USA > Maine > Knox County > Warren > Annals of the town of Warren; with the Early History of St. George's, Broad Bay and the Neighboring Settlements on the Waldo patent > Part 21
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* Greenleaf's Ec. Sketches. Town Records. Record of Court of Sessions. Orig. Letters among papers of A. Lermond, and tradition.
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CHAPTER XI.
RETURN OF PEACE, AND OTHER INCIDENTS FROM 1782 TO 1784.
FROM the anticipation of time into which the obliquities of an unworthy man have led us, we now return to the year 1782. The beginning of this year, like many others during the war, was distinguished for a great scarcity of provisions, and difficulty of obtaining subsistence. When every resource was failing, and the minds of all were filled with anxiety, Providence seemed in pity to hasten the arrival of the alewives, which were caught at the upper falls the 27th of April. On the following day, Sunday, large quantities were taken as a work of mercy to suffering families.
The people, this year, voted to build a pound near Capt. McIntyre's house, and chose him for pound-keeper. This subject had been broached at the first annual meeting in 1777, when they voted to build a pound near Mr. Cooper's house, and chose Mr. Cooper for pound-keeper. But this was merely a joke upon him, who was a great lover of good fences ; and when his Irish servants were with him, whom he always took pains to keep employed, whether their labor was needed or not ; being one day at a loss for something to go to work at, he set them to cutting large pine trees and building a log-fence of an unusual height round a few acres of pasture-land, saying he wanted a pound to turn his horse into. This spot, though its fence has decayed, is called " the pound" to this day.
The town, this year voted " that Capt. Payson be exempt- ed from working on the roads" on condition of making a road for himself. Payson had now taken up the farm west of South Pond, since known as the Storer farm. He after- wards removed to Hope ; but many of his posterity still remain in town. During his residence here, he had much to encounter from wild beasts, poverty, and the scarcity of provisions. Often, says one of his daughters, whilst weaving, with nothing but alewives to eat, was she compelled to lay her head down upon the beam and weep till rest enabled her to resume the shuttle, and this for days and weeks together. A cow, which they subsequently obtained, added much to the comfort of the family ; but one dark evening the boys heard a rustling among the green corn, and the father, not doubting but that it was a marauding bear, levelled his musket in the
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direction of the sound, fired, and found to his dismay that he had killed his only cow. He was much annoyed, also, by a negro, called Africa Peter,* whom Mr. Thomas had en- couraged to settle on a lot of his, near by, in the town of Waldoboro'. Peter had been a prince in his own country, and the remembrance of this, and his subsequent treatment, rendered him moody, savage, and at last insane. At the sight of the sun and moon, he would often fall prostrate, and writhe on the ground in the utmost agitation. Becoming at last dangerous, he was confined as a maniac, and died in jail. Nathan Sprague, from Waldoboro', had a log-house and small clearing on the lot next above Payson's. A saw- mill, also, was built, about this time, by Mr. Spear and his sons, on the outlet of West Pond. For the accommodation of this neighborhood, an expenditure on Back River bridge was this year ordered ; and, as there now began to be some travel between McIntyre's ferry and the head of Broad Bay, Sprague, in 1784, took out license and kept a kind of tavern some years.
The first colored person was brought to this town by Capt. J. McIntyre, who this year purchased Sarah, as a slave, of one Capt. Brown of Damariscotta, who brought her from Guinea. He gave $50 or $100 for her ; but, about a year after this purchase, all slaves in Massachusetts were declared free under the Constitution. Hearing a rumor of this, she gave the representative, P. Pebbles, one dollar to ascertain its truth, and claimed her freedom. This woman is believed to have sustained a good character, and was early and long a mem- ber of the Baptist church. She was married to Amos Peters, from whom those of that name are descended. Others of their race joined them from time to time, till in 1823 they formed a sufficient number to be set off into a separate school district.
On the 30th of Nov. 1782, provisional articles of peace were agreed upon with Great Britain, by which that power acknowledged the independence of the United States. This relieved the minds of the people, although the definitive treaty was not signed till the 3d of Sept. 1783. The British troops remained at Biguyduce ; and restriction on the inter- course with them was so far relaxed, that Dea. Crawford, with
* Payson himself was not very patient of injury ; and on one oc- casion the two were found armed, posted behind trees or stumps, alternately snapping their guns at each other, without, however, pro- ducing any serious result. - M. Robinson.
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his wife, visited his countrymen there, - the Highlanders, under the command of Gen. Campbell. He was kindly re- ceived by the General, found many old acquaintances in his corps, and among them James Fisher, a cousin of Mrs. Craw- ford, who wished to come with them to Warren ; but, though the war was over, his term of service was not yet expired, and he could not obtain his discharge. He took the first opportunity, however, to desert, and visited Mr. Crawford, but being afraid to remain there, passed on to Damariscotta and hired out. A party of soldiers, dressed in Highland costume, pursued him, came to Crawford's, searched the house and barn, and, afraid to proceed farther, returned without him. Another soldier, a Highlander, by the name of John McCallum, deserted soon after, found his way to the same place, and hearing of Fisher, sought him in the field. Fisher, supposing him to be in pursuit, was about to take to his heels ; when a mutual recognition took place, and the two remained together till the British left the country. Fisher afterwards married in this town, settled a short dis- tance above his friend Crawford, was the first deacon of the Baptist church, and esteemed as an humble and pious chris- tian. McCallum married a daughter of Dea. Miller, lived on the deacon's farm some years, and then removed to that still possessed by his family, on the western side of North Pond.
The return of peace found the country impoverished, commerce embarrassed, the people burdened with debt, specie withdrawn from circulation, and the paper currency constantly sinking in valuc. Yet, amid all these discourage- ments, the people of Warren did not neglect the education of their children ; though as yet no public schools had been provided. A school was kept a considerable part of this and the following year, a portion of the time at the house of Wm. Boggs, and the remainder at that of Joseph Copeland. The person employed as a teacher was John O'Brien, a native of Craig, near Cork in Ireland. He made two voyages in the capacity of ship's steward to Quebec, and, on a third voyage to New York, was captured off Marble- head, and carried to Boston. Thence, on an exchange of prisoners, he was sent to Castine, and allowed by the Captain to escape to Fox Island, whence, after teaching there two months, he came to this town. He was an elegant penman, and a good accountant, but somewhat severe in the manage- ment of his scholars. Severity, however, was thought requisite in those days ; and he was employed in different parts of the town for many succeeding years. Whilst he
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was teaching in Mrs. James's house, about 1784, a log school- house, probably the first structure of the kind in town, was built in the Oyster River neighborhood, a little below the Wyllie house now owned by R. Robinson. The only branches taught at this time were reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. The only books in school, were Dilworth's Spelling-book and the Psalter. The only introduction to arithmetic, was the committing to memory of the numeration table, the multiplication table, and the pence table. Oral instruction, with questions set by the teacher in manuscripts, supplied all the rest. Geography was then scarcely heard of; and grammar was nowhere taught, except in connex- ion with the Latin language. Not long after this date, Mr. O'Brien married the daughter of Col. Starrett, and pur- chased of John Lermond the farm on which his son, E. O'Brien, Esq., until recently resided.
The evil effects of an unsound currency were now severe- Jy felt, and among others by Dea. David Patterson, one of the original settlers, a man universally esteemed, who had transferred his estate to his son-in-law, Reuben Hall, and taken notes as security for his maintenance. After the marriage of a second wife, Mr. Hall availed him- self of the depreciation of the currency, to pay up his notes, and exonerate himself from farther liability. The payment, thus reduced in value, was soon exhausted ; and the recipi- ent, in the helplessness of age, was mortified to find himself possessed of nothing but the dwellinghouse, which he had re- served. His feelings would not suffer him to apply for assist- ance ; and, as winter came on, he was in danger of perishing with the cold. Under these circumstances a town meeting was called, December 19th, to take the subject into considera- tion. Great sympathy was expressed for the sufferer ; and, as Mr. H. had discharged his obligation in the legal currency of the country, it was voted " that the town be divided into six classes, and that each class should cut and haul five cords of wood for the use of Mr. Patterson." This was the begin- ning of that liberal and generous policy, which the town, for so many years, pursued towards the destitute of its population.
Patterson was not the only sufferer from paper money. Robert Mathews, who came early from Ireland to Massachu- setts and settled in Woburn, removed soon after the French and Indian war to the lower town of St. George's, and, sub- sequently, purchased the Kelloch farm in Warren, now owned by Robert Robinson. This, he had been tempted by an offer nominally high, to sell to Col, Wheaton, and was obliged at
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the time stipulated to receive his pay in depreciated bills, which, dying on his hands, reduced him to poverty. Having, during his youth, been crippled by fever sores, and receiving, in consequence, something more than a common education, he was sometimes employed as a school-master, and, in the French and Indian war, served for a time as a soldier ; but now, from age and disappointment, was rendered unable to make much farther effort.
Prior to this year, there had been no bridge across the main river. Ferries were kept at Watson's point and McIn- tyre's shore. There was a fording place between Deacon Crawford's and Wm. Boggs's, where, except in high freshets, a person might cross on horseback ; and foot passengers were set across, in floats. As this service was performed without remuneration, and often in the night time, causing considera- ble trouble to Boggs and Crawford, the former determined to free himself from it .* He therefore went to work, and with no other assistance than the voluntary contributions of the neighbors, completed a bridge across the river to Crawford's shore.
In the State valuation, which was adopted March 6th of this year, Warren was to pay 12s. out of every £1000 raised, until the next valuation. By a resolve passed the succeed- ing day, 1500 men were ordered to be raised for the army, one of whom was apportioned to this town. Money also seems to have been called for, to pay soldiers' bounty ; as, six years later, on complaint that the town had neglected to as- sess such money, as also the county tax for 1782, the Court of Sessions appointed persons to assess and collect the same.t
Patrick Pebbles was this year chosen representative, and appointed the first justice in the town of Warren, an office then regarded as an honorable and important one. M. Cope- land was, this year, also, licensed as a retailer, and in the year following, furnished for J. Paine of Bristol, an entire ship load of timber and staves.
1783. In 1783, in addition to two road surveyors on each side of the river, John Dicke and John Wyllie were chosen to that office, probably with a view of opening a way to Stirling on the one side and to Peabody's mill on the other. " Voted, that Joseph Skinner, Robert Mathews, and the heirs of John Annis, deceased, be exempted from paying the beef
* In 1778 he took out license as innholder, and in this way, whilst the war lasted, received some compensation. - Rec. Court of Sessions. + Rec. of Court of Sessions, Wis. and Mass. Rec.
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tax, and the same charged to the town; and that all other deficiencies in said tax be turned into silver money, and com- mitted to the collectors." Annis first settled at Broad Cove in the lower plantation, but had lived some years on the Giffen farm in this town, and had been master of a sloop belonging to McLean. He was shot on board of a privateer, a short time before the passage of this vote.
At a meeting in June, T. Starrett, J. McIntyre, A. Kelloch, W. Lermond, and H. Libbey, were chosen a committee of safety. No such committee had been chosen at the meeting in March, probably because the war was considered virtually at an end ; and its revival at this time might have been owing to some apprehension of the return of the tory refugees on the restoration of peace, which was confidently expected. Some such apprehension, or some movement made by their friends, may have given rise to the following vote, which was passed at the same meeting ; viz. " that the town will at all times to the utmost of their power oppose the return of the refugees into their town." Only two such, Nelson and Waldo Dicke, are known to have belonged to this town. As the former of these had gone to the English for the purposes of trade only, most of the citizens, at the request of his father-in-law, Dea. Crawford, subsequently gave their appro- bation in writing for his return ; which was effected without opposition. He afterwards removed to Reading, Massachu- setts. Dicke had been too active to be so readily forgiven ; and, in consequence of the above vote and other indications, gave up al! thoughts of returning, and fixed his residence at St. Andrews, N. B. There he was successfully employed as master of a vessel till about 1794, when he was captured in the W. Indies by a French vessel, and carried into New London. Being confined in irons for some offence given on board, he succeeded in releasing himself in the night time, and, attempt- ing to escape by swimming, was drowned at no great distance from the shore.
On the 24th of July, it was voted " that this town is willing that all the inhabitants of the lower town, down as far as Mr. Malcolm's, should be annexed to this town." In June, 1784, a petition, signed by Jonathan Nutting and others, praying to be annexed to the town of Warren, was read in the House of Representatives, referred to a committee, and, on their report, leave was given to bring in a bill for the purpose ; but it is not known that any thing farther was done about it.
The hardships of the war had not been favorable to the
18
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increase of the settlement ; and Samuel Boggs's lot, on the west side of the river, and Dea. Crawford's on the east, still formed its utmost limit towards the north. But this year, a lot on the western side, at the foot of Seven-tree Pond, now owned by W. Payson, was settled by Eli Bosworth, a carpen- ter and joiner, who had previously resided in St. George and Stirlington. He was from Halifax, Mass. and being a good and faithful workman, many houses in Union, and most of those which during the next twenty years sprang up at the head of the tide here, were constructed by him or his sons. In 1794, Mr. Bosworth removed to the place now occupied by L. H. Vaughan, and built a small house there. The rest of his life was passed in that vicinity, where two of his chil- dren still reside.
The anticipations of peace, which, for nearly a year, had been waxing stronger and stronger, were at length realized ; and the definitive treaty was signed at Paris on the 3d of Sept. On the 18th of Oct. the American army was disband- ed ; and the soldiers, who had risked their lives and shed their blood in the cause of independence, returned home, covered with glory, but with no other reward, except Govern- ment securities, which they could scarcely dispose of at 2s. 6d. on the pound. Some had lost their lives in the contest ; others, with empty purse, and habits all unsettled by the idleness of the camp, commenced life's voyage anew, and with difficulty pursued their course in the usual channels of industry. From the lower town, and other maritime and exposed places, a greater number, in proportion to the popu- lation, were engaged in the land and naval service, than in Warren. In Waldoboro', the Dutch Neck alone is said to have furnished not less than 60 soldiers to the continental army. Among those in this place who died in the service, or never returned, were Robert Giffen, Joseph Peabody, Samuel Boggs the 2d, and Benjamin Gaut, a young man brought up by his uncle, A. Kelloch. Of those who enlisted into the continental service, were William Robinson, (who served at Cambridge and vicinity whilst the British occupied Boston, and, it is believed, at Ticonderoga and other places later in the contest,) Samuel Boggs the 3d, David Brown, and David Kelloch, 2d. The two last, enlisted for one year, then for three years, and afterwards served in the navy till the end of the war; and, in 1812, Kelloch again enlisted, and served through the whole of that war. Of those who were drafted or enlisted for shorter periods, were Joseph Cope- land, Lieut. ; Samuel Counce, Sergeant ; James Anderson,
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William Dicke, Andrew Malcolm, and Francis Young, who served at Machias under Capt. Ludwig ; Alexander Kelloch, Ensign ; F. Young, Corporal ; Samuel Crane, John Libbey, John Sidensberger, and Joseph Jameson, drafted to Biguy- duce ; Stephen Peabody, John Montgomery, William Boggs, Philip Sechrist, and Nathaniel Copeland, who were drafted or enlisted for short periods, and served under Wadsworth at Thomaston, Clam Cove, and other parts of the coast. Besides these, most of the other citizens capable of bearing arms, occasionally served as volunteers by land or sea. Capt. J. Wyllie commanded a transport in the expedition to Biguyduce. Capts. Samuel Gregg, John Annis, and probably some others, were for a time engaged in priva- teering. Some had lost property captured at sea; all had suffered from the interruption of business, and the derange- ment of the currency. General poverty, and the utmost economy in food, clothing, and furniture, everywhere pre- vailed .* But all private griefs were now merged in the triumphs of freedom and the joys of returning peace.
In the midst of the general rejoicing, a melancholy oc- currence happened in this town on the 10th of November. Samuel Creighton, returning in his float from Thomaston, whither he had been to purchase some vegetables from a trading coaster lying at the wharf, was upset by a sudden and violent squall from the N. West, and drowned in the river nearly opposite his own house. So true is it, that the fountains of private distress frequently gush up beneath the broad stream of public gratulation. Samuel Boggs, (the first,) one of the most active of the original settlers, died the same year.
1784. The first step towards a legal highway, was this year taken, by voting " that the selectmen lay out the town road on each side of the river." A stipulation for such a road had been made in the original contract between the proprietors and settlers ; and a foot path had gradually been widened and improved by the expenditure of the annual high- way tax, usually one day's work for each poll and the estates in proportion. As the proportion between polls and estates was then as one to two, and the number of polls in town did
* There were at this time but two pair of boots in the town. These belonged to Messrs. Copeland and Pebbles, both of a long, lank, loose-jointed frame, ill calculated to do honor to such a luxury ; but Pebbles used to contend that he had the advantage of Copeland, inasmuch as he could mount his horse without losing a boot, which the other seldom could. - J. Rokes. A. Kelloch, 2d.
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not exceed 80, the sum thus expended was not over 240 days' work.
About this time, began to appear in the woods, and occa- sionally visit the settlement, a man by the name of Davis, one of those singular characters that sometimes vary the pic- ture of life ; a sort of " Leatherstocking" of the wilderness, hovering on the borders between civilized and savage society. He lived a solitary life in the woods, clad in skins, and sub- sisting on the products of the chase, which formed his sole occupation. He had no intercourse with the settlers, except an occasional visit for the purpose of exchanging his fur for ammunition and other necessaries ; but his path was frequent- ly crossed by the hunter, who was oftentimes entertained by him with such refreshment as his camp afforded. On these occasions, he was hospitable and social, talked of his dangers and accidents by " flood and field, his hair-breadth 'scapes," and causeless frights, with apparent satisfaction ; but it was evident his heart was not with his guests - he sighed not at their departure, and returned with pleasure to the society of his own feelings. His grotesque appearance, his hairy cos- tume, his beard descending to his breast, and his white locks streaming to the wind, excited the curiosity of children, and rendered his coming a memorable event. Nor was his beha- viour more free from whimsical peculiarities, than his dress. One of these was that of bowing with great reverence, when favored with the sight of bread. Whether this proceeded from religious, or other motives, his distant and taciturn man- ner rendered it difficult to determine. He shifted his quar- ters to various places, as convenience required, and followed hunting and trapping from the Kennebec to the Penobscot. From his long residence in the present town of Montville, that place, before its incorporation, was called Davis-town. Of his early history, and the time of his coming hither, noth- ing was known. Rumor ascribed his eccentricity to disap- pointment in love, and it was said he had one daughter in the western country to whom he contrived to remit the proceeds of his hunting. On one occasion, after a hunting tour of some days, he returned to his camp, kindled a fire, and sat down to his lonely musings ; when he was suddenly startled by the most piercing cries proceeding from his fire. At first he could ascribe it to nothing but the foul fiend himself; but a huge tortoise, crawling out from the ashes in which he had made his bed, soon relieved his apprehensions, and afforded him a delicious repast. At another time, he was confined to his camp, five or six weeks, by sickness, and came near starv-
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ing. In this time, his traps were found by a hunting party from Warren, and, from their neglected appearance, being supposed to be abandoned, were carried off. The owner, however, recovering in season to observe the tracks of the party, pursued them, and recovered his property. He con- tinued this kind of life for a long period, when, his hunting range being gradually curtailed by the settlement of the country, and his natural powers abating, he was at last com- pelled to receive support from his fellow-men, and is said to have died a pauper, in one of the towns that had sprung up beneath his eye on the borders of the Penobscot. But the majestic groves and lofty peaks of Montville, were not slow in attracting another kindred spirit, to enjoy its primeval scenery, before it should all be transformed by the sturdy hand of advancing industry. Toward the close of the cen- tury, a man equally eccentric, but more communicative and intelligent, by the name of Barrett, wandered thither from New Hampshire, and, for more than 40 years, passed a life of solitude in the woods of that town.
The tide of emigration, which had been checked by the recent war, began now again to flow eastward. Daniel Dun- bar, a native of Bridgewater, Mass., who, before the war, had bargained with Mr. Cooper, for his two front lots, but whose removal had been delayed by the war, in May, 1784, brought down his family, and took up his residence here. He was a carpenter by trade, had a hand in the construction of several wharves, mills, and other structures in this vicinity, and be- came a skilful and thriving farmer. One of his first works here, was the erection of a building for a dwellinghouse and store, on the eastern side of the river above the Smelt creek, near the head of tide waters. This was the first framed house in that vicinity, standing partly over the water, and belonged to Rufus Crane, a young man from Milton, who was afterwards followed by his brother Calvin, and had been preceded by Samuel Crane, a more distant relative, already mentioned, brought up by M. Copeland. He arrived the pre- ceding fall, taught school at the house of the widow of John Boggs, and, the present year, brought goods from Boston and commenced trading at McLean's Point. In the autumn, he removed to the head of the tide, and opened the first store in what has since been the centre of business and the principal village of the town. There were there, at this time, no mills, and very little cultivated land. David and John Brown had cleared a rye field, and built a house and blacksmith's shop, not far from the site of the present Mclellan house, but were 18*
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