Bert M. Fernald

Bert Manfred Fernald (April 3, 1858 – August 23, 1926) was a United States Senator and the 47th Governor of Maine. He was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds for three terms.

Biography

Fernald was born on April 3, 1858 in West Poland, Maine. He attended the public schools, Hebron Academy and a business and preparatory school in Boston. He then taught school (and was elected supervisor of schools in 1878), and then engaged in the canning, dairy, and telephone businesses. He was elected to the Maine House of Representatives and served 1896 to 1898 where his tenure was marked by his fine singing voice, and then 1898 to 1902 in the Maine Senate. He served as a Governor of Maine from 1909 until 1911. In 1910 he was elected president of the National Canners Association. In 1916 he was elected as a Republican to the U.S. Senate by defeating Kenneth Sills who was the Dean of Bowdoin College to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Edwin C. Burleigh. He was reelected in 1918 and 1924 and served from September 12, 1916, until his death. He died in West Poland, Maine on August 23, 1926.

Legacy

The Fernald family farm is still in existence. Its white barn has the name Fernald Family Farm in black visible from the road.

In 1909, Fernald was a speaker at the annual meeting, in Portland, of the "New England Fat Men's Association", all of whose members had to weigh at least 201 pounds.