USA > Maine > York County > Alfred > A centennial history of Alfred, York County, Maine > Part 2
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John Trafton, brother of Benjamin, lived near Ridley iu York Street.
Moses Swett came from New Hampshire about 1772, and 2
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lived in a small house thirty rods east of Swett's Bridge. About 1795 he built a two-story house opposite, which was moved in 1801 a mile north, and is now occupied by Jas. L. Emerson. Mr. Swett was a lieutenant in Lewis's com- pany and marched to Bunker Hill.
John and Joshua Goodridge came in 1774 or 1775 from South Berwick. John settled where Albert Webber lives, and Joshua opposite Samuel Dorman's. They both moved to the Gore. They were blacksmiths.
Moses Williams settled near Deacon Giles, a few rods north, and at about the same period of time. He was an eminently pious man and good citizen. His descendants are numerous, but scattered abroad
Ebenezer Hall came from Concord, New Hampshire, in 1770, and resided where his nephew, Col. Ivory Hall, lives. The year previous to his arrival he spent at Fryeburg with Col. Frye. He and Deacon Giles were deacons in Mr. Tur- ner's church. He kept a hotel ; was a most genial and hospitable citizen, and universally beloved. He was the second militia captain of Alfred, Lewis being the first.
Archibald Smith, father of the Elder, lived opposite where his son lived as early as 1771, and his son, Archi- bald, Jr., who settled one hundred rods west of him. He married a Tripe, and his brother, the Elder, a Hodgdon, sister of the mother of John Noble. His wife's brother, Benjamin Tripe, Jr., resided near him.
Eliphalet Griffin was a blacksmith, from Deerfield. He was succeeded by his son, John Griffin, and Orin Downs. He was drowned in Shaker Pond.
John Turner, the first settled minister, was from Ran- dolph, Mass., graduated at Brown and settled in Alfred. He removed from there to Biddeford, and thence to King- ston. He died in Roxbury.
Joseph Emerson, son of a clergyman in Topsfield, gradu- ated at Harvard 1775. He taught school in Kennebunk, married a Miss Durrel. Soon after the war he removed to Alfred. Twice he taught school in Alfred village ; was many years a justice of the peace, and a selectman, and the first postmaster appointed in Alfred. His dwelling for many years was the one-story part of the house his late son Joseph resided in.
Jeremiah Clements built the house subsequently occu-
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pied by Joshua Emery, a quarter of a mile south of Shaker Bridge.
Moses Stevens, father of David and Aaron, bought the estates of Stephen and David Coffin, the pioneers, and resided there. It came into the possession of Tobias Lord, Esq., the wealthy Kennebunk merchant, who built there a handsome dwelling, which is now occupied by J. E. Pollard and W. C. Taylor.
Thomas Kimball, one of the builders of Conant's mill, dwelt a quarter of a mile north of it. He sold to Amos Grandy, a seafaring man from Guernsey, and moved a quarter of a mile east of the brick school-house.
Benjamin Tripe, another builder of Conant's mill, lived halfway between it and Grandy's. He moved to Lyman, and was succeeded by Nathaniel Conant, Jr., who erected the fine house lately occupied by Mr. Herrick, and now by James G. Allen.
Seth Peabody, another of the builders of Conant's mill, , and of Mr. Conant's two-story dwelling, resided thirty rods west of his brother-in-law, Thomas Kimball. He left for service in the Revolutionary War, having sold out to Wil- liam Parsons, who, after residing in it seven years moved it a quarter of a mile north and used it for a potash factory.
William Parsons, after residing in the Peabody house, erected a two-story dwelling near the potash factory. He was the son of Rev. Joseph Parsons, of Bradford, Mass., and grandson of Rev. Joseph P., of Salisbury. He was the first justice of the peace appointed in Alfred ; was many years town clerk and selectman. He manufactured Inmber and potash, surveyed land, kept a retail store, and carried on farming. He was succeeded by his son Wmn. P., Wm. G. Conant, Jotham Allen, and George Tebbetts. Joshua Knight succeeded Goodrich, nearly opposite Wm. Parsons. He married the daughter of Thomas Kimball. He was suc- ceeded by Samuel Clark, and Clark by B. F. Knight. Daniel Knight, brother of Joshua and son of John, resided many years opposite the school-house at the Corner, and znoved to the hill near his father.
Otis Alley, whose father lived on the hill near Bean's lived a few rods southwest of Swett's Bridge. He moved to Kennebunk, and was a ship-carpenter. He died a sol- dier in the war of 1812.
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Ambrose Ridley came from Passamaquoddy and settled in York Street, where his descendants live. He had five sons and several daughters.
Jotham and Joel Allen, sons of Col. Joel, married Gareys, the daughters of Deacon Joseph Garey and Jas. Garey, and both had children.
John Sayward came from York with the York Street emigrants, married a Trafton, sister of Benjamin and Jere- miah. He was succeeded by his son Rufus, and Jotham Allen.
Ebenezer Sayward, brother of John, settled near him. He was many years jail-keeper and deputy sheriff.
Daniel Lewis, son of Major Morgan L., resided next east of the river, in York Street. He married Abigail, daughter of William Parsons, and was succeeded by his son John, who died 1861, leaving four children. Daniel Lewis commanded a company, and was colonel of a regi- ment.
Morgan Lewis, the youngest son of the major, lived near the colonel.
Jedediah Jellison came from South Berwick, and set- tled a mile southwest of Swett's Bridge. His son Thomas settled opposite him, and was succeeded by Deacon Alden and B. Kimball.
Samuel Jellison, brother of Jedediah, settled in Mouse Lane, and was succeeded by a Mr. Day. He removed to Shapleigh.
Simeon Witham, a Revolutionary soldier, resided near the Haleys in York Street, and also at the grist-mill that once stood a quarter of a mile west of the late Aaron Littlefield's, who moved it to its present site.
William Haley lived near the west side of the Round Pond. He moved to Shapleigh.
Elder Jonathan Powers lived halfway between the Round Pond and the Hay Brook, where Edmund Fernald now lives. He was an elder in the Baptist Church, and preached in Back Street.
Evart Willard lived near Hatch's at the Hay Brook. He arrived at an advanced age. He came from Sanford.
Stephen Hatch was among the early settlers, and owned a brickyard, the second one in town. He came from York. Samuel Usher lives on the place now.
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Richard Phenix lived between Powers and the Hay Brook. He was a shoemaker by trade, and had his leg ampu- ated in 1799. He lived to a great age, and died in 1858.
Bartholomew Jones lived in Mouse Lane. He came from Boston, and was succeeded by his son Calvin. Bartholo- view Jones, though a common farmer, was a most polished gentleman in manners, address, and personal appearance. He was an exemplary and religious man. George W. Tripp now lives on the farm.
There were two other Jones in Mouse Lane, besides Bar- tholomew, viz: Elisha, and Elisha, Jr., who were farmers.
Joseph Knight, John Linscott, Jacob Linscott, Henry and Wilton Day, Benjamin Estes, Joshua Goodwin, Ephraim and Solomon Ricker, John Shackford, Aaron and John Wormwood, and John, Jr., all resided in Mouse Lane, and were teamsters and farmers.
On the Gore, as it was called, there were three persons named Bean, viz: John, and his sons John and Jeremiah. The first John was succeeded by John Hazletine and Edgecomb, and Jeremiah Bean by Benjamin Bean and Stevens, and the other John Bean by William C. Marshall and John Yeaton.
Wm. C. Marshall, a blacksmith, built a log-house in 1790. The place is now owned by the widow of llenry Marshall.
Benjamin J. Jewett, a bowl and mortar turner, came from Stratham, N. H., in 1775. The place is now owned by his son.
WVin. Smith, one of the first settlers, was succeeded by Win. Leavitt and John Wheelwright. David Davis was succeeded by his son Daniel, commonly called Major, and Samuel Davis. There were also a Samuel Tweed, a farmer, and John Scribner, who resided in or near the Gore.
The number of tax-payers in Alfred in 1799 was 122, as shown in a list taken for "John Adams's direct tax," to which the following certificate was appended :-
" ALFRED, March 25, 1799.
The foregoing is a true copy of the General List of letter D, in the 13th District and 2d Division of the State of Massachusetts, agreeable to an act of Congress, passed the 9th day of July, 1798.
WM. PARSONS, Principal Assessor."
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Saw Mills in Alfred .- The first one erected was Co- nant's, already described. The water from it flowed back to the Pickwacket Road, and incommoded the emigrants to Fryeburg, who forded the river a few rods below the bridge near Mr. Came's.
The second one was at the extreme south end of the town, formerly owned by Jno. Parsons.
The third, Moody's mill, near the Gore.
The fourth, York's mill, above Moody's.
The fifth, Swett's mill, half a mile southeast of Co- nant's.
The sixth, north of the late Col. Lewis's, called Nowell's.
The seventh, John Knight's, north of Shaker Hill.
The eighth, Ricker's, near Knight's, afterwards the Shaker's.
The ninth, Sayward's, between John and Ebenezer Say- ward's.
The tenth, Littlefield's, built near the bridge.
The first grist-mills were : 1. Conant's ; 2. Shakers'; 3. Littlefield's, built by Morgan Lewis and Wm. Parsons, 50 rods west of the present one ; 4 and 5. Estes's and Moul- ton's, at the extreme end of the town ; 6. Burleigh's, near the Gore.
The first pottery was started by Joshua Emery, as early as 1791; the second, by Daniel Holmes, 1805, opposite the meeting-house, which was moved north to the road in front of Mr. Brooks's house, and afterwards to nearly opposite the court-house, by Porter Lambert; fourth, by the late Paul Webber.
The first tanners were Deacon Stevens, Daniel Lary, Major Warren, and Farnum & Lindsey.
The first postmasters were Joseph Emerson, John Co- nant, Abiel Hall, etc.
Schools .- The first school-teachers were females. Mrs. Hibbard and her daughter taught about 1770, and were succeeded by Dolly McDonald. The earliest school-master was John Dennie, grandson of Rev. Dr. Coleman, of Bos- ton, who taught one session among the Gileses. He was succeeded by Jonas Clarke, John W. Parsons, Joseph Em- erson, John Giles, Mr. Emerson again, Rev. John Turner, Daniel Smith, Robert Harvey, and Robert Jenkins. Until the beginning of this century school teaching was almost
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entirely at the Corner, and in the old frame house first raised in Alfred, by Daniel Lary. After 1800 the town was divided into school districts. In 1803 a brick school- house was erected, which was removed in 1860; the lot for the same was given, as before observed, by Joshua Knight, and the building erected by Joseph Parsons. The teachers after this century commenced were Daniel Smith, John Bucklin, Abram Peavey, Jotham Hill, Thomas Rol- lins, Abiel Hall, Usher Parsons, Isaac C. Day, Joseph Brown, John Frost, Henry Holmes, Benjamin Emerson, John P. Hale, and Daniel Goodenow.
Academy .- The academy building was built by private subscription in the year 1828. The State granted $300. W. C. Larrabee was the first preceptor, and Bion Bradbury the second. It was kept in operation a portion of the year, most of the time until the erection of the graded school building in 1862.
The first traders were : 1. Nathaniel Conant; 2. Wm. Parsons, who brought a few goods with him from Berwick ; 3. Thomas Giles; 4. Nathaniel Conant, Jr .; 5. Paul Web- ber; 6. William and Daniel Holmes.
The first brickmakers were Daniel Hibbard, who was accidentally killed by Lary, Gilbert Hasty, Nathaniel Webb, all of them near Conant's mill, and Stephen and Henry Hatch, near the Hay Brook.
The first potash-makers were Deacon Giles and Andrew Burleigh, which proved unsuccessful. William Parsons and Thomas Giles were successful, and continued the busi- ness several years. Parsons also carried it on at Water- borough Corner.
The first blacksmiths were John and Joshua Goodrich, Joseph Avery, and Eliphalet Griffin.
Roads .- There were Indian trails leading through the forests of York county prior to 1620, by which trappers and hunters pursued their game. About this time, or a little earlier, a settlement was made at Winter Harbor, at the mouth of Saco River, and in 1624 mills were erected on the branches of the Piscataqua, at Newichawannock and Quampegan. Indians were numerous on the banks of these and of the Mousam River, and on the shores of large ponds, as the Ossipee, Massabesic and Pickwacket, or Lovel's Ponds, who collected furs and brought them to
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the truck or trading-house. The Indian pathways were most numerous along the rivers, by which intercourse was held between the interior and the sea-board, where Indians were drawn in pursuit of shell-fish. Such was probably the course of travel until the truck-houses were opened at Saco, Wells, Salmon Falls, and Dover (Cocheco), when the hunters opened new paths from river to river, across the intervening territory. Thus the first road that crossed Alfred, of which we have any knowledge, came from Salmon Falls over Oak Hill, and south of the house of old Col. Emery, and near Mr. Staniel's, to the Hay Brook, and thence near and a little east of Aaron Little- field's bridge, and crossing there ascended the bank and passed along near the south side of the court-house, and onward to the new bridge, through Lyman to Little Falls, before a single house was erected in Alfred, and was prob- ably the first road opened through the town. The road between Alfred and Kennebunk must have been opened early for lumber to pass from Conant's mill. It is believed however to have passed through Mouse Lane. The Pick- wacket road from Sanford, branched off many rods east of Littlefield's house, and went back of Alonzo Leavett's house, and of the jail and Emerson's barn, down to the brook at Lary's, and thence bore eastwardly to John Em- erson's and to Shaker bridge, giving off a branch to go by Griffin's up to the Coffin and Giles road, whilst the Shaker branch, after crossing at the foot of the pond, went on- ward to the mills nearer to the ponds than the present road, which goes over Shaker Hill through the village.
Military .- Major Morgan Lewis, as before mentioned, was first lieutenant in the army of the Revolution, and served twelve months at Cambridge as acting-captain, and was finally promoted to major. He marched at the head of the company from Cambridge to Bunker Hill, to cover the retreat of Prescott's army. After his return from the war, he commanded a company, and Ebenezer Hall was first lieutenant, and William Parsons ensign. Hall was made captain on the promotion of Lewis, and Parsons lieutenant. They both resigned, and Samuel Cluff, the ensign, was made captain, Benjamin Trafton lieutenant, and Joseph Parsons ensign. Cluff was pro- moted to major, Paul Webber chosen captain, and Par-
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sons lieutenant, but declined the office, and Henry Day and Jotham Jewett were chosen lieutenant and ensign. After this, Daniel Lewis was chosen captain, and in 1814 was chosen colonel of the regiment.
Society on Shaker Hill .- Merry Dancers .- The Shakers, says Peter Coffin, their preacher, in a letter to the writer, were gathered in the following manner: Simeon Coffin, the oldest of three brothers, who settled first in Alfred, and who moved from near Ivory Hall's, on the west side of Massabesic Pond, to near Nathaniel Farnum's tanyard, moved again to the top of Shaker Hill to an Indian wig- wam, standing near the site of the present house of wor- ship. Soon after, Valentine Straw settled near the site of the present Shaker's saw-mill, and then came Ebenezer and Thomas Buzzell, brothers, who settled at the other or south extremity of the hill; afterwards there came and settled near the Shaker's church Charles Sargent and John Cotton, and soon after, Daniel Hibbard and family, and Benjamin Barnes and family-five sons, wife and daughters. About the same time several families settled at Mast Camp. These became Merry Dancers, and joined those on the hill. They became very disorderly, and in- terrupted the religious meetings that were held at Mast Camp by Congregationalists, and also at Alfred Corner, in the barn of John Knight. They disturbed the meetings to such a degree that it became necessary to take them out and fasten them with ropes to a tree. John Barnes and John Cotton were the most disorderly, not only at such meetings, but also on week days. One of their practices was to hoot the devil, as they called it, in which they would march around the Shaker Pond, raving like maniacs. Barnes would wear a baize jacket over his clothes, a wig upon his head, with a cow's tail attached to it, and Cotton an untanned cow hide, and in these garbs would scream woe ! woe !! woe !!! andible in the stillness of evening nearly the distance of one mile. After this they all took to intoxicating drinks, and for months were hardly ever sober, and in their midnight revels were guilty of revolting practices.
Shakers .- About the year 1781 or '2, there came along two pewter button and spoon makers, gathering old pew- ter and running it in moulds. Their names were Ebene-
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zer Cooley and James Jewett, from New York State, who mingled, with the Merry Dancers, and pretended to be missionaries from Anna Lee, and who preached to them her doctrines, and required of them total abstinence from intoxicating drinks, and the men to separate from their wives which they obeyed, and have dwelt in separate houses ever since. They were directed to use in all con- versations yea, yeu, and nay, nay. Their largest meetings were at Mast Camp, made up of Cottons, Barneses, Hads- dens, Jellisons, Hibbards, Philpots, Freemans, Gowens, Wilsons, Coffins, Nowells, and Cushmans. Joshua and Stephen Emery and James Barnes left for a time, and then returned, and after some years left a second time, and returned. Cooley and Jewett were soon succeeded by Joseph Meacham and Daniel Goodrich.
After this, about the year 1793, the society was orga- nized as a body, under the administration of John Barnes and Sarah Kendall, with the present order of church government. They were followed by Elisha Pote and Re- becca Hodsdon. The present male successor is Joseph Bracket.
The succession of deacons were, first, Gowen Wilson, then John Anderson and Nathan Freeman. Peter Coffin was the public speaker more than forty years. He died in 1857.
The Shakers formerly manufactured, more than now, wooden ware, such as grain measures, sieves, brooms, large spinning- and foot-wheels. They have furnished the public with garden seeds, which, being reliable, have found ready sale.
Their plantation of over 1000 acres lies between the two ponds. They have recently sold a tract of 800 acres at Mast Camp, in Waterborough, and invested the pro- ceeds in land in Michigan. They have excellent water- power and orchards. Their meeting-house, a plain edifice, was built 1794, and the large house opposite 1795.
Ever since Anna Lee's order to abstain from drinks, the Shakers have been a most orderly, quiet, industrious, and every way as exemplary a people as can be found anywhere.
My late lamented friend, Peter Coffin, the preacher, in- formed me that he once asked Jolm Barnes for an expla-
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nation of his conduct in hooting the devil, drinking to excess, and of their indecent and immoral practices. He replied that they were a sort of carnal slough which they were doomed to pass through preparatory to spiritual re- generation.
Religious and Parochial Affairs .- Congregationalists. -This town as before stated was originally a part of San- ford, which was settled in 1764 and '5, and not long after there were religious gatherings in Waterborough and Ly- man, at Mast Camp, near Bunganut Pond. The first settlers had enjoyed religious privileges elsewhere, and desired to establish them here, and were in the habit of meeting to- gether for social worship. About 1780 a church was formed consisting of from twelve to twenty members under the charge of Rev. Mr. Little, of Kennebunk, and Merriam, of North Berwick, who administered the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament. In 1782, this society was formed into what was called the north parish of Sanford, where itine- rant preachers officiated occasionally. In 1786, Rev. Moses Sweat settled in Sanford, and frequently preached in the north parish or Massabesic, as it was then called. The ministrations of Mr. Little and Mr. Merriam wrought some conversions, but their zeal soon engendered extrava- gancies, and some became strangely affected and disorderly, which gave them the name of Merry Dancers ; most of them seceded and joined those on Shaker Hill. In 1787, the north parish attempted to settle a minister, and invited several preachers as candidates, among whom were Rev. David Porter, Isaac Babbit, and Mr. White, all of whom declined. February 7th, 1791, Rev. John Turner was called and accepted, and was ordained the following Sep- tember, and remained with them twelve years, and then moved to Biddeford. Soon after, Rev. Jabez Pond Fisher preached a few Sabbaths and was invited to settle, but he declined. In 1804, Rev. Joseph Brown was settled and remained four years, when he resigned, and the society employed for a few Sabbaths Rev. Tilly Howe, and subse- quently Rev. Mr. Coe, of Durham, and others preached occasionally. In 1816 the parish was reorganized, and Rev. Nathan Douglass was settled, and remained some ten or a dozen years, and in the early part of his ministry was very successful in reviving the church. He was followed
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in 1828, by Revs. D. D. Tappan ; in 1833, A. W. Fisk ; in 1846, J. Orr. The first deacons in the Congregational churches were Moses Stevens, Stephen Giles, Ebenezer Hall, Joseph Garey, John Wormwood, and Samuel White.
The First Baptist Church .- The Baptists in Alfred formed a society and held their meetings in dwellings and barns, under the ministrations of Elder Henry Smith and Jona- than Powers. They were uneducated men, but possessed good natural abilities. An unsuccessful attempt was made in 1810 to build a church on the hill between John and Samuel Friend's. Afterwards, in 1818, a church was built on Back road, near Mr. Bickford's. Until the year 1822 or '3, they were considered a branch of the Waterborough church. At this time thirty members organized a church on Back road. They kept up their organization more than thirty years, under the ministrations of Revs. N. G. Mor- ton, N. G. Littlefield, and others. In 1855 they joined the Baptist organization in the south part of Sanford, and built the meeting-house at Conant's, now Littlefield's mills. Their first preacher was Rev. A. Dunbar, who has been succeeded by Revs. J. N. Thompson, A. W. Board - man, S. Powers, and C. D. Sweat.
The Methodist Episcopal Church .- Rev. Green G. Moore, of Buxton and Limington Circuit, lectured in the Congrega- tional meeting-house in Alfred, May 1st, 1829 ; and during the following week in the Calvin Baptist house on Back Street, one mile from the centre of the village. This was the beginning of Methodism in Alfred. In the following fall he held meetings once in two weeks in a hall near the Corner. By perseverance, a little class was soon formed. The first permanent meeting was established in May, 1830, by Rev. John Lord, who held a protracted meeting in the court-house. The next month Alfred was connected with Shapleigh ; Revs. Daniel Fuller and Almon P. Hillman, supplied the places alternately. In 1831 Alfred was sepa- rated from Shapleigh, and Rev. Ezra Kellogg was appointed to Alfred. During his service arrangements were made to commence the building of the church edifice, which cost about $2000, and was dedicated December 10th, 1834. The vestry was finished in the fall of 1838, at a cost of $1600, and the basement remodeled lately. Rev. J. W. ytkins succeeded Mr. Kellogg. From his time to the pre-
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sent, consecutive appointments, 24 in number, have been made.
The Second Baptist Church .- Twelve members were dis- missed from the Waterborough Church August 29th, 1844, and organized into a Second Baptist Church, at the Gore. Meetings were held in a school-house until the building of the meeting-house, at a cost of $700, in 1847. Rev. Z. Morton, their first minister, has been succeeded by Revs. N. G. Littlefield, R. Chase, F. K. Roberts, C. Case, and S. B. Macomber.
Burial Grounds-There was no common place of inter- ment appropriated in Alfred until after the first Congrega- tional church was built, in 1784. The first person inter- red was Major Morgan Lewis. This ground being mostly occupied, another is soon to be appropriated. The old ground as well as the site of the contiguous church, was a gift from Nathaniel Conant, senior.
The first church was two-story and faced the west, and had a large porch at each end. In 1834 the present house was erected in the place of the first one, and an organ, raised by subscription, was placed in it in 1854.
Courts .- Alfred became a half shire town in 1806, a full shire town by gaining the courts from York in 1832, and the principal shire town by the removal of the January term to Saco, in 1860.
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