USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Corinna > A brief history of Corinna, Maine, from its purchase in 1804 to 1916 > Part 4
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It was voted to post the warrant in three different parts of the town, at the schoolhouse, in the west part of the town, near Seth Knowles' and at Squire Bean's and that whoever would
do it cheapest might post then. Jo- seph Pease paid the town two cents for the privilege.
As town meeting was held in pri- vate houses, it was often necessary to adjourn out of doors because of the lack of breathing space.
The old town house at the center was not built until 1842.
The Tavern in the Town.
The residence of Charles Frost at Pleasant Vale Corner, was once, in the days of the stage coach, a tavern and was called the Central House. Frank Fisher was the first proprietor and was also schoolmaster in the schoolhouse, which once sat opposite his residence. Mr. Fisher was a strong temperance advocate so the cupboard with a false bottom, made for concealing liquor, which once stood in the hall, was probably built after his occupancy.
'Lish Cooley was for many years a proprietor of this hostelry. In 1825 three licenses for selling liquor were issued. Liquor was then considered a necessary part of the food of the male members of a family, though strangely enough the women were able to worry along without it.
Women Smoked.
The women of our early days some- times learned to smoke a pipe, as tobacco was known to have great ef- ficacy in warding off smallpox.
The Worthens.
One of Corinna's sons, Samuel C. Worthen, Esq., of New York city, traces his ancestry to seven out of a possible eight Revolutionary great grandfathers Some of these ancestors were closely associated with Corinna's early history Their
names were Samuel Worthen, Samuel Meacham, Bradstreet Gilman, Winthrop Gilman, Samuel Copp, John Blaisdell and Joseph Goodwin. The eighth ancestor
was Eligood Mills, father of Luke Mills, already mentioned as one of Corinna's early settlers. It is supposed that he served as an officer on a pri- vateer, although official proof is lack- ing.
The Worthens are descendants of Ezekiel Worthen of Amesbury, Mass, who was born in 1635 and died in 1716.
Deacon Moses Worthen was born in Weare, N. H., Feb. 12, 1773, and was the son of the Revolutionary soldier,
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
Samuel Worthen. He with his sons. Joseph, Amos and Moses, and daugh- ter, Hannah, came to Corinna about 1831 and settled in the Fisher district. Amos and Joseph married Izette and Eliza Gilman, daughters of John Tay- lor Gilman, another settler from New Hampshire. Hannah married James Labree.
John Taylor Gilman was a descend- ant of Governor Winthrop, Governor Thomas Dudley and Governor Simon Bradstreet of the Old Bay colony. Moses Worthen, Jr., settled in Corinna about 1846.
The Worthens were Free Will Bap- tists
Samuel Copp, once a prominent busi- ness man of Corinna, was a descendant of the early settler of Boston for whom Copps Hill was named
Corinna in War.
Luke Mills was a lieutenant of mill tia during the war of 1812 and was called into service for a short time when Portland was threatened with an attack of the British. This was prior to his residence in Corinna. His father, Eligood Mills, was captain of a merchant ship in the Mediterranean trade before the Revolution and dur- ing the war served on a priva- teer, sailing under letters of marque from the Continental Congress. This vessel was captured on its second voyage by a British frigate and its officers and crew imprisoned at Halifax, N. S., until the end of thu war. They were then taken to Bos- ton on a British ship to be released, but were told that the colonies had been subdued, Washington and the members of the Continental Congress hanged, and that they themselves were to be transported to England and hanged for piracy. They believed the story, and Mills and two others escaped, by jumping overboard and swimming three miles to land. They found themselves near a fisherman s cabin at the mouth of the Piscataqua river in New Hampshire. There they first learned that the colonies had gained independence from England. The late Azro Mills recalled hearing his grandfather tell of this incident.
During the Bloodless War of 1839, otherwise known as the Aroostook War, James Labree marched with a company of militia from Corinna, the company being hastily called out in the night. How far they marched or who composed the company is un- known, but Capt. Labree's grand- daughter, now living in St. Albans, re- calls hearing him tell of the expedi- tion.
Corinna seems always to have played a prominent part in war times for in the Civil war she sent many of her sons to defend the Union and was the fifth town in the county in respect to the amount raised to meet the ex- penses of the war.
However, perhaps we should make an exception to the first part of the preceding statement, for in 1812 Corinna was being settled and had no organized form of government, and many of the more timid settlers of the surrounding towns sought refuge from the British within Corinna's bor- ders, thus evading too the necessity of doing military service. Of those temporary residents, Corinna has no cause to feel proud.
Eagle block, long a conspicuous public building, was built in 1877 and burned in the big fire of July 4, 1904.
Messrs. J. & C. A. Dorman built the first woolen mill. Charles Green- wood followed him. Later his son, Charles A. Greenwood, operated the mills, which were sold to Burrill and Clark, who enlarged and improved them and changed the name to Ken- wood.
Judge Whiting published Corinna's first newspaper, The Weekly Herald, later known as the Corinna Herald.
About 15 or 20 rods back of the postoffice building on the Sebasticook stream, at one time. Capt. Ben Bur- rill had a factory for extracting potash. This later became a car- riage shop.
Stephen S. Burrill made bricks near the H. A. Bigelow residence at South- ard's mills, and George W. Welch also had a brick yard on the Exeter road back of F. H. Welch's house which was built from bricks made in that yard.
A Revolutionary Soldier.
In what is known as the Bassett Neighborhood opposite to the school- house, is a grave where lie the remains of another of Corinna's early citizens. William Rodgers was a Revolutionary soldier and came to Corinna from the town of Athens. He was an active man and fond of children. One of the older residents recalls how, when he was very old and walked with a cane he came one day to call at a neighbor's home. As there were several small children in the family, they had over- turned a chair in the doorway to keep them from going out of doors. Mr. Rodgers, thinking to amuse the chil- dren, attempted to jump over the chair, only to fall sprawling in the middle of the floor The unexpected result of
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
his fete amused the old gentleman quite as much as it did the children and he laughed heartily at his clumsi- ness.
Charles Henry Moore of Corinna Center, who died less than a year ago, was the son of a Revolutionary soldier
and veteran of Bunker Hill, and "Uncle Henry" was doubtless the last surviving son of the Revolution in New England.
Corinna had many citizens enlisted in the Civil War, and was also repre- sented in the Spanish American War.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
CHAPTER VII
CHURCHES
Early Churches.
The first church services were Free Baptist in denomination and were held in Samuel Lancy's barn by Rev. John Palmer, later in the schoolhouse until 1851 when Uncle Ben Moore gave the lot for what is now the M. E. church but was then Union. There were 52 pews in the church and pew owner had a vote as to the number of Sundays on which services of the va- rious denominations should be held.
Church Building.
Thomas Gardner was one of the men who pledged $50 toward building the Center Street church at Corinna village. At the time that he pledged the money he hadn't a dollar in his pocket and money in those days was very scarce for people bartered their produce and their labor. He went immediately to his woodlot and began peeling bark. When a sufficient quantity was ready he hauled it to De- troit and sold it, taking his pay half in money and half in "store goods" which in his case was oats. He load- ed the oats and went on to Banggor where he sold them for enough to make the balance of the required sum. When later Corinna Union Academy was built, he pledged the same amount and paid it in the same way.
No doubt, others made as great sac- rifices of time and labor as did Mr. Gardner.
The Morse's Corner church was built at about the same time and the bell was brought by team from Bangor. Charles Dearborn of North Newport drove the team. Rev. Jason Mariner, a Free Baptist, preached there and or- ganized the church and in 1822 Rev. Isaac Case organized ₡he Baptist church with 10 members, Cushman Bassett, lay preacher, accupying the pulpit. Later Moses Martin from China preached.
Rev. B. P. Winchester preached there the longest of any minister, his pastorate covering more than 35 years. Rev. David Steward was also closely associated with the church's early life. Rev. Jason Mariner organized the Morse's corner church. Rev. Wm. E. Noyes was also a pastor. Mr. and Mrs. Alvin
Young were prominent members.
The Christian church was organized by Rev. J. S. Johnson of New Hamp- shire and Rev. Zebulon Manter of Newport. The church edifice was built in 1883 and dedicated in Novem- ber. The backs of the pews were
Pleasant Street Christian Church
all taken from one big elm tree that grew on the Lyman Ireland farm where Rollie Ireland now lives. Very few of the backs are pieced. The pulpit is of red cherry, and from a cherry tree that grew on the old Deacon John Ireland farm in North Newport, known now as the Frank Ireland place. There is a story told that the minister once related this fact to Frank Ireland and asked if it were true and Mr. Ireland remarked with a twinkle in his eye that he
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
flidn't know how true it was but "I do know that I had some cherry lum- ber and it disappeared."
In one of these churches in the old- en days, Uncle Jim Young, following the custom of the times, gave an ex- hortation after the morning sermon as follows: "I'm sansible for one that the soul of man is of more valor
than the body."
preachers and was a power for good in the community and a prominent man in town affairs as well. He served as selectman and member of the school board for many years.
In the latter capacity, he often visit- ed the schools and. always responded when called upon by the teacher for remarks, as was the custom of the day. His remarks always showed the
CENTER STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Temperance.
Rev. David Steward organized the first Temperance society in 1827.
In 1827 Mr. Steward, then a lay member, delivered the first ser- mon on temperance ever given in Co- rinna and one of the first in the state. At that time there were three parties in town holding licenses.
The late Levi M. Stewart once said in speaking of his father, that he re- called when he was a small boy that a favorite brother minister came to stay over Sunday at their home, and he was sent by his good father to Mr.
jug to get some Morse's store with a
new
rum,
favorite
drink of their
guest. In later years when Elder Stewart became a strong. temperance advocate, he used to pray from the pulpit and ask God to remove the local rumsellers from the earth "which," as his son said, "the Lord in His own good time did do."
Ministers of the Gospel.
Elder Stewart was
probably the
most eloquent of Corinna's early
Christian character of the speaker and abounded with good advice, dealing freely with the subject of temperance. He was a young looking man for his age and often told his young friends that is was his abstemiousness that kept him so "fresh and green."
In the debating societies, he was al- ways an active member, and used his influence there as in everything else for the encouragement of the young people.
The Steward home was a favorite resort of the children. Mrs. Steward was a school teacher in her youth and welcomed the young people to parties and bees quite as cordially as did her husband.
Rev. Benjamin P. Winchester was another of the prominent divines of Corinna and held his pastorate for a period of over 35 years. With Elder Stewart, he was closely associated in all movements for temperance of which he was a strong advocate. He came from the town of Fayette 99 years ago and settled on the farm where C. L. Buck now lives, commonly known as the Columbus Knowles place, at Corin-
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
na Center. His father was drowned when he was but two years of age and he was brought up in the family of a Mr. Palmer in Fayette. Elder Win-
chester was for many years town
clerk of Corinna and prominent in town affairs. He was not without a sense of humor and could appreciate a joke even when it was upon him- self as evinced by the following story which he was fond of relating: Elder Hatch of the North Newport church invited Elder Winchester to exchange
pulpits one Sunday. The invitation was accepted and on Sunday morning, the Elder drove to North Newport, and called at a neighboring stable to put up his horse. The lady of the house
did not know the stranger but, being of a sociable disposition, chatted with him about the services. Finding that he was going to the meeting, she in- formed him that they were to have a new preacher that Sunday. Elder Winchester from Corinna Center, and asked, "Have you ever heard him?" Mr. Winchester replied that he had, and she ventured the further informa- tion that people said "he wasn't much of a preacher," and asked his opinion. The Elder replied that he thought the opinion was correct and went off to church. A few minutes later he con- fronted the astonished sister in the pulpit.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
CHAPTER VIII
THE LINCOLNS
Squire Lincoln.
One of the leading citizens of West Corinna in the early days was Squire or Capt. Isaiah Lincoln, ancestor of Stephen and Harry M. Lincoln of Lincoln's Mills. He was a descend- ant of Stephen Lincoln of Windham, Sussex county, England, who, with his wife, mother and son. Stephen, came to America in 1638 on the ship, Dili- gent, (Capt. John Martin of Ipswich, England,) and settled in New Hingham later called Hingham, Mass. Capt. Lin- coln was the son of Matthew Lincoln of Sidney, Maine, a soldier of the Revolutionary war and was born in Sidney in 1792. He married in Gar land, Esther, daughter of Richard and Mercy Gerrish of Bucksport, in which town she was born. Isaiah and Esther Lincoln came to Corinna from the town of Dexter in 1823 and settled in a log cabin with an earth floor just back of the residence now owned and occupied by H. M. Lincoln. About two years later, he erected this frame dwelling.
Capt. Lincoln's Papers.
As soon as the cabin was made hab- itable the captain erected a mill on the stream nearby. So dense was the growth of forest that it was nearly a year before Mrs. Lincoln was able to see the mill from her cabin. Capt. Lincoln was an officer in the militia which was then called "the
trained band."
When the Lincolns came to Corinna to live, John Smith already occupied a house now occupied by Charles Dun- ham, that farm being a part of what is now known as the town farm.
Among the papers of the Lincoln family in the possession of Harry M. Lincoln are several which may be of interest. One bears at the top the words, "Massachusetts Militia" and reads as follows: "To Mr. Isaiah Lin- coln: You being duly enrolled as a soldier in the company under my com- mand, are hereby ordered to appear at the place of parade at my dwelling house in Sidney on Saturday, the sixteenth day of May instant at 12 o'clock at noon, armed and equipped as the law directs, for military duty and for the purpose of detaching six men. Given at the town of Sidney this twelfth day of May, 1812, Steph-
en Lovejoy, captain or commanding officer."
A similar one headed "Maine Militia" orders him to appear at
"Philip Morse's dwelling house in Corinna on Tuesday, the twenty-third day of September" and is dated Sept. 16, 1823, and signed by Cyrus Bates. There is also the appointment as ser- geant of the "Company of Infantry in the Fourth Regiment, First Brigade, Eighth Division of the Militia of Maine" issued to Isaiah Lincoln, given at Palmyra, Maine, Sept. 12, 1826. signed by William Lancey, Colonel, and naning James Labree as captain. On the back of the appointment in James Labree's writing is Isaiah Lin- coln's appointment as clerk of
the company.
Three Labree Brothers.
Capt. James Labree with his broth- ers, Thomas and William were among the 25 petitioners for incorporation of the town.
The town records give the marriage intentions of Richard Labree and Em- ma Fish of Ripley, Aug. 10, 1832. Also Richard Labree, Jr., and Miss Ruth B. Potter, April 20, 1829. Also Nov. 21, 1823, Alexander Labree of Corinna and Miss Phebe Kinnein of Athens.
These records doubtless are of the descendants of the petitioners since in May, 1815, the three petitioners must have been heads of families residing within the plantation, and were doubt- less sons of one of the three Labree brothers who came from France to fight for the freedom to the American colonies and later settled two of them in Maine and one in New Brunswick. James Labree, now living in Newport formerly of Corinna, is a descendant of these Labrees.
The Labrees settled in West Corinna near the town line and were married into the Lincoln family. The wonder- ful physical strength of Capt. Lincoln is shown by the following incident:
During the early years of Squire Lincoln's residence at the mills, he went as was his custom to Bangor on horseback after corn, a distance of
about 38 miles. Upon arriving at Bangor, he found there was no corn to be bought, so he continued his journey to Bucksport where he purchased as much as his horse could carry, and re-
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
turned home on foot and leading the horse over the rough trail following a spotted line.
Night Fire and New Mill.
One night the mill caught fire and was given up for lost when Bijah Ma - son, a neighbor, arrived and with the
CAPT. ISAIAH LINCOLN,
Founder of Lincoln's Mills, Corinna.
cry, "Boys, water will put out fire," set to work with such energy that he in- spired the others with new courage and the mill was saved.
Soon afterwards a new saw and grist mill was erected, and to this mill came farmers from Saint Albans and the whole of North Corinna. These mills burned some time later. The next morning the captain put a
crew of men into the woods for lumber to rebuild. Owing to the enlarging of the grist mill at Moore's mill, now Co- rinna village, this new grist mill was never used. Mr. Lincoln established a store in which he was succeeded by a Mr. Colbath of Exeter, who in turn was followed by Matthew Lincoln. Later M. P. Hamilton kept store there and sold out to Richard Lincoln.
Squire Lincoln sent shingles to the Bangor markets as soon as the roads
made the undertaking practicable. It required two days to make the trip.
Hemlock boards were then worth three dollars per thousand.
The First Masonic Meeting.
Squire Lincoln's house had a large open room over the shed which was used for meetings of the Masons of which society a large majority of our early settlers were devoted members. The temperance society also held meetings there, school was kept in the same room, and a field adjoining the residence was used as a parade ground for the militia.
The Lincolns were devout Metho- dists, and rode on horseback every Sunday to attend church services until roads made the use of a wagon possi- ble.
Among the Masons who attended meetings at Squire Lincoln's were Elder David Steward, and Oliver Brooks whose farm was at Brooks grove. Probably Dr. Paul M. Fisher was also among the number as Parian lodge was first named Fisher lodge in his honor because of his interest in establishing it. Miss Vinette Southard who was afterwards Mrs. George Lin- coln and now resides in Minnesota, was among the first teachers who taught in this room. Later a red schoolhouse was built near the bridge.
First Stage Line.
The well-to-do farmers along the line formed a stock company to oper- ate a stage from Cambridge to Ban- gor via St. Albans, Lincoln's Mills and South Exeter. Service on the line was discontinued after the establisli- ment of the stage from Dexter to Stetson via Corinna. John B. Pres- cott of Exeter built a small mill about a half mile above Lincoln mill on the same stream. He also built log house for his employes. This was soon abandoned, and the house was knownl as "the old mansion."
Stephen Lincoln recalls an incident when his father, the captain, was drawn on the jury at Bangor and he carried his father to Corinna to take the stage. At Corinna they found Hon. D. D. Stewart of Saint Albans, then a young lawyer, and bound for Bangor where he had a case in court. When the coach arrived, it was found to be crowded and there was room for neither of the gentlemen. The cap- tain returned home, changed horses and returning to the village, took Law- yer Stewart and accompanied by his son, Joseph Lincoln, set off for Ban- gor.
About 1860, Richard Lincoln, a son of Capt. Lincoln, built a shingle mill near the old mill, and this was in op- eration for many years.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
The Lincolns.
Captain Lincoln was postmaster for years, the mail being carried there from Corinna Center three times a week. When later the railroad from Newport to Dexter was proposed, he gave the right of way through his land for the distance of a mile and a half on each side of the track. The farm has always remained in the Lincoln family, the original deed given by Squire Warren of Boston to Isaiah Lincoln, being now in the possession of H. M. Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln also has the Bible brought to America by the first Stephen Lincoln. It was
printed in London in 1599 by Christo- pher Barker, printer to His Majesty, King James. Mr. Lincoln was a civil engineer and "ran out" the boundaries of many Corinna farms. Mr. Lincoln also has his great grandfather's com- pass.
The children of Isaiah and Esther Lincoln were: Francis, Richard, Sally, Matthew, Isaiah, William, Lionel, Jo- seph, George and Stephen. Of these, two are living, William Lincoln Hartland, Maine and Stephen Lin- coln who resides with his piece, Mrs. Clara Lincoln Campbell at Lincoln Mills.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORINNA
CHAPTER IX
THE SCHOOLS
One of the first schools, if not the very first school, was held at the old John Knowles place, later known as the Pearl Hall farm, near Corinna Center, and paths led from that cabin to the homes of the other settlers.
Another of the early schools was at the cabin of Jim Young. The house in question was of logs and di- vided into two rooms, the front room being used for the school while Mr. and Mrs. Young and all of their nu- merous family who were not in school occupied the back room or kitchen. A large fireplace was built across one end of the schoolroom, the chimney of which was made with "cat sticks." These were pieces of wood similar to laths, and were held together with clay and straw, being used as a sub- stitute for bricks. Bricks were then unavailable. Wooden cranes hung in the fireplace. It was not uncommon for these and the "cat-sticks" to catch fire, so that a pail filled with water was kept at the side of the fireplace ready for use.
One day when school was in session
in the Young homestead. Susan Young, who was not at school, amused herself by peeking through a crack in the door between the two rooms to watch the pupils in the front room. Jacob Eliot, one of the pupils, seized the pail of water, which was kept as a fire extinguisher, and threw it against the door completely drench- ing the girl. She screamed, and he professed great surprise, claiming he had intended the water for a spark from the fire. Uncle Jim Young, the girl's father, was greatly incensed at the prank and said he "would pay his eq'al proportionable to have Jake Eliot sent somewhere else to school." Susan Young was the mother of Ches- ter A. Curtis, and a sister to Joel Young. "Jake" Eliot was afterwards a prominent citizen.
It must have been a sacrifice to the Young family to give up their living room for the purpose of having a school for the children of the neigh- borhood, but such sacrifices were common.
At one time Elder David Steward held a term of school in his new tie-up before it was used for the cattle. 'Squire Lancey's barn was probably the first schoolhouse and church in Corinna. Elder Steward, Rev. Wil-
liam H. Ireland of North Newport and several others of the ministers were among the first school masters. Early Schoolhouses.
The first . schoolhouse in Corinna village was on Main street hill, about where the residence of Lemont E. Bemis stands.
The red schoolhouse which once was just east of the railroad crossing at the junction of Main and Center streets, is now the blacksmith shop owned by H. H. Fisher and occupied by Ivan R. Small.
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