User:Ralphatupmeads/ElihuUpham

Elihu j.a.Upham (born August 10, 1960) is best known for his work in radio. He began is radio career at WLOB, but eventually built his own radio station: WUPHRadio.com. WUPHRadio.com was built as a live broadcast internet radio station by Elihu and his radio partner Jeffrey Thompson. The first broadcast aired in the summer of 2009 featuring Keeping Up with Upham. The show is loosely based on the premise of the television series Northern exposure, Chris in the Morning. Over time, the show has become more educational and now includes elements of Elihu's off grid life style with such elements as back-to-the-basics, alternative energy, solar, wind, Earth based fuels, survival gardening and the evaluation of consumer practices and reduction in quality input. Also featured are the works of poet N.J. Harmon, music from independent artists, interviews, and political discussion.

Early life
Elihu was born in Providence, Rhode Island as Jonathan Upham Acker to Nathan H. Acker, Dec. 24 1921 WWII officer, and Jannett Allard, Mar. 29 1922. His parents both came from Massachusetts, father Swansea, mother Rehobeth. They were married 1943. His middle name (now used as his last name) comes from his Upham ancestors who were prominent members in early Massuchetts towns, such as John and Phineas Upham,. There is an Uphams Corner in Boston. The Upham name is inherited from his grandfather on his mother's side, Roger Upham Allard (born 1892), a WW I officer.

Elihu's parents moved to Maine when he was three months old. Raised on a farm in Gorham, Maine, Elihu spent a great deal of his time in the vast woods surrounding his home, giving him a deep love of nature. It is also where he first showed an aptitude for building. Elihu attended Elementary school in White Rock, a village in Gorham, then Gorham High School, graduating in 1979. Throughout his youth he was involved in sports, clubs and music programs, excelling in music. Boy Scouts became a big part of his life. Going through the ranks and finally achieving Eagle Scouts highest award and earning the prestigious God and Country Award, Order of the Arrow, Ordeal and Brotherhood. Before and after graduation Elihu worked as a Trades Embalmer for Hay and Peabody Funeral home in Portland, Maine. He also worked in construction, building or being part of the construction of 22 homes. In 1983 he married Cynthia L. Finger and had one child, Melissa. Maine at the time was in poor shape economically so he joined the United States Navy to support his family, and shipped off to A school after boot camp. Promoted to E 3 he joined the fleet at St. Julians Creek Annex, Portsmouth, Va. (SIMA - Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity). He also was assigned to Norfolk Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA. T.A.D. (Temporarily Assigned Duty) Air Lant Aircraft-carriers North Atlantic Group, and was discharged in 1990. Elihu Upham is an honorably discharged American veteran. Later in life, Elihu become a disabled veteran from hazards of service. After discharge, Elihu returned to Maine. Picking up his tools he returned to and developed a love for fine furniture and the restoration of antiques. The last ten years of his career was spent developing and building his own line of furniture. During this period Elihu joined the Masons, working his way through the chairs to become Master of Mt. Moriah Lodge #56 in Brownfield, Maine. He currently lives in Denmark, Maine.

Honors

 * Eagle Scout
 * God and Country
 * Master Mason
 * Master of Mt. Moriah Lodge #56

Politics and Activism
Elihu comes from a long ling of Republicans. Being born when Eisenhower was President gave Elihu strong leadership to look up to. His first vote was for Ronald Reagan for President, who became Elihu's Commander In Chief while serving in the United States Navy. Over the years different views have taken root moving his ideals more to the Independent side of the arena. In 2012 Elihu ran for the Maine House of Representatives in district #99 nearly winning his home town where no Independent had run before. Republicans have held the seat for many years.

On the air on WUPHRadio.com Elihu works to educate the listeners on political history to give perspective to the issues of the day. Not the usual brow beating you hear on other talk radio."I feel it's better to educate then to be a protestor, protesting can lend a bad view to your cause. My activism is education."

Personal life
Growing up in a quiet country town in Maine, (Gorham) the major form of employment was farming or the local paper mill (S.D. Warren). Elihu's parents bought a large gentleman's farm house in downtown Gorham. It is in this neighborhood Elihu met his lifetime friend Shawn Moody who in 2012 ran for Governor of Maine. After six years in the village they moved to an even larger New England farm house with el shed attached to a very large barn, over a hundred acres of land, and the Little river ran through the property. It was here that Elihu formed his love for everything wild. After farm chores and homework was complete, off to the woods he would go, spending all his free time tracking, fishing, and camping. Hunting didn't come to later in life.

The nearest neighbor was Robie Libby, an older gentleman and a World War II veteran who imparted a great deal of history about the town and WW II to a young wide-eyed, red headed boy. Along with the long and colorful history of his own family he heard throughout the years, told by grandparents, uncles and of course his mother and father.