Representative women of New England/Annie H. S. Leighton

2347493Representative women of New England — Annie H. S. LeightonMary H. Graves

ANNIE HINCKLEY STONE LEIGHTON (Mrs. Llewellyn Morse Leighton), of Portland, Me., was born at Oldtown, August 11, 1854, the daughter of Alfred M. and Nancy C. (Atkins) Stone. Her great-grandfather in the maternal line, Captain Nathaniel Atkins, of Truro, Cape Cod, Mass., in one of the closing years of the eighteenth century sailed from Castine as master of the brig "Polly," and was taken by the French. Through this wrongful seizure Mrs. Leighton became one of the French spoliation claimants of the latter part of the nineteenth century. Her grandfather, Nathaniel Atkins, Jr., also a seafaring man, was among the tlefenders of the nation in the War of 1812 with Great Britain.

Educated in the public schools and the old academy at Corinna, Annie Hinckley Stone, al fifteen, on account of the proficiency in her studies shown when she appeared before the board of examiners, was granted a certificate to teach school. This was two years before she attained the age prescribed by the law of the State for the exercise of that vocation. In 1871, at Corinth, Me., she became the wife of Llewellyn Monse Leighton, then of Exeter. In 1877 they removed to Portland, where Mr. Leighton is actively engaged in the real estate business, being specially interested in developing the beautiful suburbs of the city.

Mr. and Mrs. Leighton have two children: Marshall Ora Leighton, chief of the department of hydro-economics in the Geological Survey, of Washington; and Florence Leigh- ton, now Mrs. Josiah H. Johnson, of Portland. Mrs. Leighton's marriage was an early one. Her education, however, still went on. She was an enthusiastic student of elocution and of physical culture, which she taught after her children were of school age. In the church, philanthropic, club, and social life of Portland she is acknowledged an important factor. The Young Women's Christian Association of Portland was organized through her efforts in 1893 and incorporated in 1894. She was its first president, and in the face of many discouragements placed it on a basis from which it has advanced to an assured position of usefulness. The Chautauqua movement early received her support. In the Civic Club Mrs. Leighton is secretary of the Department of Trees and Parks, created at her suggestion. Japheth Club, a progressive literary organization, was founded by her.