From the Bangor Daily News, September 25, 2008
Benjamin Barrett Hinckley Jr. died in his sleep on July 19, 2004, in Clemens, N.C. He was born on March 3, 1913 in Northampton, Mass., the son of Benjamin Barrett Hinckley and Agnes Childs Hinckley. As a child of 11, Ben was sent to Eaglebrook School for Boys in Deerfield, Mass. He graduated from The Choate School in Wallingford, Conn. and attended Yale University.
Ben started out on a career as an innkeeper, first assisting his family at their home, “The Manse” in Northampton, then at the family’s summer home, “The Moorings” in Manset. While looking for a place to manage in the winter, he accepted a job at the Hobkirk Inn in Camden, S.C., where he met Alice Witherspoon DePass. After a brief courtship, Ben and Alice married in May of 1937. Along with Alice came her son, John Ferguson, who was to be their only child. Ben and Alice made their home in Maine, first in Ellsworth and finally for more than 40 years in Southwest Harbor. Feeling the need for a retirement community, Ben and Alice moved in 1999 to Bermuda Village in Advance, N.C. In their final years, they were lovingly attended to by Alice’s nephews and wives, Bob and Rosina Stephenson and Jim and Marcy Allen.
During World War II, Ben’s brother, Henry H. Hinckley, was engaged at the Manset Boat Yard, in building boats for the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Ben joined with his brother in what was to be a partnership of nearly 40 years. Ben, being a more prudent and introspective man, tended to the details of running the business, while Henry oversaw the running of the yard and the boat building. Later, the Manset Boat Yard became the Henry R. Hinckley Co., with Henry at the helm and Ben as treasurer. After the war, Ben took over the operations of Ellsworth Builders Supply. Later when he sold Ellsworth Builders, he retained ownership of its lumber operation, Wholesale Distributors. Ben went on to found the Hinckley Insurance Agency and, with Henry’s son, Bob Hinckley, he co-founded Hinckley Yacht Brokerage.
Widely respected in the community, Ben gave selflessly of his time, serving on many local boards and committees. One of the founders of Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth, he served as vice-president or board chair from 1947 to 1980. He also served on the board of the Liberty National Bank. Ben was a member of the Pot and Kettle Club in Bar Harbor, the Causeway Club in Southwest Harbor, and the Yale Club. He was a founding member of the Kinfolk Paddle Club. An avid tennis player, his consistent and accurate style on the court fooled many a stronger and faster opponent. He was always in demand as a doubles partner, and posted many Causeway Club wins in mixed doubles.
In later years, Ben undertook the enormous job of writing the history of the Hinckley Company from his personal viewpoint. This wonderful narrative, The Hinckley Story, was published in 1997. Having no children of his own, Uncle Ben took great pride and interest in the accomplishments of his and Alice’s nieces and nephews. He ever tired of their stories, and he remembered every detail of their lives. Ben will always be remembered for his fastidious attention to detail, his beautifully descriptive hand-written letters, his bow ties and tweed jackets, his warmth and humor and the twinkle in his eye. He was the penultimate gentleman.
