USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Bremen > A history of the towns of Bristol and Bremen in the state of Maine : including the Pemaquid Settlement > Part 33
USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Bristol > A history of the towns of Bristol and Bremen in the state of Maine : including the Pemaquid Settlement > Part 33
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50
These places of residents are indicated on the map in the first part of this work. Some other names of families known to have been here at the time have been added.
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others of the family came at the same time. Certain it is a young lady of the family, probably a sister of James, had a lover in Ireland, whom she favored, in spite of the opposition of her father and family. This young man was Alexander Fossett who, after the Youngs had left for America, determined also to come. Landing first at Philadelphia, and finding that the fair lady had come to this region, with her friends, he soon made his way here, and was favorably received. They were in due time married, and according to tradition Mr. F. received from his father-in-law, the whole tract of land lying between the Great and Little Falls streams, and extending northward some 200 rods excepting a strip, called the Given lot, on the banks of the Great Fallsstream. Fossett was so well pleased with the country that he wrote for his brother William who subse- quently came over, and, unfortunately, was killed by the In- dians as before related.
Alexander Fossett married (1) Miss Young who died without issue ; (2) Mrs. Eleanor McDougal in Falmouth, August 14, 1748, and (3) MIrs. Sproul, widow of John Sproul, before men- tioned, p. 270. He died in 1806.1
Of George Colwell or Caldwell little is now known; fifty years ago the old people were accustomed to refer to a man of this name as an old resident, pronouncing the name as hereto- fore mentioned.
Wm. Sproul, who lived next to Moses Young, was son of James Sproul who has already been mentioned as having taken up his residence here in Dunbar's time.
A little below " widow North's" place, according to the map, lived George Clark who came here from Londonderry, New Hampshire, some time before the date of the map (1751). He was a descendant, probably a grandson, of the Rev. Matthew Clark who came over from Londonderry, Ireland, about 1728 or 1729.
Matthew Clark was a young man when (1689-90) the siege of Londonderry, Ireland, took place, and an active participator in the fight ; but afterwards studied for the ministry. In the siege alluded to he was wounded in the face, the cheek bone being injured in such a manner that it never healed ; and he always afterwards wore a black patch to conceal it. He was for
1 Alexander Fossett, Horatio N. Fossett, and Win. Hackelton, July 1860. . Hist. Gen. Register, vol. XIV, p. 226.
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a time pastor of the Presbyterian church in Londonderry, N. Il., and enjoyed the full confidence of his people; but was somewhat eccentric. Once preaching on the character of Peter, and his self-confidence that he would not deny his Lord, and his subsequent fall, he said in his broad Scotch dialect, " Just like Peter, aye mair forrit than wise, ganging and swaggering about wi' a sword at his side; an' a puir han' he mad' o' it, when he cam' to the trial, for he only cut off a chiel's lug, an' he ought to ha' split doon his heed." 1
Mr. Samuel Clark, who has recently died on the same place, was a grandson of George whose name is on the map.
Next south of George Clark's house, was that of P. (Patrick) Rodgers, who was for a time lieutenant of a company of militia of which Alexander Nickels jr. was commander though holding only a lieutenant's commission.
Jle was born about 1706, and lived in Georgetown when he was about 14 or 15 years old, and came to this place before 1737, for this year he aided Mr. North in making the survey and division of the land of the Pemaquid patent, as before re- lated. Before this he was engaged in the fishing business, and was well acquainted here. He died Nov. 24th, 1796, aged 90 years. His wife, Anna, died July 1st, 1758, at the age of 40 or 41.
He was a man of much energy of character and fully enjoyed the public confidence, as was shown by his frequent elections as selectman and treasurer of the town of Bristol, after its iu- corporation in 1765. When Rev. Alexander McLean was in- stalled, in July, 1773, as the first settled pastor of the Presbyterian church in Bristol, Patrick Rodgers and Edward Young enter- tained the ministers that attended, at their own private expense. He left several children, two sons and two daughters, certainly, George, William, Elizabeth and Mary ; and another son, John, died young, July 15th, 1760. George married Hannah Nickels Nov., 1766, and lived at New Harbor; William died unmarried, Nov. 26th, 1815, aged 63. The two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, familiarly known in the neighborhood as " Betty " and "Polly," or " Aunt Betty " and " Aunt Polly," were very ec- centric characters, and well known though they seldom ven- tured from home, especially in the latter part of their lives.
' Ilist. Lond., p. 138. Hon. Elisha Clark, of Bath, who is a great grandson of George aforesaid.
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Though in speaking of them, in their absence, the neighbors almost always used these terms, they knew well- that to address them thus to their face would cost the loss of their friendship. Once a pedler stopped at the house and opened his wares, and had nearly completed a bargain for some articles, when, in his good humor, he unfortunately addressed one of them as " Auntie," and it was all up. They bade him pick up his goods and leave the house, which he was obliged to do in spite of all apologies and explanations he could make. They said people took the liberty to use such terms only because they were old maids.
Between the family of Patrick Rodgers and that of Capt. Alexander Nickels there existed an ancient feud, said to have had its origin very early in some question of military etiquette, but was especially remarkable for the persistence with which the feeling was maintained by the Rodgers, or some of them at least. Elizabeth died, Jan. 20, 1830, aged 87, and Mary, Sept. 27, 1847, aged 91. The latter, near the close of her life, in dis- posing of some real estate near the fort, where Capt. John Nickels lived, wished to have the writing so drawn that the property could never come into the hands of her " inemies," meaning the Nickelses.1
Returning again to our map, next south of P. Rodgers, lived Robert Sproul, who was a son of James Sproul, and was born in Ireland; he was some 10 or 12 years old when the family came to this country. He was twice married and left a large family, who are still well represented in the place and vicinity.
James Young lived still further south ; but we have already spoken of him. Of John Wirling, whose house was situated nearly down to the present bridge leading to Rutherford's island, nothing is now known. There is some reason to believe that his wife was a sister of Captain John North.
On the east side of Damariscotta river, near the place of the tide grist-mill, (called Askins or Gondy's mills), two houses are represented on the map, with the names Wm. Kent and John Kent. Of the latter nothing is now known, but the former, Win. Kent, was from Ireland. He was lost in a vessel with Capt. James Morton of Muscongus and a female passenger, on one of the Damariscove islands, Dec. 25, 1785, on the passage home from Boston. John Morton, brother of James, was the
1 Tradition, gravestones in Pem., burying ground, Win. Hackelton, Esq.
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only person that escaped.1 In the Bristol records for 1773, and several years following, mention is made of " old Mr. Kent and wife" as receiving aid from the town, and possibly it was the John Kent referred to; but in one place he is called, Mr. Wm. Kent.
Thomas Hutchins, whose place of residence was on the Damariscotta farther north, is believed to have been the pro- genitor of all of this name now in this region.
The site of Fort Frederic is marked on the map, but no houses are indicated near it, though we well know there were many there. The map does not include the eastern part of the town, New Harbor, Round Pond, and Muscongus, for reasons given above.
Solomon MeFarland and family lived in the fort during a part, at least, of the last Indian war ; but little more is known of him, than has already been given. Besides the sons already named he had certainly three daughters, who married respect- ively David Drowne, Thomas Johnston and Jacob Docken- dorff. Johnston and Dockendorff with their families, after the war, removed to Broad Cove. Drowne lived at New Harbor, and both himself and wife were lost by shipwreck on their way to Boston. Mrs. Drowne was not intending to go at that time ; but being urged by a female friend, Mrs. McGlathery, who had taken passage, she set aside her spinning wheel, and departed without much preparation. The schooner with all on board was lost. This was about 1769. Whether Mrs. D. left any children or not is not known; but her immediate friends were greatly . afflicted by her death, which they considered so strange ; and for . a long time, they preserved her spinning wheel and other things precisely as the owner so hastily left them.2
Wm. Hiscock (Hitchcock) came to Walpole about 1735, and took up his residence here. Little is known of him now, but he is presumed to have been the progenitor of those of the name now living in the place.
Simon Elliot (Eliot) came from Londonderry, N. H., as is be- lieved, about 1755, and settled at Round Pond. He was ori-
1 John Butman, grandson of Wm. Kent, July, 1860.
? Tradition. Mr. and Mrs. Drowne were both lost by shipwreck on their way to Boston, but there is some doubt whether they were in the same vessel. Mr. D. was a relative of Skum Drone, long the energetic agent for the Pemaquid pro. prictors, but probably not a brother, as some have claimed.
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ginally from the north of Ireland, perhaps, Londonderry. He was the father of Capt. Simon Elliot, who, about the beginning of this century, once or twice represented the town of Bristol in the legislature of Mass., and filled other important offices. He died at sea about 1815. There were several other sons, as John Elliot, who lived at Long Cove, probably one or two others.
John Rendell or Randall, an Englishman, also lived at Round Pond, probably on the same lot previously occupied by Thomas Henderson. He was born in 1733, and came here with his wife before 1759. The family afterwards removed to Thomaston.
James Sproul, as we have seen, (p. 276) came here under Dunbar, and lived on the west side of the Pemaquid river, a distance above the harbor. He is represented at the present time probably by a more numerous posterity than any other one of these early immigrants.
He came to Boston with his wife and several children, pro- bably about 1727, and to this place in 1729. He died some time before the close of the last century. Mrs. Mary (Sproul) Johns- ton, his grand-daughter, who died July 4, 1853, at the age of 84, remembered him. He was a helpless invalid several years before he died.
JAMES SPROUL' and wife had children : Robert, William2, James?, John', Mary", Anne2, and two or three other daughters, whose names are not known. One of them married --- Young, and another, Thomas Brackett. -
ROBERT? was born in Ireland in 1716, and died March 25, 1793, aged 77 years. He married 1st, Ann Reed, who died January 29, 1756 aged 26, and for a second wife, Anna Little.
Children of Robert?, by his first wife :
Robert3, born in 1754, married Jane Greenlaw, and lived at the Mills. Katy3, who m .- Sylvester.
By his second wife :
John3, who lived in Harrington. In early life he lost a thumb by the bursting of a gun, and was, therefore, often called " One Thumb John," to distinguish him from several others, of the same name. He married Mary Gondy.
William?, who lived in Walpole.
Thomas?, who d. April 2, 1798, aged 24 years, unmarried.
Margaret3, familiarly called Peggy3, who m. Elisha Clark.
Jane, who married Ebenezer Blunt, and d. Jan. 10, 1796, aged 27.
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Sally3, who m. (1), Thos. Masterson, and (2), Arch. Oliver.
Mary3, who in. Stetson Soule.
James", who in. (1), Susan Foster, and (2), Abigail Mann.
JAMES?, married- Young and lived on the old homestead.
Their Children were :
Francis3, who was born Dec. 8, 1765. He married Nancy Young, and died Dec. 10, 1837, aged 72 years. His wife Nancy, died Feb. 24, 1823, aged 53.
James3, who m. -- Greenlaw.
William3, d. in the war of 1812. (Blown up in the Young Teazer.) Johu3, who m. Hannah McFarland. He was captain of a militia company in the war of 1812.
Hannah3, who m. Samuel Tibbets.
William?, who married Mary Gondy and lived near the old Har- rington meeting house. He died Feb. 18, 1804, aged 78 years, There are. two traditions in the family as to the time of his birth. According to one tradition he was born on shipboard on the passage of the family to this country, but according to the other he was two years old when they came to America. Per- haps we may be allowed to harmonize the two accounts by sup- posing that he was born on their passage from Ireland in 1726, or 1727, and was, therefore, two years old when they removed to Pemaquid in 1729. By the inscription upon the headstone at his grave we learn that he died at the date and of the age above given, by which it would appear that he was born in 1726. His wife d. April 30, 1816, aged 78 years.
Mr. S. was a man of great industry and enterprise, and one of the first in the place to begin ship-building after the close of the revolutionary war.
ANNE2, married Thos. Johnston, as his second wife, July 26, 1764, and lived in Broad Cove when she died, Jan. 9, 1809, aged 72 years.
MARY2, married Stetson Soule, who was a brother or cousin of the late Joshua Soule, bishop of the M. E. Church, South.
JOHN", was perhaps the oldest of the children, though spoken of last. He was by trade a hatter and lived in Stow, Mass. It is believed that he did not come to Pemaquid with the rest of the family. He died when quite young leaving two children, a son named William? and a daughter, Elizabeth3.
After the death of Mr. Sproul (of Stow) his widow and children came to reside in Bristol. Subsequently the widow married Alexan-
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3
der Fossett (first of the name), and the daughter Elizabeth married Jacob Fountain. The son, Wio.3, was adopted into the family of his uncle Win. Sproule of Harrington. When quite a small boy it was his business one summer to drive the cows morning and evening to and from the pasture which was at some distance in the woods. Usually at the proper hour in the evening the cows would be found at the bars at the entrance of the pasture, waiting to come through when the bars should be let down by their well known attendaut. One evening, the cows not having arrived he let down the bars, and placed himself a little out of sight at one side of the entrance, and waited for their arrival. Soon they came up the path, and crowded ·along as if a little excited, but he kept his place intending when the last one should come along to jump up suddenly so as to startle them a little and hurry them along. The cows passed along and at the proper moment he sprang up with a loud shout ; but the sup- posed last cow proved to be a big black bear, which struck at him savagely with his claws, tearing off most of his clothes, and so lacera- ting the flesh of his shoulders and back that the scars remained through life (ante p. 276).
He married Rebecca Fossett, and d.
Peace between England and France being fully established by the treaty of 1763, there was little now to be feared from the Indians who would long before have ceased troubling the set- tlers but for the pernicious influence of their pretended friends, the French. But the whole country being now given up to the English, there could be no more occasion for French interfer- ence; but so deep were the feelings of hatred between . the settlers and the Indians, which had been excited by the terrible conflicts of the past, that perfect quiet could not be at once re- stored. Some difficulties that occurred on the Penobscot, in which an Indian was killed, produced much excitement, and Governor Pownal felt it necessary to issue a proclamation, for- bidding acts of hostility towards the Indians, and ordering the immediate arrest and punishment of all offenders.
The garrison from the fort had been removed, before the capture of Quebec, but the heavy guns remained there seve- ral years; and only a few years ago some of the old people were accustomed to describe the scene when they were removed through the big oaken gate, to be transported to Boston. The Penobscot Indiaus in their canoes were frequent visitors, but gave no trouble. The summers of 1761 and 1762, were ex-
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ceedingly dry in all New England, and the crops in consequence were very short; but the people relieved of the oppressive bur- dens of war, and freed from constant fear of the Indians, with which they had been so long borne down, partook joyfully of their humble and sometimes scanty fare, and a creditable spirit of enterprise soon began to manifest itself.
Up to this time, as far as we can learn, there had been no political organization whatever among the residents of Pema- quid. In some of the settlements, as at Meduncook (Friend- ship), voluntary organizations were formed, and records kept of their transactions, which are still preserved ; but we have no evidence that there was anything of the kind here. In 1764 Boothbay, with which Pemaquid then held very intimate rela- tions, nearly all communications being by water, became in- corporated as a town ; and in the autumn of the year the people of this place took measures for the same purpose. 1 The first act of incorporation was passed June 21st, 1765, but the north- ern boundary not suiting the citizens, another act was passed the following year, June 19th, 1766.
By some mistake the first charter did not include Broad Cove within the limits of the town; the language as to the northern boundary was " Beginning at a Heap of Stones at the Head of Brown's Cove near the great Salt Water Falls in Dama- riscotta River on the Eastern Side of the said River, running a southeasterly course to a heap of stones at a place called Round Pond, five and a half miles," etc. Thomas Rice, Esq., of Wis- casset, was authorized to call the first meeting, which was held at the house of Wm. Sproul, in Harrington, Dec. 4, 1765, Capt.
1 Nov. 1, 1764, at a meeting of gentlemen from " Walpole, Harrington, Pema- quid, Broad Cove, and Round Pond," James Boyd was chosen moderator, and Thomas Johnston, Clerk. Measures were taken to procure an act of incorporation ; and James Boyd and Wm. Miller were appointed a committee to draft a petition for the purpose, procure signatures, and forward it to the legislature. At the same meeting it was also agreed, that the new town should include the three districts of Walpole, Harrington, and Broad Cove each of which should build its own meeting house, and each have its proper share of the " ministerial performances," when a minister should be obtained. They also agreed upon the proposed boundaries of the new town, and appointed Mr. Packard to survey the territory and prepare a map or plan, under the direction of Thomas Fletcher, Robert Iluston, And Wm. McLain. Another meeting was appointed for the 20th of the month, at the house of Win. Sproul, Inholder, to take any further action on the subject that might be necessary. No suggestion is made as to the name the town should take .- Minutes of the first meeting in the handwriting of Thos. Johnston.
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Thomas Fletcher was chosen moderator, and Robert Given, town clerk. Selectmen and assessors, Wm. Jones jr., Patrick Rogers, Robert Sproul, Henry Hunter, and James Young jr. Constables, Alexander Erskine, and James Sproul.
The very appropriate name, Bristol was given to the new town, because of the connection of its previous history with so many eminent citizens of Bristol, England, but it is not known by whom it was first suggested.
The second meeting of the " legal voters " of the town was held March 13th, 1766, and measures were promptly taken to pro- cure a change of the north boundary " so as to correspond with first petition.". Accordingly a supplemental law was passed as above stated, by which the northern boundary line was made to extend from Brown's Cove on the Damariscotta, to the eastern creek of Broad Cove, so called, on Muscongus river, the eastern part of this line constituting the "line dividing between the English and Dutch settlements."
This was accepted as satisfactory, and Broad Cove became a part of the town.
From this time the " town meetings," -- meetings of the legal voters of the town, were held in different parts of the town, - as the selectmen might direct in the warrant, or as might have been determined by vote at the last previous meeting.
The first, or annual meeting for 1766, was held at the house of Henry Hunter, March 13th, at which James Boyd, James Huston, and Robert Sproul were chosen selectmen and assessors, Henry Hunter, town clerk, and Patrick Rodgers, treasurer. -After electing officers for the year ensuing, the first business transacted, according to the record, had reference to the erec- tion of a meeting house, or meeting houses, and the settlement of a minister of the gospel. On the meeting house question there was evidently much difference of opinion, and no con- clusion was arrived at; but after considerable discussion it was at length :
" Voted, that the selectmen procure preaching this year in the best manner they can."
Several meetings were held during the summer, but no men- tion is made of the assessment of a tax until August 26th, when it was voted to assess a tax of 20 pounds " for the support of a minister and making roads and bridges." The tax probably was delayed for the reason that an amendment of the act of .
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incorporation was expected, very considerably enlarging the limits of the town, and increasing the number of tax payers.
At the annual meeting, March 12, 1767, besides choosing officers little was done, except to "discuss the meeting house question, and appointing a committee to procure preaching," but at a meeting in June, it was decided to build their meeting houses, as soon as the citizens " should think proper.". It was also :
" Voted, that the town get into church order as soon as oppor- tunity will afford, and that we shall be under the Westminster Confession of Faith, or Presbyterian rules." Committee ap- pointed to carry this resolution into effect, Wm. Jones, Patrick Rogers, George Clark, Nathl. Palmer, and Wm. Mclain.
But there was a powerful minority, violently opposed to the decision concerning the meeting houses because they thought the people unable to raise so much money as would be required. They therefore caused a protest in the record, "a decent" [dissent]1 to be entered on the town record, which was signed by the following twelve persons, viz. James Drummond, Simon Elliot, George Clark, John Lermond, Francis Young, Elisha Clark, Joseph Clark, Samuel Clark, Alexander Fossett, James Sproul, John Lermond jr. and Robert Paul.
Measures were taken to preserve the alewives in the Pema- quid and Muscongus streams.
The next year the meeting house question was the chief matter of discussion at the town meetings; but in spite of the opposition the plan to have three houses was adhered to, and May 2d, (1768), it was " voted to locate the Pemaquid and Har- rington meeting-house and burying place, on Wm. Sproul's land," where after much contention it was afterward erected, and stood until recent times. Alexander Nickels, Patrick Rodgers, and Robert Sproul were appointed a committee to at- tend to the building of the house.
At the same meeting the Walpole meeting house was located " on land of John Thomson, " and Dugall McMichael, Henry
1 All the old secretaries were very deficient in their orthography ; but we do not often meet with such curious mistakes as this. It is well known that previous to the publication of Johnson's Dictionary, about the middle of the last century, the orthography of the language was very unsettled, and many words were spelled, even by the learned of that day, in different ways. What we should! call bad spelling did not therefore with our fathers indicate the same illiteracy as it would at the present day.
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Hunter, and Richard Hiscock appointed a committee to lay out the land for it.
" Broad Cove and Round Pond meeting house, burying place, and training field to be where the inhabitants of those places cleared, Jany. 23, 1768. Wm. Stetson, Nathaniel Palmer, and Wm. Burns, Com."
Another protest (called also a decent in the records) was pre- sented, and entered upon the records, signed by the following thirty-nine names. The reason given for their opposition was that the building of so many houses would require too heavy a tax of at least ten pounds " on every single poll." The names are Alexander Fosset, Thos. Boyd, Wm. Celso, (Kelsey ?) James Wentworth, Hugh Little, Peter Murphy, Peter Celso (Kelsey?), Simeon Elliot, Thomas Thompson, M. Goudy, Wm. Kentjr. John Conally, James Gwin, John Larmond, John Catt- land, Daniel Cattland, Thos. Thomson, Cornelius Malone, James Hynes, George Clark, Saml. Clark, Joseph Clark; Amos Goudy, Bedfield Plummer, James Gall, Henry Fasset, James Philphat, Richard Sanborn, James Sproul, Saml. Boyd, Wm. Sproul, Wm. Fosset, James Drummond, Francis Young, James Young, Eben. Blunt, John Boyd, Wm. Sproul sr., Elisha Clark.
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