USA > Maine > Knox County > Union > A history of the town of Union, in the county of Lincoln, Maine : to the middle of the nineteenth century, with a family register of the settlers before the year 1800, and of their descendants > Part 9
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11
Dennie Stetson 16
224.234 Cyrus Robbins . 51
Olivia Robbins . 56
Eber A. Robbins . 23
Olivia V. Robbins . 20
Laurilla A.Robbins 18
Almatia W. Robbins 17 225.235 Reuben Hagar . . 41
36
Nancy Hagar . . Chester Hagar . 9 Westford Hagar 7
Norris Hagar 5
226.236 Thaddeus Shepard 71
Charles Tripp .
33
Catharine Butler .
73
216.226 John Burns, jun. . 44
Lucy Burns . 8
Nathan Shepard . 60
227.237 Thad. S. Shepard . 37
Martha J. Shepard Martha J. Shepard
8
Joel Adams, jun. . 11
218.228 Thaddeus Luce .
67
Lavinia Luce 64
Frederic Law 7
Jas. Thomas, jun. . 19
230.240 Silas P. Law 33
Sarah Law 33
Albert Law 10
231.241 Stephen Carriel 47
Jane Carriel . 48
Sylvester B. Carriel 22
Leander T. Carriel 19 Adelia W. Carriel . 17 Augustus G. Carriel 10 Albion D. Carriel . 6
232.242 John Stevens 56
Sarah Brown 65
Emeline Crabtree . 24
222.232 David Seavey 38
Sarah A. Seavey 32
223.233 Nathan D. Rice 64
Eliza Carriel 46
James Kieff . 22
Harriet E. Lothrop 9 Elijah Lothrop . · Sarah Lothrop . · Alden Lothrop 6
10
234.244 Parker Messer . 49
Eliza Messer
45
Robert M. Messer .
21
41
Llewellyn Burns . 16
91
UNITED STATES CENSUS.
Charles H. Messer 17
Maria Taylor 37
Ambrose Messer . 14
Frances O. Taylor . 16
Eliza E. Messer ·
2
Elsie G. Taylor .
235.245 Nancy Bryant . .
47
Jacob S. Bryant 21
Joseph Bryant . .
18
Sarah M. Taylor
1
Nancy J. Bryant 16 . Abby M. Bryant . 10
John F. Bryant 9
236.246 Daniel Walker, jun. 37
Lydia Walker . 41
Jason Walker . .
14
George P. Walker 12
Catharine Walker . 10
Lucinda Walker 7
Martha A. Walker 4 Levi Walker 2
237.247 Danford Carriel 40
Harriet N. Carriel 35
Lewis Law 6
246.256 Pond Davis . 46
Flora R. Carriel
1
Jonathan Carriel .
67
Sybil Carriel 63
Helen E. Davis 13
Olive Carriel 46
239.249 John Walker 74
Sarah Walker 72
John Walker, jun. 33
Eliz'th B. Walker . 27
John C. Cromett . 8
247.257 Asaph Lucas .
65
Hannah Lucas . 64 . John O. Lucas 10
Hannah Grinnell . 90
248.258 Edwin Lucas 43
Phebe Lucas 30
Lucinda Burns 23
Augustus Burns 21
Willard Lucas . 12 John O. Lucas . 10 Armeda A. Lucas . 6 4 Auga. Blake Lucas
Margaret Burns 62
Mary A. Lucas 8 mo.
241.251 Daniel Walker . 76 249.259 Olney Titus . 77
Fanny Walker . .
71
Abigail Titus . 75
Fanny Achorn . .
46
Eliz'th B. Achorn . 18
Julia M. Thurston 51
Elisha Achorn . 20
Jacob B. Achorn . 13
Daniel Achorn . 6
242.252 George Cox . 27
Fanny Cox . 23
251.261 Albert Thurston .
26.
Mary M. Cox 6
Lavinia Thurston . 25
John W. Cox 3 Wm. A. J. Leach . 3
243.253 John Taylor . 42
252.262 Hugh Gordon . .
40
22 Eliza Fuller . · Wm. E. Fuller. 5 Abigail A. Fuller . 4 Flora I. Fuller . 2 M'garet A. Fuller, 2 mo.
62 245.255 Samuel Fuller . . 58 Jemima Fuller . . Sarah J. Fuller 22 Rhoda Fuller 21 .
Fisher H. Fuller -27
Charles Fuller 15
Rachel H. Carriel . 3
Betsey Davis 42 Wm. L. Davis 19 Angeline M. Davis 16
238.248 Martha Carriel . 56
7 Elsie A. Davis 10 · Ada F. Davis . Mercy D. Davis 5 2 Hannah A. Davis . Jacob P. Davis . 83
240.250 Cyrus Robbins, jun. 27 Margaret Robbins. 27 Eldred Robbins 4 mo.
Nelson Burns .
17
Joel Burns 12
Henry Burns 19
John Burns . 72
250.260 Philo Thurston 55
Nathan'l Thurston 23 Jo. D. Thurston 20 13 Harl. W. Thurston Darwin Thurston . 7
Chas. A. Thurston 1 21 Rhoda Fuller . .
14 Lindall R. Taylor . 12 George B. Taylor . 10
244.254 Samuel Fuller, jun. 34
92
POPULATION.
Margaret Gordon . 27
Angelia S. Gordon, 16
253.263 Nathan Bachelder . 49
Jane Bachelder 49
Nath. A. Bachelder 22
Llew. F. Bachelder 21
Ama. E. Bachelder 17
AustinE.Bachelder 15
L'cius F. Bachelder 13
Adelaide Bachelder 11
Electa Bachelder . 9
George Bachelder . 2
Edward Taylor. 27
Maria Gleason .
1
263.273 David N. Oakes 69
Mary Oakes 62
Mary Oakes . 36
Nancy Oakes 34
Martha Oakes . . 21
David N. Oakes . 19
C. Sumner Oakes . 27
264.274 William Coggan . 46
Mary Coggan . . 39
Ethelda Coggan 20
16
Alfred E. Arnold . 4
Helen Arnold 2
257.267 Nathaniel Clark .
44
Betsey A. Clark .
42
Harriet A. Clark .
17
Sarah P. Clark . .
15
265.275 Robert Thompson .
50
Martha E. Clark 14
10
258.268 Japheth Gove . 44
Nancy Gove 42
266.276 Charles Hibbard . 44
40
James Gove
18
Olivia Gove . 15
Charles Gove 10
13 Cyrus Hibbard . 11 Chas. W. Hibbard 7 Parker M. Hibbard James R. Hibbard . 3
267.277 Alexr. Suchfort . 29
Mary Suchfort . . 23 Hannah Suchfort . 3
John G. Suchfort, 1 mo. Elizabeth Coombs . 15
John M. Bachelder 21
F'ces V. Bachelder 18
Chas. G. Bachelder 16
Eliza M. Bachelder 14
Mary C. Bachelder 12
260.270 Franklin Rice . 32
Patience M. Rice . 28
Albert A. Rice . 5
Helen E. Rice 1
Wm. M. Robbins . 19
30
261.271 Josiah Shepard . . Statira Shepard . Susan C. Shepard . 262.272 Nathan M. Gleason
1
44
17 Charles Gleason Sarah A. Gleason . 15
Eliza M. Gleason 11
Mary Taylor 23
254.264 Amos Barrett . 70
Harriet R. Barrett 42
255.265 Benj. Bachelder 29
Ann Bachelder 26
Ann R. Bachelder . 4
Rachl.N.Bachelder 2
Sarah A. Bachelder 21
256.266 Jesse Arnold 32
Mary J. Arnold 31
Thomas E. Arnold 8
Emily B. Coggan . Deborah M.Coggan 10 13 Esther F. Coggan . 9 Alanson M.Coggan William Oxton . 23
William Thompson 42
40
Charity Thompson Jedidah Thompson
21
18
17
16
9
Williston F. Gove 23
Antoinette Gove 21
Lydia P. Hibbard . Daniel Hibbard 18 . Hollis Hibbard . 16
George Gove 3 Harriet Young . 24
Edward McLean 19
Joseph Carkin . 19
259.269 John Bachelder 59
Julia Bachelder 53
H'riet L. Bachelder 24
268.278 John Proctor 53 . Clarissa Proctor 48
. Philander Proctor . 12
Adelbert Proctor . 10
Octavius L. Clark . Julia F. Clark . 8 Nathl. S. Clark 2
M'cellus Thompson Ellen A. Thompson Laura E.Thompson H'rietA.Thompson
23
93
UNITED STATES CENSUS.
Elvira Proctor 16
Mary Proctor 19
Sarah Roakes 27
269.279 Rebecca Metcalf 58
270.280 Judson Caswell 53
Mercy Caswell . 38
Hannah Caswell .
18
John C. Caswell
.
16
Lemuel Caswell .
14
Lozeah Caswell . 11
Mary O. Caswell . 8
Christiana A. Caswell 6 Caroline E. Caswell 3
271.281 Elias Skidmore .
51
Susan Roakes
1
Priscilla Skidmore 52
Elias Skidmore
25
Gardner Skidmore
23
Emily F. Skidmore 16
Thos. W. Pinkham 14
Roderic G. Newhall 6
272.282 Walter W. Clark . 54
Benjamin Dow .
87
Joanna Clark 44 281.291 John Gowen 69
Ellen A. Clark . .
20
Rebecca H. Gowen 69
Henry D. Clark 18
Ezra B. Clark .
.
16
Isaac M. Clark . .
14
James A. Clark 9
273.283 Alpheus Collamore 68
Chloe Collamore . 57
Richard Collamore 23
George Miller 62
283.293 Samuel Fossett 29
Mary A. Fossett
.
26
Isaac H. Fossett Caroline M. Fossett
4
Elmina P. Roakes . 21
53
Sally Jones . 49
Martha M. Jones . 25
William M. Jones . 24
John F. Jones . 23
Albert M. Jones 20
17
George M. Jones 12
Ruth A. Weeks
19
Benson G. Jones 10
275.285 Samuel Norwood . 33
Sibyl Norwood 30 Lysander Norwood 10
Sarah Norwood 8
Lucretia Norwood 6
Orlando Norwood. 3
Llewellyn Norwood 1
276.286 Henry M. Collier . 35
Mahala Collier . . 30
Helen M. Collier 1
James Upham . 12
277.287 Robert M. Pease 52 . Sarah Pease . 51 Zilpah H. Pease 19
17 15
Lucy A. Pease. . Austin L. Pease . Helen A. Pease
5
278.288 Benjamin Frye. 46
Nancy Frye. 46
279.289
42 Job Frye . . James Roakes 26 Lois Roakes 26
280.290 Asa Gowen . 39
Hannah Gowen 38
Harriet Ellen Gowen 14 Abby Electa Gowen 9 5 Hannah A. Gowen 4 William Stevens .
282.292 David Fossett 42 Martha A. Fossett 33 Henry M. Fossett . 12 Mary E. Fossett 9
6 Sarah Fossett Julia Fossett 2
Mary Collamore 20 Andrew J.Collamore 17 Elias A. Collamore 1
284.294 Nathan Knowlton 31
27 Mary Knowlton . Leonora Knowlton 1
285.295 Henry Fossett, jun. 34 23 Amanda Fossett . Oscar Fossett 3 1 Mary E. Fossett .
286.296 Enoch Weeks .
25
287.297 Henry Fossett . 33 67 Thomas C. Fossett 38 Abigail Fossett Ellen Fossett 1
288.298 Josiah Simmons 27
Rachel Simmons . 30 James H. Simmons 8
Hannah D. Simmons 4
Ra. M. Simmons, 8 mo. Eliza Jane Davis . 20
2
274.284 John Jones, 2d. .
Leander Jones . . Licena Jones 15
9
94
POPULATION.
289.299 Oliver Townsend . 30 Nancy Townsend . 22 Georgiana Townsend 2 R. O. Townsend, 7 mo.
290.300 Samuel Stone 63 .
Elizabeth Stone .
50
Elmira A. Stone .
17
Roscoe Stone 11 .
Augusta Stone. 9
291.301 Job C. Simmons 34
Clarissa Simmons . 36
Harriet Simmons .
9
George Simmons . 7
Henry Simmons .
5
James Simmons .
3
Sarah E. Simmons 1
A. M. Simmons, 8 mo.
292.302 George M. Fossett 32
Sarah A. Fossett . 26
Stephen H. Fossett 5
Margaret M. Fossett 2
Martha F. Fossett . 1
Emma P. Messer 9
Mary Messer 6
Amanda Messer 1
John Brown 19
Hannah Messer 75
Hannah Messer 41
303.313 Nathaniel B. Gowen 27 Elizabeth H. Gowen 21 304.314 Sarah A. Hart 12
Richard Moody . 32
Sarah Moody 30
8 William Moody . 5 Mahala Moody . Eldora Moody . 9 mo.
Harriet Moody . 11
57 61 305.315 Benjamin Clark . Eliza Clark 49
Chandler Brackett 20
306.316 Silas Carriel 41
Sally Carriel 37
Woodbury Carriel 9
8 Martha Carriel. Aldana Carriel . 6
307.317 James Bryant 50
Charlotte Bryant 55
Silas C. Bryant 23
David Bryant .
20
Arvilla Bryant . 16
308.318 Joseph Wheaton . 60
. Mary Wheaton 60
Rachel Adams .
29
Thomas M. Adams 8
Francis M. Adams 6
Samuel S. Adams . 2
Jerh. W. Mitchell . 15
301.311 Minot Messer 45
Lydia Messer 41
John B. Messer 23
Caroline H. Messer 21 Samuel L. Messer . 19 Thomas G. Messer 16
Vinal Messer 14
Lydia A. Messer .
11
Hannah M. Messer 11 Eliza Messer 10
8 Margaret M. Messer 5 Emeline Messer . 1 Aravilla B. Messer Phebe Messer 79
302.312 Ebenezer S. Messer 37
38 Nancy S. Messer . Laura Messer 13 Charles H. Messer 11
293.303 Zebedee Simmons . 23
Margaret Simmons
30
John E. R. Simmons 1 C. A. Z. Simmons, 2 mo.
294.304 George B. Daggett 25 Mary J. Daggett . 25 Amelia Burns 9 .
295.305 Isaac Upham .
70
Eliza T. Upham 60
Eliza F. Upham 19
296.306 John Upham 30
Mary A. Upham . 27 Euphemia A. Upham 1 Warren C. Upham 14
Abigail Bruce . . 297.307 Joseph M. Gleason 41 Frances Gleason 42
Jane A. Gleason . 11
William C. Gleason 9
Martha A. Gleason 3 Harris Lanfest 23
298.308 Rufus Stone 24
Silvia G. Stone 24
William Caswell 16
299.309 John Oakes . 39
Ellen Oakes 46
Sanford Mero
15
Maria Jameson .
.
11
300.310 John Adams
.
31
309.319 Aaron Bryant . . 42
Emeline Bryant . 42
95
UNITED STATES CENSUS.
Wm. H. Bryant . 17
Mary E. Bryant . 15
Delphina G. Bryant 14
Sarah Bryant .
13
Phebe J. Bryant . 11
Martha A. Bryant 9 Julia E. Bryant 5
James F. Bryant 2
310.320 Nathan Clark . 47
Mary M. Clark . 46
Elizabeth O'Meira 17
Martha Shepard .
50
Benjamin Smith . 18
Edson S. Stevens . 3
Enoch B. Evans 25
311.321 Isaac Townsend .
69
Sarah Townsend
.
66
Caroline Townsend
19
Martha Townsend 26
312.322 Isaac Townsend . 32 Fanny Townsend . 31 Mary O. Townsend 3
E. E. Townsend, 9 mo.
$13.323 John Robinson. . 57
Harriet Robinson . 43
Darius Robinson . 18
Stillman Robinson
16
Horatio Robinson . 14
Elvina Robinson .
15
Alonzo Robinson . 7
Oramil Robinson . 5
314.324 Orris Blood . 39
Maria Blood 40
Delora A. Blood .
11
Josiah Drake
19
325.335 Madan K. Payson. 26
Abigail A. Payson 28 Lauriston M. Payson 3 1 Matilda L. Payson
326.336 John P. Robbins . 56
Mary Robbins . 58
. Almina Robbins . 17
50
Sarah F. Morton .
11
Ann M. Morton .
6
John C. Morton .
8
Nancy J. Morton . 2
316.326 Calvin Gleason . 35 . Abigail S. Gleason 29
Helen C. Gleason . 8
Moses S. Gleason . 6
John A. Gleason .
3
John Brown 18 . Cyrenus Daggett . 19
317.327 Sally Gleason . . 67
Caroline Mckinney 16 318.328 James Townsend . 35 Mary F. Townsend 28 Aldana S. Townsend 11 Geo. W. Townsend 9 F. L. Townsend 7 Jas. A. Townsend . 4 Oceana M. Townsend 1
319.329 Artemas Shepard . 73
320.330 Leonard Wade . 77
Sally Wade . 70 Sarah Daggett . 43
Mary E. Daggett 6
321.331 John Tobey . 82 Melicent Tobey 52 Elkanah M. Wingate 28 Helen M. Wingate 22
322.332 N. Thurston, jun. . 25
Ann E. Thurston . 25
Ella M. Thurston . 1
Nahum Thurston . 58 Martha Thurston . 61 Caroline A.Thurston 21 Martha A. Thurston 23
323.333 George Luce 39
Patience Luce . . 36
Frances M. Luce 10 Charles B. Luce 8
Joseph F. Gleason 16
324.334 Robert Dickey . .
74
Mary Dickey . .
64
Jesse Drake . 7 Miriam H. Blood, 8 mo. Lewis Robbins . . 16
315.325 Cyrus Morton . . 45
Sally Morton 38 James G. Morton . 18 C. Roscoe Morton 13
327.337 Jason Robbins . . Lucy Robbins . 51
Clementine Robbins 17
Alphonso Robbins 14 Jason Robbins 11 Lycurgus Robbins 6
Jessa Robbins . .
91
328.338 George Cummings 50
Avis Cummings . 50 Loam. D. Cummings 20 Geo. E. Cummings 18 PlymptonCummings 12
Delano Robinson . 9
Gilbert Pitman 43
96
POPULATION.
Rosanna Cummings 73
Martha Rollins . 17
Hannah Hills . . 22 335.345 Napoleon Bemis . 40
329.339 Henry Seiders . . 51 Mary S. Seiders 42 .
Mary Jane Seiders 21
Margaret S. Seiders 16
Joseph Seiders . .
14
Edward Seiders 13
Emerson Seiders . 11
Sarah L. Seiders .
8
G. Melvin Seiders 6
Frederic A. Sciders 2
330.340 Waterm. M. Robbins 27
David Robbins . . 62
Hannah E. Robbins 29
Aravilla A. Hawes 19
Marietta B. Hawes 8
Abigail S. Hawes . 1
338.348 Lewis Bachelder . 53
Hannah Bachelder 53
Edwin A. Bachelder 16
56 Julia Hawes .
339.349 Benjamin Bryant . 45 45 Betsey Bryant . . Benjamin Bryant . 16
John Bryant . Lucy Bryant 10
14
332.342 William G. Hawes 39
Roxana Hawes. 38
Llewella Bryant
8
Herbert A. Hawes 11
Thomas Bryant
6
Henry A. Hawes . 9
Maria Bryant
4
Edwin R. Hawes . 7
Mary Bryant
1
Phebe R. Hawes .
1
Mary Bryant
25
Emery R. Hawes 4
Elizabeth M. Hills
11
James O'Meira . 19
Abner Bills . .
26
Julia A. McAllister 16
66
John Thompson .
31
Abigail Hawes . . 67
Lucretia Rice . 20
334.344 Manning Walcott . 37
Catharine Robbins 18
Mary Walcott . 35
Lysander Daggett 19
Herman H. Walcott 12
Emeline Hills . 30
Edgar H. Walcott. 8
Nathl. Q. Bachelder 23
Fairezina Bemis .
40 Elizabeth A. Bemis 8
John Robinson . . 18
336.346 Joseph G. Cummings 35 Margaret Cummings 32 Amos Cummings . 9
Avis M. Cummings 5 Samuel L. Cummings 3 S. E. Cummings, 9 mo. 337.347 Stephen S. Hawes 40
Alzina Hawes . . 41
Aravesta M. Hawes 19
Nancy M. Robbins 23 Caroline M. Robbins 22
Maxcy Robbins 20
Ermina G. Robbins 18 Lydia A. Robbins . 14 331.341 Whiting Hawes .
. 52 Nancy Hawes . .
Norman L. Crockett 13
66
Timothy Alexander 23
333.343 Herman Hawes .
Total number of inhabitants, 1,970; including 1 blind, 5 idiots, 6 insane, 3 paupers; 139 mechanics, 430 farmers. There are no colored persons.
Maine is the birthplace of nearly all the inhabitants. The following are exceptions : Nova Scotia, 1; New Brunswick, 2; Ireland, 2; England, 1; New Hampshire, 36; Vermont, 1 ; Massachusetts, 115; Rhode Island, 5; Connecticut, 3; New York, 2; Kentucky, 1.
97
ARBORAL PRODUCTS.
CHAPTER XII.
MINERAL AND ARBORAL PRODUCTS.
Minerals. - Timber. - Felling of Trees. - Burning of Cut-downs. - Shingles. - Benjamin Speed. - Lakin. - Boards and Saw-mills. - Lime-casks.
MINERAL PRODUCTS.
THERE has never been a mineralogical or geological sur- vey of the town worthy of even a passing notice. What treasures may lie buried here can only be known when greater attention is given to the subject. It is certain, however, that there are quarries of limestone, some of which is white and fine grained; but large pieces, free from defects and veins, have not hitherto been ob- tained. The burning of lime never has received much attention. There are also quarries of granite. Sulphu- reous iron ore, from which are derived sulphur, alum, copperas, sulphuric acid, &c. is found in immense quan- tities, particularly in the eastern part of the town. A web of cloth, which had been laid upon the ground to be whitened, was buried under an autumnal snow; and, when it was dug out some time afterward, it had ac- quired a beautiful copperas color. East of Crawford's Pond, on the land of Christopher Young, is a mineral spring which blackens leaves at its bottom; and crys- tallized copperas is formed on logs which lie in it. In surveying the county line a few years ago, the mag- netic needle was so much disturbed for a mile or two on Appleton Ridge that it was of little or no use.
ARBORAL PRODUCTS.
TIMBER. - When the first settlers came, the land, particularly the section of it which lies east of Seven- tree Pond, was covered with an uncommonly heavy growth of timber. Pine, hemlock, spruce, fir, grew 9*
98
MINERAL AND ARBORAL PRODUCTS.
abundantly on what was called by the early settlers the " black land " or low ground; and on the ridges or higher ground were beech, red oak, birch, maple, ash, &c. There was but little white oak, and that was on the intervales. There was no walnut or chestnut. With the early settlers, it was a great object to obtain land for cultivation. Lumber was so abundant that " it would not half pay the expense of getting it out." Consequently, trees were recklessly and wantonly destroyed, and forests of as good timber as ever grew were burnt on the ground.
FELLING OF TREES. - Among some of the early settlers, there was a custom of girdling large trees and cutting out large chips beneath the bark, which was removed. The smaller growth of wood and the under- brush were cleared out, so that the land could be culti- vated; and the girdled trees were left to die, and to fall as they decayed. This mode of clearing was not common.
Another mode was generally adopted by persons who felled trees by the acre. The chopper observed the direction in which they leaned and could be made to fall advantageously. He selected a range, at the head of which was a large tree, a little elevated, with branching, heavy limbs, to be used as a " driver." The trees were then cut about half through, and the chips so taken out, that, when the trees fell, the tops would lie in an angular direction towards each other along the whole range. The "driver," being then cut through, fell upon the next trees, and these in turn upon the next, and so on till the whole range came down with a tremendous crash. Thus half the labor was saved, and the tops were brought together in a favor- able position to be burnt.
BURNING OF CUT-DOWNS. - After the trees had been left to dry through a considerable part of the season, the "cut-down," or " fell-piece," was set on fire. The smoke gathered over the burning materials, and the fire raged till an immense black cloud hung over the spot and rolled off, indicating for many miles the
99
BURNING OF CUT-DOWNS.
destruction which was going on. In one place, the fire, when it encountered a pile of dry limbs and leaves, might be seen suddenly starting up to a great height; and, in another, climbing to the summit and wreathing itself around tall trees which had been left standing, or penetrating hollow pines and darting its fiery tongues through the sides and holes which time had opened. And as the sea of fire was surging, eddying, and roll- ing, it scattered cinders and ignited limbs to a great distance. Sometimes it spread its ravages through forests; or, as if determined to riot on the ruin it made, and to bid defiance to man and the elements, it would run over dry grass-fields faster than a horse would gallop, destroy cattle, barns, dwelling-houses, and even human life. It would diffuse its peculiar odor into remote States, darkening the air, reddening the sun, and alarming the ignorant and superstitious at the distance of hundreds of miles from the scene. Nothing but a deluging rain could subdue it.1
And even when such ravages were not made, - and there never were such in Union, - the fire continued to burn in the "cut-down" for many days. As soon as the heat would admit, the laborers began to cut, and with the aid of oxen and chains to put into piles, the blackened and imperfectly burnt logs. This business they followed, covered with smut, till the new piles, compactly put together, were in a condition to be re- burnt. After all, many firmly-rooted stumps, large blackened logs, and dead limbless trunks, remained. In subsequent years, when time and alternating storm and sunshine had weakened the strength of the stumps and dead trunks and opened cavities in them, these were again set on fire, and threw a brilliant light to a great distance over the cleared fields, in the night ; or they were uprooted and piled with logs yet to be consumed.
" A fire of this kind occurred in Lebanon and vicinity in 1761, and in Alna and vicinity in September, 1823. A striking account of such a fire is narrated by J. J. Audubon, in his Ornithological Biography, ii. 397. See also Cooper's Novels.
100
MINERAL AND ARBORAL PRODUCTS.
This kind of havoc, vigorously begun, was con- tinued to some extent in town for half a century. Still there was some reservation even at the first. The best trees, or some of them, particularly if they grew near rivers or mills, were used for valuable purposes. Tall pines, which had been swayed by the breeze for cen- turies, and whose graceful trunks sometimes rose to the height of ninety feet before being marred by a limb or a knot, were often converted into masts; or, being cut into mill-logs, were rolled into the ponds and streams to be floated to the places of their destination.
SHINGLES. - The manufacture of shingles was be- gun early, and for some time it increased with the decrease of lumber. The only mode of making them, before the invention and introduction of shingle- mills, twenty or thirty years ago, was by sawing logs into pieces of suitable length, splitting the pieces, and shaving the shingles by hand. Some- times, in the course of a winter, there were col- lected on the Common huge piles, which the store- keepers purchased of the inhabitants of this and the neighboring towns. Many were made in the part of Union now included in Washington. Of the makers in the early part of the present century, the best was Benjamin Speed. In what he manufactured, there were a beauty and a finish which entitled him to the appellation of a scientific shingle-maker. There was also engaged in the business a family named Lakin, from Groton, Mass. The husband and the wife, in the winter season, would go into the woods, and, one at each handle of a long saw, work hard through the day, cutting trees into blocks. It may be doubted which of the two was the most expert in splitting and finishing them. And often has the wife come to the Common - eight miles - on horseback, with a child in her arms, and a heavy bunch of shingles on each side of her horse, balanced by means of ropes and withes across the beast's back. Under the ropes and withes, to prevent them from cutting the horse, was a bag of hay. To all these was superadded a meal-
101
BOARDS AND SAW-MILLS.
bag, containing a jug for rum or molasses, or some other article then deemed necessary for a family. At the present time, shingle-mills are so common that rift and shaved shingles, though much better, are seldom made.
BOARDS AND SAW-MILLS. - The sawing of lumber into boards has always been an important item in the business of the town. One of the first acts of the pro- prietor, Dr. Taylor, was to erect a saw-mill. Not long afterward, another saw-mill was built by Josiah Reed. It stood below Sunnybec Pond, several rods above the present location of Hills' Mills.
Four or five years before the present century, when, except Jonah Gay's, there was no house in town east of the road on the east side of Seven-tree Pond, a saw-mill was built on the stream which runs into Crawford's Pond. Lermond of Warren came early in the week, and went into the woods. There he labored regularly, about a fortnight at a time, remote from all inhabitants. On the Saturday at the end of the fort- night, towards evening, he emerged from the forest to spend the night at William Hart's. On the next morning, he took his boat, proceeded down the St. George's, procured a supply of provisions and other necessaries, returned the same evening or the next morning to Hart's, and then buried himself again for a fortnight in solitude. In this way he labored till the work was done. He was not a joiner by trade, and the mill had but four braces, and those were " cut in with a post-axe." The log, in the sawing, was run back by putting the feet upon pegs or pins in a wheel. Before the close of the eighteenth century, other saw- mills were built. In 1826 there were six in operation ; in 1840 and in 1843 there were eight. In 1845 it was estimated that at least twenty-seven saw-mills had been built or re-built, and seven of them were then used. This would not be remarkable on rivers as large as the Kennebec or the Penobscot; but it deserves notice in connection with a river no larger or longer than the St. George's, which does not admit of logs being floated from a great distance in the interior.
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MINERAL AND ARBORAL PRODUCTS.
In the early part of this century, the mills were con- tinually in operation. Lumber accumulated at the mill-yards, and rafts and logs floated on the rivers and ponds. By day and by night, at home and abroad, the ears were constantly greeted with the busy, hurry- ing sound of saws, working as if they were alive and their cravings could never be satisfied.
LIME-CASKS. - The first person who gave his atten- tion particularly to the manufacture of lime-casks was John Little. This was early in the nineteenth cen- tury. Within twenty-five years afterward, there was a cooper-shop at almost every man's door. From August 15, 1794, the casks were to contain 100 gal- lons each, and to be made of well-seasoned oak or ash staves, with ten hoops on each cask, well driven, and sufficiently secured with nails or pins. Afterward they were reduced to 75, and in 1810 to 50 gallons. Now they will hold about 28 gallons. At first they were made of rift staves, and the price for putting them together was twenty cents each. The highest sum for which they were sold at Thomaston was sixty cents. Now they are sold for about thirteen cents ; sixteen and seventeen cents being considered high, though they can hardly be afforded at that price. About the year 1818, when the price was thirty-two or thirty-three cents, the coopers, who could make twelve in a day, were dissatisfied because their wages were reduced to twelve and a half cents. Not many years after the commencement of the business, the demand was so great that casks were put together hastily ; and there was seldom a load from any part of the country carried to Thomaston, in which some were not crushed on the way. Legislation has been resorted to frequently ; but the laws are often willingly evaded both by makers and purchasers, and there is difficulty in enforcing them.
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