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1
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
M. L
1
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01091 7489
17.50
+75: 17 54
ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
-OF-
KENNEBEC OUNTY
MAINE
1625
1799
1892
EDITORS HENRY D. KINGSBURY SIMEON L. DEYO
Resident Contributors
JAMES W. BRADBURY
CHARLES E. NASH
WILLIAM PENN WHITEHOUSE
JOHN L. STEVENS
SAMUEL L. BOARDMAN
HOWARD OWEN
WILLIAM B. LAPHAM
HIRAM K. MORRELL
RUFUS M. JONES ASBURY C. STILPHEN
LENDALL TITCOMB
HARRY H. COCHRANE
J. CLAIR MINOT
GEORGE UNDERWOOD
JAMES M. LARRABEE HENRY S. WEBSTER
ORRIN F. SPROUL ALBION F. WATSON
NEW YORK H. W. BLAKE & COMPANY 94 READE ST. 1892
IN
Edition Limited to 1600 Prints.
COPYRIGHTED 1892, -BY- H. W. BLAKE & CO.
1 A
A. H. RITCHIE. Engravers, { HAZLETT GILMOUR. A. C. SHIPLEY.
Artist, FRANK M. GILBERT. Printer, J. HENRY PROBST. Binders, T. RUSSELL & SON.
1127768
INTRODUCTION.
H ISTORY is a record of human experience. Human acts are its sources, its forces, its substance, its soul. Individual life is its unit; collective biography its sum total. This book is an effort to preserve some of the staple facts in the lives of the men and women of Kennebec county. Those who have attempted such work know its difficulties; those who have not cannot understand them.
Early local history is, at best, but a collection of memories and tra- ditions, with an occasional precious bit of written data. Of necessity, such chains have many missing links. The questioner is so frequently told that had he but come ten-or twenty-years ago, such and such an one, now gone, could have told him so much. Those people then would surely have said the same of their predecessors. So if, for the printed page, we get what we can when we can, the reader has the best obtainable.
Happily, both in character and extent, the matter here given greatly excels the original expectations and plans of the publishers. In addition to the historical matter, in which they take genuine pride, they regard as of great importance the genealogical and biographical matter.
The facts of life and generation are beyond question of superla- tive worth. There is no more significant tendency of civilization than the growing attention paid to making more detailed records of family statistics. Scarcely a New England family of long, vigorous con- tinuance can be found, some loyal member of which has not-at great cost of time and often of money-prepared an approximate genealogy. Every effort at local history puts in imperishable form the priceless annals of the past. The recollections and experiences taken from the lips of the aged is so much rescued from oblivion. Every promi- nent figure in the realms of business, science, art or profession has
iv
INTRODUCTION.
passed through the uneventful periods of childhood and youth, often in some obscure locality; and there is not a town in Kennebec county whose pride in having produced and whose interest in watching or relating the careers of its honored sons and daughters do not still make its air richer and its sunshine brighter.
While writing these last lines on a winter's day near the close of the second year of labor on the work in hand, we wish in behalf of their posterity, whom we have tried to serve, to thank the good people of Kennebec who have so kindly and faithfully cooperated with us in every way to make this volume worthy of its title. Besides to twenty writers whose names these chapters bear, we gladly acknowledge our obligation to more than twenty hundred who have, in personal inter- views or in correspondence, or both, done what they could to leave for coming times this record of their county's past-this monument to what it is.
AUGUSTA, ME., DECEMBER, 1892.
Army Di Rigobury.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
General View.
By Hiram K. Mor-
re11.
1
CHAPTER II.
The Indians of the Kennebec. By
Capt. Charles E. Nash .
9
CHAPTER III.
Sources of Land Titles. By Len-
dall Titcomb, Esq.
72
CHAPTER IV.
Civil History and Institutions.
78
CHAPTER V.
Military History.
109
CHAPTER VI.
Military History (Concluded).
122
CHAPTER VII.
Industrial Resources.
175
CHAPTER VIII.
Agriculture and Live Stock. By
Samuel L. Boardınan.
187
CHAPTER IX.
Travel and Transportation
225
CHAPTER X.
The Newspaper Press.
By Mr.
Howard Owen.
238
CHAPTER XI.
Literature and Literary People.
By Thomas Addison
254
CHAPTER XII.
The Society of Friends. By Rufus
M. Jones.
269
CHAPTER XIII.
History of the Courts. By Judge
William Penn Whitehouse.
297
CHAPTER XIV.
The Kennebec Bar. By James W.
Bradbury, LL.D.
308
CHAPTER XV.
The Medical Profession
347
CHAPTER XVI.
Augusta. By Capt. Charles E. Nash.
381
CHAPTER XVII.
Augusta (Continued)
405
CHAPTER XVIII.
Augusta (Concluded).
427
CHAPTER XIX.
Hallowell.
By Dr. William B.
Lapham
489
CHAPTER XX.
Town of Farmingdale. By A. C.
Stilphen, Esq ..
517
CHAPTER XXI.
Town of Winslow. By Henry D.
Kingsbury.
537
CHAPTER XXII.
City of Waterville.
By Henry D.
Kingsbury
568
CHAPTER XXIII.
City of Waterville (Concluded).
580
CHAPTER XXIV.
The City of Gardiner. .
601
CHAPTER XXV.
Town of West Gardiner.
668
CHAPTER XXVI.
Town of Litchfield. By H. D.
Kingsbury
684
CHAPTER XXVII.
Town of Pittston.
712
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Town of Randolph.
738
CHAPTER XXIX.
Town of Chelsea.
749
CHAPTER XXX.
Town of Monmouth. By Harry H.
Cochrane.
764
CHAPTER XXXI.
Town of Wayne.
807
.
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Town of Winthrop.
826
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CHAPTER XLI.
Town of Manchester
875
Town of Oakland
1064
CHAPTER XLII.
Town of Vassalboro.
1095
CHAPTER XXXV.
CHAPTER XLIII.
Town of Mount Vernon. ..
930
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CHAPTER XLIV.
Town of Fayette.
By George Un-
derwood, Esq.
953
Town of Windsor
1172
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CHAPTER XLV.
Town of Vienna.
974
Town of Albion.
1194
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
CHAPTER XLVI.
Town of Rome.
988
CHAPTER XXXIX.
CHAPTER XLVII.
Minot
993
Town of Clinton
1243
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Adams, Enoch, M.D. 348
Bodwell, Joseph R.
185
Adams, Hermon H. 1018
Boutelle, Nathaniel R. 351
Albion, Map of. 1202
Boutelle, Timothy. 308
Allen, E. C. 452
Bowman, Sifamai. 625
Asylum for Insane.
96
Bradbury, James W 318
Augusta, Settlers' Map.
387
Brooks, Samuel S
466
Ayer, John 1076
Brown, Frederick I
909
Bailey, Hannah J., Residence 852
Brown, Frederick I., Res. and Store.
908
Bailey, Moses.
853
Brown, George.
756
Barnard, Mrs. Henrietta M., Res .. 648
Burbank, Silas. 352
Burleigh, Edwin C. 82
Bussell, John 1124
Butman, James O., Farm Res. 910
Cabin, " Uncle Tom's." 705
Capitol, at Augusta 80
Carleton, Leroy T 324
Carr, Albert C., Residence 855
Carr, Daniel
832
Chelsea, Settlers' Map of.
750
China, Sketch Map of.
1140
Christ's Church, Gardiner 630
Cobb, Chandler F., Stock Farm 211
Cobbosseecontee Lake 880
Coburn Classical Institute.
100
Blake, William P. 1081
Blaine, James G.
456
Blaisdell, Elijah. 1233
Blake, Fred K., Residence 795
Blake, Henry M. 350
Blake Homestead. 795
Bassett, Alexander, Residence 1162
Bassett, Jonathan.
1162
Bean, Emery 316
Benson, Benj. Chandler 1079
Besse, Charles K. 980
Billings, Oliver 965
Billings Homestead. 965
Barton, Asher H. 1231
Barton, Asher H., Residence. 1232
Town of Benton
1218
Town of Belgrade.
By J. Clair
CHAPTER XL.
Town of Sidney.
1034
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Town of Readfield. By Henry D.
Kingsbury.
890
Town of China.
1139
Colby University
98
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Colcord, John B., Farm Residence. 1235
Collins, Jason 234
Hewins, George E., Residence 472
Collins, John. 672
Hewins Homestead. 472
Comfort Publishing House 443
Hewins, Daniel. 473
Cony, Daniel. 469
Haynes, J. Manchester 470
Cony High School 425
Cony, Samuel. 468
Copsecook Paper Mills. 615
Hodgdon, Elbridge G. 1262
564
Court House, Augusta 79
Crooker, Leander J. 354
Crosby, George H., Residence 1209
Holway, Oscar. 474
Cumston, Charles M 793
Hopkins, Myrick. 649
Cumston, Charles M., Residence. 792
Hopkins, Myrick, Homestead 648
Cushnoc, Plan of 1761 387
Howard, Oakes.
860
Dingley, J. B. 647
Dodge, Howard W. 1260
Doherty, Charles W 434
Druillette's, Fr. Gabriel, Autogr'h. 33
Insane, Hospital for the. 96
Jail, Kennebec County. 79
Jewett, Hartley W 532
862
Fairfax, Settlers' Map. 1202
Father Rale's Monument. 65
Kendrick, Cyrus 362
Kennebec Court House. 79
Kennebec County Jail. 79
Fifield, Joseph S., Farm Res. 883
Fogg, Samuel G., Farm Res 912
Kents Hill Seminary
102
Fort Western, Vicinity of. 392
Kilbreth, Sullivan. 887
Knight, Austin D
512
Ladd, Harvey.
Lamb, William. 1264
Lane, Samuel W 476
Lapham, Eliphalet H. 731
Lapham, William B. 260
Lawrence, Charles.
618
Lawrence, Sherburn 620
Lawrence Homestead 619
Lewis, Allen E. 740
Library, Hallowell.
502
Lithgow, L. W. 439
Longfellow, George A. 864
Loring, Henry S
1058
MacDonald, Roderick 920
Maine Wesleyan Seminary 102
Manley, Joseph H. 478
Marston, David E.
364
Minot, George E 1024
Minot, George E., Residence 1024
Mitchell, Benjamin G. 592
Monument, Father Rale's.
65
Morrell, Arch
656
919
Friends' Meeting House, Winthrop. 292
Gannett & Morse Concern. 443
Gardiner High School. 638
Gardiner Savings Bank. 627
Giddings, Wooster P 358
Giddings, Wooster P., Residence .. 358
Girls' Reform School. 104
Gott, John M .. 824
Gower, John. 857
Gray, Joshua 608 Guptill, D. F. 562
Haley, Eben D 180
Hallowell Social Library. 502
Hammond, Carlos.
1054
Hanscom, David. 1237
Hanson, James H. 588
Harlow, Henry M. 95
Harriman, Benjamin W. 914
Harriman, Benj. W., Residence. 915
Harvey Homestead .. 917
Harvey, William, Birthplace. 917
Hathaway, Charles F. 589
High School, Gardiner 638
Hobbs, Josiah S. 105
Cornish, Colby C. 556
Hodges, Albert.
Hodges, Albert, Residence. 564
Hodges, Barnum. 564c
Hussey, Ben. G., Residence. 1114
Hussey, Orrett J., Residence. 1128
Industrial School for Girls.
104
East Winthrop, Village Plan. 849
Eaton, Joseph 560
Emerson, Luther D. 1084
Jones, Levi.
Jones Plantation, Plan of. 1140
Faught, Albert, Residence 1052
Fifield, Joseph S. 883
Kent, Elias H., Residence. 968
Friends' Meeting House, East Vas- salboro. 276
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Morrell, Hiram K. 262
Sturgis, Ira D. 484
Morrell, James S. 1213
Strout, Albion K. P., Residence 373
Mt. Pleasant Stock Farm. 211
Taylor, Joseph. 1030
Nason, Charles H. 445
Thayer. Frederick C. 375
Nichols, Thomas B.
1130
"The Elms"-Res. Geo. H. Crosby. 1209
North, James W
479
Thing, Daniel H. 949
Oak Grove Seminary, 280
Thomas, Joseph B. 736
" Oak Hill "-Billings Homestead .. 965
"Oak Trees "-Gov. Williams' Res. 487
Titcomb, Samuel
336
Owen, Howard, Cottage 880
Torsey, Henry P. 926
Packard, Henry.
868
Towne, Benjamin F., Residence 567
Trott, Freeman 664
Rale, Fr. Seb., Autograph of. 53
"Uncle Tom's Cabin." 705
Richardson, Alton. 1268
Underwood, Joseph H
971
Robbins, George A., Residence. 1134
Rowell, Eliphalet.
514
Vining, Marcellus. 1192
Ware, John 598
Sanborn, Bigelow T. 97
Webb, E. F.
338
Savings Institution, Gardiner .. 627
West Gardiner Map
669
Searls, William T. 762
Whitehouse, Seth C.
486
Shores, George E. 595
1035
Whitehouse Homestead 1137
Whitmore, Chadbourn W 378
Whitmore, Nathaniel M.
342
Smith, E. H. W
481
Whitmore, Stephen.
376
Smith, William R 482
Snell, William B.
332
Williams, Joseph H. 487
Williams, Joseph H., Residence. 487
Williams, Reuel.
310
State House, Augusta 80
Williams, Seth
166
St. Augustine Church, Augusta. 436
Winslow, Map of.
538
St. Joseph's Church, Gardiner. 635
Winslow, Alfred 1092
St. Mary's Church, Augusta 432
Woodbury, John 710
Stevens, Greenlief T 92
Woods, Jacob S
986
Stevens Homestead. 1028
Whittier Homestead 984
Snow, Albion P .. ..
371
Springer, David S. 706
Whitehouse, William Penn.
297
Sidney, Sketch Map of.
Small, Abner R 1089
Smith, David T 704
Robbins, George A. 1134
Underwood Homestead. 972
Vassalboro, Plan of. 1096
Sampson, Thomas B. 679
Parsons, David E .. 366
Tinkham, Andrew W 804
HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL VIEW.
BY HIRAM K. MORRELL.
Geographical and Astronomical Position .- Rocks .- Fossils .- Clay-beds .- Drain- age .- Streams .- Ponds .- Hills .- Climate .- Kames .- Shell Deposits .- Min- eralogy .- Primitive and Present Forests .- Landscapes .- Game .- Fishes.
T' "HAT portion of south-central Maine now embraced within the county of Kennebec-lying on either side of the Kennebec river and almost wholly drained by its tributaries-has an area of nearly a half million acres. Its southern boundary, thirty miles from the ocean, is in north latitude, 44°, whence it extends northward to 44° 31'. It is from twenty to thirty-five miles wide, lying between meridians 69" 20' and 70° 10', west. Its greatest diameter from north- east to southwest is 48.5 miles. With the ultimate purpose of tracing the course of human events within this territory, our more immediate purpose in this chapter is to consider the county as a physical struc- ture, regardless of its occupancy by man.
The indications of a glacial period are probably as well shown in this county as anywhere in Maine. Underlying the modified drift are often found masses of earth and rocks mingled confusedly together, having neither stratification nor any appearance of having been deposited in water. These are the glacial drift, or till. This drift frequently covers the slopes, and even the summits, of the greater elevations. It contains bowlders of all diameters up to forty feet, which have nearly all been brought southward from their native ledges, and can be traced, in some instances, for a hundred miles, southward or southeastward. Wherever till occurs, the ledges have mostly been worn to a rounded form, and, if the rock be hard, it is covered with long scratches, or stric, in the direction of the course taken by the bowlders. Geology now refers these to a moving ice- sheet which spread over this continent from the north, and was of sufficient thickness to cover even Mount Washington, to within 300
1
2
HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.
feet of its top. This ice-sheet was so much thicker at the north than in this latitude that its great weight pressed the ice steadily onward and outward to the south-southeast. The termination of this ice-sheet in the Atlantic, southeast of New England, was probably like the present great ice-wall of the Antarctic continent.
Of Maine as a whole the rocks are both metamorphic (i. e., changed from the original sandstones, shales, conglomerates and limestones by the action of heat, water and chemical forces into other kinds of rock than their first character) and fossiliferous. These metamorphic strati- fied rocks occur: gneiss, mica schist, talcose schist, steatite, and ser- pentine, the saccharoid limestone, clay slate, quartz, and conglomer- ates, jasper, siliceous slate, and hornstone. The unstratified rocks are mostly granite, sienite, protogine, porphyry, and trap or greenstone.
The fossiliferous rocks are Paleozoic, except some marine alluvial deposits, and represent the Lower Silurian, Upper Silurian, Devon- ian, and Drift and Alluvium groups. These formations have been studied but superficially, as yet, by scientific men; Prof. C. H. Hitchcock, however, gives this arrangement: Champlain clays, terti- ary; Glacial drift, till; Lower Carboniferous or Upper Devonian; Lower Devonian, Oriskany group; Upper Silurian; Silurian and Cam- brian clay slates; Cambrian and Huronian with Taconic; Montalban; Laurentian; Granite; Trap and altered slates. The topographical survey by the government is not yet published, and Prof. W. S. Bayley, of Colby University, says that not even a nucleus of a repre- sentative collection of the minerals of the state exists anywhere in it, although Maine possesses unique minerals unknown elsewhere.
The accepted theory of many geologists, among them Miller, Lyell and Darwin, is that there was a time during the Pleistocene period when most of this continent was under water; when the whole of Kennebec county was submerged; and that millions of immense icebergs were carried by the currents, bringing large bowlders frozen firmly to their bottoms. These, passing over the submerged ledge, ground to impalpable powder that which, precipitated in layers on the then ocean bottom, formed the clay layers of to-day. The subsequent gradual elevation of the eastern coast of this continent left above tide water many of the characteristics of the former ocean bottom, and now at various depths below the surface layers of marine shells may be found.
The surface in many sections is of slate of the lower Silurian formation, which, having been ground «o a fine paste, makes the gray clay, frequently tinged with oxide of iron and containing fossil marine shells. Where these clay-beds are deepest the clay is very salt and sometimes contains water-worn pebbles, on some of which fossil barnacles have been found. Under the gray clays is the blue clay deposit, doubtless antedating them by many ages, and formed in part
·
3
GENERAL VIEW.
from the ocean ooze. These original clay deposits are thirty, sixty, and in places, more than one hundred feet thick, through which the streams have cut deep channels, leaving the clay hills of irregular outline.
Of the county as a place of residence it hardly seems necessary to speak. Those who have always lived in it show, from that fact, their appreciation of it. Those who have gone from it have either come back, or intend to, if they can. Those who have been away from it and returned, think most of it, and the more they have traveled, the more they appreciate good "Old Kennebec " as a home.
I was born in it and always lived in it except about two years in Minnesota, and then I had a home here. I have been young and now I am old, yet never have I seen the Kennebecker forsaken, nor his seed begging bread-and never expect to-unless he is too lazy to work. I have traveled in twenty-six states, both of the Canadas, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and I honestly, after mature deliberation, believe that in no other land can one with honesty and thrift get more of the good things of life-of all that makes life enjoyable to the hon- est, intellectual man-than in Kennebec county.
The county is one of the highly favored places of the world as to its water and drainage systems. The splendid water power at Water- ville, known as Ticonic (anciently spelled Teconnet) falls, is the head of navigation for large boats.
The total fall of the Kennebec from the foot of Ticonic falls to Augusta is 36.6 feet. The dam at Augusta, which is passed by a lock, inakes still water for several miles. Just below Ticonic falls the Sebasticook river, having drained Winslow, Benton and Clinton, and many towns in Somerset county, joins the Kennebec near the old Fort Halifax of 1746. The Messalonskee stream, having drained the lake of the same name and five towns and several large ponds, at Oakland tum- bles in a beautiful cascade of forty feet and soon enters the Kennebec, just below and opposite the mouth of the Sebasticook. . Several large brooks or streams, which would be called rivers in the western part of the state, enter the Kennebec between Waterville and Gardiner, where the Cobbosseecontee-the prettiest, merriest and busiest of streams- having drained the towns of Wayne, Winthrop, Monmouth, Litchfield and West Gardiner, in Kennebec county, and several in Androscoggin and Sagadahoc, after a vexed and troubled journey of a mile over eight dams, with a fall of 128 feet, laughingly and gleefully enters placidly the Kennebec.
The Cobbossee is the outlet of Cobbossee Great pond, which re- ceives also the waters of Annabessacook and Maranocook ponds. It also receives the discharge from Lake Tacoma, or "Shorey pond," Sand, Buker, Jimmy and Wood ponds, which are nearly on a level, and known on the map as Purgatory ponds. It is one of the best and most
4
HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.
available water powers in the state. Worromontogus stream, the out- let of the pond of the same name-usually abbreviated to " Togus "- forms the line between Randolph and Pittston, where it forms a valu- able water power before its entrance into the Kennebec. The south- ern and eastern portions of Pittston are drained by the Eastern river, which joins the Kennebec at Dresden, opposite Swan island. Windsor is drained by the eastern branch of the Sheepscot. The towns in the extreme west of the county contain sixteen ponds which drain into the Androscoggin. As a whole, the water that falls on Kennebec county flows into the ocean through the Kennebec, for it receives all of the water of the Androscoggin at Merrymeeting bay.
Of course this imperfect sketch of these leading drainage systems gives but a faint idea of the water system of the county. On Half- penny's atlas of Kennebec county, some seventy-five named ponds are laid down, which number of course does not include all. Some of these ponds, several miles in extent, would be called lakes in other places. Cobbossee Great pond forms the boundary, in whole or in part, of five towns; and there are several others nearly as large. I will not consider the water powers of these ponds and streams, but their natural beauties and attractions. I know them and love them, but it will take an abler pen than mine to picture even a small part of their loveliness. If I cared to tempt the hunter and fisherman-but I do not-I could tell wondrous tales, and wondrous because they are true, of the trout, black bass, white perch, pickerel, and many other kinds of fishes I have seen, which were taken from our beautiful brooks and ponds; and of the woodcocks, partridges, ducks and other game that others shot-others I say, for I never fired a gun in my life.
One can hardly go amiss, who seeks for pleasure with the gun or rod in almost any town in the county. It is the sportsman's paradise. But to me, and such as I, her ponds and cascades, her placid streams and murmuring brooks, her ever-verdant fields and forest-clad hills, have a deeper and nobler attraction than merely as a haunt for the slayer. If everybody saw the natural beauties of Kennebec county, as the true lover of nature sees them, and enjoyed them as he enjoys them, the county would not be large enough for those who would want to live in it. She has no mountains to awe or weary the trav- eler and take up the room of better scenery, but she has picturesque hills and bluffs, overlooking smiling valleys, dotted with lovely vil- lages; hills from which Mounts Kearsage, Washington and the whole Presidential range may be seen, as well as Mt. Blue, Mt. Saddleback, Abraham, Bigelow and others. The views from Oak hill, in Litch- field, and from Monmouth Ridge and Pease's hill in Monmouth, Cross hill in Vassalboro, Deer hill in China and Bolton hill in Augusta, are as fine as one needs to see.
The climate is the best abused thing in Maine, the abuse coming
5
GENERAL VIEW.
mostly from those who do not know what a good climate is. I used to think that Maine was hardly decent for any man to attempt to live in; but having spent three winters in Florida, and having sampled the winter climate of the much bepraised western highlands of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, and spent nearly two years in Minnesota and Iowa, I have come to the conclusion that Ken- nebec county is the best county for me to live in, summer or winter. There are some days in dog-days, and perhaps some weather in March and November, that might be improved, but take it as a whole, one season with another, Kennebec has as good a climate as any place in the world; and her sons and daughters, physically, mentally and mor- ally, will compare favorably with the men and women of any land. We are too warm in winter, but the climate is not to blame for that. Maine people keep themselves warmer in the winter than in summer.
We are far enough from the ocean to escape its damp, salt, chilly air, yet near enough to temper our summer heat with the sea breezes. For forty years our average annual rainfall, including melted snow, has been 43.24 inches, which is about 35 per cent. in excess of six other states west of Maine, where records have been kept. The mean rainfall in Kennebec county, between May 31st and September 14th, is 11.11 inches; the winter precipitation is 10.13 inches, and that of fall and spring 10.50 inches. Our rainfall is so evenly distributed that the county rarely suffers from excessive storms, or from droughts. In fine, if one cannot live here to a good old age, he is likely to die young anywhere, and not necessarily because he is beloved of the gods either. Octogenarians are common, and centenarians are by no means rare. But one's life in Kennebec county, be it longer or shorter, is worth a good deal more than it would be anywhere else.
While the chief industrial wealth of Kennebec county is in her agriculture and her varied manufactures noticed in subsequent chap- ters, she also utilizes her disadvantages, and her frozen river and her rocky hills become a source of employment for thousands, of business and revenue to many, and of general welfare to the whole community. Her ice business alone probably brings a million dollars a year to the county, while her granite quarries furnish work for scores of skilled laborers, and the leading cities of almost every state are proud of their architectural specimens of the enduring productions of Ken- nebec.
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