James Phinney Baxter
James Phinney Baxter (March 23, 1831 – May 8, 1921) was an American politician, businessman, historian, and generous benefactor of Portland, Maine. He served as the city’s mayor for six one-year terms between 1893 and 1905 (1893–1896 and 1904–1905). His work helped shape Portland and its surroundings for years to come.
Born in Gorham, Maine, Baxter moved to Portland with his family in 1840. He studied at Master Jackson’s School and Lynn Academy. After a short stint in the Boston law offices of Rufus Choate, ill health brought him back to Portland, where he entered the dry-goods importing business and helped start the Portland Packing Company, a cannery that boosted Maine’s economy. He used his wealth to support education and community projects.
Baxter donated libraries to both Gorham and Portland, the Baxter Memorial Library in Gorham and a library for Portland. He was a driving force behind Baxter Boulevard, a tree-lined road that circles Back Cove. He was also a respected historian, serving as president of the Maine Historical Society for 30 years, overseeing Bowdoin College, and supporting many New England history efforts. One of his major scholarly achievements was editing twenty of the twenty-four volumes of The Documentary History of Maine. He researched Captain Christopher Levett’s 1623–1624 settlement in Portland and published a book about Levett, incorporating his earlier London text from 1628.
Baxter received several honors: he was elected to the American Antiquarian Society in 1887 and named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1915. He was also a member of the Maine Society of Colonial Wars.
A steadfast opponent of vivisection, Baxter’s will barred any payments from his estate to vivisection practitioners. He died in Portland in 1921 at the age of 90. His funeral was led by a Congregational pastor, although he was also affiliated with the Swedenborg Church, and he is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, where a large monument marks his grave.
His son, Percival Proctor Baxter, wrote a short biography of his father in 1921, praising his faith in mankind, the future of America, and in God.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:58 (CET).