1912, p.8 c.5.

Renouf, Heloise (Painchaud)
Musician & daughter of Pierre Painchaud. Sister was Carmeline Painchaud Ledoux (Mrs. Urbain Ledoux). Story of musical career (1949) in Biddeford Scrapbook #6, p.62-3. Died aged 87, obit in BDJ 05/01/1959, p.2 c.2.

Renouf, Narcisse P.
Born 1865 in Trois-Pistoles, Quebec. At age 20 shipped on a whaler out of Boston and traveled to the West Indies, Africa, the Azores and Europe. Fluent in several languages, including Portuguese. Worked as a photographer for several years in Biddeford prior to opening a real estate & insurance business in 1893. Entered into partnership with Joseph Lachance of Biddeford. See Lawton’s Franco-Americans of Maine, p.185 [PICTURE].

Reny, George L.
Died 05/11/1889, aged 63. Father of Mrs. Pierre Painchaud. Said to be “one of first” [Franco-Americans?] in Biddeford. Obit in BDJ 05/14/1889, p.3 c.1.

Reny, Henry (Doctor)
Born 1856 in Waterville, Maine. Educated in Biddeford public schools, then at Maine Eclectic [medical college] in Lewiston and the National Institute of Pharmacy. Worked in Gardiner, Mass. for 1 year before opening practice in Biddeford. See Lawton’s Franco-Americans of Maine, p.148-9 [PICTURE].

Rhodes, William
“Billy the Blacksmith”. Born 1831 in “Diamond Cottage” (173 Free Street). Went to California in 1859, and returned in 1861. Had shop on Pleasant Street. Was at one point the oldest blacksmith in York County, having been in business for 53 years. Life sketch in BWJ 03/08/1907, p.7 c.1-2.

Rice, Francis Warren
(1815-1888) Saco native. Ex-United States Consul and journalist. Worked all over U.S. and in Central and South America. Died at summer residence in Saco. Obit BDJ 09/22/1888.

Rich, Elizabeth
(1823-1928) Home at Biddeford Pool. Born in Hingham, Massachusetts and came to Biddeford with husband Captain Freeman Rich from Cape Cod in 1857. Husband died 01/15/1880. Marked 100th -105th birthdays in the local paper. Obit BDJ 11/17/1928, p.1.

Richards, Eliakin
(1838-1905) Home at 6 Cutts Street, Saco. Obit BWJ 02/24/1905, p.6 c.6.

Richards, Joseph
Of Saco, aged 92. Veteran of the American Revolution; enlisted in Army age 18, served 18 months. [At time of death] supposed to be the last veteran in Saco. U & J 01/04/1850, p.3 c.3.

Ricker, Albert A.
Died before April in 1933.

Ricker, Mrs. Anna Phillips
Organist at Baptist Church [Biddeford or Saco?] for many years. Born in Liverpool, England. Son named James S. Adams. Died 06/16/1934.

Ricker, Edward “Hooky”
(1851-1906) Had restaurant on Main Street, Biddeford. Managed Biddeford’s champion polo team in 1900. Obit BWJ 07/06/1906, p.7 c.3.

Ridlon, Ephraim
Of Saco, died 05/21/1830. From Samuel Merrill diary, p.125.

Ridlon, Gideon T. (Sr. Rev.)
(1841-1928) Article on John Neptune appeared in the Portland (Maine) Sunday Telegram in 1910. Ridlon died on 12/06/1928.

Robbins, John C.
(1855-1923) Home at 144 Alfred Street. Born in North Union, Maine. Chef for many years at Biddeford House and Hotel Thacher. Father of Ralph Robbins. Obit BWJ 01/19/1923, p.2 c.4-5.

Robbins, Mary F.
Evening School teacher (PHOTOGRAPH), from Souvenir of the Biddeford Public Schools (1901).

Roberts, Archibald Waldo
(b.1883) Home on Pool Road. Son of Colonel Frank W. Roberts, maternal grandfather was Captain Waldo Hill. Sketch of career when elected principal of Kennebunk High School (BWJ 07/14/1905, p.1 c.5-6). Mother died in May 1891.

Roberts, Frank W. (Colonel)
(1854-1922) Born in Biddeford. Published Biddeford Daily Standard. U.S. Consul in Nogales, Mexico and in Cape Town, South Africa. Married daughter of Capt. Waldo Hill, father of Archibald W. Roberts. Obit BWJ 04/28/1922, p.8 c.6.

Roberts, Jere.
On Brig. America. Obit U & E 09/17/1858, p.3 c.1.

Roberts, William A.
(1858-1904) Former owner of Biddeford Daily Times & patron of Col. George A. Perkins. Died in Chicago; was prominent in Biddeford from 1889-1899. Lived at South & Green Streets. Owned 2 steamers on the Saco River-“The City of Waterville” and “The Forest City”. Also owned the Biddeford House and changed the name to Hotel Thacher. Obit BWJ 06/10/1904.

Roberts, Willis
(1861-1923) Born in Biddeford on Elm Street near Thornton. Helped father, who was the city lamp lighter. Was in the printing business, worked for Biddeford Journal and was part owner of the Daily Standard. Brother of Col. F. W. Roberts. Obit BWJ 07/06/1923, p.1 c.5.

Robinson, John
Obit BDJ 04/23/1934, p.1 c.5.

Robinson, Noah
Death notice of Noah Robinson of Biddeford, aged 73. U & J, 03/07/1856, p.3 c.4.

Rogers, Jeremiah
Death notice of Jeremiah Rogers of Biddeford, aged 77. U & J 04/18/1856, p.3 c.1.

Rolfe, Samuel
Obit in BWJ 06/22/1860, p.2 c.7.

Roosevelt, Theodore
Special car of ex-president Theodore Roosevelt attached to B & M train, and at train stop at Biddeford station on Thornton Street he shook hands with members of the crowd. Had begun to campaign for Republican nomination. BDJ 03/23/1912, p.8 c.4.

Rosenbaum, Ida
Murdered (BDJ 10/11/1949). Louis Nadeau arrested for murder & confesses (BDJ 10/18/1949, p.1 c.8); sentenced to life in prison (BDJ 01/27/1950, p.1 c.5). Article “Rose the Bum” or Murder on Wentworth Street by Gerard Coulombe (Le FORUM Vol.38 #4, p.15-16).

Rosenbaum, Jacob &
Rosenbaum, Michael
Trial for arson. BWJ 04/07/1893, p.3 c.3.

Ross, Charles
(b.1848) Partner in law firm of Hamilton & Ross. In 1900 said to own the most valuable private library in York County. See Bickford’s Local landmarks, p.18.

Ross, Fannie I.
Wife of Abraham Ross, who owned the American Clothing Supply Company at 155 Main Street. Home at 20 Orchard Street. President of Biddeford’s chapter of Hadassah. See BDJ 12/10/1926 and Biddeford-Saco Directory for 1929-30.

Roussin, Basil
(1847-1921) Lived at 92 Elm Street. Born in Quebec, lived in Biddeford since 1867. Obit BWJ 07/22/1921, p.5 c.6.

Roussin, William C.
(1860-1917) Born in Montreal, Quebec. Came to Biddeford in 1887 or 1888 and ran a successful grocery for 25 years before opening a real estate company. Served in various local offices and involved in civic and professional organizations. See Lawton’s Franco-Americans of Maine, p.199 [PICTURE]. Obit BWJ 11/09/1917, p.8 c.2-4.

Roux, Maurice C. R., Senior
Home at Biddeford Pool. Head of personnel department at Pepperell Mills, and highest ranking Franco-American executive for most of the 28 years that he worked there (1941-1969). See Hendrickson’s Quiet Presence, p.105-108.

Ruel, Joseph
Home on Mt. Vernon Street. Born in Biddeford, moved back and forth between Canada and the U.S. Moved back to Biddeford for good in 1945–worked for the mills and Saco-Lowell Shops, as well as odd jobs. See Hendrickson’s Quiet Presence, p.109-13.

RUMERY’S BOAT YARD
Ship yard on Water Street, Biddeford. Opened by Earl Rumery in 1962 after the Marblehead Boat Yard on Pool Rd. burned. Business web site: https://rumerys.com/.
SEE ALSO: Staples, Johnson & Company; Marblehead Boat Yard.
SEE ALSO: Maine Memory Network exhibit “Shipbuilding in Biddeford: Lore, Leaders and Legacy” (http://biddeford.mainememory.net/page/1595/display.html).

RURAL (DISTRICT) SCHOOLS
District No. 1 School; District No. 2 School; District No. 3 School (Photo); District No. 6 School; District No. 7 School; District No. 8 School; District No. 9 School; District No. 10 School (Photo); District No. 11 School; District No. 12 School (Photo); District No. 13 School.

RURAL SCHOOL #3
Located on South Street. Also known as the “Poor Farm School” due to proximity to City Farm (“District 3 Rural School Has 21 Pupils”, Biddeford Weekly Journal, Oct 1, 1926). Closed sometime in the 1930’s. See image collection #2523 and #2524. Photo of the school when it was used and well cared-for can be viewed in image #3547 (from the 1901publication “Souvenir of the Biddeford Public Schools”).

RURAL SCHOOL #8
Located at Biddeford Pool.

RURAL SCHOOL #10
Located on outer Elm Street (Route 1). In 1947 the building was given to the Tighe-Beaudoin-Farley post, American Legion, as the new post home by the city (Biddeford Daily Journal, August 5, 1947, p.1)

RURAL SCHOOL #12
Located on Guinea Road.

RURAL SCHOOL #13
Located on Mountain Road.