William Schoppee Silsby (1902-1986) was born on May 15, 1902 to Herbert Trafton Silsby and Margaret Frances “Fannie” (Schoppee) Silsby in Aurora, Maine. William was a student at Maine Central Institute in 1921 and married Merle Coombs on July 26, 1924. Myrtle was registered has living in Winter Harbor, Maine when she married. William graduated from Suffolk University Law School in Boston in 1937.
Early in his life William worked as a driver, cook, or crew boss on all three of Union River branches and then had a notable career in politics and law. A Republican, he was the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives from 1951-1952, served in the Maine Senate for 4 years, was on the Governor’s Council and was instrumental in founding the Maine Ferry Service.
William was a partner in Clarke & Silsby and then founded Silsby & Silsby Law Offices in Ellsworth, Maine from 1936-1961, Justice of the Superior Court 1961-1972, President of the Union River Electric Corporation and owner of the Union River Telephone Company.
William Schoppee Silsby died on September 19, 1987 in Bangor, Maine.
