USA > Maine > Waldo County > Palermo > A history of the early settlement of Palermo, Me. > Part 1
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HISTORY OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF PALERMO, ME. GOODWIN
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01092 9898
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofearlyse00good_0
A HISTORY
OF THE
EARLY SETTLEMENT
OF
PALERMO, ME.,
BY
ALLEN GOODWIN.
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BELFAST, ME. : THE AGE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1896.
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GOODWIN, ALLEN. 41686 35
A history of the early settlement of Palermo, Me . ... Belfast, Me.,Age pub.co.,1896. 34p.
1762906
NL 36-4463
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PREFACE.
Who is there that does not wish to know what has passed among his ancestors in early days. In preparing this brief record of Palermo, it has been my aim to present to the reader what has long past, and I have endeavored to insert only facts, based upon good au- thority and wish the readers to remember in reading these old names that they long ago passed away and many of these old names have been handed down to the second and third generation. Many thanks are due those who have in any way assisisted in prepar- ing this work and it is my desire that it may be of interest to those of the present day and to the rising generation.
ALLEN GOODWIN.
CHAPTER 1.
I have in my possession an account of the early settlement of Palermo, written forty years ago by my grandfather, Deacon John Mar- den. Thinking it may be of interest to some of the residents as well as former residents of the town, I have concluded to have it published, together with other facts concerning the early history of Palermo.
My grandfather came to Palermo, Maine, in 1793, with his brother, Deacon Stephen Marden, who took up a farm on what is now known as Marden Hill. He made his home with him for eight years. Then he settled on the farm joining, and their brother Benjamin on one joining theirs on the west. He was a deacon of the First Baptist Church for many years. He died August 25, 1850, at the age of eighty-one years. The only one of his children now living is a son, Nathan L. Marden of Veazie, Maine. I remember my dear old grandfather. as his presence adorned the home of my childhood, and I think of him as the good old Elijah who sat by the brook side.
Listen to what he has to s'y :
Palermo, June 7, 1855.
" I, John Marden, was born in the Town of Chester, in the County of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire, Feb. 18, 1779. When I was in my third year my father was killed by the falling of a tree in the Town of New Hampton, and County, of Strafford. N. I .. on the nineteenth day of June. 1781. He was forty-four years of age. My mother was left a widow in poor circumstances. with the care of eight children, and one added to that number on the twenty-ninth of September following.
It being in the time of the Revolutionary war she had many hard- ships to encounter, having but little but her hands and good economy to support her family, yet she bore her trouble with a good degree of christian patience. In the year 1783 a treaty of peace was signed between the United States and Great Britain, which gave her some relief.
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In the year 1790 my eldest brother moved her and the younger part of the family to the town of Canterbury, where she spent the remainder of her life in comfortable circumstances to the day of her death, which was on the third day of November, 1830, aged about ninety-one years.
January, 1793, I came into the District of Maine, at the age of fourteen years .- in the County of Lincoln (now Waldo) and took up my residence at a place called the Great Pond Settlement at the extremity of the Sheepscot Pond.
I had. many hardships to encounter being the only youth in the place. The nearest mill was twelve miles, through a lonely wood, with but little better than a foot-path and spotted trees. Yet with pleasing prospects I looked forward to the time when this good land would be settled. When school houses and mills would be built and roads made, and this wilderness would become a fruitful field. I took great pleasure in visit- ing my friends in N. H. once in every three years, although I had to travel the distance of two hundred and twenty miles on the frozen ground in the month of November or December. I worked with my brother, Stephen Marden, until I was twenty-two years of age, when I bought the farm on which I now live, with the barn then built and a log house thereon. April 23, 1801, I was united in marriage with Mary Bagley of Liberty, and moved on to the farm that spring with a pleasing prospect of enjoying happiness. For three or four years we were favored with good health and our crops came in bountifully and all things bespoke prosperity.
Jan. 22, 1805, I was severely wounded by the falling of a tree. Then my sufferings were very great. Yet my mind was happy in the Lord, and I could truly say, 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.'
On the third day of February I had my left leg amputated above the knee, which was very expensive at that time, so that my future prospects of happiness in this world began to decay. In April following we chose our town officers for the first time. I took a part with them in collecting taxes and serving precepts, etc. This year with the past will long be remembered as a season of great religions excitement in this town and
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vicinity. A Baptist Church was organized that season and many were added thereto. I was baptized and added to the church at the next August conference. On the tenth day of September my companion was taken sick and died on the sixteenth-with rash and putrid fever-aged about twenty-two. My little son died on the twenty-first, aged three and a half years. I had two children left to the mercies of the people. A daughter, Eliza, two years old and a little son, Hiram, six days old. Then was my house left to me desolate and everything of this world's was clothed in gloom. All my future prospects gone and the lonely grave- yard was the pleasantest place that I could visit. I could truly say with the Psahnist :
'Had not thy word been my delight When earthly joys were fled, . My soul oppressed with sorrows' weight Had sunk among the dead.'
I was then led to put my trust in the Lord and since that time I have witnessed much of his goodness.
I disposed of my children where they were nursed with tenderness and care. I left my house and attended to my business in Town that fall. In the winter I went to New Hampshire to visit my friends. I returned in the spring and finished my collecting and engaged in Town business again. In the year 1805 I let out my farm to Elder Robinson and Dr. Pratt with but little expectation to pay the bills and save the farm. I earned what I could. I found I had many friends to encourage me and made me some presents. I was encouraged to try and pay the bills and save the farm. This season I formed an acquaintance with Mrs. Eunice Ward of Harlem (now China) which was left a widow about the same time-and near the same age, with three children, two daughters and a son, the eldest six years and the youngest seventeen months, with about seven or eight hundred dollars worth of property for their support. She a professor of religion and a member of the Baptist Church in Harlem. We were united in marriage on the twenty- fourth day of August, 1806, and moved home and commenced keeping house that fall. She assisted me to pay the bills and stock the farm. I
was encouraged to pursue a course of farming for a living and attend to Town business and such labor as I could do. Soon after this I was chosen Town Clerk and kept the records, which was continued about twenty years. In the year 1816 I was appointed : . Post Master in Palermo, which was continued abon. seven years. Having the company and assistance of a prudent and industrions companion I have enjoyed much peace of mind for many years and have witnessed much of the goodness of the Lord. We were members of the First Baptist Church in Palermo forty-five years. We took much satisfaction with our christian friends both in prosperity and in adversity. In the year 1$50 my companion was sick, and died Feb. 28, 1851, aged seventy years and four months. We had nine children. For a few years past I have wit- nessed much what I read in the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes of the aged. . Yet God is the strength of my heart. Although He cause grief yet He will have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.' He has been my friend and protector in youth and middle age, and I trust He will not forsake me when my strength fails. . Therefore will I trust in Him as long as I live.'
Where I reside is abont twenty miles north-cas erly of Augusta, then called (Fort Weston). The inhabitants cast and north of my resi- dence were but few at that time. Several small settlements were made in the woods, and generally called after the name of the first settler or by the old Indian name of ponds and streams. The land was very good for crops of corn and rye. Each settler made their choice for a farm. No taxes were called for at that time. There were no framed buildings cast or north of my residence for the space of twelve or fifteen miles. and three or four miles to the south and west until the next April, 1793, when two barn frames were put up, to the great joy of the settlers, but more so to the owners. After about ten years Townships were laid out, and petitions were sent to Massachusetts for incorporation, which were readily granted. Then school houses were built and roads were made. Then this wilderness began to bud and blossom like a rose and soon became a fruitful field. In the year 1820. this district was admitted into
the Union with the other States, by the name of Maine, to the great joy of the inhabitants. Now while I am writing, the increasing wealth and population of Maine leads my mind back to the days of my youth, when these settlers were all laboring men, engaged in their several occupations, such as clearing land, raising crops, putting up buildings and fences in the summer and fall. In the winter and spring all engaged in lumbering, hunting and sugar making, which was much of it done in the forest at that time. These settlers were all very poor, but as 'happy as clams' and as friendly to each other as monkeys.
What a change has been made since my acquaintance no further abroad than even within the County of Waldo. Then, what is now Palermo had twenty-six families; Montville and Liberty both had about twenty families and Freedom had none. Belfast village was but thinly inhabited. Some parts of it was like a forest of evergreen. There was no wharf at that time. Coasting vessels were loaded with cord- wood by wheeling on a partly hewed stick of timber from the shore to the ship. There were but two traders in the village at my first acquain- tance, namely, NaSmith and Creamer. The road from Montville to Belfast was through a forest of swamps without any bridges. The horses had to all go in one track through the swamps, with a ridge between their stepping places, to give a foot person a chance to walk over the wet places without wading through the mud and water.
Now from here to Belfast is one of the best of stage roads, passing through among wealthy farmers, merchants and mechanics. And now Belfast is one of the pleasantest cities in the State, with one of the best, safest and pleasantest harbors that can be found on the Eastern shore. In plain view of all the shipping which sails on the Penobscot Bay, and in view of the Castine light-house, also of the level, rich and beautiful country bordering on the north-eastern shore of that beautiful bay, together with a partial view of Islesboro and Castine on the south and east, to a distance of twelve miles, which adds much to the beauty of the place. With a regular line of Steam-ships from Bangor to Boston. coming to and going from the wharves daily."
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I rejoice in the prosperity of Maine, but I cannot repress the rising sigh ; nor withhold the falling tear. I look around for my old contem- poraries and find so few of them left. The enquiry is, where are they? Answer, they are cut down by the seythe of time, and housed in the silent grave. And the few that are left are worn down with age and in- firmities too numerous for me to name. Some with the loss of sight and hearing ; some with the loss of their limbs; some with palsied hands ; and others with general debilities, etc. And but very few, if any, are able to take care of themselves, but have mostly given themselves up to the care of their children, or grandchildren, or the town to provide for them. And very soon the last will be gone the way of all the earth, their bodies turned to dust, and their names forgotten, and Maine will be in- habited by entire strangers to what has passed in my day.
Now a telegraph line is erected the whole width of the State of Maine, from city to city, from New Brunswick to New Hampshire, to the length of four or five hundred miles. Again, look at the railroads that are already completed, and those that are now under way. All the above has been done in about twenty years.
Who would have thought that the stream of intemperance could have been turned and dried up by the art of man, when its width and depth was sufficient to run a mill to saw lumber to build a village as large as Unity or Freedom, so that the stream now can be forded and soon I trust will be like a rill, running under ground, and the bed of the river will soon become like a fruitful field.
Written at Palermo, June 8, 1855, at the age of 76 years.
Signed, JOHN MARDEN.
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This town of Palermo was first cuffed Great . Pond Settlement from is the fact that the first settlement was near the Sheepscott Great Pond.
The first settlers of Palermo were principally persons from New Hampshire. Some of those persons which my grandfather referred to as the first settlers were Stephen Belden, Christopher Erskines, David Turner, Benjamin Turner, Jonathan Greeley, Jacob Greeley, Jacob Worthing, John Johnson, John Bradstreet, Jonathan Bartlett, Joseph Rust, Stephen Marden and James Marden.
The first settler in Palermo was Stephen Belden, who came here on horseback, bringing his Bible under his arm, about 1778. He was mar- ried to Abagail Godfrey and had a son, Aaron, prior to coming to Palermo. They took up the farm where Van Ransalaer Turner now lives. He died June 15, 1822. Aaron lived here and married. To his wife Charity, was born a daughter, Sabrina, March 25, 1805. They moved out west and he became a minister of the gospel.
The first male child born in Palermo was a son of Stephen, who was born in the spring of 1779, who he named Stephen. The first female child was his daughter, born in the fall of 1780, who was named Sally. Stephen Jr. married Miss Mary Harvey and settled on Level Hill. The buildings are now gone, but the farm is owned by Fred Norton. He died Dec. 21, 1857. The sons born to them were Stephen, James and John, from whom sprang children and grandchildren too numerous to mention. JJames is still living at the age of eighty-two. Sally married David Linscott and settled on Level Hill, where their son James Linscott now lives.
Mr. Edmund Black was born in 1736. He died in Palermo, Feb. 6. 1809 aged seventy-two years. Mrs. Molly Black, his wife, was born in 1733 and died in Palermo April 23, 1812, aged 79 years. Eleven children were born to them in Chester, N. H., and were among the early settlers coming to Palermo about 1798. They had passed the meridian of life
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ere they started on their long horseback journey into the wilderness to their log house, with their four sons James, John, Edmund Jr. and Benjamin, and their wives. James, the oldest son was born in Chester, N. H., Sept. 15, 1764, and married his wife Molly, born in Newmarket, N. H .. March 15. 1768. They first settled in Meredith, N. H. They had eight children. They settled in Palermo on the farm now known as the Studley place. Among his children were Edmund 3rd., Joshua. Olive and James. Edmund Brd. was born in Meredith, N. H., Jan. 6, 1788, and married Comfort Wiggins. He was chosen Town Clerk in 1811 and con- tinued three years. He drove the stages for quite a number of years. Their children were quite numerous. Joshua was born at Meredith, N. H .. June 3, 1796. He married Mary Briant. He was called the vet- cran stage-driver. having driven the stage twenty-eight years.
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John Black was born June 22. 1766, and with his wife Betsey, set- tled first on the farm where Ira Black now lives. Among their children are Berley Black, now living in his 91st year, and Nancy Black Sanford. now living at the age of 86 years.
Edmund Black Jr. was born June 16, 1772, and with his wife Betsey settled on the Ira Black place with his brother. Among their children were Betsey, Celinda, John, Abagail and Susan. As they moved to Readfield, and finally to N. Y., and their children were mostly girls, but little is known of their descendants, though Betsey married Jose Greeley of China, for her last husband.
Benjamin Black was born April 6, 1780 and with his wife Mary first settled on the Peleg Sanford place. Among their children were Claren- don and Benjamin Jr. now living at the age of 78 years.
Levi Rowe was born at Ipswich, N. H., Aug. 1, 1765. Lucy Nelson was born at Ipswich, N. H., Sept. 7, 1766. When he was twenty-three years of age they were married and settled in Alna. Maine. Seven children were born to them : Jeremiah Rowe, born Ang. 17, 1789 and died at the age of four months; James, born Feb. 20, 1791; Levi, Jr., born June 20, 1795: Rufus, born May 15. 1796: Annie, born July 27, -; Jeremiah, born June 25, 1799: Mary E. born Sept. 29. 1806. Mr. Rowe
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was an early settler who came to Palermo and settled on the farm which has been handed down as the Rowe farm.
James Rowe married Martha Noyes of Jefferson and settled with his father in Palermo and finally moved to Morrill; Levi, Jr., was killed on the farm by a tree, May 25, 1811, at the age of sixteen. Rufus lived at Alna until a young man. He married Lydia Noyes of Jefferson for his first wife and settled in Palermo and finally settled on the old Rowe farm. His second wife was Sally Marden, then the widow Cunningham. They were the parents of George and Rufus Rowe, Jr., of Palermo and Mrs. Frances Sylvester and Thomas Rowe of Newton Centre, Mass. Annie was drowned, Nov. 2, 1832, a; the age of thirty-six years, while drawing a pail of water at the spring, where Bennie Colby now lives.
Jeremiah married Miss Noyes of Jefferson, a sister of his brothers' wives, * for his first wife and settled in Newcastle. His second wife was Mary Andros of Palermo. They settled in Carr's corner in 1825. He worked there at the blacksmith's trade and later moved to Bradford, Me. Mary E. married John W. Marden and settled in Palermo.
Benjamin Young was born in Chester N. H., 1775. He learned the blacksmith's trade of a smith in Hallowell, Me. His first work after learning his trade was on the first bridge across the Kennebec river at Auguste in 1797. He then went to Belfast and worked at his trade about four years. In 1802 he married Miss Abigail Whittier, daughter of Joseph and Priscilla Whittier of this place, who was fourteen years of age. They settled on the farm where his grandson Fred Young now lives, and as he did not have slings in those days as now for shoeing oxen, their legs were tied and turned them over on their backs while nailing on the shoes. They had eleven children, Joseph and Page, now living in Freedom. He died March 3, 1848 at the age of seventy-three. His wife died April 23, 1872, aged eighty-four years.
Captain and Mrs. Elijah Grant, senior, were probably the oldest
*NOTE. The three brothers married three sisters.
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couple that made the horseback journey in those early days, as the record of their births date back to 1721.
John Cain, senior, probably had the largest number of children, which numbered eighteen.
GENEOLOGY OF WILLIAM JONES AND ABIGAIL. BENNETT JONES.
Capt. Miles Standish came in the " Mayflower" in 1620. He married for his second wife Barbara Standish, who came in the " Ann" in 1623.
Their son, Alexander, married Sarah Alden, second daughter of John and Priscilla ( Mullen) Alden, who both came in the " Mayflower."
Lydia, daughter of Alexander and Sarah (Alden) Standish, married Isaac Sampson, born 1660.
Ephraim, born 1698, son of Isaac and Lydia (Standish) Sampson, married Abigail Horrell, daughter of Humphrey Horrell of Beverly. Mary, born in Plimpton, April 10, 1745, daughter of Ephraim and Abigail (Horrell) Sampson, married Nov. Ist, 1764, in Middleboro, Mass., Bach- elor Bennett, born in 1736, son of Cornelas Bennett, Physician of Mid- dleborongh, and Ruth, his wife. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary warg. Abigail, born in May, 1777, daughter of Bachelor and Mary (Samp- son) Bennett, married in 1798 William Jones, who was born in Bristol, Me., in 1774, and died in Palermo, February, 1834. He was a son of Richard Jones of Bristol, a soldier of the Revolution, and committee of corres- pondence and safety in 1782. Richard Jones was a son of Wm. Jones, who came to this country in 1725 and settled in Bristol in 1780. He was a man much respected in his town, and was the first chosen to the Provincial Congress in 1775+. He was a brother of Colonel Wm. Jones, who was a member of the Convention of Massachusetts, by which the Constitution of the United States was adopted.
§ce Vol. 13, Page 51; Vol. 24, Page 57: Vol. 3, Page 225, Rev. Archives, State House, Boston. *See Vol. 19, Page ISI, Rev. Archives, State House, Boston. ISee History of Bristol.
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The descendants of William and Abigail (Bennett) Jones are numerous. Their children were : Nelson, married Hannah Bowler. They had three sons and four daughters. Abigail, married Samuel Brown. Left a son and several daughters. Harriet, married Warren Cooper. They had one son and five daughters. Sylvanus, died young. Eliza Maloon, married Lot Rust. They had four sons and four daughters. William, married Mary Ann Marr. They had four sons and three daughters; several of them died young. Cathlena, married Benjamin Marr: They had one son who died in youth, and one daughter who married a Turner. She left three children. Mrs. Marr is the only one of the family now living. She resides at Branch Mills. Sylvanus, son of Win. Joues, is living at Branch Mills. He married Olive Erskin. They have one son in college. Lot Rust, Jr., married Marcia Cooper, and Hattie Rust married Abiel Erskin. Both families live at Moro, Oregon. Cathlena Cooper married Joseph Grant. They have one sou and five daughters. Their home is in Portland. Abbie Bennett Cooper married James E. Shepard of Union. He was Adjt. of the 9th Maine V. M. during the war of the Rebellion.
Nelson W. Jones, son of Nelson and Hannah Jones, enlisted in the 3rd Maine Reg. V. M. June 4th, 1861, and was killed July 2, 1863. He was a very promising young man and was a sergeant with a promise of a commission. An honor to his native town. West W. Cooper, only son of Warren and Harriet Cooper, culisted in the 4th Maine Regt. V. M. May 8th. 1861, and was killed in action, July 21st, 1861, at the battle of Bull Run. The G. A. R. of Union have named their Post for him, and his name stands first upon the Roll of Honor. on the Soldiers' Monument at Union Common:
William Jones moved his family from Bristol to Palermo in 1815. having previously prepared their home. The old house which was large and roomy, stood on the spot where the house of Silas Bowler now stands. It was in the old days surrounded by orchards, an ideal country farm house. It was torn down in 1859. William Jones' children were at one time all settled at ud him on farms which were a part of the
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original grant in the lower part of the town. He died in middle life from the effects of a fever contracted in New Orleans, while on a voyage as captain of a merchant ship. Abigail (Bennett) Jones was a woman of strong character. She was a widow for twenty-seven years. She kept her farm and managed her affairs until she was very old. She died in March, 1861, aged 83 years and 10 months.
Palermo has the honor of being the nativity of a millionaire. James H. Bowler, son of Rev. William Bowler, was born at the foot of John Ayer's hill, April 23, 1814, and died in Bangor, Maine, April 4, 1893.
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CHAPTER III.
Settlements in the various places, now incorporated into towns, were formed before any surveying was done, of which I will give a brief account. To make a long story short I will omit the lines bounding Palermo on the north, east and south, which were marked by trees, stakes and stumps, and speak of the line between Palermo and Harlem, name which was changed to China in 1818. The first survey was made in 1800, when this township was laid out.' The northerly corner of the line between the two towns was a beech tree, marked No. 11, 1800 (A). The southerly corner between the two towns was a hemlock tree, marked as the first. In 1805 it became necessary to perambulate the said line. The survey was made by William Davis of Palermo, a sworn surveyor, Ichabod Chadwick and Edwin Fairfield, selectmen of Harlem, and Elijah Grant and Nathan Coburn, selectmen of Palermo. They commenced at the first mentioned tree and marked it 1805, thence southerly 30° west, until it struck the hemlock tree at the southerly corner. This line they well spotted and frequently marked with a marking iron ; thus :- (A) and at Johnson's Mills, (now Branch Mills) a cedar post, marked on the west (II), on the east (P), and north and south marked 1805. At the county road near Deer Hill a beech tree was marked on the west side (W. D).) (1805), (H.), (I., C.), (E. F.). On the east side (1805), (P.), (W. D.), (F. G.), (N. C). On the north and south sides. (A). The survey was finished March 14, 1805.' As time rolled on and passed away, the cedar post had been removed and trees cleared away and the line was in dispute for seven years. Palermo and China both claimed the valua- tion and tax of those farms along the line. At the town meeting March 12, 1827, a vote was passed that those inhabitants along the west line of the town should be held blameless and shielded from all harm by paying their taxes in Palermo, and refusing to pay to the town of China. The selectmen were authorized to go and see the selectmen of China about
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