USA > Maine > York County > Kennebunk > The village of Kennebunk, Maine : interesting facts from old documents and maps, and observations by the author > Part 1
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Gc 974.102 K37g 1386787
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
= ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01092 2497
George A. Gilpatric
The Village of C
Kennebunk, Maine
1
Interesting Facts from
old documents and
maps, and
Observations
by the author,
George A. Gilpatric
The STAR PRINT, Inc. PRINTERS POBLISHERS 1
1935
FOREWORD
The first Paper is the program of the Centennial Celebration, July 4, 1876, concluding with the address of Andrew Walker. His subject was "Kennebunk As It Was in 1790." It was a de- scription given him by three aged residents as they remembered it in 1865.
The Second is a description of it as I remember it in 1860 with such descriptions as I have been able to get from the Town His- tories (which I freely quote), Journals, Church and Lodge Rec- ords, old residents and any other source available.
The Third is what I have seen from 1860 to 1930 and have been able to compile from various sources.
A description of Roads and Bridges. The Mousam River, its dams, mills and its different channels.
The First Congregational Church, from its records, including a list of its tax payers in 1774, copied from the original book (which I have). This tells who the male and a few female resi- dents were in 1774.
The description of the Mills before 1860 is rather indefinite. Since that time I think that it is nearly correct. The description of old buildings has been obtained from various sources; dates and descriptions vary in some cases. I have given what I knew personally and what seemed to fit in best with other records.
The dates and events of interest are compiled from any source available. Many of the accounts of early events in the Town History were the recollections of the older residents, and if from different people dates would naturally differ. Even gravestones are not a sure record of the date of death. There is a stone in Hope Cemetery of a man who was somewhat prominent in Ken- nebunk village in the early 1800's and the date of death on the stone is twenty years different from the date given in the Parish Records and in the Records of York Lodge of Masons.
Locations are sometimes given which, when written, were no doubt plain to all. In a reference to the Landing place on Mou- sam River reference is made to a large stump which it would be hard to find today. I saw in the Wells Town Records, Kenne- bunk copy, when a lot of land was laid out in 1756. Some of the bounds were from the River so many rods to a pitch pine tree with letters cut in the bark; then so far to a small maple tree; from there to a white birch and no names given of the adjoining owners. With such descriptions and records it is hard to com- pile anything very accurate. I have given dates that I knew. When I did not know I said about. I have tried to be accurate.
I don't think that these Papers are of much value but they may help some future historian. The Mill Records from 1870 to 1930 I think are accurate.
The Village of Kennebunk, Maine
CHAPTER ONE
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, JULY 4, 1876
On May 12, a public meeting was held in the Town Hall to make preliminary arrangements for a Centennial Celebration. A committee of 27 were appointed to make arrangements. Funds were solicited and committees appointed and the program ar- ranged.
A salute of thirteen guns was fired at sunrise and ringing of all of the Church bells. A large number of flags and bunting were displayed. A large display of relics of the past were in the Town Hall.
The public exercises were held in the Town Hall and Unitarian Church. Joseph Dane was president of the day and presided in the Church. Joseph Titcomb presided in the Hall.
Address by Joseph Dane, President of the Day
Prayer by Rev. Walter E. Darling
1386787
Reading the Declaration of Independence
Miss Ida E. Wormwood
Address, "Some Reminiscences of the Revolution" Rev. Edmund Worth Address, "Church and Schools, 1749 to 1820" Rev. Chas. C. Vinal Address, "Kennebunk Village As It Was in 1790"
Andrew Walker
Music
Address, Historical
Daniel Remich
Music
The exercises were the same in the Hall and Church except that the order of some addresses were reversed.
An elm tree was set out in front of the Church. It was ac- tually set out May 17 but formally dedicated July 4th with ap- propriate exercises.
A shadow was cast upon the exercises by the news that Jesse Webster had been killed by the premature discharge of a cannon on Centennial Hill.
A procession was formed with Col. James M. Stone Chief Mar- shal. Two bands. Officers of the Town.
. 2849 Pc.
NO . 12096
10-7-66
5,00
Goodspee
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Mousam Lodge, I. O. O. F., John J. Merrill, Marshal; thirteen young ladies dressed in white to represent the thirteen Original States, riding in a large carriage.
An organization from Kennebunk Depot.
School children and citizens on foot and in carriages. The route was through the principal streets to the tent where dinner was served. It was intended to have toasts but a wind squall struck the tent and it was blown down. No one was injured.
At that time (1876) Park Street only extended to Dane Street, Grove Street to the Curtis house. The place where the tent and exercises were held was the field formerly owned and then known as Ben Smith's Hill, now known as Centennial Hill.
KENNEBUNK VILLAGE IN 1790
Address of Andrew Walker in Mousam Hall and the Unitarian Church, July 4, 1876
An old Boston Divine says it would not be unprofitable for you to pass over the several streets and call to mind who lived here so many years ago.
In January, 1865, I obtained from Capt. John Nason, then aged 82, Mr. Nathaniel Jefferds then aged 88, and Mrs. Mary Lord then aged 98, the following information of Kennebunk Vil- lage as it was in 1790, each of these informants having been fa- miliar with the Village from their childhood. As a matter of course perfect accuracy has not been attained or even expected. This account is simply the united recollection of these aged per- sons, and I will add, within three years from the time the infor- mation was obtained they were all dead.
Coming from the east after passing Kennebunk River the first dwelling a person saw was a two-story house belonging to Na- thaniel Kimball. This house was near the dwelling now owned by Edward Haney. This N. Kimball is said by Judge Sayward to have been the father of Kennebunk. He opened the first Pub- lic House and was the first Postmaster in town, but we think he was not Postmaster in 1790 as he was then, if living, an old man. The Office had been removed nearer the village (to Bar- nard's Tavern). The next house, also two-story, was the resi- dence of Richard Kimball, brother of Nathaniel. This dwelling stood a few rods above the brick house now owned by Aaron Ricker. He was the first Deacon of the church in the village and the first retail grocer in town. These brothers were enterprising, prosperous, and influential. A full account of them is given in the recently published History of Kennebunk.
John Gilpatrick, who was a native of Ireland, had a small house on the eastern side of the road near that now owned by
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KENNEBUNK, MAINE
Owen E. Burnham. A few rods southerly was the house of his grandson, Samuel Gilpatrick. As our narrator came along on the western side of the road was a one-story house owned by James Wakefield near the dwelling where Mrs. Simon Kimball now lives. The next house was built and occupied as a Public House by Joseph Barnard. It is the large part of the house now owned by Daniel Curtis. Mr. Barnard was a noted man in his day. Willis says in his History of Portland that Joseph Bar- nard of Kennebunk was the first rider between Portsmouth and Falmouth (now called Portland). In 1787 he made the first at- tempt to carry passengers in the State. It was thought a great undertaking and he was loudly applauded for his zeal and ac- tivity. He was the next Postmaster in Kennebunk after Nathan- iel Kimball. Mr. Jefferds told me that when he was a boy Mr. Barnard used to open the mail bag at his house, take from the bag that part of the mail directed here, put in the portion directed elsewhere, then close the bag and pass on over his mail route.
A short distance westward from the Barnard House, near where a large elm tree now grows was the two-story residence of Edmund Currier. He was the father of, and this was the home of our lady informant, Mrs. Mary Lord (Mrs. Dominicus Lord) before she was married. A small schoolhouse stood two or three rods southerly of the present entrance to Hope Cemetery. Within a few feet of the schoolhouse was the Pound.
Next was the Meeting House, as it was originally voted to be built in 1772, 56 feet long and 46 feet wide, the length then being the width now. Near the western corner of the Meeting House and at right angles with the house was the horse sheds. In the Meeting House yard about half way between the horse sheds and the road was the horse block for the convenience of mounting and dismounting of the large number of People who rode to meet- ing on horseback. The man rode before and wife behind on a pillion sometimes holding a child in her arms, the wife often clinging to the husband and the child to its mother.
On the eastern side of the road was James Kimball's black- smith shop and that part of his house which now fronts the Meeting House. Carpenters were then at work building the house of James Osborn, the village school master. This house still remains in possession of James Osborn, Jr., now occupied by Esther Ross.
On the southerly side of the road now called Main Street, where the late Barnabas Palmer lived, was the store of Benj. Brown, commonly called Esquire Brown. He built and occupied what was then considered the most beautiful and costly residence in
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the village, now owned and recently occupied by Edw. E. Bourne, Jr. Within thirty years it has been somewhat modern- ized. The first few years after the house was built part of it was occupied as a store. His trade increasing, Esq. Brown changed his place of business to the before mentioned locality. The front yard fence of this residence attracted much attention as the posts were covered with powdered glass which glistened when the sun was shining.
Dominicus Lord had a blacksmith shop on the spot where Michael Wise built his house, now owned but not occupied by Capt. John F. Mason. On the triangular lot of land between Garden and Main Streets were the stores of Tobias Lord, John Low and Joseph Storer. Col. Joseph Storer was a noted man in this vicinity in his day and generation. He owned nearly all the land where the village of Kennebunk is excepting that part called Zion's Hill. He also owned a mile square of woodland near the village on the road to Alfred. He commanded a Regi- ment in the Revolutionary Army and died in Albany in 1777. In 1790 his widow, then called Madam Storer, and her two sons, Clement and Joseph, resided in the Storer Mansion on what is now called Storer Street. This residence was then only two stories in front with Lutheran windows in the front roof and a long sloping roof on the back side similar to the present Hub- bard House. Doubtless some of you have noticed that this style of ancient houses were invariably built facing the south.
The small farm house in which Colonel Storer lived before he built the Mansion house is still standing in good condition a short distance northward on the same side of the street. All of the cleared land between the Storer house and Schoolmaster Osborn's house was then a mowing field owned by the Storer heirs. Their houses and part of the homestead land is now owned by Charles Parsons.
Tobias Lord then lived in the Gillespie or Glassy house which stood in the yard of the present saw mill. He began to trade in a small store a few rods nearer the principal street, afterward in a larger store on the Main Street. About half way from the Gillespie house to the principal street was a small low posted dwelling which has had many occupants. In the spring of 1790 Schoolmaster Osborn was living there. In the fall of 1790 a Mr. Purington was the occupant. He was a maker and repairer of bridles, pillions, saddle bags and leather goods. The saw mill was then above the bridge on the eastern end of the Upper Dam. The Grist Mill on or near the site of the present Grist Mill.
On the western side of the river about three rods below the
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KENNEBUNK, MAINE
bridge was the Clothing Mill of Major William Jefferds. There were two buildings, usually called Iron Works, for melting and manufacturing iron from native ore. One factory was on the western end of the Lower Dam. The other below the dam on what is now an island near the present Leatherboard Mill. The iron ore, and consequently the iron, was of poor quality.
Richard Gilpatrick had a blacksmith shop near the gate now leading to Clark and Ferguson's Sash and Blind Factory. His small, two-story house stood facing the river on what is now the eastern end of Brown Street. Major William Jefferds dwelt in a one-story house a few rods distant. In later years these houses were enlarged to their present dimensions. John C. Baker, hotel keeper, is now proprietor of the Jefferds residence. The gambrel- roofed Gilpatrick house, one of the most elegant and costly in the village, now moved to the western side of Brown Street, re- tains but little of its former elegance except the Lutheran win- dows in the roof.
Dominicus Lord lived in a small house eastward of the dwell- ing where Mrs. George Mendum now resides. Major Nathaniel Cousens occupied the house now! owned by Joseph Parsons and occupied by Hannah Dorman. The late Judge Bourne told me that he was indebted to Major Cousens for much information in regard to the ancient history of Kennebunk.
Road to the Port .- On the side where is now R. W. Lord's resi- dence was then a one-story house occupied by Moses Blaisdell. The house now owned by Mrs. Hillard was in 1790 occupied by Jacob Blaisdell. Moses and Jacob were brothers. They came to this town as forgemen in the Iron Works. Near the residence of the late Capt. Hatch now in the possession of Miss Elizabeth W. Hatch was the small, unfinished house owned and occupied by John Wakefield. His barn was on the opposite side of the road. A short distance below the residence of Daniel L. Hatch was a small gambrel roof building occupied by a Mr. English. The Hubbard house was then owned by Capt. John Hubbard. The form of this house has been altered, in particular the front part of the roof.
Miscellaneous
The bridge over Mousam River was then lower, that is, nearer the water, than the present bridge. The bridge across Scotch- man's Brook was also lower than at present. There was a hill between them. If a load of hay, said one of my informants, was on the River bridge it could not have been seen by a person at Scotchman's Brook. On my expressing surprise at this state- ment, Mr. Jefferds remarked that he might be mistaken as it re-
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gards the load of hay, but at least there was a great difference in the appearance of the road then and now.
The six large elm trees in front of the residence of the late Dr. Smart and the late Joseph Dane, Sr., were, in 1790, about as large as the three elm trees now in front of the Baptist Church. These trees were planted by Theodore Lyman. As it happened, the trees were fortunately planted on the day the Battle of Lex- ington was fought. At that time he had a store and expected to build a residence on the lot which he had ornamented with trees, but had moved to the Landing previous to 1790. At that date his store had been hauled away and altered into a dwelling for the before mentioned Jacob Blaisdell.
Rev. Daniel Little was and had been during the thirty-nine preceding years pastor of the only church in that part of the Town of Wells now called Kennebunk. His parish was then of the same extent as the present town boundary. At a Parish meeting three years previously, it was voted to sing in the fore- noon (as formerly) line by line; in the afternoon verse by verse. The Parish accounts were then kept in pounds, shillings and pence.
In 1784 Dr. Jacob Fisher came from Wrentham, Mass. Nov. 7, 1786, he was united in marriage with Hannah Brown, a sister of Benj. Brown, Esq., and during a number of years lived in the house with him. Dr. Samuel Emerson, a graduate of Harvard College in 1785, came from Hollis, N. H., to this town in 1790. He was then unmarried.
Where the house of the late Mrs. Jane L. Wise now stands and in front of it was a small grave yard. There was another small yard (princpally of the Wakefield family) between the present residence of Col. Wm. L. Thompson and the house of Mrs. Hil- lard. A third, originally of the Hubbard family, is now near the right hand corner as we turn to the B. & M. R. R. Station. The appearance of graves in two of these yards has disappeared. The graves in the last mentioned of the yards will probably not be seen ten years hence. Hannah, widow of Col. Joseph Storer, died in Feb. 1790. Her body was the first interment in the ceme- tery near the First Parish Church. At that time the ancient custom had not been changed in New England, that human bodies (except criminals) were interred head to the west.
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KENNEBUNK, MAINE
CHAPTER TWO
KENNEBUNK IN 1860
It would be interesting if we could have had the three aged persons who gave the information of how Kennebunk looked in 1790, continue their description to 1860. They lived in that time, they saw the changes and could have given incidents that are now lost forever. We now have to get what we can from the Town Histories (which I freely quote), old journals, Church and Lodge records, diaries, and any other source available. There are only a few now living who remember 1860.
There had been many changes from 1790. Then Kennebunk was a part of Wells, the Province of Maine a part of Massachu- setts. March 15, 1820, Maine became a State. June 24, 1820, Kennebunk was incorporated as a town. Aug. 14, 1820, the first town meeting was held in what had been the Second Congrega- tional Church in Wells, but which by the incorporation became and has since been called the First Congregational Parish in Kennebunk. The following officers were elected: Timothy Frost, Town Clerk; Benj. Titcomb, Jr., James Dorrance and Timothy Frost, Selectmen. The population of the new Town was 2,145; number of polls 483; valuation, $235,023.40.
Main Street as it looked in 1860, or as it seems to me now that it looked then: I will start at the bridge over Mousam River. and go east. As the Counting Room at the west end is described under the head of Mills, I will commence with the Old Grist Mill at the east end of the bridge. It is the same building as men- tioned in the description of 1790 (I have not found any record of when or by whom built). It is a little distance from the street, as the bridge was moved up river 17 feet in 1830. Water Street is very near on the east side. This is and has been a very im- portant building in the community. It has stones for grinding all kinds of grain and the necessary machinery for bolting flour from wheat, rye and barley, all of which are raised by the farm- ers. Probably Samuel Kimball is the miller. He takes toll to pay for grinding, about two quarts for each bushel.
In the winter Water Street is filled with logs to Main Street. On the east corner of Water Street before 1850 was the store of Charles Condy. When it was built is unknown. It was occupied in 1850 by Charles Cousens as a country store. A few years later it was removed up Storer Street to nearly opposite Me- chanic Street, and sold to Capt. Albert Williams who now occu- pies it. On the site of this store, after the fire on the Triangle of
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June 10, 1858, Samuel Clark built a store which he now occupies. He deals in hardware, paints, patent medicines, etc.
The next building, its history not known, is a grocery store. We may find Alvin Stevens or Lorenzo Parsons, proprietors. A little back from the street is the house of Mrs. William W. Wise. It was built by Daniel Whitney in 1810. Mrs. Wise and her daughter occupy it. Next is a small building which was moved here about 1853. It was built near the eastern end of the Tri- angle by Tobias Lord previous to 1790 and used by him and others for a store. It is now close to the sidewalk and has had various tenants, barber, shoemaker, harness maker, etc. It is probably owned by the Mason heirs of Kennebunkport. We shall have occasion to refer to this building again as it will be moved twice more.
On the site of what was in 1790 the blacksmith shop of Do- minicus Lord, Michael Wise built a house in 1792, in which year he married Hannah, daughter of Nathaniel Kimball. Joseph Thomas had his law office in this house several years. Wise oc- cupied it until his death in 1833, aged 67 years. His widow married Capt. Jeremiah Paul who purchased the homestead and resided there until his death when it became the property of his daughter, Abiah Paul of Kennebunkport. She married Benj. F. Mason. It has had several tenants. John Cobby may be there now.
The Wise store, built about 1793 is east of the house and was used as a store many years. It is now the wheelwright shop of Rev. N. K. Sargent and his son, Jefferson W., who also makes coffins and takes charge at funerals if desired. The second story is the carriage painting shop of Joseph Sargent with a long slip at the western end. On the east side, in a small building, is the repair shop of Edw. Brown.
On the corner of Curtis Lane is a building formerly the bake shop of Benj. Smith, Sr. It is now the carpenter shop of Orrin Kimball and Joseph Day. Back of this building was propably about 1800 the tan yard of Joseph Curtis. It was sold or leased to Edmund Pierson, who about 1811 removed to just below the western end of the lower dam. There were in 1860 two houses either built or moved to about the tan yard site. The lane only extended to the house of Ralph Curtis, moved there about 1820. It was built on Storer Street, above the Parson Fletcher Farm. The house on the east corner was built by Phineas Cole in 1799. He sold to Benj. Smith, Sr., who resided there until his death. It then became the property of his son, Benj., Jr., who now occu- pies it.
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The next house was built by Pomfret Howard in 1788. He sold to Thomas Folsom and he in 1809 to Stephen Thatcher, who was Judge of Probate, Postmaster, and teacher of a private school. Judge Thatcher sold to Wm. Safford, who, with his son- in-law, Charles Herrick, now occupies it. The next is the house built by Benj. Brown in 1784. This house is fully described in the Chapter on Old Houses, and to avoid repetition is omitted here. The small house next, also built by Brown, was sold in 1840 to Abel M. Bryant, who occupies it. Richard Littlefield lives in the next house. (Question: Did he build it?)
The lane extends to the house occupied by George W. Hardy. It is owned by his father-in-law, Horace Porter. This house was hauled there and occupied by James Larrabee. There was for- merly a house where the Baptist Church is, built by John H. Bart- lett, Sr. He sold it about 1830 to William Lord who removed it to Sewell Lane and sold it to Loammi H. Kimball. The Baptist Church was built in 1840. The next house was built before 1842 (I don't know the date), by Samuel Mitchell. In that year he returned to Kennebunk Depot where he was the first station agent of the P., S. & P. R. R. He sold to Jabez Smith, who about 1850 sold to Joseph Dane, Jr., who has made additions to it and re- sides there.
The next used to be called the Long Building. Benj. Brown purchased the land of James Kimball and built the main building before 1790. He had a store in it but sold in 1793 to Wm. Jef- ferds and Stephen Tucker who used it several years. When or by whom the additions were built is unknown. Richard C. Raynes bought the western end. He has a cobbler's shop there and occu- pies one half of the house. Jefferds sold the eastern end to Capt. John Grant. Major Barnabas Palmer married Grant's daughter, and resides there. The house owned and occupied by Capt. Abram Hill was built not later than 1820 by Mrs. Abigail Grant. The Frost house, built in 1799, now occupied by Capt. Noah Na- son and the Kimball house, built in 1795, and now occupied by the widow of Joseph Dane, Sr., will be fully described in the Chap- ter on Old Houses, with their history brought up to 1930.
Union Street was laid out in 1815. The name was changed to Dane Street in 1845.
The White Store .- This was called the White Store as it was painted white. Nearly all of the others were painted yellow. Oct. 9, 1813, James Kimball sold to Moses Savory a lot of land 50 feet front and 75 feet deep parallel to Colonel Enoch Hardy's store lot on Main Street. He probably built the store in 1814. The brick addition is of a later date. The occupants have been:
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Moses Savory, Titcomb & Skeele, Greenough & Bodwell, Miller & Hall. They dissolved and Porter Hall continued until his death in 1853. C. L. Dresser occupied it to sell Hall's goods. Mahlon Hutchinson occupied it and sold corn and flour, then Benj. Per- kins, the present occupant, groceries. The owners have been Moses Savory, Rhoda Dutch, who gave it to M. Savory by her will. Joseph Dane bought the Savory claim. Simon L. Whitten, tailor, occupies the second floor.
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