USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Winthrop > An Account of the centennial celebration at Winthrop, Me., May 20, 1871 : embracing the historic address and poem in full > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
The Sabbath School is one of the great institutions of the day. It leads our youth ia the path of truth and morality, and makes them good. men and useful "citizens A .. school of religious instruction it is of inestimable value ; as a civil institution lt s priceless, has done more to preserve our liberties than grave statesinen and armed soldiers. Let it then be fostered and preserved until the end of time !
I once defended a man charged with the awful crime of murder. At the conclusion of the trial I asked him what could induce him to stain his hands with the blood of a
-
38
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
the hope that it would be, the Sabbath School has been fostered and preserved from that first school in 1808 here till the present time ; and it is in all our religious societies, five in number, in- cluding, in addition to those already mentioned, the Universalist society, which was formed in 1818, whose house of worship, neat and commodious, was erected in 1838. It is a most cherished in- stitution in them all ; has done and is doing a great work in main- taining the high moral and religious character of the people.
fellow-being. Turning his blood-shot eyes full upon me, he replied, in a voice of des- pair, " Mr. Webster, in my youth I spent the holy Sabbath in evil amusements, instead of frequenting the house of prayer and praise." Could we go back to the early years of all hardened criminals, I believe, yes, firmly believe, that their subsequent crimes might thus be traced back to the neglect of youthful religious instruction.
Many years ago, I spent a Sabbath with Thomas Jefferson, at his residence in Vir- ginia. It was in the month of June, and the weather was delightful. While engaged in discussing the beauties of the Bible, the sound of a bell broke upon our ears, when, turning to the Sage of Monticello, I remarked, " How sweetly, how very sweetly sounds that Sabbath bell !" The distinguished statesman for a moment seemed lost in thought, and then replied : "Yes, my dear Webster, yes, it melts the heart, it calms our passions, and makes ;us boys again." Here I observed that man was an animal formed for religious worship, and that notwithstanding all the sophistry of Epicurus, Lucretius and Voltaire, the Scriptures stood upon a rock as firm, as unmovable as truth itself ; that man in his purer, loftier breathings, turned the mental eyes toward immortality, and that the poet only echoed the general sentiment of our nature in saying that " the soul, secure in her existence, smiles at the drawn dagger, and defies its point."
Mr. Jefferson fully concurred in this opinion, and observed that the tendency of the American mind was in a different direction, and that Sunday Schools (he did not use our more correct term, Sabbath) presented the only legitimate means, under the consti- . tution, of avoiding the rock on which the French Republic was wrecked. " Burke," said he, " never uttered a more important truth than when he exclaimed that a religious education was the cheap defence of nations," " Raikes," said Mr. Jefferson, " has done more for our country than the present generation will acknowledge ; perhaps, when I am cold, he will obtain his reward ; I hope so, earnestly hope so .; I am considered by many, Mr. Webster, to have little religion, but now is not the time to correct errors of this sort. I have always said, and always will say, that the studious perusal of the sacred volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands. Of the distinguished Raikes, he was ' clarmm it ronerabile namen.'" I took the liberty of saying that I found more pleasure in Hebrew poetry than in the best productions of Greece and Rome ; that the " harp upon the willows by Babylon" bad charms for me beyond any- thing in the numbers of the blind man of Smyrna. I then turned to Jeremiah (there was a fine folio of the Scriptures before me of 1458,) and read aloud some of those sub- lime passages that used to delight me on my father's knee. But I fear, my dear friend, I shall tire you with my prolix account of what was a pleasant Sabbath spent in the company of one who has filled a very large space in our political and literary annals.
Thanking you for your report, and heartily concurring with you in the truth of your quotation that, " Righteousness exalteth a nation, but ein is a reproach to any people," I remain, with high regard, your friend, D. WEBSTER.
39
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
In 1809 the " Winthrop Cotton and Woollen Manufactory " was incorporated. The stock was taken up principally by the people of the town ; but at that early day want of experience, and espe- cially capital, prevented its going into operation until 1814, and it was never successful in first hands. It was creditable to the men of that day, and in keeping with their character, to conceive and carry into effect an enterprize of so much magnitude. (Hanson in his History of Gardiner says, the Cotton Factory established there in 1811 was among the first in the country.)
In 1823 the factory went into the hands of Boston capitalists, was afterwards owned and managed by residents of Winthrop, and after various changes of ownership, nearly all the time in operation, it was purchased in 1866 by the present company, en- larged and improved, and profitably employed at this time in the manufacture of woollen blankets on an extensive scale, and of superior quality.
In 1812 the Federal party was in the ascendency, and the war was not heartily supported. They had opposed the embargo as ruinous to commerce and destructive to the prosperity of New England, and had instructed their Representative to the General Court, Samuel Wood, Esq., "to use his utmost endeavors to have such Electors of President and Vice President chosen as shall em- brace those ideas that the good people of the Commonwealth entertained under the Administration of Washington." And yet they were law-abiding citizens, and obeyed the summons to Wis- casset to defend the coast when threatened by the British fleet.
On the Sabbath-day, September 11, 1814, a messenger in full uniform, bearing the orders of Major Gen'l Sewall to call out the militia, rode up to the old meeting-house on the hill while the town authorities were listening to old Parson Scott of Minot. He had not observed the arrival of this stranger, who was seen by the Selectmen and the military officers, who immediately began to Ko out to learn the news. They were soon followed by others whose curiosity was excited, and at last the good old parson, who had just got to nineteenthly in his sermon, saw the commotion and said, "My dear hearers, I fear I am wearying your patience and will draw to a close," which he did at once, having then preached, as trachtion says, two full hours. There were two companies of militia at that time, the one on the east side of the stream commanded by Capt. Asa Fairbanks, and that on the west side by Capt. Elijah Daven-
40
·
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
port, both of which were warned that afternoon to meet the next morning at 7 o'clock ; and at an early hour they were on the march to Wiscasset. Capt. Davenport being sick at the time, his com- pany was commanded by the Lieutenant, Capt. Samuel Benjamin, our respected townsman, recently deceased.
The close of the war, in 1814, was memorable not only for that relief but for the sorrows resulting from the fatal "Cold Fever," during which thirty-seven deaths occurred, half of them in a little more than two months-followed by the " Cold Season" of 1816, when frost occurred throughout the county in every month of the year-the corn crop a failure, the farmers discouraged, and the " Ohio Fever" prevailing. All these causes turned the attention of the thinking men of Winthrop, and there were many of them, to combined effort for the promotion of good morals, material pros- perity, and the general welfare of the people.
In March, 1815, a society was organized, with Samuel Wood President, and David Thurston, Secretary, the expressed objects being "to discourage profaneness, idleness, gross breaches of the Sabbath, and intemperance."
In 1818 the Winthrop Agricultural Society was incorporated. It had existed some years before as a social organization. It was the first in the county, I think the first in Maine. The first meet- ing was held July 4th, when a Constitution was adopted stating the object to be "to improve the art of husbandry and elevate the . calling of the husbandman."
I 'should be glad to trace the history of these two societies, under the direction of the most intelligent men in town. The first aiding the Tythingmen in the discharge of their duties-dis- tributing tracts and pamphlets, and holding discussions on the evils · of intemperance-establishing Sabbath Schools in seven school dis- tricts, and continuing in operation until 1832, when other societies had arisen, and a vote of the town had been passed instructing the selectmen and town agent to take proper measures to prevent the violation of the law, and "to post drunkards and tipplers." The other (Agricultural Society ) was indefatigable in its labors. Tasks were assigned to its members, each was requested to "report his favorite source of profit and his net gain," and fines were im- posed for absence from the meetings. Wheat was imported from Virginia and Spain to be sold at cost, but "not over a peck to each member." Special efforts were made "to improve that noble race
41
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
of animals, the horse," to procure the best breeds of stock and kinds of farming tools; and at length Cattle Shows and Fairs were held, with premiums on stock, crops, butter, cheese, and manufac- tured articles. In 1832 the name was changed to " Kennebec County Agricultural Society," a splendid Show and Fair held that year, and a number following in Winthrop, then in other towns, and finally located in 1856 in the northern part of old Pondtown plantation, in the good town of Readfield, where "it still lives" to dispense its benefits and blessings.
The first Agricultural paper in the State was started in Winthrop in January 7, 1833, under the name of the Kennebec Farmer, Wil- liam Noyes publisher and Dr. Ezekiel Holmes editor. The name was soon changed to Maine Farmer, with the motto " Our Home, our Country, and our Brother Man." It had eleven years of hard life in Winthrop, was then sold to Russell Eaton and removed to Augusta,-made him rich in a few years-and is now in the 39th year of its age, prosperous and useful in the Capital of the State. Of Dr. Holmes, the editor for thirty-two years, and a resident of Winthrop all the time, of Samuel and Elijah Wood, and others in this town who contributed to its columns, I need not speak. You are familiar with their writings, labors, and benefits to the cause of agriculture.
In addition to the common schools liberally supported, many pri- vate schools have been taught in the village and at East Winthrop, -Dr. John Boutelle, as early as 1812, for many terms, Samuel Johnson in 1817, and Mr. Thurston in his own study for years of his pastoral life. In 1825 Elder John Butler established a school for young ladies in the higher English branches, at East Winthrop. He was an excellent teacher ; his school gained a high reputation and attracted scholars from the river towns and other distant places. To him we are indebted for many of our excellent wives and for a new impulse to the cause of female education.
In 1825 the Congregational Society, by appropriate services, bade farewell to the old meeting-house on the hill, and dedicated their present house of public worship in the village.
It would be most interesting to refer by name to more of the leading men in town, and state some of their peculiar traits of character,-that is impossible now-and I must be content briefly to allude to their combined and associated efforts to improve the morals, increase the intelligence and promote the temporal and spiritual welfare of the people.
42
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
In 1827 the Anderson Society was formed for "mutual instruc- tion in the sciences, as connected with the mechanic arts and agri- culture." In 1829 a Temperance Society, pledged "to abstain from distilled spirits," headed by Esq. Wood and Parson Thurston and followed by over four hundred names-a noble roll, over six feet long, borne in to-day's procession. In 1830, at the annual town meeting, resolutions were passed stating the amount of liquor sold, the evils of the traffic, and condemning the whole business. In 1832 Daniel Carr opened the first temperance tavern in the State, and a society pledged to total abstinence from all that in- toxicates was formed about this time.
In 1833 Qur good women formed a "Moral Reform Society," which was soon followed by a " Maternal Society for mutual im- provement.". And Mr. Thurston preached in November, 1833, the first sermon in the United States, (I have his word for it)* showing the sinfulness of slaveholding, and the duty of immediate emanci- pation ; and in 1834 a society was organized upon that principle, with one hundred and seven members.
In 1833, Capt. Samuel Clark being our representative, a lead- ing man of sterling good sense, procured the passage of a law con- verting the parish fund, arising from the sale of a lot of land given by the Plymouth Company for the use of the ministry, into a school fund. It had been a source of controversy between the Congregational and other religious societies since 1816 ; and after a protracted lawsuit the legal title was decided to be in the First Parish. The moral right was still questioned. The parish there- fore voted, in 1832, to surrender it to the the town, the principal, by the terms of this law, to be kept intact, and the interest divided annually, per capita, among the school districts. And thus ended a contention which had injured the cause of religion, by adding a fund of $2,837.34 to promote that of education.
In 1337, the surplus revenue in the Treasury of the United States was distributed among the several States, and by this State to the towns according to population. Many of the towns carried out the principle and divided it per capita. Winthrop more wisely put their share, $4,006, into the treasury as other town funds, and used a large part of it in purchasing a farm for the support of the poor. Before that time they had quite too
* See History of Winthrop, pages 153 and 154.
-
43
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
often pursued the inhuman custom, so generally practiced, of put- ting their support at auction, to be be sold to the lowest bidder. Since that time our poor have been kindly cared for on this farm, with all the comforts of a good home, while economy and humanity have been found to harmonize by the change.
The Aroostook War called for thirty men, who were furnished, and the Major of the regiment, now Gen. Samuel Wood, detailed for that service. All returned in safety at its bloodless conclusion.
In 1840, the town first took legal action in behalf of temperance. They instructed the board to license but one man to sell for medicinal and mechanical purposes only, and elected a committee to prosecute all violations of the law. The instructions were followed and resulted in great good to the community, though one member of the committee lost his bees and horses' tail for his fidelity to duty.
In 1841, the Washingtonian Society was formed, based upon the law of kindness and love, and was instrumental of much good, not only in our own but in neighboring towns. In 1846, the Sons of Temperance organized a Division ; their operations embraced not only opposition to the liquor traffic, but care for their sick members, whom they relieved at a cost of $214.
In 1847, the Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad Company was incorporated, the citizens of Winthrop taking an active part in the enterprise, and contributing about $30,000 to the stock.
In 1850, a Watchman's Club was formed. This organization was commenced the year before, and had for its particular object the enactment of a prohibitory law, and resulted in the passage of the celebrated Maine Law in 1851: Before that time and since, there have been in active operation debating societies, lyceums and social libraries for mental improvement; a great variety of female and juvenile temperance societies; and now there is an an efficient society of Good Templars,-a large Masonic Lodge, and a Young Men's Christian Association-composed of men of ad religious denominations of the highest character-with an at- tractive room free to all, and an inviting library, the value of whose labors for the salvation of souls will be known ouly in eternity.
In 1854, Towle Academy was erected from the generous gift of $2,000 by will of Jenniss Towle, in connection with this Town Hall standing in our view, at a cost of $7,500. Since then a
44
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
school has been in operation about three-quarters of the time, during the winter term, combining the advantages of a District High School and an Academy.
The fruits of all the means of education employed in this town have appeared in the great number of good teachers supplied not only for our town and State, but for very many other States of the Union ; in twenty graduates of colleges, fifteen of Bowdoin, two of Union, and of Dartmouth, Nassau Hall and Waterville, one each ; in fourteen ministers, fourteen lawyers and twelve phy- sicians educated, who have done and are doing good service in the learned professions. There have been twenty physicians who have practiced in Winthrop. The first,* who settled here in 1792 and continued in practice fifty years, was Dr. Peleg Benson. Next to him, Dr. Issachar Snell, who came in 1806, remained twenty- two years and then removed to Augusta ; both able and respected physicians, and one a distinguished surgeon. Many of the others having acquired, and those now here, possessing a reputation for skill which gives them an extensive business not only in their own but neighboring towns.
There have been eighteen lawyers-Alexander Belcher, forty- seven years in the profession, always respected for his integrity and sound legal judgment. Francis E. Webb, so highly esteemed, that at his decease he was the Representative of the Town and County Attorney elect ; a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State for seven years ; another at this time a Judge of the Police Court of Washington, and others who have been honored with im- portant offices in town, county and nation.
The number of ministers who have been located in town I can- not give. There have been seven in the Congregational Society, of three I have already spoken. The others have been so recently with us that I need not state the estimation in which they have been held, especially the present incumbent, "whose praise is in all the churches." In the Methodist Society the Bishop has sent us their best men-Joseph Lovell, George Webber, Charles W. Morse, Charles Munger, Stephen Allen, are examples. In the Baptist, John Butler, Daniel E. Burbank, II. E. Pierce; and in the Universalist, Giles Bailey, George Bates, and others, able preach-
* Col. Fairbanks in a letter to Thomas J. Ice, Esq., dated March 10, 1830, makes this statement : While the History of Winthrop gives the name of Michael Walcott, as the " first regular practitioner In the place, at a very early period," and Dr. Moves Wing, " was sometime a physician in town."
·
-
45
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
ers and beloved pastors ; you will all agree with me that but few towns, especially in the country, have been favored with men of so much ability in all the professions.
There are many other facts that the truth of history requires me to state :- That the old Messenger Horse* was brought to Win- throp in 1816 by Alvin Hayward, from whose stock and that of the Winthrop Morrill our people and the farmers of Maine have re- ceived immense sums of money ; That Dr. Holmes in 1855 brought into Winthrop two thorough-bred Jerseys, from which, and two by Wm. S. Grant, Boardman says " have come most of the Jersey stock now in the county." You, my neighbors, know what golden butter you have made from these cows, and at what prices you have sold them and their calves; That Liberty Stanley, early in this century invented a machine for shearing cloth that has been in use substantially ever since ; That Ezra Whitman was the in- ventor of the Parlor Clock, reduced from the old-fashioned Kitchen Clock, and that he was the pioneer in conceiving the idea of the Wheel Horse-Rake, the Turbine Water-Wheel, and the Mowing and Reaping Machines ; though before he carried these inventions into working perfection other men entered into his labors and reaped the reward ; That his son Luther Whitman invented the Self-feeding Drill and Boring Lathe, now used in most of the machine shops, and many improvements in agricultural imple- ments ; and that H. A. and J. A. Pitts, twin brothers, invented the Grain Thresher and Winnower, that took the first premium at the Paris Exhibition in 1855-thus thrashing most thoroughly France, England and Belgium, and making known the practical and useful character of our inventions throughout Europe.
The character of. a people for intelligence may be inferred from their habits of reading and writing. Judged by this rule I think our community will compare well with others. Besides the books found in every household, in the.Sabbath School, Christian Asso- ciation, and social libraries, to which they have access, I l .::: through the post offices that 801 newspapers and periodicals were
* For a more particular description of Old Winthrop Messenger and his-stock, I refer to Mr. Boardman's "County of Kennebec," pp. 104, 105. Sanford Howard in 1-32 ss.J. " Maine has, until within a few years, furnished nearly all the trotting stock of any Dute in the country;" most of which can be traced to the blood of this old Winthrop herto. I have no reference of course to " Gen. Knox," and other horses that have become celo- brated since that time.
46
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
taken last year, nearly two to every family, at a cost of about $2,000; and that 49,625 letters were received, and more than that number sent out.
I get the following items from Mr. Snell, who took the census of Winthrop for 1870 :
Product of manufacturers for the year ending June 1, 1870-
Cotton and woollen goods $325,000
Floor oil cloths 570,000
Agricultural implements 80,000
"Boots and shoes. 60,000
Tanning and currying. 10,000
Carriages 8,000
Building and miscellaneous 50,000
$1,103,000
Product of 226 farms of five acres and upwards ..... $181,300
Number of houses in town 452, of which 220 are in the Village District. Number of families 498. Population 2,229. Total value of real and personal estate about $2,000,000, being about an equal amount of each.
Bank of Winthrop, capital $100,000; 1 woollen mill; 1 cotton mill ; 1 grist mill ; 2 saw mills; 2 tanneries ; 1 manufactory of agricultural implements ; 4 carriage makers ; 1 oil cloth manufac- tory, another recently burned and now rebuilding; 1 clothing manufactory ; 4 blacksmith's shops; 20 stores ; 1 hotel-the "Winthrop House." '
Amount of taxes, 1871-
State. .$5,619.95
County 1,657.22
Town, viz: Schools.
2,167.76
Highways. 2,500.00
Poor and other town charges 1,600.00
For indebtedness of town .3,000.00
Total $16,544.93
-
Rate of taxation, 17 mills.
I close with a brief allusion to our record in the War of the Rebellion.
At the first call of the President thirty-eight enlisted, and one hundred and thirty-five afterwards. All went to the front and did
47
WINTHROP CENTENNIAL.
good service in the cause of their country. One noble young man fell dead on the bloody field of Gettysburg. Another died of star- vation at Andersonville. Another brave boy was mortally wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, eleven days after his whole term of three years had expired. "Tell mother," said he to a comrade, with his dying breath, "I am glad I came, I have tried to do my duty, and I die in peace." Thirty-nine others fell in battle, died of wounds or disease, or in rebel prisons.
Thank God that any of our brave soldiers came back to bring these precious messages and again to live with us happy and use- ful lives. They will not soon forget at what price victory was bought, nor will these vacant homes, where aching hearts testify of their losses, fail to be grateful for the liberty so dearly pur- chased. As we this day commemorate the progress and the blessings of the century past, let us gird ourselves afresh for the opening labors and duties of the century to come; and conse- crating .ourselves and our good old town to the service of our country and our God, let us transmit to our descendants unim- paired the civil liberty, the honest integrity, and the holy faith which we have inherited from our fathers.
The Poem by J. W. May, Esq.
One hundred years ago ! Shall I presume To wander backward through a century's gloom, With lyre unstrung, unskilled to gain renown, And sing the birthday of this good old town ; Shall I essay, with laboring verse, to tell Historic tales of what our sires befell In those old days, when Pond Town was a wild . Where men like hermits lived, nor woman smiled ;- Those old colonial days when George the Third, Ruled all the land with his puissant sword, And sought to force oppression's galling yoke On subjects loyal till their souls awoke With sense of wrongs too grievous to be borne, And spurned the sceptered monarch on his throne?
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.