USA > Maine > Franklin County > Industry > A history of the town of Industry, Franklin County, Maine > Part 21
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BOSTON, MASS., June roth, 1819.
I have this moment arrived from Providence, Rhode Island. All well, full freight and a pleasant passage. Shall sail for Hallowell [Me.] weather permitting on Saturday the 19th instant.
BATH, ME., Sept. 14th, 1819.
I have been detained here for two days by head winds. I shall sail this afternoon if the weather clears. I am well and hope these lines
on page 314. On that day the Selectmen of New Sharon issued their warrant for a meeting to see what measures the town would take relative to re-building the bridge across Sandy River. This clearly shows the correctness of Mr. Butler's date and proves Mr. Mason to have been slightly in error .- W. C. H.
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HISTORY OF INDUSTRY.
will find you enjoying the same blessing. The salt which I sent you by Lovejoy you will keep for your own use, letting Mrs. Roach have half a bushel. Mr. Roach* is well and desires to be remembered.
WILMINGTON, N. C., Nov. 12th, 1819.
I have thought that it might be of interest to you to read a statement of my voyage from Portsmouth. After landing Charles,t I got under way and put to sea ; ran out about eight leagues when the weather be- came so bad that I put back and came to anchor in Portsmouth before night.
OCT. 30TH. Went to sea in company with one hundred sail of ves- sels. Oct. 31st, past Holmes Hole with fresh gales from N. E., did not stop but went to sea that night. From the ist to the 4th of November southerly winds and bad weather. On the 4th I had a violent squall with wind W. N. W. which terminated in a severe gale that lasted thirty-six hours. During the first twenty hours I made 210 miles. The sea then became so bad that I hove to after shipping a sea that stove my weather waist-boards. After the gale was over it was calm for about four hours and then commenced blowing a gale from the South. This wind brought me to the east coast of North Carolina in twenty fathoms of water. On the 8th of November I past the outer shoal of Hatteras in five fathoms of water. I saw four green turtles ; into one of these I hove a harpoon, but as the vessel was going very fast it tore out. I caught a porpoise that made two gallons of oil. On the 9th, 10th and 11th of November it was a dead calm and as warm as any weather we had last summer. The rays of the sun seemed to almost burn. On Wednesday the 10th I made Cape Fear ; it was the first land I saw after leaving Block Island.
While I was becalmed we caught nearly one hundred black fish, of the same kind we used to catch in Vineyard Sound. After beating off Cape Fear till Friday the 12th at 11 A. M., with the wind dead ahead, I bore up and ran into Wilmington, N. C. I shall sail again for Charles- ton the first fair wind. I am in good health and have a good crew but a poor scamp for a mate. I shall turn him on shore as soon as I get to Charleston. He is the most indolent sleepy-head I ever saw. I find the Atlantic as rough as ever.
CHARLESTON, S. C., Dec. 12th, 1819.
I have been one trip to Savannah as you will see by the letters and
* The gentleman here referred to was probably Capt. William Roach, who lived near Captain Butler's, on the farm recently owned by Benjamin Tibbetts .- WV. C. H. + His son is probably the person here referred to .- IV. C. II.
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papers from that place. Savannah remains sickly ; about sixteen white people die per day. I was there only four days and fifty-one new graves were made in that time. In one instance three coffins were put into one grave.
SAVANNAH, Ga., Dec. 19, 1819.
I arrived here yesterday in fourteen hours from Charleston. Just before I left there I gave Perley Wood twenty Spanish dollars for you. He will leave them with Uncle Shubael's wife [Mrs. West]. I did not send them because I thought you needed the money, but as a token of my esteem. For the last four days the weather has been cool but nothing like a frost. Business remains dull here, and will until we have rains to rise the rivers. I brought a passenger, by the name of Butler, from Charleston, who is said to be worth two million dollars.
NEW YORK, March 31, 1820.
I wrote you on my arrival here and stated that I had been robbed in Havana de Cuba of about $310. I left Mobile on the 19th of February and put to sea on the morning of the 21st, having on board two passengers who had every appearance of a gentleman and con- ducted themselves as such during the whole passage. One day after we had been out some time they stated to me that they had unsettled business of some consequence in Havana, and if I would stop there and get some water (of which I stood in need by so long delay by head winds) they would pay port charges and after one day would pay twenty-five dollars for each day that I should be detained ; and would put on board ninety bags of coffee, &c. On the last day of February, as we were beating in the gulf of Florida, we made the island of Cuba. It was blowing a heavy gale at N. E. by N., with bad weather. I stood in for the land till five P. M., at which time we were within five leagues of the Island. However, as I did not know the particular place, I tacked ship and stood off till two o'clock on the first of March, when I stood in for Cuba with a strong gale from E. N. E. and a bad sea. At daylight I saw the high mountains of Cuba, and at 9 A. M. made the Moro Castle. The gale was heavy, and I called a council and got a unanimous vote in favor of making a harbor. I wrote a protest and had it signed by a major part of the crew and passengers. At I P. M. I came to an anchor in the port of Havana. At 5 P. M. on the same day I was permitted to land. The next day I was invited to dine on shore and had a splendid dinner,-green peas, string beans, cucumbers, melons, green corn and many tropical fruits, together with seven dishes of meat victuals. It was a good dinner indeed-but alas ! I had to pay the pirates who invited me too dear for it. These pirates, my passen-
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gers, had undoubtedly selected my vessel at Mobile for their piratical purposes, as they knew by information which they obtained in Mobile that she was the fastest sailer in that port. They were well prepared, with pistols and other arms, to take the vessel whenever they pleased and kill the crew and myself. From some cause or other, unknown to me, they changed their plans and concluded to rob me of as much as they could and let me go alive. Perceiving that I had confidence in them, they asked me if I could speak the Spanish language, and I told them I could not. They said that they would grant me any aid I should wish, as they were well acquainted with the place and with the language. On March 2d I went on shore to report my vessel and get water. At IO A. M. one of them came to me and asked me to change an ounce of gold, as he was out of small change. I told him that there was a small loss on gold ; he said, "then lend me ten Spanish dollars and I will hand them back this day." I did so. Soon after, while I was transacting my business, he came to me and asked, " Have you any American bank bills that you wish to change for Spanish dol- lars?" I answered, "Yes." "Come with me," he said, " and you can have them changed." So I went with him to a store where he spoke to the clerk in Spanish and then told me that the man had gone out to another store, so we went there, and, as he said, did not find him. (The fact is, he did not wish to find anybody, it being his plan to draw my money from me.) He then said, "Sir, if you please I will take the bills ; I shall see him soon and will get them changed with the greatest pleasure." Having the fullest confidence in him, I counted him out the money. He was as compliant, likely-looking and well-behaved a man as I ever saw. His name was " Deek " or Daniel Boster. Soon after this the other German, named William Datche,* came on board and went into his state-room where all their trunks were kept, and packed all the best of their clothing in his trunks. He then took some clothes tied up in a handkerchief and carried them ashore to be washed, as he stated. The next morning he returned and said that he should stop in Havana, as he could not get through with his business as soon as he expected, and took his trunks ashore. I went with him to receive 90 bags of coffee which was to come on board. I went and saw the coffee in a lighter. He spoke to the negroes in Spanish, and then told me that the coffee would be off at 11 A. M. I went on board to receive it, but it did not come. The following evening Captain Watts, of Hal-
* There is some uncertainty regarding the orthography of these names, as they are very indistinct in the original manuscript.
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lowell, told me that one of his passengers from New Orleans told him, that these two men were agents for the pirates ; and that they had absconded from New Orleans and were on piratical business, and cautioned me to look out for them. This gave me the alarm, and early the next morn- ing I went on shore and went to their lodgings, found them both in bed. I called for my money and they both seemed sorry that I should doubt them. They both sprang up and dressed themselves and one said he would go with me and get the money. I went out with him and soon found things were wrong. The stores were not generally open, however, so they said they would settle with me at 9 o'clock. When 9 o'clock came they were gone. I went to the Alcaid officer and got a search warrant, two officers and an interpreter and searched for them some hours, till I was tired, worn out and almost mad. A Span- iard came to me and said, " Are you Captain Butler of the Sea Flower?" I replied in the affirmative. He said, "I wish to speak with you." He then told me that Boster and Datche knew that I was in search of them and that they could and would keep out of my way. They had lost my money at billiards the night before, but had got more and would now pay if I would go with him some two miles to the place where they were hid. I went and found them in a small upper room of a store-house. My guide left me with them and we began and com- pleted the writings for a final settlement. Receipts were wrote and a bottle of wine was brought in for a friendly drink. One of the men put his hands in his pockets, to take out the money, as I supposed, and drew two pistols therefrom and pointing them at my breast said, " Sub- mission or death." I said, "don't fire ;" I saw that death was in his countenance. I looked towards the door. It was shut and the other man stood by it with a sword and a dirk. The man with the pistols said, "Sign that receipt or die,-and quick too." Finding I had no retreat, I took the pen and signed the receipt without receiving one cent. The door was then opened and I was conducted down stairs to the outer door. One of them, in the presence of the guide, gave me a watch and said, "Captain, we make you a present of this watch." As soon as I got on the street again I exclaimed, " I have been robbed in that house," but all were Spaniards and no one understood me. I got the officers and renewed my search, but to no effect. Business went well with me till this time, but since then I have been the most dis- couraged that I ever was. I wish I was at home, but hope I shall have fortitude and wisdom to guide me aright in this hour of affliction. I never before felt the need of friends so much to console me and soften my cares.
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CHARLESTON, S. C., May 21st, 1820.
I am coming home as fast as the wind will blow me along. I shall come by the way of New York and hope to be at home soon after this letter arrives. True I have not earned as much money as I could wish and have lost some but I have got for myself and the owner about one peck of Spanish dollars and some gold, besides $400.00 in paper. If they will take the cargo I can keep the cash for my share. I arrived here last night from Darien, Georgia, via Savannah. I shall in all prob- ability sail for New York the last of this week. Since I left New York I have enjoyed good health but remain somewhat depressed in spirits on account of my loss. I have got quite acclimatized and am as black as a Spaniard.
MAY 24TH. I shall sail for New York to-morrow at 10 A. M. I shall have forty passengers, which pays well. There will be thirteen ladies and eleven small children if no changes are made.
BAHAMA ISLANDS, Feb. 5th, 1822.
As I passed Cape Tiberoon I saw a piratical craft,-a large Ameri- can schooner. As soon as she saw us she bore up and came so near that I could see the color of the crew's clothes. I thought I was gone hook and line sure. However I rounded to and fired my cannon into them, and as God would have it they were afraid and bore round and stood off out of sight.
MOBILE, ALA., March 2d, 1822.
I arrived from sea February 27th. I came from St. Domingo via Rum Rio, Bahama, with salt. Have come to a poor market. I had rough weather on the coast and was twice driven off by northern gales. I made Mobile Point eleven days before I got in over the bar. I have had the yellow fever and have regained a reasonable degree of health, but my flesh is all gone. I shall go from here either to Havana or to the Middle States and will write you before I sail. I write this letter in the Custom- House and with all the haste encumbent on human nature.
At St. Domingo I wrote you four letters and sent you a journal of my voyage ; whether they reached you or not I can not say. I am con- vinced that I shall have a good voyage, for I do believe I have almost worried out the Devil and his imps.
MOBILE. ALA., March 8th. 1822.
I arrived here six days ago with a cargo of salt which belongs to me, and it will not fetch the first cost and duties. I have not heard from you since I left home. I shall go from here to New York and if the weather is favorable I shall call at Charleston, S. C., but as that is un-
CORRESPONDENCE OF CAPTAIN BUTLER. 245
certain I want you to write me a line and send it by mail to New York and send another by some of the packets in case the first gets lost.
CHARLESTON, S. C., June 12, 1822.
I arrived here to-day and have had the high satisfaction of finding my sons* well and doing well. It is in vain for me to attempt to express the satisfaction it gives me to see them again and to find them steady and prudent. I think they will come home with me, though Peter is unwilling to leave his trade ; but I do not think it will do for him to stay. We shall come home some better off than when we left ; and if I ever felt a degree of thankfulness, if my heart ever melted with love to Him who has preserved me through so many dangers, I think I now feel a full sense of the obligation that I owe my Preserver for the many bless- ings bestowed upon me and my sons. The boys look very pale and white but are as smart as bees. Am much pleased to hear how well gentlemen, of high standing here, speak of them.
WISCASSET, ME., Mar. Ist, 1823.
I have just arrived here from Boston, having been eighteen hours on the way. I have a sleigh-load of articles that you may need. If one of the boys will come and get them I should be pleased to have them. If not I shall send them to Hallowell to the care of Mr. Wales, and you can get them when you please. Petert has gone to Charleston, S. C., with a lot of English and India goods valued at some $4,000.00. He found friends in Boston who were willing to credit him to any amount he wished. He sailed on the 18th of February in the schooner "Maine," Captain Bungoon. I think they had a good time off the coast. I have concluded to run my vessel as a packet between Hallowell and Boston this season. I shall return to Boston in about ten days and shall be in Hallowell as soon as the ice is out.
* The sons here referred to were Peter W. and David Butler.
+ Peter W. Butler, his son.
31
CHAPTER XIII.
TEMPERANCE MOVEMENTS.
The Prevalence of Rum-Drinking .- The License Law .- Five Licenses Granted .-- Town Votes " Not to License Retailers."-The Ministerial Association Passes Resolutions Against the Use of Spirituous Liquors .- First Temperance Society Formed .- Esq. Peter West's Temperance Society .- The Washingtonian Move- ment .- The Allen's Mills Watch Club .- First Division Sons of Temperance Organized .- The " Union Peace Temperance Society."-The Sons of Temper- ance at Allen's Mills .- The Order of Good Templars in Industry .- Juvenile Temples .- The Iron Clad Club.
THE use of ardent spirits as a beverage was a practice of almost universal prevalence among the early settlers. At the old-fashioned log-rollings it was regarded as a necessary article ; the hay crop could not be secured without its aid, while a " leetle drop " never came amiss during the busy harvest season. For many years it was claimed that the frame of no building could be raised without " plenty of rum," which was often so freely drank as to cause intoxication. At musters and on holidays grog in large quantities was also drank, while no one could properly entertain company if there was no liquor in the house .* It was customary for every grocery dealer to sell spirits, which was by no means a small item of his trade. Soon after Maine became a separate State a law was enacted requiring retailers to obtain license from the municipal officers and leaving each town free to decide, by a vote, whether or not persons should be so licensed. Under this act James Davis, who kept store at Davis's
* A gentleman informs the author that, when a small boy, he was frequently sent to the store, about a mile away, to buy spirits for the entertainment of ministers who chanced to visit his father's house.
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(now Goodridge's ) Corner, was the first person to receive a license to sell. Seven years later five persons were granted licenses to retail spirituous liquors. It appears that this number gave the people rather "too much of a good thing," for at their annual meeting in 1829 the town voted not to license sellers.
Perhaps it is not generally known that ministers of the gospel began to realize the evil effects of intemperance as early as 1812. During that year the Ministerial Associations of nearly all the religious denominations adopted the following resolution :
"That we will ourselves, and in our families, abstain from the use of strong drink, except as a medicine, and will use our influence to have others renounce the practice, and have it understood that civility does not require, and expediency does not permit, the production [offering] of it as a part of hospitable entertainment in social visits."
This resolution formed the germ from which all subsequent temperance efforts sprung. With such powerful allies as the ministers of the gospel much good was accomplished in Indus- try, as well as elsewhere, and some were led to abandon the use of strong drink entirely.
The first temperance society organized in Industry was com- posed entirely of lady members from Industry and adjoining towns, and was known as the Industry Female Temperance Society. Though the exact date of its formation is not known, it is probable that this society existed prior to 1829. The full text of the preamble and articles of the constitution are here given, together with a list of the members :
We, the subscribers, having witnessed and heard of many cases of misery and ruin, in consequence of the free use of ardent spirits, and [being] desirous to prevent, if possible, evils of such magnitude, [do] agree to form ourselves into a Temperance Society and adopt the follow- ing Constitution :
Article Ist, we will wholly abstain from the use of ardent spirits on all occasions, except it be found indispensably necessary as a medicine.
Art. 2nd, we will discountenance all addresses from any of the male sex, with a view of matrimony, if they shall be known to drink spirits either periodically or on any public occasion.
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HISTORY OF INDUSTRY.
Art. 3rd. We, as mothers, daughters and sisters will use our influence to prevent the marriage of our friends with a man who shall habitually drink any of [the] ardent spirits.
[Signed.]
Jane Atkinson, Industry. Sally Pollard,
Industry.
Susan Patterson,
66
Lucy Underwood, New Sharon.
Betsey Thompson,
Clarissa J. Atkinson, Mercer.
Nancy Goodridge, 66
Sally Merry, New Vineyard.
Mary Howes,
Susan Thompson, Starks.
Anna Norton,
Julia Ann Greenleaf,
Mary Ann Norton,
Mary Gould, 66
Eliza Norton, ..
Annah Dutton, 66
Nancy Withee,
Sophia W. Dutton, 66
Betsey A. Snell,
Martha A. Stevens,
Anna West, "
Harriet Stevens,
As woman was the first to visit the sepulchre of her Master, as she has been first in nearly every good work since, so was she first to labor for the cause of temperance in Industry. Of the success of this society but little is known, as with very few exceptions its members have all passed away.
Esquire Peter West organized a temperance society in 1829 or 1830. It was composed entirely of male members and un- questionably exerted a salutary restraining influence over the intemperate portion of the community. This society contintied to exist for several years, when the interest in a measure died out .* The Washingtonian movement about 1840 caused a re- vival of the interest in temperance work, and the society re- organized and continued to meet for a few years thereafter, but in the course of time it ceased to exist. t
* The following is a record of their meeting holden July 4, 1836: " Meeting held at the Meeting House near West's Mills on above date. Chose Capt. Ezekiel Ilinkley, president; Wm. Cornforth, Esq., vice-president; and Col. Benjamin Luce, secretary. Standing committee :- James ('utts, Samuel Patterson, John W. Manter, Benjamin W. Norton, Zebulon Manter, Brice S. Edwards. Voted to adjourn until the last Saturday in September." From a memorandum on the sheet containing this record it appears that Rev. Alden Boynton delivered an address on that occasion.
t As an evidence of the good accomplished by these early efforts the writer will add that at a meeting held in September, 1849, the town voted to choose a committee of three to prevent the unlawful sale of liquor. These gentlemen were instructed to prosecute whenever milder measures failed to stop this illicit traffic.
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TEMPERANCE MOVEMENTS.
Soon after the enactment of the "Maine Liquor Law" a Watch Club was organized at Allen's Mills; this club was a secret organization whose purpose was to enforce the principles of this law. Among the members were Capt. Clifford B. Nor- ton, Capt. Newman T. Allen, Gen. Nathan Goodridge, Isaac Webster, Benjamin Allen, Brice S. Edwards, Samuel R. Allen, etc., with a number of members from Farmington, among whom were Thomas H. McLain and Augustus Backus. Like all or- ganizations of a similar character, the Industry Watch Club had some bitter opponents who sought its destruction. Notwith- standing this opposition the organization continued to hold meetings for several years and was undoubtedly instrumental in doing much good.
After the disbanding of the Watch Club, no other event of importance occurred until the early part of 1859, when con- siderable interest in the cause of temperance was manifested in Industry. The celebrated " Maine Liquor Law" had been in force for nearly a decade, and the better classes were every- where awakening to the evils of intemperance. The day when it was thought that the frame of a building could not be raised or a crop of hay secured without the free usc of rum, or other ardent spirits, had passed away. Science had demonstrated the fact that it neither sustained nor prolonged the period of physical endurance, and that it did not augment the ability of the system to withstand the effects of cold and exposure, while from the pulpit ministers of the gospel were crying out against the evils of this scourge of mankind in terms of strong con- demnation.
But in spite of the Maine Law a great deal of liquor was sold in town; perhaps not quite so openly as it would other- wise have been done, still it was generally known by those interested where and how it could be obtained. Early in the month of February a movement was made to organize a Divis- ion of the Sons of Temperance at West's Mills, and on the 15th of February, 1859, those interested met at the meeting- house for the purpose of organization. Although the number was not large, it was composed of many of the leading and
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HISTORY OF INDUSTRY.
most influential men of the town. Their organization was per- fected by the choice of the following officers : Asaph Boyden, Worthy Patriarch ; Peter West Willis, Past Worthy Patriarch ; Rev. Isaac Lord, Chaplain ; Hiram Manter, Worthy Assistant ; George W. Clayton, Recording Scribe; James A. Manter, Assistant Recording Scribe ; Warren N. Willis, Financial Scribe ; James Manter, Treasurer: Benjamin Tibbets, Conductor; Isaac Daggett, Assistant Conductor; Wm. H. Luce, Sr., Inside Senti- nel; Peter B. Smith, Outside Sentinel. Their second meeting was held, by adjournment, at the dwelling of widow Abigail Stevens, who then lived in the Esquire Peter West house. This organization, which was known as the Putnam Division, No. 62, Sons of Temperance, continued to meet through the winter and added largely to its number. On the 4th of July, 1859, the members of the Division celebrated at West's Mills and held a picnic in Hiram Manter's grove. Great preparations were made for the occasion, and an invitation was extended to the Stark Division to join in the celebration which was gratefully accepted. The day was all that heart could wish, and everyone was in high spirits. A portion of the Stark delegation came in a large hay- rack gaily bedecked with flags, as were also the yokes of the oxen drawing the rack. The exercises of the occasion consisted in forming a procession at the meeting-house and marching to the grove, where a speaker's stand had been erected and from which an eloquent address was delivered. After the address came various other exercises, including interesting remarks on temperance, interspersed with music, both vocal and instru- mental. Next in order came dinner, which in so pleasant a grove was really an enjoyable affair. Everything passed off agreeably, and all returned to their homes well pleased with the enjoyment which the day had afforded .* The Putnam Division continued
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