USA > Maine > Somerset County > Solon > A history of Solon, Maine > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
The first grist mill on Fall Brook was built by Joseph Buswell. By the middle of the nineteenth cen- tury there were many little mills along the banks of Fall Brook to accommodate the needs of the area. Such industries as sawing lumber, grinding of grain, carding wool, cloth dressing, and carriage and harness making came into operation. 122
At one time there were two cloth and carding mills,
121 Solon-Bingham Register, p. 23.
122 Davis, Op. cit., p. 4.
52
a grist mill, a tannery, two sawmills, and a shingle woodworking mill on six dams which spanned Fall Brook in its half mile drop to the Kennebec. Freshet, fire, and disuse have destroyed most of these structures, and not a wheel is turning on Fall Brook today. 123
Elizah Grover is credited with first developing the power at Caratunk Falls around the year 1837. He built a saw mill on the west side, a grist mill on the east side, and a bridge to span the falls in the same area. In 1846 the bridge and mills were almost completely destroyed by a freshet. This power remained practical- ly idle until 1887, when Staunton Day and David Mills took possession of the plant and two years later began construction of a pulp mill. This mill was opened in 1891. Seven years later Day and Mills failed and in 1898 the property was conveyed to the Moose- head Company. The International Paper Company assumed ownership in 1899 and continued to operate under the same ownership until it was burned in 1920. The mill was rebuilt and operated until 1925, when it stopped operation and fell into disrepair never to be used again. 124
The Solon Creamery Company was one of the most important industries of the town. This company was organized in 1893, and erected near Caratunk Falls a building that same year. Its capital was $10,000, largely in the hands of businessmen and farmers of Solon. The company operated creameries at Norridge- wock, Harmony, and Palermo.125 The creamery con- tinued in operation until October of 1931, when it was closed.
123 Ibid.
124 Ibid., p. 6.
125 Solon-Bingham Register, p. 25.
53
Captain Moses French was the first to build a steam saw mill in town on Fall Brook. This mill was burned in 1905 and rebuilt in 1906 by Albert W. Starbird. His two sons, Harold and Elwin, operated this mill until 1955. Others have operated the mill in the 1950's, but at present there is no activity at the mill.
Today there are very few industries in operation in town. There is a new saw mill owned and operated by Leon French and Cleon Whipple on the River Road about a mile and a half south of the village. The Solon Manufacturing Company, located on Ferry Street, em- ploys about eighty men and women in their mill in town and packaging plant in Skowhegan. They man- ufacture ice cream sticks, tongue depressors, cocktail sticks, coffee stirers, and paint paddles from birchwood bought from the surrounding lumbering operations.
Another industry of Solon is the Shorty Built Boat Company, operated since 1946 by George Saucier. This company builds boats and does custom repair work.
The Whiting Fence Company has operated near the Solon Depot since 1947. This company manufactures cedar fencing and other cedar products and employs only five or six men throughout the year.
Many industries have been in operation in Solon but only these very few remain. Many of the com- modities that were produced locally for home con- sumption are now shipped or trucked to town from other areas of the country. Thus, specialization and rapid transportation take their toll on the small town.
54
PROFESSIONAL MEN
Physicians
The first physician to locate in Solon was Mortimer Bodwell, who practiced in town in the 1830's.126 Other physicians before 1875 were Dr. Parsons, Dr. Stevens, Dr. Kingman, and Dr. Hunnewell. All of these above- mentioned men served only two to five years each, and then moved on to other towns. By 1860 Dr. Jonathan Moore began practicing in Solon and continued until 1900. In 1875 Solon had four physicians: J. B. Kings- man, D. S. Hunnewell, W. B. Fellows, and J. S. Moore. 127
Dr. Seldon Greene opened his office in Solon in 1882 and continued to attend the sick until 1919, when he retired. Another long-term physician of Solon was Dr. C. A. Paul, who began his work in 1889 and con- tinued until his death in 1911. According to the Solon- Bingham Register of 1903:
Solon is especially well supplied with medical talent of a high order, her physicians being Dr. Moore, Dr. S. F. Greene, Dr. C. A. Paul, and Dr. Bates, who has recently come to this place and gives promise of being a successful practicioner.128
In 1911 Dr. John O. Piper opened an office at his home on North Main Street. He carried on a wide prac- tice until 1924 when he moved to Waterville. Dr. J. C. Boyce came to Solon in 1924 and practiced until 1930. Dr. Franklin P. Ball, now of Bingham, had an office
126 Ibid., p. 24.
127 Solon-Bingham Register, p. 25.
128 Ibid., p. 26.
55
in Solon from 1929-30. Since that time Solon has been without the services of a resident physician except for a short period in 1950 when Dr. W. E. Jordan Jr., now of Skowhegan, had a practice here.
Dentists
Solon has had only one resident dentist. This was Rinaldo Pease, who carried on his profession from 1882 to 1889.129 Many dentists from neighboring towns have extended their services to include Solon and have had part-time offices here, but at the present there is no dentist in town.
Lawyers
Elias Cobb, Silas Haynes, and Benjamin Williams were the first to establish law practices in Solon. They were followed by M. E. Brown, who was admitted to the bar in 1840 and practiced in Solon for fifteen years. E. C. Savage had a Solon office from 1848 to 1882. O. R. Bacheller was in practice in Solon from 1852 un- til 1877. Edwin Nash, Seth Willard, and Levi Green- leaf also were Solon lawyers previous to 1880.130
In 1880 Turner Buswell opened his law office and carried on his legal business until 1919, a period of nearly forty years. Lawyers in Solon btween 1880 and 1918 were George W. Gower, William B. Brown, and Thomas J. Young.
The last man to maintain a law practice in Solon was Clayton E. Eames. He practiced in Solon from 1918 to 1928, when he moved to Skowhegan. Mr. Eames served as Somerset County Attorney and is cur- rently Western Somerset Municipal Judge.
129 Town Records for the years 1882-1889.
130 Solon-Bingham Register, p. 26.
56
-
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY
Only one year after incorporation, the citizens of Solon voted at the town meeting held in 1810 to divide the town into five school districts to be under the di- rection of a district school committee. This committee, composed of one representative from each district, was authorized to hire the school teachers and to apportion to each district its share of school money raised by the town. The members of this first committee were Jonas Heald, Ephraim Davis, Luther Pierce, William Hilton, and Benjamin Merrill. 131
In the ensuing years more schools were added to the original five, making a total of fourteen district schools at various locations in Solon by the end of the nine- teenth century. The fourteen district schools, each known by the number of its district were:
Number one: This is the schoolhouse that later be- came known as the Washington School and is the only remaining rural school still standing in town. It is located in the southern part of town at Rice's corner. In 1950 this building was given by the town to the people of South Solon for social gatherings. It is now known as the South Solon Community House.
Number two: This schoolhouse was located on land now owned by Roy Andrews in South Solon.
Number three: Located in South Solon, this little red schoolhouse was built southeast of the farm now owned by Philip Ward. It was known later as the Lincoln School.
Number four: This school was located near the foot
131 Town Records of 1810.
57
of Parkman Hill in the eastern part of town on land now owned by Ira Adams.
Number five: The Village School was located in the building on School Street now owned by Herbert Han- son.
Number six: The Maple Grove School was located at the intersection of the Rowell Pond Road.
Number seven: The Franklin School was located on the Athens Road opposite the intersection of the Rowell Pond Road.
Number eight: The first schoolhouse built in this district was located at Crotto Corner. Later the Baker School was built to replace the older school. This new building was located a mile and a half off the Brighton Road on land now owned by Oscar McQuilken.
Number nine: The school was located in South Solon south of the farm now owned by George Aub- rey. The school was discontinued before 1900.
Number ten: The Longfellow School was built in South Solon to replace the old building in district two. Roy Andrews now owns the land that this school was built upon.
Number eleven: The Eaton School was located on Eaton Hill in the eastern part of town, on the road leading from Eaton Hill to Rowell Pond Road. When this road was discontinued in 1883, it was necessary to close the school and to build the new schoolhouse in district seven. (Mentioned before as the Franklin School).
Number twelve: The schoolhouse stood below Solon Village at the intersection of U. S. Route 201 and the River Road.
58
Number thirteen: This school was located at the intersection of U. S. Route 201 and the old Lake Road. This house was used as a home until it was destroyed by fire in 1948.
Number fourteen: This school was known as the Phinias Chase School and was located near Baker Pond on the road leading to the Later place, now owned by Elwyn Starbird. 132
By the year 1901 there were only eight rural school houses in use by the town. There was a total of two hundred and sixty-one students in the town, ac- cording to the Superintendent's Report. 133 By the turn of the century these areas were consolidating their schools and doing away with the district system due to legislation and impetus from the state government.134
In 1898 the school committee urged the district schools to establish grades and a grade system, as had been done in the village school. That same year a three year course was offered in the high school.135
By 1907 the matter of conveyance of pupils had be- come a financial problem as the cost was nearly equal to that of teachers' salaries. This was due to the clos- ing of some of the rural schools for lack of enough pupils, which made it necessary to transport these children to the larger schools. 136
In the year 1917 the Solon common schools were in session thirty-two weeks of the year. 137
132 From a list of old schools composed by Laura E. Meader.
133 Annual Town Report of 1900.
134 Ava H. Chadbourne, A History of Education in Maine, p. 364.
135 Annual Town Report of 1898.
136 Annual Town Report of 1907.
137 Annual Town Report of 1917.
59
By 1933 plans were being made for the consolida- tion of several of the remaining rural schools. To meet the state requirements for transporting the many stu- dents to the village school a new bus was purchased, the driver of which was the janitor, Fletcher Thomp- son. 138
The Washington School, the last of the town's rural schools was closed in 1947 and the pupils were trans- ferred to the village school. This necessitated the pur- chase of a new school bus which was driven that year by Raymond Bean. In 1949 a large garage was built directly behind the schoolhouse to house the two school buses.
Secondary Education History
As early as 1862 Solon had a private high school of sixty-five pupils. From 1863 to 1889 a Free High School was held in the various districts for one term a year. Beginning in 1898, two terms of high school of ten weeks each were held in the Solon Village School House. The teacher, Mrs. Lillian French Pierce, re- ceived twelve dollars and fifty cents a week as her salary for teaching all courses. The total amount of money expended for education in the year 1899 amounted to $1,398.75.139
In the year 1899 the first high school was construct- ed at a cost of $5,000,140 just below the present site of the Grange Hall. The first diploma awarded from Solon High School was to Mahlon Whipple in 1903.
138 Annual Town Report of 1933.
139 Annual Town Report of 1899.
140 Ibid.
60
The following year the first commencement exercises were held.
By 1908 Solon had joined with some of the sur- rounding towns to employ a superintendent of schools. George C. Hight of Athens received $100 from Solon for his labors. Previous to this the Superintendent had been a local resident.141
In the same year an assistant principal was required in the high school by state law, and Mrs. Mildred Man- son was employed as this assistant. Much credit is due Mrs. Manson, for she was not only a very successful teacher for years, but became superintendent of schools in 1904, and served until 1906.142
On the night of October 29, 1911, the village schoolhouse burned to the ground. The rest of the school year was spent in the Town Hall, owned by the Masons, Odd Fellows, and Modern Woodmen Lodges. Each student supplied his own desk and chair.
In September of the following year the present school building had been completed by the builders, who were Daniel York and Ernest Paul both of town. The entire cost of the building amounted to $17,500, for which the town went into debt. For the first time a full janitor was hired.143
In 1917 the high school was in session for thirty-six weeks. All common school pupils residing over a mile and a half from school were conveyed at town ex- penses. 144
141 Annual Report of 1908.
142 Davis, Op. cit., p. 9.
143 Annual Town Report of 1912.
144 Annual Town Report of 1917.
61
The period of the late 1930's and early 1940's wit- nessed many additions to the Solon High School cur- riculum. In 1935 music was introduced, 1938 saw the first commercial course in the high school, and in 1941 an industrial arts course was introduced, with Raymond Dean as instructor. Mr. Dean is still teach- ing this course. In 1946 a school lunch program was initiated, which has been very successfully operated to the present time.
In 1933 the sum of over $25,000 was set aside by the will of Mrs. Minnie Jones, the interest of said sum to go to deserving members of the senior class, who desired to further their education. This sum was to be known as the Carroll C. Jones Scholarship Fund, as the money was left in memory of Mrs. Jones' son, Carroll C. Jones. Over the years this scholarship grant has helped many students obtain a college education. Although the scholarship only helps a student for the first year in college, it is that initial impetus of aid for one year that has helped students to see through the next three years on their own. This scholarship fund has expended a total of $20,424.21.145 on deserving students from Solon High School over the past twenty- seven years.
In 1958 the town raised $1,575 to repair and reno- vate that portion of the town hall used by the school as a gymnasium and for other purposes.146
Last September when school reopened there were one hundred eighty-five pupils enrolled in the Solon schools. Of these, one hundred and twenty were in the elementary grades and sixty-five in the high school. The
145 Annual Town Reports, 1934-61.
146 Annual Town Report of 1959.
62
current school committee members are Paul Russell, Tilden Davis, and Abbott Withers. The present Su- perintendent is Mr. Boothbay.
The present curriculum of Solon High School is taught by five teachers. The commercial subjects seem adequate, and the history courses meet all state re- quirements. The English and language (two years of French) departments are adequate. The science courses include General Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Laboratory equipment is the greatest need in the science department. The mathematics section of the curriculum seems to lag behind all the other sections. Only Algebra I and II, and Plane Geometry are taught. Also, there are no facilities whatsoever for physical edu- cation, other than the varsity sports of basketball, baseball, and softball.
63
OTHER HISTORICAL ITEMS
Military Matters
Military history is a proud part of the town's heri- tage, as the first settlers to the town were largely Revo- lutionary War veterans or sons of veterans. Solon has been represented in every war that the United States has fought; from three in the Spanish American War to one hundred and forty-four in the Civil War.
As no data other than the dates of the tours of duties of these soldiers exist, it will only be possible to give lists of those who served in the wars of our nation.
Solon was well represented in the Revolutionary War. Following is the list of Revolutionary soldiers who settled in Solon. 147
William Hunnewell
Luther Pierce148
William Hilton
Thomas Hunnewell
Enoch Jackman Caleb Hobart
David Pierce
Benjamin Patten
Moses Chamberlain
Stephen Merrill
Mathew Sanborn
Solomon Russell
Jonathan Bosworth
Joseph Shedd
Joseph Maynard
Solon was represented in the War of 1812 by David Whipple, Luther Pierce, Simon Maynard, Amherst Spofford and John Moore.149
One hundred and forty-four men of Solon answered the call of duty during the Civil War. There are sixty-
147 Davis, Op. cit., p. 19. (The list is from this source).
148 Luther Pierce is the only one of the list who is not buried in Solon. 149 Davis, Op. cit., p. 19.
64
three known Civil War graves in the town.150 It seems unnecessary, here, to list all those who participated. But, it should be mentioned that these one hundred and forty-four men came from a town with a population of around one thousand. This certainly shows the patriotism and spirit of the town at such a crucial point in the country's history, which was very typical of the response all over the state.
The Spanish-American War saw only three men from Solon as participants - Gene Merrill, Emerson Joy, and George Lake. All of these men are buried in cemeteries in town. 151
The town had thirty-three participants in the First World War. These soldiers came from many varied occupations; one was Principal of Solon High School, one a stenographer, a pipefitter, a watch repairman, a physician, a vice-president of a tool and hardware com- pany, and many farmers and students. Four of these soldiers are buried in the town cemeteries. Sidney Keene and Albert Moody died in service. 152
Solon was represented in World War II by no less than one hundred and four men and women. Families having three and four sons and daughters in the Serv- ice were not uncommon. This was the first war that any record appears in which women from Solon were participants. These women were Virginia Corson, Mavourette George, Vivian McAllister, Sereen Not- tage, Pearl Shepardson, Carolyn and Pauline Waugh.
150 Ibid.
151 Ibid., p. 20.
152 Florence W. Danforth, Somerset County in the World War, pp. 312-20.
65
Leolon Buck, Mahlon Parsons, and Colby Waugh died while in the Service. 153
Without a doubt, the Waugh family stands out as the town's greatest contributor to the war effort of the United States military. No less than two daugh- ters and five sons of Mr. and Mrs. John Waugh partici- pated in the Second World War. Colby Waugh is buried in Arlington Cemetery in Virginia.
Organizations
For many people the most important part of the so- cial life of any small community is its fraternal organ- izations. Solon is no exception to this statement. Many of these organizations were founded as early as the mid-nineteenth century and have continued to the present to provide inspiration, enjoyment, and fellow- ship, for the people of Solon.
Keystone Lodge No. 80, A. F. and A. M. was insti- tuted at Solon on June 27, 1855. Oliver Hilton was a member of this lodge for fifty-one years, and has the distinction of attending more Masonic meetings and funerals than any other member connected with the lodge.154 Many men of this lodge have taken the thirty- second degree of the Masonic Lodge, which is the high- est degree of the order. At the present, there are around one hundred and twenty members. Many of these members are from other towns in the surrounding areas.
Solon Lodge No. 128, I.O.O.F. was formed Octo- ber 4, 1892. Dr. Leon S. Merrill of this lodge was
153 Ibid.
154 Masonic Records.
66
elevated to the office of Grand Sire of the Sovereign Lodge of Odd Fellows at an annual convention held at Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was the first in Maine and only the second in New England to be thus hon- ored. At the time of his death he was serving as Dean of the Agricultural Department at the University of Maine. 155
North Somerset Grange No. 218 was organized in 1876 by Ansel Holway of Skowhegan. The first meet- ing was held in the Fred Rancourt Building just below the present barber shop. From there they moved to the old Masonic Hall for their meetings. The present Grange Hall was completed in 1909 and has been the meeting place for the Grangers ever since. A steady in- crease in membership was halted by the Grange Store, which proved an unprofitable venture and was given up, probably, in the early part of the twentieth cen- tury. The present Juvenile Grange was organized in 1953.156
The Farm Bureau was established in 1922 and is now known as the Extension Association. This group is subordinate to the state and county groups, which are usually trained by graduates of the University of Maine. The 4H Club was formed at the same time as the Farm Bureau and still continues its work in preparing the future home-makers of the town.
The organization meeting for the Keystone Chapter No. 78 of the Order of Eastern Star was held in 1901 with thirty members present. This organization is an auxiliary of the Masonic Lodge. Life membership has been given to twelve members. The present member-
155 I.O.O.F. Records.
156 Grange Records.
67
ship of the chapter is two hundred and thirteen, most of whom are from other towns. 157
The organization meeting of Northern Light Re- bekah Lodge No. 76 was held in 1896 with ninety-one candidates present from Solon and the surrounding towns.158 The present membership numbers slightly over a hundred.
The Abigail Chamberlain Whipple Chapter of the D.A.R. was established in 1908, with twenty-two members. Among the projects completed before its disbandment were the marking of graves of Revolu- tionary War soldiers, placing a marker at Arnold's Landing at Caratunk Falls, and placing another mark- er at the old homestead of Solon's first settler. The group was disbanded in 1950 because of lack of inter- est and lack of sufficient membership.
The Solon Woman's Club was organized in 1905. This group was busy for many years organizing and operating a library which later became the Solon Pub- lic Library. This club is still very active in town im- provement activities.
For several years there were groups of Royal Neigh- bors and Modern Woodmen, both of which were in- surance orders. Also, Boy and Girl Scout troops have existed at different periods, but are not active now.
Newspapers
There were only two newspapers published in Solon according to all existing records. One was the Solon Advertiser, which was printed in the 1870's. The other
157 Masonic Records.
158 I.O.O.F. Records.
68
was the Solon Weekly Times, which existed in the 1890's. Since 1900 there has been no local newspaper in Solon. The Waterville Morning Sentinel and The Bangor Daily News are the two papers most common- ly read by the residents of Solon.
Cemeteries
Before the establishment of the larger cemeteries the early settlers set aside a plot of land on each homestead for burial grounds. This explains the great number of small cemeteries found throughout the township.
There are four cemeteries within the township which have had organized associations. The oldest of these is the Pierce Cemetery having a tombstone dat- ing 1802, recording the death of Tilson Bosworth. The cemetery gets its name from Sarah B. Pierce, who deeded the land to the cemetery association.
The South Solon Burial Ground Corporation met in 1833 to obtain a suitable piece of land for a grave- yard. In 1901 a perptual fund was raised the interest of which was to be used for care of grounds and fence. In 1939 a receiving tomb was built with money willed by Luther Hunnewell. This cemetery is in very good repair at the present time. 159
The Solon Village Cemetery Corporation met for its first meeting in 1870, when one hundred and fifty dollars was raised to fence the area. Various trust funds have been received, the interest being used for perpetual care of designated lots.160 At present the
159 From an article "Cemeteries" written by Amy Jewett Dean for the Solon Sesquicentennial.
160 Ibid.
69
cemetery, located just above the North Church, is in excellent condition due to the careful attention by the sextons.
The Evergreen Cemetery, located about a mile and a half below the village, was incorporated in 1870 as the Maplegrove Cemetery. In 1881 it was voted to change the name to its present one. In 1884 the price of lots was five dollars; in 1925 the fee was raised to one hundred dollars. This income was used for care of the lots. 161
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.