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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 3433 07954299 3
SANGERVILLE CENTENNIAL
- 1914 1814
-
1
5.2
Sangerville Proceeding IQB
Sangerville, Maine 1814-1914
Proceedings of the
Centennial Celebration
June 13, 1914
DOVER 1914
.
THE! URK PUBLIC LIBRARY 676247
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN F UNILATIONE R
1914
Reprinted from Sprague's Journal of Maine History
1
SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY
Sangerville 1
Centennial
History
CONTENTS
Page
Page
Sangerville Centennial, 103
Historical Address, by John Francis Sprague, 106
Oration, by Honorable Willis E. Parsons, 126
Speech of Sir Hiram Maxim, read by Hiram Percy Maxim, 135
Speech by Honorable Stanley Plummer, 138
Remembrance in Rhyme, by Pro- fessor William S. Knowlton, 140
Sketches of Moses Carr, F. H. Carr and D. R. Campbell, 144a
List of Centennial Committees, 145
Captain Abner Turner Wade, by Rev. William O. Ayer, 146
Letter From Honorable Stanley Plummer, 152
Agriculture of Sangerville, by Will E. Leland, 153
The Woolen Industry of Sanger- ville, by Honorable Augus O. Campbell, 155
Documentary History of the Town of Sangerville, 155
List of Taxpayers Assessed in the Town of Sangerville for the Year 1819, 164
Record of Births in Town of Sangerville, 164
Early Marriages in Sangerville, 171 Record of Deaths in Town of Sangerville, 176
Town Officers,
179
County Officers From Sanger- ville, 181
Notes About Sangerville From Old Maine Registers, 182
ILLUSTRATIONS
Frontispiece, Sir Hiram Maxim Dumbarton Woolen Mills, No. 2, Sangerville, Maine, 105 Enoch Leathers, 112
John Francis Sprague, 125
Honorable Willis Ellis Parsons, 134
Honorable Stanley Plummer, 139
Honorable William Smith Knowlton, 140
William Pitt Oakes,
144
Alfonso F. Marsh, (Insert)
Captain Abner Turner Wade, Moses Carr, 154
148
David R. Campbell,
. Fred H. Carr; . . , 156
158
The Carr Woolen. Mills, San- gerville, Mainc, 161
Walter L'eland, 177
SIR HIRAM MAXIM
Sprague's Journal of Maine History
Vol. 11
JULY, 1914
No. 3
Sangerville Centennial
1814-1914
On June 13, 1914, in accordance with a vote of the town at its last annual town meeting the people of Sangerville commemo- rated the hundredth anniversary of its incorporation as a munici- pality.
At 8.30 a. m. a parade of floats, antiques, ete., numbering in all about sixty, accompanied by three bands of music from Guil- ford, Monson and Milo, headed by James Lynch who acted as chief marshal, marched through the principal streets of Sangerville and Guilford villages. It was an excellent representation of historical features of the town of both the past and present. At the head of the line was a small body of men attired to represent the Red Men as they would have appeared one hundred and thirteen years ago when that territory was a primeval wilderness. The next was a log cabin on which was inscribed "The first house in Sangerville, built by Phineas Ames in 1801." Another interesting antique was an old hand loom, being operated by some one weaving cloth who impersonated a housewife of the olden days; this was followed by a loom of the latest type making cloth as it is made today in the factories of Sangerville.
There was a large assemblage of people from Sangerville and adjoining towns, and it was estimated that they numbered several thousand.
At 1.30 p. m. the literary exercises were held in the open air . in front of the Town Hall. Mr. Alfonso F. Marsh, who was presi- dent of the day, introduced John F. Sprague of Dover as the his- torian, Honorable Willis E. Parsons of Foxcroft as the orator, and Professor William S. Knowlton of Monson as the poet, of the oc- casion. Speeches were also made by His Excellency William T. Haines, Governor of Maine, who was present with his staff, and Honorable Stanley Plummer of Dexter, all of whom, except Gov- ernor Haines, were natives of Sangerville. Hiram Percy Maxim of Hartford, Connecticut, a son of Sir Hiram Maxim, who like his
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SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY
father and others of the Maxim family, is a scientist and inventor, and the inventor of what is known as the Maxim Silencer, also ad- dressed the meeting and read a speech written by his father, Sir Hiram Maxim of London, England, which appears in full on an- other page.
Immediately following this program was an exhibition in the Town Hall by Mr. Maxim, of moving pictures and stereopticon views, representing Sir Hiram operating the Maxim machine gun in various positions, one being a picture of himself and King George inspecting the gun ; the great Gun and Steel Plate Manufactory of Vickers' Sons and Maxim ; Sir Hiram's residence in London and in- terior views of the same; the whole presenting one of the most notable features that has probably ever been seen at any Centennial celebration in Maine. These pictures were taken especially for this occasion.
A cablegram was received during the afternoon from Sir Hiram and read by Mr. Maxim to the audience, as follows :
"Centennial Committee, Sangerville, Me., U. S. A. Con- gratulations Dear Old Sangerville.
(Signed) Maxim, London, England, Norwood Rd. S. E."
Among the floats were the following :
East Sangerville Grange,
V. E. Sanders Marsh,
A. F. Marsh,
Sanders Bros. & Co.,
Degree of Honor,
Music and Drawing,
J. T. Club, Queens of Avilion,
Our Schools,
East Sangerville and Campbell's Corner Schools,
South Sangerville Grange,
U. S. Separators,
Wedding of 1814,
Wedding of 1914,
Page, Spearing Co.,
Log Cabin,
Hook and Ladder Co.,
Modern Loom in action (Sangerville Woolen Co.),
Old Loom in action,
Two Pony Teams,
Indians, First Settlers,
Sangerville Woolen Co. and J. W. Leighton,
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SANGERVILLE CENTENNIAL
20 Teams (Clarence Drew),
Old Flax Wheel (Mrs. Mary Campbell), Mrs. Louise Genthner, decorated Automobile, Mr. A. O. Campbell, decorated Automobile.
The committee awarded the first prize for the most attractive Hoat, to the East Sangerville Grange and the second prize to Mrs. V. Cleaves for the old loom. The log cabin received the first prize for antiques and Mrs. Mary Campbell received the second prize for the old flax wheel.
One of the features of the parade was a carriage containing thirteen babies, the mothers of whom were:
Mrs. June Dexter,
Mrs. Flora Leighton,
Mrs. Bessie Sawyer,
Mrs. Flora Lewis,
Mrs. Maud Clukey,
Mrs. Lilla Diffin,
Mrs. Sadie Gifford,
Mrs. Robie Perkins,
Mrs. Grace Witham,
Mrs. Lottie Seabury,
Mrs. Nellie Grant,
Mrs. Helda Folley.
Mrs. Agnes Andrews,
DUMBARTON WOOLEN MILLS, NO. 2, SANGERVILLE, MAINE.
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SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY
Historical Address By John Francis Sprague
Mr. Chairman, and Fellow Citizens :
One hundred years is not a great span of time if measured by the recorded history of the progress of man's civilization, but if measured by the tremendous events which have transpired since the first day of the century whose milestone we mark today, it is equal to many centuries which have passed since man began to make rec- ord of his doings.
One hundred and thirteen years ago a man of bravery and sterling qualities left his home in Hancock, New Hampshire, and penetrated the wilderness, where is now the town of Sangerville, and on a spot near Lane's Corner on what was in subsequent years known as the Marr place, chopped down the first trees, had the first "burnt piece, " built the first log house and began the first settle- ment of this town. His name was Phineas Amesa and for thirteen
(a) The original family name was spelled E-a-m-e-s and this branch the family changed it to A-m-e-s about 1750.
Phineas Ames was born in Rutland, Massachusetts, October 26, 1757, and descended in the fifth generation from Robert Ames, who came from England to Massachusetts sometime previous to 1661. It is not known ex- actly where he first landed, but it is known that he resided in Andover, Mas- sachusetts, in 1661.
Phineas Ames was a Revolutionary soldier. His first service in the Continental Army appears to have been eleven days, commencing August 20, 1777.
Edgar Crosby Smith, in Sketches of Revolutionary Soldiers of Piscata- quis County, (Piscataquis Historical Society Collections, Vol. 1, Page 155) says:
"His second service of which we have any record is that of his enlist- ment of September 27, 1777. After the battle of Bemis' Heights, Septem- ber 19, 1777, reserves were hurried on to Saratoga to assist Gen. Gates. Ames enlisted in Capt. John Boynton's company. Col. Sparhawk's regi- ment, under the command of Major Jonas Wilder, and this regiment were ordered to join the army of the Northern Department. It is probable that he arrived at the seat of war in season to participate in the battle of Oc- tober 7. Burgoyne surrendered and laid down his arms October 17, 1777, and many of the militia companies were then discharged. Phineas Ames' discharge was dated October 18, 1777, the day after Burgoyne's surrender. Service, twenty-nine days."
Francis M. Ames of Dover is a grandson, and Judson Ames of Foxcroft is a greatgrandson of Phineas Ames.
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS
years this humble settlement, which was since expanded into the prosperous town with its busy factories and fertile farms which we know today, was, in honor of this first pioneer named and known as Amestown. Other settlers sighting the smoke of his little cabin curling through the tree tops and attracted by that location soon commenced other clearings, and made their own little openings and laid foundations for future homes. His first white neighbor was from the same state as himself, James Weymouth of Lee, New Hampshire, who came about one year later.
This town was Number Four in the Sixth Range of towns north of the Waldo Patent. By order of the General Court of Massachusetts it was conveyed, on August 2, 1802, to John S. Fazy.ª Subsequently Colonel Calvin Sanger of Sherborn, Massa- chusetts, purchased three-fourths of it and soon after became its sole owner.
Loringb says that Phineas Ames made a survey of the town "sometime previous to 1807," and that his survey proving inaeeur- ate, Colonel Sanger employed Isaac Coolidge from Massachusetts to make a re-survey of his portion of the town, the southeast quarter having been already lotted out by Moses Hodsdon.
Many of the first settlers came from Sherborn and vicinity. One of the earliest of these was Walter Leland, who came in 1809. About three years later his father, Henry Leland, who was also a native of Sherborn and was born April 30, 1761, moved here and lived with his son Walter, and resided on the same farm until the time of his death June 26, 1835. He was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War, having been mustered into the service April 27, 1777, and served three years in Captain Alexander's Company of Colonel Edward Wigglesworth's Regiment of the Thirteenth Regi- ment of the Massachusetts Line. c
From an old account book that Walter Leland left, his son, Jediah Phipps Leland, now living, recently furnished me with the following copy of an entry in this book :
(a) Owners of Maine Lands in 1820. Vol. 2, page 21 of the JOURNAL.
(b) Loring's History of Piscataquis County. (1880) p. 75.
(c) Sketches of Revolutionary Soldiers in Piscataquis County by Edgar C. Smith. (Piscataquis Historical Collections.) Vol. 1, p. 177.
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SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY
Sherborn, Mass., April 30, 1809.
I started for the Province of Maine to take charge of Colonel Calvin Sanger's saw and grist mill. I had charge of the mills until Isaiah Knowlton bought and took possession of the same in April, 1817.
Walter Leland.
He arrived here about the last week of the following May. He first settled in East Sangerville on land that is now known as the Fogg farm. He made the first clearing on that place, and lived there until 1836 when he moved to an entirely new and wild lot of land and began the building of another farm, which is one of the well known Leland farmns in East Sangerville, where he resided until his death, January 8, 1883.
The Leland family of Sangerville descended from John Leland, born in London in 1512. His descendant, Henry Leland, born in England in 1625 and who married Margaret Badcock, came to America in 1652 and died in Sherborn, Massachusetts, April 4, 1680.ª
Walter Leland was three times married. His first wife was Louisa Oakes of Sangerville. His second wife's name was Dane and she lived but a short time. His third wife was Hannah M. Bennett of Sangerville.
He was the father of five children by his first wife; Sarah Phipps, b. Oct. 5, 1813; Walter, b. Nov. 12, 1815; Lydia Brown, b. Dec. 15, 1817 ; Laura Matilda, b. July 3, 1820; Chauncy Col- ton, b. Jan. 13, 1822. His children by his third wife were Jediah Phipps, b. Aug. 5, 1834 ; Henry Lowell, b. May 14, 1836 ; Joseph Brockway, b. March 7, 1838 ; Adelade Elizabeth, b. May 12, 1841 ; Mary Helen, b. Feb. 12, 1845; Adeline Ellen, b. Aug. 21, 1847.
Walter Leland has also left a record that the following with their families comprised all who were living in the settlement when he arrived in 1809.
Phineas Ames,
Jesse Brockway,
Nathaniel Stevens,
William Stevens, Timothy Hutchinson, Solomon Oakes, Levi Oakes, Abel Oakes, James Weymouth.
(a) The Leland Magazine and Genealogical Record of Henry Leland and his descendants. (Boston, 1850.) Pages 9 and 10.
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS
The Lelands of Sangerville have remained in the old homes and on the old farms of their sires, have adhered with commendable zeal to the same occupation inherited from them and the most honorable one known to the world. They are men of staunch and rugged character, and types of the highest kind of American citizenship. The late Henry L. Leland was during his life well known through- out Maine as an authority on agricultural subjects.
Other carly settlers were William Farnham who came here from Norridgewock, and Eben Stevens, a carpenter. Enoch Adams came from New Hampshire and Eleazer Woodward from Vermont. He was a millwright and superintended the building of Sanger's Mills since known as Knowlton's Mills. Two young men in his employ were Guy Carleton and Oliver Woodward. About 1812-13 Guy Carleton began the building of a sawmill near where is now Sangerville Village, soon adding to it a grist-mill and in 1816 started a carding mill at the same place. He was active in the af- fairs of the Amestown settlement and of the new town of Sanger- ville, named in honor of Colonel Sanger. His name appears with frequency on the early town records and he was second selectman during the first two years of the town's existence. His name ap- pears in these records occasionally as "Colonel" Carleton. That little river which courses its way oceanward through this village, has been, ever since his day in honor of his memory, called "Carle- ton Stream."
In 1817 two brothers left Sherborn with a horse and pung and drove to this forest country where they were destined to become prominent in the new town, to build for themselves substantial homes and rear families who have all made an impress upon the community. These were Isaiah and William Knowlton, and they arrived here March 9, 1817. They preceded their father, whose name was Isaiah, by only a short time as he came here in the fol- lowing May. Two adjoining farms were settled and cleared by these brothers. Isaiah, Jr., soon became owner of the Sanger Mills ; and from that day down through the generations since, Knowlton's Mill in East Sangerville served well the inhabitants for miles around, and although its wheels are now idle it yet stands as a landmark of the days of the fathers and when we used to "go to mill" there so
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many years ago ; and it is a reminder of the worth and industry of Captain Knowlton.
Isaiah Knowlton, Jr., was married to Clarissa Spooner Febru- ary 20, 1821. One of their sons, William Smith Knowlton, has won fame as a teacher of public schools and academies in Maine and Massachusetts. He has been a teacher for about fifty years and is still in the service. He was ordained as a Baptist clergy- man many years ago and frequently acts in that capacity. He is an eloquent speaker and has filled public positions with credit and honor. He has represented Piscataquis County in the Legisla- ture of Maine in both the House and Senate. He has also been an author of books and various publications and his writings rank among the highest of Maine writers. "The Old Schoolmaster or Forty-five Years With the Girls and Boys" is the title of one of his most entertaining literary efforts. It was published by Burleigh & Flynt, Augusta, Maine, 1905, and is a charming story of his life work as a teacher of schools.
The name of Benjamin C. Goss appears in the first records of Sangerville and he was its second town clerk. He was born in New- buryport, Massachusetts, February 24, 1787, but the exact date of his settlement here is not known.
In the convention which assembled at Portland, October 11, 1819, for the purpose of forming a constitution for the State of Maine, among the delegates elected from Penobscot County towns, which are now a part of Piscataquis County, were Samuel Chamber- lain of Foxcroft, Benjamin C. Goss of Sangerville, Joseph Kelsey of Guilford, William R. Lowney of Sebec and Eleazier W. Snow of Atkinson, who was afterwards the first judge of probate for the new county of Piscataquis.
In the biographical sketches of the members of this conven- tion appended to "The Debates and Journal of the Constitution, "a is the following :
"Benjamin C. Goss, Sangerville, was a town clerk a few years, a shoemaker by trade, taught school. He possessed good native endowments and possessed qualities that might have led him to high literary and political position. He seems to have removed to
(a) The Debates and Journal of the Constitutional Convention of Maine. (Augusta, Maine, 1894) p. 117.
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS
Sangerville from Readfield, and after a few years returned to Read- field."
Although the act of incorporation was passed by the Legisla- ture in 1814, the inhabitants of the new town of Sangerville de- layed acting under it until March 18, 1815, when they applied to Nathaniel Chamberlain of Foxcroft, a Justice of the Peace, to call the first meeting for organization. This meeting was held March 23. 1815, and a subsequent one to raise money for town purposes was held April 3, 1815.
During the first few years many special town meetings were held for the purpose of accepting of town roads laid out by the selectmen and raising money to pay for the same, and also to fix the limits of school and highway districts. In the early struggles of these pioneers and first builders of a town, money was not as com- mon and plentiful as in our more fortunate times and at each annual town meeting for many years it was voted to take of the inhabi- tants, grain, such as wheat, corn and rye, as currency in payment for taxes. At the first meeting it was voted to allow one dollar and thirty-four cents per bushel for wheat and one dollar for rye and one dollar for corn. For a long while two tithing-men were chosen among the necessary town officers. This was an ancient custom of the Pilgrim Fathers and the Puritans and is of extreme antiquity. The first mention that we have of it is in Genesis where Abraham allows the king a tenth of the spoils taken from his enemies. Usually tithes were one-tenth of the annual profit of the land and were paid for purposes of church support. As the town meeting system developed in New England the office of tithing-man had a broader significance, and while his office pertained largely to church affairs, he became latterly more of a peace officer or a kind of Sun- day constable who saw that people came to church and obeyed all of the old rigid Puritan laws relating to "keeping the Sabbath Day holy." He attended Sunday meetings, compelled the people to go to church and with a fox tail wand kept them awake during the ser- mon. This office has during the last half century become entirely obsolete in Maine.
At a meeting held in April, 1817, Samuel McClanathan, Guy Carleton and William Oakes were chosen a committee "to furnish school masters and mistresses."
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At the first town meetings some one was always found who had the public welfare so much at heart that he collected the taxes free of expense. Later they began to pay a small compensation of less than one per cent and for many years it did not exceed one and one- half per cent.
Leonard Dearth was also one of the Sherborn pioneers to San- gerville. He was born in Sherborn in 1792 and died in East San- gerville in 1880. The exact date of his settling here is not known but it is supposed to have been about 1813. He married Fanny Carsley of Sangerville. He cleared up and cultivated a large and thrifty farm at East Sangerville, where he resided during the re- mainder of his life. He was a man of sterling qualities and his descendants have all been worthy and prominent citizens, among whom are Freeman Daniel Dearth, a leading lawyer and political leader of Dexter; Charles F. Dearth, a well known business man of Foxcroft, and their brother, the late Doctor Leonard Dearth, a na- tive of Sangerville, who recently died in California.
Enoch Leathers was born in Dover, New Hampshire, October 2, 1763. On November 15, 1788, he married Mary Cilley of West- brook and settled in Buckfield. Later he had a residence in Brooks and in Crosbytown, now Etna, Maine. On November 26, 1829, his youngest daughter, Lois Aseneth, married Jonathan Roberts, a young man who had just settled in Sangerville, and at about that time he moved here and be- came a resident, where he remained until he went to Foxcroft with his family in about 1849. He died in the ninety-fifth year of his age and his remains rest in the cemetery at East Sangerville. ENOCH LEATHERS.
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS
Edgar Crosby Smith, in his sketches of Revolutionary Soldiers of Piscataquis County, (Piscataquis Historical Society Collections, Vol. 1, pp. 174-175) states that he was a soldier in both the wars of the Revolution and of 1812. He enlisted in the Continental Army in June, 1782, in the Company of Captain Samuel Cherry in Colonel George Reid's Regiment. He served two years and re- ceived an honorable discharge in 1782. In the war of 1812 he was in Colonel Ripley's Regiment and took part in several engagements, among which was the Battle of Lundy's Lane.
The first attempt to have a settled minister in town was at a town meeting held on the first Monday in April, 1815, when it was voted not to accept of William Oaks as their minister. In 1820 an article appeared in the warrant to see if they would call elder John Daggett "to settle with them as their Minister" and the record states that "the vote was taken for and against and was against giv- ing him a call." The next effort in this direction was at the meet- ing of March 18, 1822, when it was voted "to give Elder Daniel Bartlett a call to come and preach upon trial with us." And on the fourth day of December, 1822, it was "voted that the ordi- nation of Mr. Daniel Bartlett be at the school-house near Carleton's Mills the 24th day of December and that the selectmen be a com- mittee to receive the said Bartlett after his ordination as town minister, agreeable to a former vote of said town & make all other arrangements that said committee may think proper."
On the eighteenth day of June, 1822, it was "voted that Elder Daniel Bartlettª be town Minister by his giving back one half of the land that belongs to sd town for the first settled Minister to be divided by Esq. Joseph Kelsey, Abraham Moore & Alexander Green- wood. Equal in value to the Congregational Society in sd town & the sd society agree to expend their part for the support of preach- ing equal with the Baptist Society in each part of the town & the sd Bartlett is to have his choice after divided."
The report of this committee is as follows:
Presuant to the vote of the town of Sangerville appointing Joseph Kelsey, Abraham Moore & Alexander Greenwood, Esqs., a Committee to divide according to quantity & quality the lands in said town granted to the first settled minister. Have attended that service & reported as follows: That they value Lot No. one in the
) Daniel Bartlett was a minister in the Baptist denomination.
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first range at two dollars & twenty five cents per acre; Lot No. one in range eighth at one dollar & twenty five cents per acre the last had 140 acres & the first 168 acres Making a difference of one hun- dred & one Dollars & fifty cents to be paid to the congregational society or if the lot No. 1 in the first range is divided forty five acres to be taken of in the following manner or the west side line by a line parallel with the west side line of sd lot Dated June 27, 1822 agreeable to their report to me
Isaac Macomber, Clerk.
The following is also a part of the Record:
June 21, 1822 Agreeable to notice given by the selectmen who were requested by the said town to give Elder Daniel Bartlett in- formation with regard to his being chose & on what conditions as towns Minister have attended that service and he came forward & declared his acceptance.
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