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 23
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 | 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
*
Petition on file in Mass. Rec. Jour. House, 1784 and 1785.
2 Will. His. p. 584.
220
ANNALS OF WARREN.
Jacob P. Davis came about the same time, worked at the same business, lived on the place next above his brother's for a few years, and in 1794 settled with Willing Blake, on the farm now owned by Wm. Payson. James Standish came from Duxbury or Hanover, and worked, this season, with Mr. Weston on the sloop Union, at Starrett's. He commenced clearing, with the intention of settling, the farm which he afterwards sold to Amos Lawrence, whose sons still live upon it. Standish and Weston were, for some time, the principal ship-builders in town ; as will appear from Table XIII.
The old meeting-house having stood forty-six years, most of the time without glass or doors, and its situation being thought not sufficiently central or convenient, the town this year began to take measures preparatory to the construction of a new one, and voted, June 12th, on the report of a large committee, " to set the meeting-house on Wm. Robinson's land, between the town road and the river." Mr. Whiting was again employed for nine weeks, boarded at Major Libbey's, and preached, a part of the time, at Thomaston and other places.
This year was memorable for the first dam across the main river, and the erection of a saw-mill, at the upper falls. Mr. Pebbles, who inherited the lot which his father was prevented by the Indians from settling, with the consent of Mr. Ray, transferred the irons of their mill at Back River to that place, and contracted with some of the young Craw- fords to put up a mill there, on condition of keeping three quarters to themselves and leaving one quarter to Ray and Pebbles. This was completed on the eastern bank of the river ; William and Samuel Boggs, some time after, built another saw-mill on the opposite side; and both mills continued to run till they were purchased, with the Pebbles lot, by Gen. Knox in 1796. This dam was furnished with flood gates, and the pond annually drawn off, during the fishing season.
The close of this year, or beginning of the next, was also distinguished by the arrival of James W. Head, and the commencement of his career as a merchant. He was a native of Boston, was apprenticed to Clark & Nightingale, merchants of Providence, enlisted in 1779 into the govern- ment service on board the Queen of France, was captured at Charleston when Gen. Lincoln surrendered, and remained a prisoner about three months. Having come this year to Bristol, where two of his brothers had just commenced trading, though they afterwards removed to Waldoboro',
221
ANNALS OF WARREN.
he now decided on commencing business in this town. Mc- Lean's, or Andrew's Point, was selected, as the most eligible situation, and Mr. Andrews applied to for leave to erect a store there. This, the latter refused to give, on the ground that the customers would occasion him too much trouble in passing through his fields. Had he consented, the bridge would probably have been built there ; the mills erected at the lower ripplings, as proposed by Capt. McLean ; the meeting-house located at Robinson's, according to the vote this year passed ; and the features of the town assumed an appearance very different from the present. Disappointed in this quarter, Head proceeded up the river to the site of the present village, where Rev. Mr. Whiting and Moses Copeland, now jointly interested in the mill-lots on the western side, were preparing, in connexion with some others, to erect mills and a dwellinghouse. Here, he succeeded in hiring the house and store of Rufus Crane, whose stock of goods was now nearly exhausted ; and, in the spring of 1787, brought down goods and commenced trading.
This building, which stood above the Smelt creek, as before related, together with the log-house of Mr. Weston on the hill opposite, were the only buildings then there. In the former of these, April 12, 1787, was born Moses Crane, the first white child born in the village. Mr. Copeland soon after put up a log-house on the site of Col. Head's present store, to which Mr. Crane then removed. Alexander Bird had a small house near the present grave-yard ; and Joseph Copeland and John Watts were settled on their respective farms, the former at Burton's corner, and the latter where Robert Montgomery now lives.
The two preceding winters had been remarkable for their severity. In that of 1785-6, the snow was very deep, and so hard crusted that loaded teams might pass upon it over fields and fences in every direction. The night of Tuesday, the 18th of January, was thought to be the coldest ever expe- rienced in New England. Daniel Dunbar, on the last of April, was hauling boards from Peabody's mill to the landing near James Kirkpatrick's, when the snow was more than two feet deep the whole distance. He continued to haul in this manner till the 3d of May; and so little frost was there, beneath this deep covering of snow, that, on the next day, he commenced plowing his ground. The opening of spring was so long delayed, that the crop of breadstuff was exhausted ; and a universal scarcity prevailed on the river, until the coasters got to running and brought a
19*
222
ANNALS OF WARREN.
supply from Boston. Nature again seemed to pity the condi- tion of the people, and sent the shad and alewives at an ear- lier period than usual. Farrington and J. Lermond had sent up a lot of boards for corn, and were anxiously waiting for the return of the vessel. The former went down to the falls and tried to procure a few fish ; but, not succeeding, potatoes were his only resource. On the following Sunday, feeling unable to endure longer, he went out to Mr. Watts's, who had wintered a few sheep for him, with a determination to kill one of them, even at that unfavorable season. Mr. Watts dissuaded him from his purpose, offered him his net, and ad- vised him to try for fish, notwithstanding the Sabbath. This he did with success, taking as many shad as he could carry home, besides several alewives which he distributed to others in a condition similar to his own. On his way home, he came across a porcupine, which he killed with a club, and thus ob- tained a supply of animal food. Still, bread was wanting ; and a northerly wind forbade any expectation of the vessel's speedy arrival. On Monday morning, however, Lermond's boy came with the joyful news of her being in the river. They set off, with bags, immediately. On arriving at Oyster river, they were invited to breakfast, as usual, on condition, however, that they could dispense with bread ; as none could be furnished till the corn was landed and the mill set a going. The arrival of this vessel afforded a partial supply ; but the scarcity continued ; many were destitute for several days at a time ; and even Col. Starrett, remarkable for prudence and care, did not escape the evil. Mr. Rokes, who had been but one year on his new farm, lived a long time on alewives and the tongue-plant, (Dracæna) boiled for greens ; and contin- ued, though with a feeble hand, to clear his ground in expect- ation of future crops and better times. The fall of 1786 was so dry, that, in the early part of November, a person might, at low water, walk across the river on the stones without wetting a shoe. On the 14th of the same month, the river froze up sufficiently hard to bear a horse and sleigh as far down as Watson's point. On the next day, the ice extended to the mouth of the river, and did not break up again till the 26th of March. The sloop Warren, then loading for the West Indies, was frozen in, and lay at the wharf in Thomas- ton all winter. A trading vessel, commanded by a Captain Young, was caught above the lower ripplings, and was unable to disengage herself till the following May. The drought continued through the winter ; water was very scarce ; and people had to go to Medumcook and Damariscotta for grind-
223
ANNALS OF WARREN.
ing. The cold was severe ; the snow very deep, and scarcely showed signs of melting till March. On the 10th of April, the snow was still so deep and hard crusted, that teams might pass over all the fences without obstruction.
The road to Thomaston, recently laid out, was as yet little more than marked trees ; and the river was still the principal highway. A path existed, past Capt. Payson's to Thomas's in Waldoboro', by which, through some half dozen sets of bars, a person might go there for a physician ; Doct. Schaef- fer, or Shepherd, as usually styled by the English, being still in high repute. On that road, besides Capt. Payson and Nathan Sprague, before mentioned, John Sidensberger had now established himself near the town line; and Robert, the eldest of Mr. Spear's ten sons, was building a house, and about to take the mill, and settle where he still resides. A road was, this year, voted to be laid out by way of Stirling, over the beaver dam to Waldoboro', and another to Union by N. Libbey's.
Settlements had been, at this time, recently commenced, by Joseph and Samuel Jameson, on the peninsula below the great bend in the river. These came originally from Friendship. Their widowed mother, marrying Wm. James, removed her numerous family to his farm in this town, now occupied by L. Wyllie, M. Comery, and others. Joseph's possession in- cluded the Vaughan farms, which he, in 1797, sold to Miles Cobb, and removed to Senebeck. Samuel, dying, was suc- ceeded by his brother George, who was an energetic farmer, and became a forehanded man, ending his days there. To these, was soon added Thomas Robinson, a deserter from the British army, who settled on the lot now owned by J. C. How- land ; and in 1794, Alexander Kelloch (2nd), took up the intermediate lot, and, with an axe, all the property he posses- sed, commenced clearing the land, which he successfully cultivated during the active portion of his life. The tract lately built on by George F. Starrett, was originally taken up during the revolution, by John Mingerson, who married a daughter of Mr. Gamble. He removed to Boston, and his title passed into the hands of Col. T. Starrett, with whose posterity both it and its valuable quarries still remain.
The opening of Mr. Head's store, was not the only ad- vance made, this year, at what is now the principal village. M. Copeland and Rev. Mr. Whiting, erected a grist-mill and a dwellinghouse there ; to the latter of which, now occupied by Wm. Hovey, when finished the subsequent year, Mr. Whiting removed. They jointly built the grist-mill and one
224
ANNALS OF WARREN.
half the dam ; whilst R. Hall and D. Dunbar built the re- maining half of the dam, together with a saw-mill on the east- ern side, on condition of being joint owners of one half said saw-mill ; the other being retained by Copeland. The river was, in that place, narrower than it has since become. The grist-mill stood at the south-west corner of the present dam, at the western bank, which then extended to that point. A year or two after, the freshet was pretty high, and water began to run across the point west of the mill, and before morning, had made a complete channel, and left the mill entirely insulated. Thousands of tons could not repair the breach so suddenly made. In addition to these appearances of activity, ship-building was commenced for the first time in the same vicinity, by Mr. Weston, who, this year, built the sloop Jane for J. Wyllie, Alexander and Wm. Lermond, and R. Henderson. She was commanded by Wyllie, and em- ployed in the coasting trade.
The present federal constitution having been agreed upon and reported to the several States by delegates assembled at Philadelphia, a State convention was ordered to meet in Bos- ton, in the ensuing January, to take the same into considera- tion. To attend this convention, the people of Warren, Dec. 31st, made choice of James W. Head for their delegate.
1788. An additional step towards the erection of a new house of worship, was taken, by appointing a committee to draw a plan of a meeting-house, and make an estimation of the cost of building the same; and, notwithstanding the vote of the preceding year, a committee was appointed to look out a suit- able situation for it. By this time, some little rivalship seems to have sprung up, between the different localities, in respect to the principal village and seat of business. The mills and other buildings erected by Copeland and Whiting, the store of Head, to which he this year added a dwellinghouse, (the one now occupied by R. W. Jarvis,) and the ship-building carried on by Weston, gave an impulse to business in that quarter, and no equivocal indications of its rising importance. A blacksmith's shop was also erected, near where the barn of the late T. Burton now stands, by Miles Cobb ; who, not far from this time, purchased J. Copeland's buildings and a portion of his land, and soon after built the dwellinghouse which said Burton's widow now inhabits. He was from Bridgwater, came hither as an apprentice with R. Tolman, and was now vigorously pursuing his occupation. The growing pretensions of this place, probably led to a combination of rival interests ; and, at a subsequent meeting in June, the town voted to build
225
ANNALS OF WARREN.
a bridge across the river, above the great falls, another from Robinson's to Andrews's shores, and to build a meeting-house on Robinson's land, as determined in 1786.
The rate of labor on the highway, was this year fixed at 4s. for a man, 2s. for a yoke of oxen, and ls. for a cart or plow, per day. Good mechanics at this time received 4s. 6d., and common laborers 2s. 8d. per day. Prices, in general, were proportionally low. According to Mr. Head, pine boards, for many years, were $3 per thousand, oak plank $15, and masts $10, payment being made in goods, on which a profit was charged.
In filling the vacancy, this year, in the militia company, occasioned by the resignation of Capt. McIntyre, John Spear was chosen Captain ; and S. Payson, Jr., and R. Crane, who had acquired some experience in the army, were his efficient subalterns.
Prior to this year, it would seem, from the records, that the town had taken no part in the election of Governor, Lieut. Governor, and Senators. But whether this was actually the case, or whether it was not thought necessary to enter in the town book a record which was attested and sealed up in open town meeting, we are unable to say. From this time such votes appear on record, and may be found by consulting Table VIII.
In consequence of an important omission in the resolve of 1785, confirming the Patent to the heirs of Waldo, and to prevent opposition to having the same rectified by the General Court, Knox, administrator on Fluker's estate, made an offer to all persons in possession of lands, who would come forward and sign an agreement to pay for the same at 4s. per acre in seven years, to confirm the same to them by deed on such payment being made. Most of the settlers signed the agreement ; but some, and particularly those who had purchased lands sold for the payment of taxes, refused, although Knox offered to deduct the sums actually paid.
Among the persons who had, within a few years past, been added to the neighborhood, were Benjamin Webb, John Fairbanks, and Ezekiel G. Dodge. The last of these, son of a clergyman of Pembroke, the present year, established himself as a regular physician at Micah Packard's public house, but settled in Thomaston, and had a large practice in that and the neighboring towns. Fairbanks was a good singer, and the first on the river who taught vocal music scientifically ; was employed in this and other towns as a teacher not only of music but of common town schools ;
226
ANNALS OF WARREN.
commenced clearing the J. Leach lot, but relinquished it, and removed to Hope. Webb, a native of Boston, came somewhat earlier, and kept a small assortment of dry goods, first at Packard's, and afterwards at Union. Unsuccessful in trade and other projects which he formed, he, about this time, studied physic with Dr. Dodge, and commenced practice under his auspices.
1789. On the 28th of January, 1789, the lower plan- tation of St. George's, including the present towns of Cush- ing and St. George, long the friendly ally and generous rival of Warren, was incorporated into a town, and named Cushing, in honor of the Lieut. Governor.
George Washington, first President of the United States under the new constitution, being inaugurated at New York on the 30th April of this year, the government commenced its career by adopting measures for protecting American in- dustry and commerce, and the resuscitation of credit and business.
CHAPTER XIII.
FROM THE YEAR 1789 TO 1793.
IN Warren, settlers continued to arrive. Josiah Mero from Dedham, commenced work as a blacksmith at Mr. Andrews's ; in a year or two after, erected a shop and small dwellinghouse near the site of James Andrews's present shop ; and a few years later, removed to the head of the tide. Having been a revolutionary soldier, he received a pension from government for something like twenty years, till his death in 1844. Isaac Fuller, also, had a blacksmith's shop at Capt. Spear's ; but the time of his coming here from Bridgwater, is not precisely known. He had probably been here a few years, as, about this time, he settled on the farm above Judas' Meadow brook, where a part of his posterity reside. James Cox, originally from Pembroke, but who had for some years resided in St. George, was now settled on the farm above, (since owned by the late Hatevil Libbey, 3d,) and had probably been there a year or two before. Francis Young, born in Cushing, but for some time a resident of this town, had taken up and was preparing to settle the lot above Bosworth's, where his son,
227
ANNALS OF WARREN.
Alexander, still resides. Jesse Rogers, son-in-law of Mr. Bosworth, had succeeded Timothy Hills, then deceased, on the farm next below Dunham's. There were others employed as mechanics at this time ; among whom may be mentioned, Thomas Morison, from Peterboro', N. H., who built a second saw-mill, for himself and Mr. Copeland, at the village ; where he subsequently lived several years in the house of R. Crane ; and Major James Keith, from Bridgwater, a revolutionary offi- cer, and a good framer, who, on the death of Mr. Cooper, purchased his house and land. James Carven, a native of Ireland, was living below D. Dunbar's, and, about 1806, built the house now occupied by J. Starrett, Jr. Lore Alford, a tanner, from Hartford, Conn., settled on one of the lots in the northern part of the town, which had been sold about this time for taxes due from non-resident proprietors. His pur- chase extended from Crawford's pond to Seven-tree pond, but selling the western portion to Capt. Aaron Davis, he settled on the other, and carried on farming and tanning, till his death in 1818, having been an early member and deacon of the Baptist church. He was this year appointed surveyor of highways, for the new road which the town directed the selectmen to lay out on the eastern side of the river to Union. Wm. Mormon, a native of Wales, Eng. settled, not long after, on the lot since owned by A. Russel.
In a town tax, assessed this year, in which the polls were rated at 2s. each, and a common 100 acre lot of unimproved land, at ls. 4d., the first class of tax payers, were, John Spear, £1 15s. 4d. ; Thomas Starrett, ££1 6s. ; and Wm. Lermond, £1 2s. 6d. The second class, paying from 15 to 20s. were as follows; Wm. Boggs, H. Libbey, Moses Cope- land, Patrick Pebbles, Alexander Lermond, D. Dunbar, J. Mclntyre, R. Hall, J. Watts, and J. Wyllie. Capt. J. Spear, this year, commenced ship-building, with the schooner Indus- try, built by S. Weston, and commanded by Archibald Mc- Kellar of St. George.
1790. About this time, the first ox-wagon was introduc- ed by John Lermond, who, seeing one used by Mr. Walcot of Union, was so struck by its advantages, that he immediately purchased and drove it home, exciting much curiosity as he passed. He now occupied a large tract of land, including the present farms of C. Copeland, N. Cobb, and Ira Robinson. At the raising of his barn, on the 2d of Sept., one entire side of the frame fell, slightly injuring several persons, and so badly crushing John Rokes, then 17 years of age, that his life was despaired of. He, after a long time, so far recover-
228
ANNALS OF WARREN.
ed, however, as to clear more acres of land, for himself and other people, than, perhaps, any other person in town.
Benjamin Bracket and Samuel Davis, this year, came from Boston, and commenced business in partnership as mer- chants. Mr. Head having now transferred his goods to his new dwellinghouse, and Mr. Crane returned to his own, the firm occupied a part of the latter, and carried on potash works near by, on the other side of the creek. Bracket lived in the house which Mr. Copeland, the following year, built for his accommodation, where A. Counce's now stands ; and, about 1803, built for himself the one now belonging to Alexander McCallum. In 1792, the firm erected the store lately occupied by R. W. Jarvis, which at first stood on the point of land, now island, where the Hawk building stands .*
A new and eccentric character made his appearance, about this time, in the person of John Sullivan, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who, for many years, was an occasional res- ident in the town, and repaid the trouble he occasioned, by the merriment he produced, and the literary taste he assisted to form. He had made respectable attainments in science, and possessed a highly cultivated taste in literature ; but was subject to periodical fits of intemperance, and an appetite for strong drink, which, while the fit lasted, nothing could re- strain or appease. He had been employed in various places, between here and Pennsylvania, either in teaching or making shoes, in both which he excelled ; leaving one place after an- other, as his excesses made his departure alike welcome to his own feelings and the convenience of his employers. Having formed an acquaintance with his Catholic country- men, O'Brien and Carven, he was a long time employed as a teacher in the school-house which stood on Col. Starrett's land, a little above the present house of Deacon Singer. Here, his skill as a teacher, saving his prejudice against the " silver spoons", as he called the darlings and favorites of their parents, was highly approved ; while his companionable properties, and never failing good humor, induced the people to overlook the vacations, made necessary by his infirmity. Boarding round, as a school-master then, as now, was expected to do, he at one time left a boarding-house before supper, and arrived at a new one when supper there was over. Waiting
* S. Davis. On their first visit to the place, in search of a situa- tion, they put up at McIntyre's, made known their object, and in reply to their inquiries respecting the prospect, were told in the most gutteral tones of the host, "work or starve, work or starve."
229
ANNALS OF WARREN.
sometime with no prospect of any thing to eat, he called for a candle, saying he must go and look for his supper, which he believed he had lost somewhere between the two houses. The anecdotes of Swift, the sublime passages of Milton, and the whole of Young's Night Thoughts, were at his tongue's end. Taking up the last of these, at Rufus Crane's, who told him he was unable to read the book and wished he would teach him ; " find your place," said he. " Any place," said Crane, " it is all alike to me." " Open your book," said Sullivan. C. opened, promiscuously, at one of the Nights, and handed him the book. "Keep it," said S., and immediately commenced repeating, and went through with the whole chapter without missing a word. In the school-house before named, he had his chest well stored with favorite authors, and containing some thirty or forty quires of arithmetical and algebraical solutions of curious and difficult questions, with a variety of contractions and short methods, which he had discovered, of performing common operations. These, he intended to abridge and publish. But one unlucky morning having kindled a fire as usual and gone back to breakfast, on his return he found the house enveloped in flames, and his chest and books beyond recov- ery. The shock was too great for his nerves ; he turned and walked off without uttering a word ; and nothing more was seen of him for many months. He afterwards attempted to recover his solutions and inventions ; but the appearance of Pike's Arithmetic, which anticipated the most valuable part of them, discouraged and disheartened him. He continued to exercise one or the other of his two callings, in the neigh- boring towns and on the islands, apparently unhappy in him- self, but a source of amusement to others, for some twenty- five years, and ended his days in the almshouse at Boston.
The dissatisfaction, felt by many, with the place which the town had twice voted to erect a meeting-house on, led to farther action upon that subject, the present year ; and so great was the desire to preserve harmony in the town, that, March 2d, it was voted to choose David Fales of Thom- aston, Capt. Schenk of Waldoboro', and Philip Robbins of Union, to fix upon a site for the meeting-house. Whether this committee reported or not, on the 23d of June, ensuing, the town voted " the meeting-house be set on the land of Mr. Wm. Boggs, across the road to the west of his house." The town now seemed in earnest; sold the old meeting-house to J. Watts for ££3 6s .; and chose committees to hire carpenters, and obtain funds by the sale of the ministerial
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.