USA > Maine > Knox County > Warren > Annals of the town of Warren; with the Early History of St. George's, Broad Bay and the Neighboring Settlements on the Waldo patent > Part 1
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ANNALS
COPYRIGHT May 26
OF THE
1852
TOWN OF WARREN;
- --
WITH THE
575 2462
EARLY HISTORY OF ST. GEORGE'S, BROAD BAY,
AND
THE NEIGHBORING SETTLEMENTS
ON THE
WALDO PATENT.
BY CYRUS EATON, A. M.
HALLOWELL: MASTERS, SMITH & CO. 1851.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by CYRUS EATON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maine.
F29 WEBI
PREFACE.
THE following work is one of very humble pre- tensions. Its primary object was the history of the town of Warren; but this, in its earlier stages, was found so blended with that of the neighboring pla- ces, that it was thought best to include a cursory account of their settlement, progress, and condition ; down to the time of their incorporation. The form of annals has been chosen as best calculated to give a panoramic picture of the successive and contempo- raneous steps by which the settlements advanced, and affairs moved on, toward their present condition ; but this, more particularly in the latter portion of the work, has been freely departed from whenever the connexion of events, and the convenience of closing a subject, seemed to require.
In the prosecution of the work, the author has availed himself of the records and archives of the town, county, State, and United States; many print- ed books and pamphlets, early or recent, obscure or otherwise ; some private journals and other papers of the early settlers; together with a large stock of traditionary information, collected many years ago from aged persons now no more, as well as from many still living. Much of the last was furnished to Judge Williamson when writing the history of the
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PREFACE .
State, and is now reclaimed. In gaining access to and collecting his materials, it gives the author great pleasure to acknowledge the uniform kindness and generous aid, not only of his immediate friends and acquaintances, but of many others on whom he had no claims; and he would tender his sincere thanks to Hon. Rufus McIntire, Hon. Franklin Clark, John McKeen, Esq., many public functionaries, Prof. J. Johnston of Middleton, Conn., Marshall S. Rice, Esq. of Newton, Mass., and particularly to Rev. J. L. Sibley of Harvard University, without whose en- couragement he would not have undertaken, and without whose favors he could scarcely have accom- plished, the task.
Could he now persuade himself that he has been at all successful in working up his materials, in col- lating and comparing documents, reconciling con- flicting statements, verifying traditions by written testimony, detailing events with accuracy and recall- ing the past as it was, the author would not be over sensitive in regard to the minor faults of style, dic- tion, punctuation, &c. For some of these, want of sight and the difficulty of criticising by the ear, may, perhaps, be allowed to plead in apology ; whilst others have arisen from alterations and curtailment hastily made in the progress of printing. Some of the more obvious errors of the press are noted in the table of errata. As the work has been extended much beyond the number of pages named, and fur- nished with maps not contemplated in his prospectus, the author hopes the pecuniary sacrifice thus incur- red will be accepted by his subscribers as a token of gratitude for their generous patronage.
WARREN, JULY 31, 1851.
CONTENTS.
CHAP. I. Situation, natural features, &c., of the town of Warren.
PAGE 1
CHAP. II. Discovery and naming of St. George's River, with a glance at the other discoveries, settlements, and claims made in the vicinity. - Indian war and Sickness of 1615 and '18. - Monhegan, Newharbor, Pemaquid and Dam- ariscotta. - Patent to Beauchamp and Leverett. - Trad- ing-house at St. George's. - The Patentees. - Earliest settlers. - Changes of jurisdiction. - Condition of the country. - The 1st, (King Philip's,) Indian war.
12
CHAP. III. Dutch at Newcastle. - The 2d Indian war. - Pema- quid taken. - Settlements east of Falmouth deserted. - Indian chiefs. - New Charter of Massachusetts, and Gov. Phips. - Fort Wm. Henry, and skirmish at Damariscotta. - Peace. - Death of Madockawando. - Land at St. George's purchased of the Indians. - Suppression of pirates. - Queen Anne's war. - Castine, the younger. - Peace, and the renewal of settlements. - Missionaries. - Conference at Georgetown. - Settlement farther east. - Doings at St. George's. - Seizure of Castine. - The 4th Indian war. - Attacks at Pemaquid and other places. - At St. George's, sloop and mill burnt, - Fort besieged, - Made a public garrison. - Expedition to Penobscot. - Another attack on St. George's. - Skirmish, and death of Winslow. - Naval warfare, and attack on St. George's. - Close of the war. - Capt. Gyles. - Dummer's Treaty, 1726.
CHAP. IV. Truck-house and agent at St. George's. - Private traders. - Indian conference, 1727, and truck-masters. - Gyles, justice of the peace. - Gov. Dunbar. - Pierpoint, chaplain: - Indian conference, 1732. - Waldo, sole pro- prietor at St. George's, - Prepares for extensive settle- ment, - Commences lime-burning, - Visits St. George's, - Confers with Indians, - Contracts with 27 settlers for the upper town. - Conditions. - Names. - Saw-mill re-
26
vi
CONTENTS.
built. - Lots laid out. - Other settlements, - Forbidden by the Indians, above tide waters. - Action of the Gen. Court thereon. - Garrison reduced. - Location of the first settlers. - Their houses, employments, &c. - Earliest children. - Fears of a new rupture with Indians. - Waldo, colonel. - II. Alexander, first militia captain. - Threatening hostilities with Spain, and measures of de- fence. - First grist-mill and meeting-house. - Shipwreck at Mt. Desert. - First German settlers at Broad Bay. - Limits of the Waldo and Pemaquid patents settled by com- promise. - Hardships of the German settlers. - Boice Cooper. - L. Parsons, &c. - 1741.
42
CHAP. V. New tenor eurreney. - Indian disaffection. - St. George's fort rebuilt. - Bradbury, commander. - Earliest death in the upper town. - Lower town extended. - War with France. - St. John's Indians hostile. - Precau- tions for preserving peace with Tarratines. - Militia, and scouting parties. - Louisburg expedition. - Effect at St. George's, - At Broad Bay. - Indians attack St. George's. - Block-houses built. - Province sloop and Capt. Saun- ders. - Bounties for Indian scalps. - Skirmish at St. George's. - Destruction of Broad Bay. - Another skir- mish at St. George's. - Attacks at Damariscotta, &c. - Attempt to blow up St. George's fort. - Creighton killed. - Cooper and Pitcher, captives. - Scarcity. - Peace con- eluded. - Settlers return. - Kilpatrick, eaptain. - Agri- culture, potatoes, &c. - Character, occupations, religion, &c., of the early settlers. - Settlement at Broad Bay re- vived. - Conrad Heyer. - Currency. - Indian disturban- ces allayed. - Rutherford. - New style. - Indian confer- enee, 1752-3. - J. Hart. - Additional German settlers at Broad Bay, 1752-3. - Their disappointment and suffering. - Scottish settlers at St. George's, 1753.
CHAP. VI. Indians complain. - Fort rebuilt and block-houses established. - French and Indian war. - Settlers go into garrison. - Their condition there. - Care to conciliate Tarratines, occasions dissatisfaction. - Letters of Burton, Kilpatrick, Bradbury, and Indians. - Cargill's expedition, and death of Margaret. - Scouts at St. George's. - Letter of Lieut. Fletcher. - Aggressions at St. George's. - Death of Rutherford. - Indians distressed. - Forces at St. George's and Broad Bay. - Freeman's journal. - Night skirmish. - Disasters of the war, Henlys, Watson,
6.1
vii
CONTENTS.
Coltson, Elwell, Piper and others. - Remilly's journal. - North, commander at St. Georges, 1757.
87
CHAP. VII. Garrisons. - St. George's fort reinforced. - Attack- ed, and cattle killed. - Occupation of Penobscot. - Death of Gen. Waldo. - Pownal's popularity at St. George's. - Abatement of hostilities. - Condition of the people during the war. - Sheep introduced. - HI. Libbey. - Lincoln County established. - North, judge. - Drought and wild game. - T. Fluker, proprietor. - First county tax. - Administration of justice. - Ulmer. - Dr. Schaef- fer. - Saw-mill rebuilt. - Ship-building attempted. - McLean. - Garrison discontinued. - Location of the Scottish settlers. - Treaty of peace. - Death of Burton. - New settlers, Spear, Starrett, Wheaton, Copelands, Vose, Counce, Sumner, Montgomery. - Physicians. - Locke, Fales, Packards, Hall, Watts, Buckland. - Census. Maize introduced, other crops, trade, &c. - Drown's claim at Broad Bay. - First regimental muster. - Death of North. - First framed houses. - McIntyre's ferry. - Lermond's mills. - New settlements, Keag or S. Thomas- ton. - Lermond's cove or Rockland. - Megunticook or Camden. - Moravians and others leave Broad Bay. - Comet. - Duties, &c., 1770.
107
CHAP. VIII. Army-worm. - New settlers at Broad Bay. - Ship-building. - Wreck of the Industry. - Fatal snow- storm in October. - McIntyre, captain. - Disuse of Brit- tish goods. - Wooden dishes. - Clothing. - Fashions. - Domestic manufactures. - Superstitions. - Education. - Religious privileges. - Saw-mill at Back River. - Plan- tation meetings. - Fever. - Waldoboro' incorporated. - Burton at the tea-party. - Progress of politics. - Private calamities. - Fort Pownal dismantled. - The commander's letter to St. George's. - Political views of the people there. - The Dolphin built. - Recruits for the army. - New government officials. - Rev. J. Urquhart. - Revolu- tionary committee, 1775.
CHAP. IX. New militia officers. - Declaration of independence. - Tax in clothing, &c. - Soldiers for Machias. - Warren and Thomaston incorporated. - Stirlingtown or Union. - First town meeting in Warren. - Peabody. - J. Lermond's saw-mill. - Wyllie. - Oath of allegiance. - Coast guards. - Scarcity. - Paskiel. - Second town meeting. - Rokes. - Fishery. - Town and other taxes. - Prices. - Vote on
136
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CONTENTS.
the constitution. - Proprietors of Waldo patent, abscn- tees. - District of Maine. - Difficulties with Mr. Urqu- hart. - Rev. T. Whiting. - Biguyduce expedition. - Coast defence. - Drought and fires. - Currency. - Pay- son. - Gamble drowned. - First highway. - First repre- sentative. - Severe winter, 1780. . 160
CHAP. X. Consequences of the defeat. - Transactions at Cam- den. - Sloops captured. - Arrest of Long. - Wadsworth, commander. - Murder of Soule. - Execution of Braun. - Tax in clothing and beef. - Urquhart's salary. - First bridge over Oyster R. - Capture of Wadsworth and Bur- ton, - Their escape. - Public burdens. - New emission of paper. - Controversy with Stirlingtown. - Dismission of Urquhart, - Arrival of his wife, &c. - Salem presbytery dissolved. - 1782.
181
CHAP. XI. Scarcity. - Early run of alewives. - First pound. - Payson, Sprague, and Africa Peter. - People of color. - Return of peace. - Fisher, McCallum, O'Brien. - Schools. -- Sufferers from paper money, Patterson, Math- ews. - Boggs's bridge. - Taxes. - Pebbles, first justice .;- Annis. - Refugees, Nelson, Dicke. - Scheme of annexa- tion. - Bosworth. - Peace. - Casualty. - First legal highways voted. - Davis, the hunter, and Barrett. - New settlers, Dunbar, Crane. - First store at head of the tide. - Wild animals. - Agriculture. - First carts, breaking- up-plow, and sleigh. - 1784.
200
CHAP. XII. Paper money, Cooper. - Settlers on eastern and western roads to Union, west of N. Pond, east of Pea- body's. - Sloop Warren. - Fishery. - Weston. - Sloop Friendship. - Tolman. - First legal highway. - Whit- ing, minister. - First town school. - Militia officers. - Land titles, settlers quieted. - New settlers, Andrews, Davis, Standish. - Meeting-house. - Mills at upper falls. - Head. - First child born at the village. - Severe win- ters and famine. - Roads to Thomaston, Waldoboro', and Union. - Jameson, T. Robinson, A. Kelloch, jr., Minger- son. - Sloop Jane, mills, &c. at village. - Federal consti- tution. - M. Cobb. - Prices. - Spear, captain. - Votes for Governor, &c. - Land titles. - Fairbanks, Dodge, Webb. - Cushing incorporated. - 1789. 213
CHAP. XIII. Additional settlers, Mero, I. Fuller, Cox, Rogers, Morison, Keith, Carven, Alford, &c. - Tax payers. -
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CONTENTS.
Sch. Industry. -- First ox-wagon. -- Brackett & Davis. - -- Sullivan. -- Meeting-house. - Dr. Schaeffer at Warren. - Settlers on middle road to Union. - Frost, Moore. - Wild game. - Casualties. - Removal of J. Lermond. - First brig. - First bridge at village. - New meeting- house. -- Lovett. - Two-story houses. - Social library. - Vote on separation. - Sale of pews, &c. - Burying-ground. - Road through village, - To Barrettstown or Hope. - Blake, Lawrence, Page, Buxton, McBeath, Parsons. - Fulling-mill. - Sloop Polly. - First pleasure carriage. - Mail and post office. - Robbery and death of Schaeffer. - Early snow storm. - 1793. 226
CHAP. XIV. Oyster R. bridge. - State tax, drafted militia. - Destructive frost. - Bears. - Wilde. - Rev. J. Thaxter. - Settlement of Rev. J. Huse. - Church organized, &c. - Changes in the town. - Knox at Thomaston. - His works in Warren, - Bring new settlers, Gerrish, Wilson, Coburn, Williams, Lincoln. - Activity of business. - Lime burnt at Warren. - W. H. Webb. - School districts. - Vessels. - Harriman, Brown. - Fatal accidents. - Currency. - Hog-reeves. - Pound. - Overflowing of roads. - Choir. - Military stores and officers. - Company divided. - D. Vose, Vaughan, Leach, F. Jones. - Kelloch neighborhood. - Vessels. - Public bridge at village. - Watsons set off to Thomaston. - Divisions, town and national. - Snow, Emerson, Wells, Dagget. - Vessels. - French spoliations. Wilde's removal. - Court-house. - Accidents. - Thatch- er. - Small-pox. - Political parties. - Reg. muster. - Fashions. - 1800.
243
CHAP. XV. Schools, committee, teachers, and funds. - Bounty on crows. - Oyster fishery. - Shad and alewives, a town privilege. - Commercial prosperity, and business men. - Light-house and fort. - Buildings and trees. - Pleasure carriages. - G. Reed and M. Smith. - Cobb, J. Fuller, Wilbur, Mallett, Hovey, J. Wetherbee, Gates, Stone, New- comb, French, Brackett, Comery, A. Russel, Flack, Swift, Jackson, and Hays. - Martin, Douglass, and Brakely. - Military .- Musical band .- Masonic lodge .- Civil and ec- clesiastical changes in the vicinity. - The Baptist society. - Loss by fire, - By freshet. - Canker-rash. - Spruce and hemlock destroyed. - Hoof-ail. - Aurora borealis. - Earthquake. - Eclipse. - Casualties. - Death of Knox. - 1806.
263
X
CONTENTS.
CHAP. XVI. Commercial embarrassments. - Brig Sumner. - Embargo. - Parties. - Petitions. - Non-intercourse. - Betterment-act. - Parkman. - Attempt to impeach Jus- tice Copeland. - Vote on separation. - Political move- ments. - Lime inspection. - Fish-law. - Wolves. - Mili- tary stores. - E. Thatcher, Hoar, Thomas, Harrington, Maxey, R. Russel, D. Vaughan, Lamson, Watton, Ben- son, S. French, Isley, S. Lawrence, Starr, T. Wilson, Bur- gess, Miller, McLellan, Noyce, Knowlton, A. Young, and Caswell. - Warren Academy. - Sacred music. - Agri- culture and manufactures. - Hard times. - Casualties. - Physical and meteorological phenomena. - Second em- bargo and war. - Convention at Wiscasset. - 1812. . . 280
CHAP. XVII. Effects of war. - Coasting trade. - High price of provisions. - View of a naval action. - Capture of the Peggy and Rubicon. - The Alexander. - Measures of de- fence. - Abundant crop, and public burdens. - The Brit- ish at St. George's. - Militia called out for defence of Camden. - A false alarm. -- Second expedition to Cam- den. - Trade with the enemy. -- Peace. -- Its effects. - Moral societies. -- Unpropitious seasons. - Emigration west. - Bridges petitioned for. -- Wolves, and Elephant. - A. Lermond. -- Paupers. - Rate of labor. - Road to Camden, and bridges. - Meeting-house. -- Separation of the State. -- Party spirit allayed. - Casualties, seasons, &c. - New comers, Kimball, Rawson, Hodgman, Howard, Hinkley, Jarvis, Howland, Parker, Carriel, Whitney, Hilt, R. Robinson, Waterman, L. Jones, Leeds, Joachin, Stet- son, and Sawin. -- Traders, J. Thompson, J. Burton. -- First dancing-school, education, improvements, &c. - Burton's block-house. -- 1820. 292
CHAP. XVIII. Unanimity at the first State election. - Schools, S. agents, districts, &c. - Paupers. - Ministerial tax. - Military matters. - Burying grounds. - Bridges. - High- ways. - Fishery. - Inspectors of lime. - Valuation of 1829. - Receipts and expenditures. - Surplus revenue. - Town-house. - Votes for presidential electors, - On amendments of the constitution, &c. 309
CHAP. XIX. The history of the First and Second Congregational Societies, with other ecclesiastical matters, from 1820 to 1850. 319
xi
CONTENTS.
CHAP. XX. Benevolent and other societies. - Celebrations. - Wild animals. - Losses by fire. - Casualties. - J. G. Lam- bright. - T. D. Raeburn. - Weather and meteoric phe- nomena. - Progress of improvement. - Emigrants to Cal- ifornia. - Col. B. Burton. - J. H. Counce. - B. B. Thatcher. - Conclusion. 329
TABLES. I. Highways, 1783 to 1850. 351
II. Valuation, 1790 to 1850. 353
III. Population, 1790 to 1850. . 354
IV. County Taxes paid by Warren and neighboring places, prior to 1781. . 354
V. Principal town officers, 1777 to 1850. 355
VI. 3 Justices of the peace and other civil officers, 1782 to 1850. 359
VII. Licenses granted, to residents on St. George's river, prior to 1777. . . 360
66 to residents of Warren, 1778 to 1837. 361
VIII. Votes for Governor, 1788 to 1850. 362
IX. Taxes raised, proceeds of the fishery, pauper expenses, &c., 1778 to 1850. 364
X. Return of the Superintending School Committee, 1850. 365
XI. Militia Officers. 365
XII. Officers of the regiment in which the militia of Warren has been included. 368
XIII. Vessels built, 1770 to 1850. 369
XIV. Deaths, 1797 to 1850. 373
XV. Vernal progress, 1805 to 1850. 374
TABLE of Genealogy. .
375
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Plan of Warren. facing Chapter I, page 1 Map of St. George's and vicinity. IV, " 42 Wood cut, Conrad Heyer. " 77
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ANNALS OF WARREN.
CHAPTER I.
THE TOWN DESCRIBED.
THE town of Warren, in the county of Lincoln, State of Maine, is situated on both sides of St. George's River at the head of tide waters; and is bounded westerly by Waldoboro', northerly by Union, easterly and southeasterly by Camden and Thomaston, and southerly by Cushing. Its central village is not far from 44° of N. latitude, and is, by the route traveled, about 34 miles S. E. from Augusta and about 617 from Washington. It contains 29,636 acres, and is about equal to a tract 62 miles square. From this, if we deduct 1600 acres for water and 450 for highways, we have remaining 27,586 acres. According to the valuation of 1840 there were return- ed by the assessors an aggregate of 22,245 acres, leaving a deficiency of 5,341 acres to be accounted for in one or more of the following ways. 1. The liberal measure used in locating all the more ancient lots, and the fractions lost in the division thereof, will account for a part. 2. The possession of lots by persons out of town may for a time prevent the same from coming to the knowledge of the assessors. 3. The natural reluctance of every person to paying a high tax, may lead to a low estimate, and sometimes to a false rep- resentation. 4. Some assessors have been in the habit of reducing the quantity of mowing, marsh and other lands, to make up for its poor quality, making no account of ledges, bogs and flats, as of no value.
The surface of the town is uneven, being broken into ridges and gullies, hills and vallies, and having some eminences of considerable elevation. Two of these in the N. E. part of the town, belonging to the Camden group, have been dignified
1
2
ANNALS OF WARREN.
with the name of mountain. Of these Mt. Pleasant is the highest, and commands an extensive prospect of the neigh- boring towns, the Atlantic Ocean and Penobscot Bay, the winding coast and adjacent islands, with the tops of many distant inland mountains including the White Hills of New Hampshire. It is often visited by parties of pleasure from this and the neighboring towns. Its eastern ascent is difficult and precipitous, while its western declivity is gentle and easy. The approach from this quarter has the advantage, also, of having the prospect concealed from view by woods till the summit is nearly attained, when it suddenly breaks on the astonished gaze in all its magnificence. The apex of this mountain consists of naked gneiss, but most of its sides are covered with a fertile soil. Crawford's Mt. is more westerly, smaller, and covered with wood. Stahl's hill, in the S. W. part of the town, though of less elevation, affords a fine view extending to White-Head Island and the neighboring waters.
The geological features of the town are the result of the general structure of this part of the country, modified of course by local peculiarities. The foundation is primary, consisting of trap, granite, gneiss, mica or talcose slate, with intervening beds of limestone. These rocks appear broken, elevated and depressed into ridges and hollows, hills and pre- cipices, often in a most confused manner ; like blocks of ice jammed together in a spring freshet, the edges of the strata brought to the surface, their order and contents exposed either in a vertical position, or elevated at various angles. The stratification thus exposed and the primary ridges thus formed, however undulating in their course, extend as a general thing in a N. E. and S. W. direction. This forms the most marked feature of the locality. A second is the general ascent of the country from the sea-shore northerly, causing its drainage to find its way in a contrary direction across these rocky ridges in cross fractures and depressions, which give a mean- dering, zigzag course to the streams as they pass, now linger- ing in the bosoms of ponds and lakes, and now leaping down rapids and cascades, to the ocean.
Such is the character of the river St. George's; which, after the junction of its two most distant branches, the one issu- ing from Quantabacook Pond in Belmont and Searsmont, the other from St. George's Great Pond in Liberty and Montville, proceeds through Appleton, Union, Warren, Thomaston, and between Cushing and St. George, discharging its waters and those of many tributaries received in its course, into the sea between the two last mentioned towns. Its whole course
3
ANNALS OF WARREN.
seems to be a continued struggle between a tendency on the one hand to pursue a direct southern course to the ocean, and that on the other of following the direction of the vallies that stretch southwesterly between the ridges. This sufficiently appears in the two great bends which the river makes in the upper part of Warren, forming the Starrett and Vaughan peninsulas, as well as in those in Union and at the Narrows in Thomaston ; in the numerous ponds which it fills in its course at present, and the many more which it seems to have filled in former ages ; and especially in the facility with which a part of its waters in time of a freshet pass into North and South Ponds, through which it is not improbable the whole once found their way to the ocean ; though these ponds at pres- ent only serve as reservoirs to retain the superfluous water, till, on the subsiding of the freshet, the current is reversed, the inlet becomes the outlet, and the water is restored to the stream from whence it was borrowed.
The many reservoirs of this kind, connected with the river, give a permanency and value to its water privileges, which they could not otherwise possess. The tide formerly flowed as high up as Boggs's shore at the foot of the upper falls, but is now stopped a little short of that point, by the dam at the lower bridge. This river is about 40 miles long, runs through Warren from N. to S., is navigable for vessels of 90 or 100 tons burthen to Andrews's Point ; and smaller craft go to the village about three-quarters of a mile higher. But the "Narrows" a little below the boundary of Warren, render its navigation somewhat difficult. The tide rushes through them with such violence that a loaded vessel can pass them with safety only at high water; and their direction is so near- ly opposite to the general course of the river that vessels ascending or descending with a fair wind are sure to find a contrary one here. Two toll-bridges, one in Thomaston and one in the lower part of this town, are additional impedi- ments ; and, since the exportation of lumber has ceased and lime is taken to southern ports in large vessels which stop at Thomaston, most of the freighting is taken in and discharged at that place which used to be done here. Above the tide waters, on the contrary, the navigation of this river has been greatly extended by locks and canals, which render its whole length navigable for boats and open a market for wood and lumber as high up as the Quantabacook. There are valuable water privileges at the upper and lower falls in this town ; the latter of which, only, are at present occupied. A little be- fore this stream leaves Warren, it receives the waters of Oyster
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