USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Old Town > Sketches of the town of Old Town, Penobscot County, Maine from its earliest settlement, to 1879; with biographical sketches > Part 1
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المسدود
Gc 974.102 OL2n 1136497
M. Lue
FINEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01091 8172
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014
https://archive.org/details/sketchesoftownof00nort
SKETCHES
OF THE
TOWN OF OLD TOWN,
PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.
FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT, TO 1879 P
C
WITH
-
( )
1
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES;
1 BY
DAVID NORTON, ESQ.
BANGOR : S. G. ROBINSON, PRINTER. 1881.
SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
CHAPTER I.
1136497
PREFATORY-AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR.
The author and compiler of these Sketches deems it proper, not from any positive motive of egotism, although self is a very permeating sentiment, but more particularly to show the circumstances under which these reminiscences have been compiled, and further the opportunity he may have had for becoming acquainted with facts and information in regard to Old Town history.
Born in Livermore, Maine, May 25th, 1812, he was brought up on a farm as good as the town affords; he lost his mother before he was four years old, and well remembers, the next season, of going to school with a buff and white checked handkerchief of home manufacture from domestic linen, tied over his head, bare-footed-and he continued to go shoeless in summer until twelve years old ; his chance for an education, a district school six months each year from four to twelve years of age, and three months each winter, until his twentieth year. The only book ever furnished him, was a common Speller ; all other school books he either borrowed
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
or procured by his own industry. He was always fond of reading, and gathered a fund of information by poring over the books in the old circulating library, kept in his neighbor- hood. During his boyhood, and between the age of twelve and fifteen, he read the Old Testament through in regular course, and the general events of its history have ever since been retained in his memory ; always required to work on the farm, his opportunity for social amusement was very limited.
He left the paternal roof in September after he was twenty years old, launching out into the world without one dollar to help himself with, although an elder brother, a few days after, gave him thirteen dollars for a prospective interest in some sheep which would come to him upon reaching his majority, the accumulating product of a lamb given to him by his grandfather. With the thirteen dollars safely stowed in his pocket, he started for Guilford, in company with Elbridge G. Thompson, now Sheriff, of Dover. His first employment was sapping clapboard cuts, with an axe, at thirteen dollars per month, and in two weeks the six dollars he had earned was paid him in one silver dollar and a pair of calf boots-the first he was ever the owner of. He then engaged as clerk in a store at Guilford for six months, working for his board.
In March, 1833, he went to Bangor, and clerked for Aldrich & Hale for a year and a half, at very small wages, and on the last day of 1834 made his advent in Old Town village, having been engaged by Daniel W. Bradley, as clerk for James Purinton & Co., of which firm he was a member. About this time he fell into company which had a tendency to develope in his mind some slight infidel notions, but which ater years have wholly dispelled. In 1836, engaged in
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AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
grocery business, at which he was completely unsuccessful, trusting out goods to be lost, but managing in course of time to liquidate all his liabilities in full, although it took five years to accomplish it. In 1837, went to the boom, as clerk for General Veazie, and was with him eleven years, until he sold the boom-and the General remarked to one of his neighbors that he had been in his employ eleven years, and although he had unreservedly talked business or politics in his presence, he had never had a syllable come back as tattled or divulged by him. He continued to work at the boom, making in all a period of twenty-six years. In all that time there was a constant excitement and controversy between the lumbermen and boom owners-now in court, and anon before the legislature-and his attention was so called to the matter that he became a perfect epitome of all facts, matters and dates connected with that corporation. General Veazie being a large property owner in town, was in his employ much of the time when not engaged at the boom. His connection with a man of so much business gave him some prominence in the community, and in 1847 he was chosen Town Clerk, serving two years ; and in 1849 was elected Selectman, holding the office four years ; since that time he has been Collector of Taxes thirteen years, the nature of the business leading him into contact and acquaintance with everybody in town, and obliging him to learn and know the history and ownership of all the property ; and it is probable that his knowledge in that direction exceeds that of any individual in the town.
In 1843, he became connected with the Universalist parish, and has ever since been an active appendage of that society. He was in early life an Adams Republican, and slid naturally into the Whig party, and subsequently into the Republican
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
party-and although his ambition has been rudely stepped upon, and what might seem to be his rights entirely ignored, he has never been known to waver from what he consci- entiously believed to be right and just politically.
In 1847, without his previous knowledge, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace and Quorum, and held a commission until the Trial Justice act was passed, under which he was one of the appointees, and by renewed appointments still holds that office-and in all these thirty-two years, his Justice bills returned to the County Commissioners, have been allowed without an exception, and commended for correctness and neatness ; during the thirteen years in which he was Collector, there has been committed to him to collect the sum of $259,- 666 93, all of which, down to less than fourteen hundred dollars now uncollected, has been satisfactorily accounted for.
In the summer of 1879, the Ladies' "Temperance Crusade," of. Old Town, started a Fourth of July entertainment, and he was invited to respond to the sentiment, "Reminiscences of Old Town." In compliance with the request, he at once set about the labor of preparing himself to properly comply with the demand, and as he progressed in the effort, it soon became apparent that his work embraced substantially a complete history of the town. So much labor and research had to be made, that the act of throwing it away looked like criminal waste-hence the idea of compiling a fuller and more complete history of the town suggested itself, and since that time he has been making additions and corrections until this volume is the result of his humble efforts-and he ventures with some apprehension to offer it to the public, not as a perfect produc- tion, but the best attainable with the limited means and opportunity at his command.
CHAPTER II.
OLD TOWN-SITUATION-SOIL-CHARACTER-WEALTH.
The town of Old Town is situated upon the west bank of the Penobscot river, and bordered on the west by Pushaw lake, a sheet of water seven miles long by two miles wide ; twelve miles north of Bangor, and nine miles above the head of tide water. There is a fall from the head of Old Town falls to the bridge at Bangor, at low water, of one hundred and thirteen feet. The surface of the town is but slightly diversified by hills and valleys ; and the soil, although it he:3 spots of great fertility, is on the whole below the average of the state ; and yet the tillers of the soil, by care and diligence raise remunerative crops of all kinds ; there are several large orchards which yield fair crops. The population is composed largely of native born Americans, with quite a sprinkling of Canadian, French, and Irish emigration, and who for order and morality will compare favorably with any community of equal size in the state. It is true that in former years a character for roughness and rowdyism had gone abroad, in relation to the inhabitants of the town, but which, to a great extent did injustice to the resident people of Old Town. In those times it was the headquarters of most of the lumber- ing business on the river ; from here most of the teams and crews after a longer or shorter sojourn, started for the woods,
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
and like sailors before starting on a voyage, must have a jolly time-and it would lose its most prominent feature without a black eye or a scarred face. In the spring large numbers of the woods crew would congregate here, waiting for employment in the mills or on the river, and some of the men would ply their orgies while idle, and who worked only part of the year for the purpose of earning money to be spent in drunkenness and rowdyism, and going to work again when want should compel them to; this class of men were largely composed of non-residents, and the places where they were brought up and left without proper education or moral culture, are much more to blame for their misdemeanors than Old Town. This place is not now since the railroads have been constructed, so much the headquarters as formerly. In early times the only method of getting supplies up river was by batteau or scow, starting from Old Town-the teams, then mostly oxen, waiting until the ice formed of sufficient thickness and strength to bear them and their loads. In later years, after roads were constructed, many of the teams took their supplies upon wagons-more especially if the snow was late in coming ; now good roads are opened to the imme- diate vicinity of the lumber region, obviating the necessity of congregating here waiting for a fall of snow before starting for the woods.
In wealth and capital the town is not what it ought to be -its unfortunate position tending to draw away the earnings of the persons and property of the inhabitants. The largest portion of the productive property of the town, is owned by non-resident proprietors, who are constantly, year by year, carrying away large sums in the shape of rents and profits, adding nothing to, but depreciating the capital left. Another
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WEALTH.
evil, closely connected with the latter, and largely due to it, is the circumstance that a host of persons have come here to and have done a successful business, and when, having acquired by their industry and enterprise some capital, which it is natural they would desire to invest in some permanent and profitable security, when seeking for such opportunity it is at once seen that the foundation of all productive invest- ment is in the hands of non-resident holders, who desire to, and do almost exclude the resident capitalists from participa- tion-and as a consequence such small capital is obliged to seek elsewhere for opportunities to employ their means which are denied them here ; from these two causes, the abstraction of rents and profits, and the removal from town of small capitalists, one can easily compute a loss to the town, during the last fifty years, of a sum exceeding in the aggregate three millions of dollars, which amount, if invested on these water privileges, in the form of manufacturing establishments, would have drawn other capital, and to-day the town might have been as populous and thriving as the city of Lewiston -the hum of busy looms and spindles would supply the mur- mur of the water-fall as it now goes unfettered on its way to the bosom of old ocean, its natural rest.
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CHAPTER III.
OLD TOWN-EARLY HISTORY-THEORY-TRADITION.
Some persons, as well as some people, are fond of tracing their genealogies or their histories back into the uncertainties of the mythical past, and claiming much of antiquity, that may look, and in truth is, fabulous, but which no one has the means of disproving, any more than they have the material to substantiate. One Irish gentleman claimed to have a continuous genealogical chain, without break or missing link, extending back some million of years anterior to that of the Chinese history.
I shall attempt to make no such claim, absurd and unsup- ported as it would be, but confine myself to such plain and simple facts of history and theory, as are susceptible of proof or possess in themselves evidence of their own genuineness.
The honest man born in this nineteenth century is as much to be respected, and is entitled to God's care and protection (and I believe will receive and enjoy it) as will the rogue who may have been born thousands of years ago.
In making my modest claim to antiquity, I shall begin just where the first authentic and reliable history shall authorize me to-and looking back through all the musty tomes which one must carefully scan, in order to discern the true from the false, I find the first reliable evidence of our
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THEORY.
antiquity in the first chapter of Genesis, first and second verses, in the words following: "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was with- out form, and void ; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
Now when God created the earth, as aforesaid, he neces- sarily at the same time and by the same energy, created this very spot upon which we are to-day, (July 4, 1879,) celebrat- ing our Nation's birthday. It was at that time somewhat deeply immersed in the dark waters which covered the whole surface of the globe.
I wish next to call attention to the theory of Agassiz, that the first land to appear above the surface of the waters which covered the whole face of the earth, was the elevated land between here and Canada-the highlands which divide the waters that flow into the Gulf of St. Lawrence from those which flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
If this theory be correct, it follows, then, that this spot of earth, being so near and so intimately connected with that first dry land, must have received quite a hoist towards bringing it to the surface of the water ; and yet must have left it submerged long enough and deep enough for the ice- bergs which had accumulated in the frozen regions of the polar sea, and were floating to the more genial and melting clime of the torrid zone, to have left their abrading marks upon every ledge that protruded sufficiently to interfere with their resistless transit, and to allow them to deposit from their melting sides so plentifully, the thousands of granite boulders which dot the surface of this part of the globe, and are so useful for building purposes.
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
In time this very ground rose above the surface of the water, and beheld the light of day, ultimately to become inhabited by man and animals.
The next fact, a traditional one, which I find, is, that for a long period before the Europeans visited this section of the globe, it was inhabited by the red man, whose occupation, no doubt, extended as far back in the history of the race, as to the time and place when and where the space is found, which Darwin has so industriously sought the "missing link" to fill, but has thus far sought in vain.
Anciently the Tarratines owned all the territory watered by the Penobscot river and its tributaries, and tradition has handed down some heroic exploits of the tribe in defending their domain from the incursions of their enemies. One spot, remembered until within a few years past, was annually visited by the braves of the tribe, for the purpose of celebrat- ing a victory once gained over a war party of Mohawks, in a battle fought near the Passadumkeag river.
1n 1669, the Mohawks subdued the Tarratines, since which time, the tribe has yearly sent delegates to the great council fire at Caughnawanga, with presents as a tribute; this practice has been discontinued since 1850, or thereabouts.
In 1625, the population of the tribe was said by what seemed to be competent authority, to have been eight thou- sand souls. They were a numerous, powerful, and warlike people, more hardy than their western enemies, whom they often plundered and killed; since that time the tribe has been constantly decreasing, until now the population is re- duced to about five hundred persons.
CHAPTER IV.
FRENCH JESUITS AND MISSIONS-INDIAN HISTORY.
The French Jesuits early in their missionary labors amongst the natives, established in 1608 a post at Mt. Desert, and soon after a mission here, and erected a church on Old Town island.
In 1710, Castine, the younger, whose mother was the daughter of Madocawando, went up the river in company with Major Livingston, on a mission to Canada. We can seem to see his fellow voyageurs toiling up the river from the head of the tide, carrying by the rapids where the current was too swift to navigate, until they arrive at the Old Town ounegan (carry) ; here their hearts are cheered by the sight of the mission upon Old Town island. Being an ardent Catholic, he pays his devoirs at the shrine of the virgin, and is hospitably entertained until the morning sun admonishes him to renew his toilsome journey.
About the year 1723, Col. Westbrook, with a force of English marines, came up the river in boats, went up the west side around the head of Marsh island, and came down the back way, drove the Indians away, burnt the church and all the wigwams upon the island, wantonly and needlessly making hundreds of helpless natives houseless.
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
No wonder that the Indian inherits a hatred of the white man, and when he thinks of his circumscribed situation, and that his brethren have been gradually swept from the land by the advance of the strange invader, this feeling must kindle in his bosom with redoubled force.
He looks abroad upon the wide extent of this fair conti- nent, and says to himself, "Once my ancestors possessed this goodly land. On that spot, made beautiful by nature's plastic hand, he reared his birchen wigwam; there, shaded by the venerable trees of the forest, he smoked his calumet in peace, and listened to the innocent prattle of his offspring around him.
Upon that alluvial acre formed by the changing currents of the river, he planted the maize, which was to supply the demands of appetite, left unsatisfied by want of success in procuring game.
Upon yon placid stream he launched his birchen canoe, paddling leisurely along, or in meditation floating calmly and silently down the current of life.
By that murmuring waterfall he sat for many hours watch- ing the finny tribe, and the well filled basket by his side gave evidence of his skill in the use of the spear.
In that limitless forest whose towering and leafless trunks ever opened their broad and distant vistas, not inappropriate emblems of the converging lines of futurity, he chased the moose and the caribou, then unscared by the rifle of the paleface."
These and a thousand other visions of greatness and happi- ness, are associated in the minds of the unhappy race, and we seem to hear him further exclaim, "The footstep of civiliza-
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INDIAN HISTORY.
tion has blotted out the warpath of our fathers ; the axe of the pioneer has felled the forest and scared the game away ; the march of improvement has dammed up the waterfall- and the salmon, frightened by the clatter of machinery, have ceased to frequent our rivers; the scythe of time has mowed a wide swath in our ranks, cutting down its victims of all ages and conditions, leaving but a remnant of once countless hosts."
In 1726, a treaty was ratified between the colonists and the Tarratines, known as the Dummer treaty, which was the most lasting one ever made with the tribe-every subsequent one having renewed some of its principal provisions.
The territory of the tribe, during the last century and a half, has been constantly encroached upon by the white population, until all that now remains to them are the islands in the Penobscot river, including Old Town island and all above it in the Penobscot river.
In 1775, a strip of land was set apart for them six miles wide, upon both sides of the Penobscot river, as far up as the Indians claimed.
During the American Revolution these Indians were friend- ly to the colonists, and several of them served in Washing- ton's army, as soldiers or scouts ; and at one time, (1781,) Orono, a chief of the tribe, fitted out at his own expense an express to Machias, to give notice to the inhabitants that a British fleet was upon the coast-five brigs and five schooners. Afterwards the expense incurrred by him in fitting out and carrying`through the expedition, was refunded to him by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Orono lived to the great age of one hundred and thirteen
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
years, and the grateful memory of his virtues is perpetuated in the name of a neighboring town.
In 1796, a treaty was negotiated with the Tarratines, and the tribe gave up all claim to land upon both sides of the river, from Nichols' rock, in Eddington, the head of the tide, thirty miles up, reserving the islands before mentioned.
In 1818, another treaty was entered into, and the tribe conveyed to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts all the remainder of their lands, except the islands and four town- ships, the consideration being a yearly annuity in goods specifically enumerated, worth about fifteen hundred dollars.
Upon the separation from Massachusetts, the State of Maine agreed to fulfil the obligations of the treaty.
In 1833, Amos M. Roberts, and Thomas Bartlett, Esqs., were appointed by the State commissioners to purchase of the tribe the four remaining townships of land, which object they accomplished-the compensation for which was a fund invested in the State, of fifty thousand dollars, to remain as a permanent fund, the interest, at six per cent., to be paid to the tribe annually in the month of April.
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CHAPTER V.
JOHN MARSH AND MILL PROPERTY-OLD TOWN VILLAGE.
Some time in the latter part of the eighteenth century, John Marsh appeared here, or, as some authorities say, in 1774, and made a settlement at the foot of Marsh Island, and lived for some years in intimate and friendly relations with the Indians, learning their language, and frequently acting as an interpreter for them. His deportment was such as to win their unbounded confidence, and for favors bestowed, and services rendered to them, they proposed to make him a liberal compensation, and affixed their marks to an instru- ment, which was represented to them as being a petition to the General Court of Massachusetts, to grant to Marsh, a lot of land upon this island-but when the document reached its destination, it was ascertained to be a petition in the form of a deed, for the grant of the whole of the island. In compli- ance with the terms of the petition, the State made the grant, and from that time 'forth the island has obtained, and still bears the name of Marsh Island.
When the Indians discovered the imposition that had been practiced upon them, they made an effort to be revenged upon Marsh, and made an attempt upon his life, and he was
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
obliged to keep out of their way for some time, in order to avoid the consequences of their just indignation.
But treachery, in time, sooner or later, is sure to meet its reward; all of this great inheritance so fraudulently obtained, the most of it slipped out of his hands during his lifetime, and but a small lot, if anything, now remains in the posses- sion of his descendants.
About the year 1798, Richard Winslow built a double saw mill, upon the privilege near the Old Town ounegan (carry,) afterwards conveyed to N. L. & S. Williams.
Jackson Davis, in 1806, bought of Richard Winslow, the mill property here, including lots No. 16 and 17, and all the water privileges in front of those lots, except four sold to Williams.
Daniel Davis bought lot No. 18, and he and Jackson built the second double mill.
N. L. & S. Williams built the third double mill, in 1824, which from some unexplained cause obtained the soubriquet of "Tide Mill."
Samuel Veazie bought, in 1826, all of Jackson Davis' interest in lands and mills in Old Town, and all Daniel Davis' interest in lot No. 18, and his half of the second double mill, thus acquiring all the privileges upon the falls adjacent to Marsh Island, except one belonging to Wadleigh, and four owned by Williams.
Veazie and Wadleigh rebuilt the second mill in 1828, Wadleigh having previously bought one-half of the mill of Jackson Davis.
In 1829, General Veazie dug the canal and built one
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MILL PROPERTY.
double saw mill upon it, and a grist mill, and the same year built a double mill outside of the Williams mill; and in the next year or two, (1833) built two more mills outside of that, and another double mill on the canal, making at the time six- teen saws upon the falls. Gang saws had not then come into use.
The three shore mills were burned in December, 1835.
Wadleigh and Purinton purchased of the Indians in 1834, their interest in Shad and Pine Islands, and the next year erected a block of mills, containing six saws, next outside of the Veazie mills, and claiming that Veazie had encroached upon their Pine Island privilege, took forcible possession of the three outside mills erected by him-and out of this pro- ceeding issued a law suit which lasted some fifteen years, and caused the expenditure of large sums of money.
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