USA > Maine > Franklin County > Industry > A history of the town of Industry, Franklin County, Maine > Part 40
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V. ALBERT B., b. in Norridgewock, March 6, 1819; was a law student at the time of his death in 1841.
2. BARTLETT ALLEN. second son of Capt. William and Love (Coffin) Allen, was born in Chilmark. Dukes Co., Mass., Ang. 25, 1781. He settled near the centre of the town on lot No. 26. and cleared what is now (1892) known as the Francis S. Rogers farm. The noble elm standing near the house was set out by Mr. Allen in 1808. Then it was a small sapling, but now its branches have a spread of nearly one hundred feet and the trunk a girth of twelve feet two inches. He was elected town clerk in 1810 and a member of the board of selectmen in 1813; for seven years he was re-elected town clerk, and likewise served eight
or parishes, and from having had but little intercourse with the inhabitants for several years, 1, however, have withdrawn my manuscript from the Clerk's office, copied it, made some addi- tions to the statistical details to bring the dates forward to the present time, and in my old age, consent to have a few copies printed."
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years as selectman. He sold his farm to John Bailey, of Farmington. March 25, 1823, and returned to Martha's Vineyard, settling at Holmes' Hole, now Vineyard Haven. His first wife. Lucy Fairbanks, died Aug. 25, 1820, and he married a second time, Oct. 21, 1821, Priscilla Dexter (born May 12, 1797), who died March 24. 1867. He died Jan. 31. 1872. aged 90 years, 5 months and 6 days.
Children.
i. TRUMAN AUGUSTUS, b. in Industry, Aug. 11, 1810; m. Oct. 13, 1850. Susan Wendell Eaton, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Lyon) Eaton, of Farmington, Me. Mr. Allen went coasting for some years and then became a skillful and reliable pilot on the New England coast. Ile has also held many town offices in Tisbury, Mass., and only declined re-election when the infirmities of age compelled him to do so. He d. July 30, 1888, leaving one son, Wm. H. Allen.
ii. CAROLINE AUGUSTA, b. in Industry, July 26, 1814; m. Charles Harding, of Holmes' Hole. Three children.
iii. CHARLOTTE Lucy, b. in Industry, Nov. 23, 1818; m. Benjamin Nye. Ile d. in 1866. Three children.
iv. CHARLES DEXTER, b. July 17, 1822; m. Caroline M. Luce.
WILLIAM IL., b. in 1829; a student at law. Died in 1851.
3. TRUMAN ALLEN,> third son of Capt. William and Love (Coffin) Allen, was born, probably in Chilmark, Mass., June 19, 1783. At the age of seventeen his youthful mind became a captive to the glowing accounts of " a life on the ocean wave," which he had heard from his father and others, and he decided that this, above all others, was the life for him. Fearing he could not gain the consent of his parents he packed his small wardrobe and clandestinely left home. He went to Portland. Me., and there shipped as cook on a vessel bound for the West Indies. The voyage was of several months' duration, and young Allen saw rough times, " getting more kicks than coppers," as his brother, " Campmeeting John," tersely expressed it. Returning home on the completion of this voyage his father informed him that if he wished to follow the sea he could do so without running away ; but like a dutiful son the young man remained at home until he became of age. On gaining his majority he again went to sea, and rose rapidly from forecastle hand to the position of commander. As a captain he sailed for the most part from Bath, Me. His last voyage was to the Azores or Western Islands as captain of the brig " Hiram." He was somewhat out of health when he left Bath, and during the voyage he failed rapidly, and died on the home- ward bound voyage in the fall of 1818. He lies buried at Shelburne, Nova Scotia. On the next voyage the " Hiram" was commanded by Captain Allen's first mate, Nathaniel Harding,* of New Sharon, Me ..
*Captain Harding was born in 1706 and sailed from Bath, Me., for the West India Islands in September, ISIS. No intelligence was received of ship or crew after they left Bath.
Lohn Allen,
Engraved by JOHN ALLEN LOTHROP, Boston. From a photograph made about 1883 by G. O. Ayer, Augusta, Me.
GENEALOGICAL NOTES. 477
but nothing was ever heard from the ship or crew after they left Bath. He married Hannah Sewall, of Bath, and left one daughter, Sarah Ann, who died in 1851.
4. JOHN ALLEN," widely known as Campmeeting John, was the eighth child of Capt. William and Love (Coffin) Allen. He was born in a log-cabin in the newly-settled town of Farmington, Me., March 7, 1795. When he was three years old his father pushed his steps still further into the wilderness and settled near the outlet of that beautiful lakelet, Clear Water Pond. on land owned by the Plymouth Company, as one of the pioneer settlers of the present town of Industry. Here was spent the boyhood and early manhood of this eminent divine, and here, too, he was converted at a camp-meeting held near the residence of "Father Thompson."
Some years ago Elder Allen wrote his autobiography, but the mani- script was destroyed in the great fire at Farmington, Oct. 22, 1886. Fortunately, however, the enterprising publishers of the Lewiston Journal had a verbatim copy of the original manuscript, which was published in their paper soon after the good man's decease. Acknowl- edging his indebtedness to that sheet, the author here reproduces
JOHN ALLEN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
I was born in the interior of Farmington, Me., in a log-cabin, March 7th, 1795, which was of course before my remembrance, yet I was surely there. My parents were formerly of Martha's Vineyard, poor, but highly respected by all that knew them. They soon removed from Farmington to what is called Plymouth Plantation, afterwards incorporated in the town of Industry. the name of which my father had the honor of suggesting .* Some of the first of my recollections was of attending school in a barn by a maiden ladyt who was not highly educated. Here was where I learned my letters and to put them together in easy words, of which we were required to give the defini- tion, and when we could not she would. The word anecdote was read. "What is the definition?" "Don't know." "Anecdote," said she, "is what people eat between meals." In another school, taught by a young man, } the word biscuit was read. While we hesitated to pronounce, the master cried out " Bee-squit, you rascal-that is," he said " to stop." This may show how deficient my early teachers were in education. My father was anxious that his children should have a decent education, and made as great sacrifices in this direction as his limited circumstances would admit. At length he sent
* See p. 59 .- Il'. C. H.
t Miss Dependence Luce, who married Benjamin Burgess for his second wife .- W. C. H. # Elihu Norton .- IV. C. H.
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myself with a brother older to an academy *- the first one in that region of the country. I had an exalted opinion of an academy and I thought a pre- ceptor must be a very dignified character. When we arrived at the academy the preceptor was absent on a preaching tour. A student had charge of the school. I waited with impatience to see the dignified man. At length he arrived, took off his hat and threw it down, and gave a history of his preach- ing tour. Said he, "I went down to Mount Vernon yesterday to preach to them. As soon as I commenced an old woman popped up and began to screech and scream. When she closed, I commenced again, when up popped another and began to screech and scream. I told them I had not come there to be insulted and if they would hold their peace I would preach to them. otherwise I would take my hat and go home. They kept still." By the way, there was a reformation in that place, but the old man did not seem to under- stand that kind of business at all. After remaining in this institution a few monthst the preceptor visited my father, who was anxious to know how the boys got along. " Well," said the old man, " Harry will make a scholar, but as for John you will never make much of him, he is too full of the devik." This was the recommendation he gave of me to my father, which he soon conveyed to me, but I thought the old man was not altogether free from his Satanic majesty's influence, for he would get mad and throw the Bible or lexicon or anything else he could get hold of at our heads whenever we stepped aside from the strict path of rectitude.
The preceptor was a Scotchmant about fifty years of age. He had lost his wife and I suppose he desired to have his loss made up as soon as possible. There was a beautiful young lady in his school about fourteen years of age to which he took a great fancy, and had many opportunities of granting her special favors. Her name was Hannah-he used to call her Honey, and woukl climb trees to procure robins' eggs to make his Honey a necklace. On one occasion he climbed a tree, backed out on a limb on which there was a robin's nest, and just as he reached the nest the limb broke and down he came, bird's nest and all, which so disenabled him that he did not come into the school for a number of days. He at length married the beautiful lady-she made him a good wife and raised him up a numerous offspring. So much for my academ- ical training and acquirements.
Thus I blundered along until I was employed several times to teach dis- trict schools. This was when school-masters were scarce; but by keeping my ignorance out of sight and putting my best foot forward. I succeeded in passing an examination before the committee. in fact some of them knew but a precious little more than myself, and sometimes they had to succumb to me
* Farmington Academy, chartered by the General Court of Massachusetts, Feb. 13, 1807 .- W. C. H.
The author is of the opinion that this is an error, perhaps of the types. Elder Allen once wrote the author : " With the exception of a few weeks at an academy, when 17 years old, my education was gained from the early town schools .- B. C. H.
# This preceptor was Rev. James Hall. Although at times pervish and fretful, he was nevertheless a scholar of rare attainments .- W. C. H.
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and glad to get off so easy. As I kept a manuscript of parsing through Pope's Essay, and all the sums of Kinnie's Arithmetic, while in the academy, when any dispute arose I would refer to my manuscript and this was an end to all strife. All school-masters have had some striking incidents in their schools-so it was with me. In one case a boy had disobeyed my order in not building a fire. I gave him a good sound drubbing and ordered him to build a good fire next morning in season, or I should give him another pun- ishment. The father of this boy had the day before gone to a place called Sodom, where much rum was kept, and hence he stayed all night. When he got home he immediately came to the school-house, it being intermission season. He came and said : " I understand you have flogged my son Ward- well?" " Yes," said 1, "and if there is not a good fire built by eight o'clock to-morrow morning I shall give him another." Said he, " If you flog him again you have got to flog me, too." "Very well," said I, " that I can do at my leisure, and now take your seat or leave the house, quick ; or I will do it now." Said he, " I suppose I have done wrong in coming in here without your consent." "Yes," said I, "and you have done wrong since you came in, and now take your seat or march out quick." Out he went, with a good fire next morning in season, and all was quiet. I was at the old man's house soon after, when he said he knew a woman that could throw me over a five- rail fence. Said I, "None of your girls can do it." (By the way, he had two strapping large girls that attended my school.) One of them disobeyed orders and lied about it, and said to others afterward that she had made a fool of the master by lying to him. Next day I called her to an account, and gave her the choice, either to get down on her knees and acknowledge she was sorry she had lied or take a ferruling. I gave her one minute to choose. When I seized her hand and drew my large ruler the other great girl arose and said, " You shan't strike my sister." "Sit down," said I, and raised my ruler, when she immediately said, " I am sorry I lied." "So am I," said I, and all was peace again.
Soon after this incident, when I boarded around, as it was called, I chanced to stop where this largest girl worked. Said I to her, "What was you going to do if I had struck your sister?" Said she, "I should have tackled you and you would have had a hard time of it." "Well," said I, "I should like to know which is the stoutest," so we agreed to wrestle. We took hold and when the word was given by the man of the house we commenced. I did not know how strong or how skillful she was, hence I did my best at the onset, and I gave a tremendous trip and twitch and down she came like a log, across a chair, splitting it in pieces and somewhat laming her, who I found could not wrestle more than a toad. I paid for the chair and we agreed to say noth- ing about it, only that she should not boast any more about flogging her mas- ter. In another place there was a large scholar who had been somewhat troublesome to other masters. He soon began to cut up his pranks, when I called him to order and made a requirement with which he refused to com- ply, when I said to him, "Do this or leave the school." Said he, "If I leave the school, you have got to put me out, so put your club law in force
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as soon as you please." Said 1. " If that is what you want, put you out it is."
I then called out two or three large scholars and said to them, " Here is a suspicious character that wants to be put out of doors-put him out, but be careful and not hurt him." Little did I care how much they might hurt him, but I thought in the sight of the law it might be better to say that. We all clinched him, and out he went, sprawling in the mud. He attempted to re- turn, but 1 forbade him, saying, " This is my castle ; if you come in here you are a dead man."
He went home and informed his father, who, by the way, was a justice of the peace, a man of some note. He came to the school-house and attempted to come in, but I refused him, saying, " Your son has made some disturbance in the school this morning and we are not prepared for company." He went home, took his horse, and rode some twenty miles to consult a lawyer, who, after hearing his story, advised him saying, " If you have got a bad master, get along with him as well as you can, and next winter get a good one!" In the mean time I had called the district together, who sanctioned my course and legalized what I had done. I was employed two winters following with a salary increased from ten to twelve dollars per month and boarded.
During the winter of 1812, politics raged to a great extent. The two par- ties were called Federalists and Republicans. There was a retired sea captain who was a republican : he employed a preacher who was a republican to preach a political sermon. The people assembled at his house. The preacher took for his text. "Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because ye came not up to the help of the Lord against the mighty." "Now." says the preacher. " this means the Federalists-thus we shall read, 'Curse ye the Federalists, etc."" ". Yes," said the sea captain, "curse them, curse them," when an old Englishman present, who was a federalist, said, "That is a lie ; there is no such thing in the Bible,"-when a stout man took him by the collar and pitched him out of doors saying, " I will teach you to dispute the man of God while he is preaching the Gospel." The next day the old Englishman said " that the minister did lie and he told him so, but Chaney Butler' took him up in an unbecoming manner and pitched him out doors."
I served an apprenticeship [as a clothier] with a man who was a good work- man, but a periodical drunkard. I felt desirous of learning the trade and becoming a good workman, but had no idea of learning or practicing his bad habits, yet I must acknowledge to my shame I was too tractable even in that also, and by degrees became an inebriate. This caused me much trouble and sorrow, and sometimes a hair-breadth escape from death and destruction. One instance : While driving a stage from Camden to Bucksport, descending a long hill, at the bottom of which was a high bridge some twenty feet above the stream and bowlders below, there was a curve in coming on to the
* Undoubtedly Ebenezer Chaney Butler, son of Benjamin and Amy ( Daggett) Butler, of Farmington, is the person here referred to. He was noted far and near for his great physical strength, and it may be that on this occasion his desire for an opportunity to exercise his mus. cular powers was greater than that of maintaining the dignity of " The man of God."-W. C. H.
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bridge, which had no railing. Through my carelessness, no doubt in conse- quence of drink, the horses took the bit, started into a swift run and made straight for the bridge, regardless of the curve. I saw nothing but destruc- tion before us. But a colored man who was on the box with me, seeing the danger, grasped the pole horses and made a tremendous surge to the right and we barely escaped being dashed in pieces. As soon as I found we were safe 1 cracked on the whip, when a gentleman in the coach, seeing the dan- ger, cried out at the top of his voice, saying, " Where are you driving us?" "To Belfast," said I, "about three miles-good roads."
Said he, " You like to drove us off that bridge."
"Oh," said I, "I can drive within an inch and go safe."
" An inch of my life," said he : "I will inform the stage contractor in Port- land." " Well," said I, "you will inform him that I drove you safe, will you?"
1 soon quit the business, as I found it was not safe for one who took his bitters. One ridiculous incident occurred while I drove stage. 1 put up at a tavern where they kept the " creature." In retiring late one night, I found it necessary to be cautious in going up to my lodgings. When I arrived there, in attempting to set my light on the stand, it fell short and went out. I found some difficulty in getting into bed, thought the chamber-maid had not made up the bed right, as the quilt extended over the head of the bed to the floor. However, I succeeded in getting into bed. Next morning I awoke and found I had made a mistake and got into bed wrong end foremost, as my feet were on the pillow instead of my head. Ah! Rum makes a fool of a man, sure enough ; but finally a better day dawned upon me, for, after many fruitless attempts single handed, to cure myself, I was prevailed upon to sign the tem- perance pledge in company with others in December, 1824. I kept this pledge and thus weathered the cape and with it the destruction which would have followed. In my efforts to promote temperance, I was not aware that the use of tobacco was any hindrance. On one occasion we secured a lecturer who read Dr. Hickcok's prize essay on temperance. He showed in a masterly manner the evils of intemperance in the use of intoxicating liquor which I well understood. All at once he attacked the narcotics and with this my tobacco, and withal said that a man was not a thorough-going temperance man who was a slave to tobacco. This was too much for me and I threw my quid into the fire. He preached on till 1 threw my fig, " from my pocket, into the fire, which caused a little merriment in the congregation to see this practical illus- tration of the subject. When he closed I arose and said, "I have professed to be a thoroughly temperance man, but according to your address, I have not been ; you have preached the tobacco out of my mouth and out of my pocket, and I am determined not to use any more." In going out of the house a gentleman said to me, "You will have a quid in your mouth within a fort- night ; I have tried that game, but didn't succeed."
I said nothing audibly, but to myself I said, "John, die or live, you shan't
* In those days what is now known as a " plug " of tobacco was invariably known as a " fig."-W. C. H.
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have it," but it was not long before I thought I should die ; but, thank God, 1 am alive yet, and although that was forty-five years ago I have not tasted one particle as big as a mouse's ear since. My health improved. I increased in weight, and on the whole it was a great victory.
Notwithstanding I had early religious instructions, yet by carelessness and wicked associations, 1 became skeptical and embraced what I now con- sider false and dangerous doctrines. But when I was twenty-eight years old, I had a very frightful dream, which, although it was only a dream, it checked me in what I afterwards considered a dangerous course. June 29th, 1825, when I was thirty years of age I attended my first camp-meeting. There I was more than ever convinced of my wretched condition out of Christ. I then sought and obtained pardon of all my past sins, was made remarkably happy in believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. One year from that time, at a camp- meeting, I received a wonderful baptism of the Holy Ghost. I have never had a doubt since of the privilege of all Christians obtaining the inestimable blessing of perfect love. '
In August, 1867, at Martha's Vineyard, I had the blessing wonderfully restored. since which my peace has been like a river almost continually. Very soon after my conversion to God, while alone I was solemnly impressed to preach the gospel. I began to think about the same, for I had no prepara- tion in that direction, but this impression never left me. Three years after this I made my first attempt, but failed. An old lady arose and thanked God for the truth, and said, " No doubt God had called him." Thought I. * called him to do nothing." Again I endeavored to get a subject matured. I commenced but had not proceeded far when a man of note as well as piety came in, and I closed at once lest I should be criticised by him. Thus I had my ups and downs, but I found I could not preach like others. On a certain occasion I expected to be called to preach at a watch-meeting. I thought I would prepare my sermon and preach like other people. So I divided my subject into three grand divisions, and each grand division into three subdivis- ions. Sure enough, I was called upon to preach. I took my text and said : " My first grand division is this ; " I labored away for a little time when some- thing put it into my head to enquire what my next grand division was : I could not remember and again the thought came. " What are you about now," and this I had forgotten. Said 1, " Let us pray." When I closed, another brother commenced. While he was praying the subject came to me again. I arose and began again, but I let my grand divisions go to the bugs and gave it to
* A good story is told concerning Elder Allen's conversion. As a boy John was noted for his boldness and brawn and was held in awe by his associates, whom he was apt to summa- rily chastise for any affront received from them. One fellow in particular bore a particularly bitter grudge against John, and when he heard of his conversion he determined to revenge him- self. He met John the next morning after the future divine returned from that memorable camp-meeting, where he had " his first experience." " Look-a-here, John Allen, you licked me once and now I am going to pay you for it. You're pious now and can't fight." John gazed steadily at the threatening face and brandished fists and then calmly but significantly replied, " Daniel, keep back; john Allen is pious now, but he is liable to backslide." Daniel forebore to tempt .- IV. C. H.
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them in my own style and had a good time. When I looked it over I had some trials about it, and coming home I asked a young convert who was with me what he thought of my strange exercises last night. He said he did not know to what I referred. "Why," said I, "my break-down in preaching." "Why," said he, " that was all the difference 1 discovered between a watch- meeting and other meetings, and thought that was in the programme of a watch-meeting." I was at length received into the Maine Conference.
I had not succeeded well in business, hence was poor. I procured a horse cheap, one reason on account of her being ugly and had done mischief in breaking carriages and harnesses, but could be rode on the back. I thought, however, I would try her in a carriage as I wanted to go to a camp-meeting about thirty miles away, but the first hill I came to she stopped, backed back and spoke as plain as a horse could speak, saying, "Strike me so that I can throw myself down and break the carriage and harness." " No, Dolly," said I, " if you wait for me to strike you, you may wait all day." So I took out my hymn-book and sang some of our revival pieces, spoke to her kindly. turned her towards home ; she would go that way a spell, then I turned her again and came to the hill, where she was accustomed to practice her pranks, stopped again, and again I would sing and speak kindly. After going through these operations two or three times she went up the hill and moved on with- out further trouble. And after that when she attempted anything wrong I used her in the same manner, and she became one of the most docile and ser- viceable creatures I ever owned. I drove her thirteen years over large cir- cuits, never failing to perform good service. That's the way I break balky horses.
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