USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Holden > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 3
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Eddington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 3
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Orrington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 3
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Brewer > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 3
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and associates, and the privilige of taking fish, which are to be held in common between the said Brewer and Fowler and other settlers, and the said Knapp and his associates. - to have and to hold the above premises in the manner and proportion here- after mentioned, viz:
"to John Brewer, Simeon Fowler, George Gardner, Thomas Campbell, Josiah Brewer, and James Ginn, Gentlemen; Charles Bragdon, Samuel Knapp, Emerson Orcutt, Joseph Mansell, Solomon Harthorn, Kennett McKenney, John Thomas, John Rider, Simeon Johnson, John Holyoke, Henry Kenney, John Hutchings, John Crocker, John Tibbetts, David Wiswell, Joseph Baker, Benjamin Snow, Solomon Sweat, Samuel Freeman, Jesse Rogers, Peter Sangster, George Brooks, Jesse Atwood, Oliver Doane, Warren Nickerson, Eliphalet Nickerson, Paul Nickerson, Henry Cole, Ephraim Downs, Moses Wentworth, James McCurdy, John Mansell, John Emery, Robert McCurdy, husbandmen, the widow of John Mansell Jr., deceased, Hannah Arey, widow and the heirs of Simeon Smith, their assigns, one hundred acres each, to be so laid out as to include their improvements respec- tively, on condition that each of the grantees aforementioned, pay to John Brewer and Simeon Fowler, five pounds lawful money within one year from this time, with interest till paid; and to each other settler on said tract who has made a separate im- provement thereon, one hundred acres, to be so laid out as will best include his improvements on condition that each settler last mentioned pay to the said John Brewer and Simeon Fowler, fourteen pounds, thirteen shillings, and six pence, lawful money, within one year from this time, with interest till paid, for each hundred acres which shall be assigned and set off to him out of the residuary part and in the same proportion for a greater or lesser quantity; provided nevertheless, if any other settler or other grantee aforesaid shall neglect to pay his proportion of the sum or sums aforesaid, to be by him paid, in order to entitle him to one hundred acres, as aforesaid, in that case the said John Brewer and Simeon Fowler shall be entitled to hold the same in fee, which said negligent person might have held by complying with conditions aforesaid on his part. It is further provided that if any settler or grantee aforesaid shall neglect to pay his proportion of the sums to be paid for the residuary lands aforesaid, the said John Brewer and Simeon Fowler shall be entitled to hold in fee the same lands, which such negligent per-
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son might have held by complying with the conditions aforesaid on his part. Provided nevertheless, if any dispute or controversary shall arise between the said John Brewer and Simeon Fowler on the one part and any settler on the lands aforesaid, or other person who has purchased of an original settler there, on his part, in that case there is hereby reserved full power and authority to the committee aforesaid, or their successors in office, to adjust such dispute and controversy on the principles of equity and to assign and convey to such settler, or to him or to them that hold under such settler, his or their heirs and assigns, such quantity of the land aforesaid as to the same committee shall appear reasonable, and at such a rate as they may think just, so as that the said John Brewer and Simeon Fowler shall have a right to receive from all persons interested or which may be interested in the tract of land aforesaid, a sum of money of equal amount with the several sums for the payment whereof to the said John Brewer and Simeon Fowler provision is here- inbefore made, in case application shall be made to the said committee at any time within the three years next following the date hereof, and the said committee in behalf of the Common- wealth covenant and agree that the said Commonwealth shall warrant and defend the premises on the conditions and with the reservations aforesaid, to the grantees aforesaid, their heirs and assigns, to be held in the proportion and manner, and upon the conditions aforesaid against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.
"In witness whereof, the said committee set their hands and seals, this 25th day of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six.
"Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of us."
The above document was signed by Lewis Whiting, Jacob Kuhn, Samuel Phillips Jr. and Nathaniel Wells, as members of the committee; and stamped with the great seal of the Common- wealth.
We can clearly see by noticing the date of the above document that the committee did not complete this report until 1786, three years after the petition was drawn up and nearly three years after the resolution was passed by the General Court and the committee appointed. Meanwhile, in 1784, Barnabas Dodge was authorized by the General Court to survey the township. He com-
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pleted the work the same year, and returned the plan, which gave the number of acres as 37,307.
1194949
In the early part of 1785, a group of men from Massachusetts, having learned that the township was available for purchase, sent Thomas Barstow, David Mann, Sr., and Cornelius Kallock here to explore it. The men spent several weeks in this area and then returned with their report. A company was formed consisting of Moses Knapp and his associates. They bought the township from the State. All this business was carried on without the knowledge of the settlers already living in New Worcester.
Many of the descendants of the men forming the company are still living in the three towns, and deeds of many of the farms can be traced back to the following grantees: Moses Knapp of Mansfield, Thomas Brastow of Wrentham, gentlemen; Joseph Plympton and Sabin Mann of Medfield; Benjamin Hawes, David Holbrook, Jonathan Felt, Oliver Rouse, Lewis Whiting, Nathaniel Ware, Levi Maxy, John Francour, John Guild, David Fisher, Joseph Robershaw, Cornelius Kallock, David Mann, Nathaniel Heaton, Samuel King, Amherst Mann, and the Rev. Adoniram Judson (Father of the missionary Judson), all of Wrentham, Massachusetts; James Tisdale, James Clapp, and James Dupee, of Walpole; John Metcalf, John Rockwood, and David Gilman, of Franklin; Swift Payson, of Foxborough; Elisha May of Attle- borough; and Joseph Holbrook of Bellingham.
When the settlers of New Worcester learned of this transaction they were justly concerned. They sent John Brewer and Simeon Fowler to protest the act of making a sale without reserving the rights of the settlers. At this time the deed to Moses Knapp and Associates had not been recorded. Conferences were held with their representatives and a mutual agreement was reached whereby the land would be divided. A new deed was drawn up and dated June 29, 1785. This deed reserved to Brewer and Fowler for the settlers who were named in the deed, the front river lots, extending four hundred rods back and running parallel with the river the length of the town. This deed contained 10,864 acres, including the bend at the lower end of the township, con- taining twenty-five hundred acres. Knapp and Associates were to pay three thousand, one hundred fourteen pounds, fourteen shillings, and Brewer three thousand pounds, the deed to Brewer and Fowler being dated March 25, 1786, as has been shown.
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After these grants were completed the town continued under both until they were united as one town.
There were to be reserved out of the front lots, three convenient river landings or lumber yards, with suitable roads leading to the river. There was an abundance of fish in the river at this period and the privilege of taking them was to be common to both companies. Knapp and his associates were instructed to reserve and lay out in their purchase two hundred acres for the use of the ministry, two hundred eighty acres for the use of a grammar school, and two hundred acres for the use of the government. The appearance of Knapp and his company on the scene may have been an advantage in the long run, as it is a possibility that the group settled at New Worcester would not have been able to meet the financial requirements if they had been forced to do it alone. As matters stood apparently the required payments were made by both groups.
For a few years before its incorporation, the town was organized under the General Law as New Worcester Plantation. On March 21, 1788, the General Court incorporated it as a town and named it Orrington. This was the fifty-third town in the district. There are very available records for the Plantation of New Worcester.
The Act for Incorporation follows: "An act for incorporating the Plantation of New Worcester, so-called, or #9, in the County of Lincoln, into a town under the name of Orrington -
"Whereas the inhabitants of #9 have represented to the General Court that they labor under many inconveniences in their present unincorporated state, and are desirous of being incorporated into a town, be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the plantation called New Worcester, and inclosed within boundaries hereinafter described, together with the inhabitants thereof, be and they are hereby incorporated into a town by the name of Orrington - beginning on the east side of the Penobscot River at the northwest corner of #1 or Buckstown ..... containing 37,307 acres agreeably to a plan taken by Mr. Barnabas Dodge; re- serving however, three acres at the northeast corner of the tract included in the above lines, which since the survey has been set off to #10 or Colonel Eddy's township, for a landing place. And the town is hereby vested with all the powers, priviliges and immunities which other towns in this Common-
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wealth by law do or may enjoy. Simeon Fowler Esq. of the said place was authorized to issue his warrant for the first meeting. Approved March 21, 1788 John Hancock, Governor.
There are conflicting statements regarding the choice of a name for the new town. There is no other Orrington in the Pronouncing Gazetteer of the World and there is no other post office in the United States by that name. One account states that Captain James Ginn, a prominent man in the town, came here from Orangetown, Maryland. Whether Captain Ginn misspelled the name when he wrote it, or whether the penmanship was illegible, we shall never know. If this story is the true one, Parson Noble, who was entrusted with the presentation of the papers, perhaps thought it would be a good joke, or perhaps because the word was very original, allowed it to remain that way.
According to other accounts when Mr. Noble, acting as agent to the General Court, was asked to give a name to be inserted in the bill for incorporation, he accidently opened a book and saw the name. Since it was unusual and he liked its sound, he selected it. Regardless of how the selection was made, apparently no displeasure was evidenced with it, since to the best of our knowledge, no attempt has ever been made to change it.
Captain Ginn, who was mentioned above, is said to have brought a slave woman and her child with him from Massachusetts to Orrington. She was probably the only slave to have ever been on Penobscot soil except as one might have come up the river aboard some vessel and while the vessel was in port might have stepped ashore.
In April 1786, John Blake, later General Blake, surveyed the land east of the Penobscot River. The next year he brought his wife and two children to the log cabin which he had built six miles from the river in the section of Brewer which is now known as Holden. He named the settlement New Wrentham for his former home in Wrentham, Massachusetts. His cabin was located on Potash Hill on the road from Holden Center to Dole Hill and a short distance from the Center.
General Blake had served in the Revolutionary War. The story is told that he spent his last dollar for Green hides for moccasins for his bare-footed men. During the War of 1812 he was called
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back into the service and played a very active part in the Battle of Hampden. He was always very friendly with the Indians and for a long time was an Indian agent for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Others who joined General Blake and settled in this part of the town were John Farrington, Isaac Clewley, Ebenezer Fisher, Silas Winchester, David Mann, Elizah Jones, and Samuel Gilmore; all Revolutionary War veterans. At this time only three of the wives accompanied their husbands; but in two or three years the families of the other settlers arrived.
A description of the arrival of the pioneers and the beginnings of their settlement is found in a portion of a letter written by George C. Wiswell, the grandson of one of the later settlers. "They followed a spotted line which was their only guide, about six or seven miles from the Penobscot River, in an unbroken Wilderness; and here they built their log houses and covered them with bark. The first year they felled some trees and cleared some land but were not able to raise any crop.
"Fortunately some natural meadows which the beavers had made, were found nearby and furnished pasturage for the cows in the summer, and in the winter they were kept near the meadow haystack, the owners going by turns to get their milk. In 1788 quite a quantity of Indian corn and rye was raised which the farmers carried on their backs to the river and boated it to South Orrington to be ground, bringing it back the same way. A sled road, however, was soon opened to the river; but then it took two days to make the journey and back, one man going as a teamster and the other with a handspike to pry up the sled which often caught on roots and stumps.
"The first wheel carriages that they used were carts, some of the wheels of which were made by sawing off a short piece of a large log; while others were made with hubs, spokes, and felloes; but had no iron about them."
Their experiences in the War of the Revolution had helped make these men well fitted to lay the foundations for this new settlement, the first in the wilderness, back from the Penobscot River. They were thrifty, hardworking people with much to keep them occupied and little time for visiting or for social affairs. Occasionally they would take time off to visit a neighbor. Since there were no roads except for ox-sleds or for horse back
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riding, some arrangement had to be made to carry the women and children safely on these excursions. A half hogshead was placed on the sled and a chair placed within it. In this manner the women and small children were made safe and - but perhaps we had better not say 'comfortable'.
The first settlement was made on the hills of this section which became known as New Wrentham and later East Brewer. This locating of the early homes on the hills seems not so much to guard against Indian attack as to make sure that their corn, their staple food crop, might be safe from early frosts. John Farrington located on Wrentham Hill, later Dole Hill. His house, built in 1796, and probably the first frame house in the settlement was destroyed by fire a number of years ago. His first home had been a log cabin.
An exciting event took place in the Farrington cabin one morning. Mr. Farrington had arisen early and gone out of doors, leaving the door open. Presently a bear walked in, looked around, placed his forepaws on the sides of the bed where Mrs. Farrington and the children lay and then, very peaceably, turned around and walked out again.
Mr. Farrington's oldest son, John lived in two states; Massa- chusetts and Maine; two counties, Hancock and Penobscot; and three towns, Orrington, Brewer, and Holden; and never left the farm which was his home.
Silas Winchester, from Brookline, Massachusetts, built on the land where the summer home of Eugene Dole now stands. Ebenezer Fisher was a near neighbor on the same side of the road for a time. Mr. Fisher later moved down on the Fisher Road. Isaac Clewley located across the road from these two. After having been occupied by a number of different families the Clewley place was destroyed by fire. Mr. Clewley moved to East Holden and built a frame house about a quarter of a mile from East Holden on the Bend Road. A few years later he again moved, this time to North Brewer.
An anecdote is related with regard to Mr. Clewley's son, also named Isaac. He was a very business-like young man. He once remarked to Dr. Fogg that getting a wife was like buying a team of oxen. The doctor replied that, "It is not so easy getting rid of them if you don't like them!"
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Isaac apparently did quite well in the matrimonial field, having had four wives. When he proposed to the fourth one, she hesitat- ed. He said, "I want your answer. Fifty more are waiting!"
David Mann and Samuel Gilmore located on what is known as Mann Hill. David Gilmore, born September 8, 1788, was the first white child born in the settlement.
These settlers were soon joined by others including Joseph, Lemuel, and William Copeland and George Wiswell. These latter families settled in the region called the Wiswell neighbor- hood, now the Copeland Hill section.
A number of often told anecdotes refer to Jacob Hart Sr. He was a man of considerable humor. He had served as an officer in the War of the Revolution and had acquired habits of military nature that had stayed with him for the rest of his life. One of his mannerisms of speech was to interlace his remarks with such expressions as, "pretty likely - hum", and "of course - yes." One time when he had sipped a little too deeply of the 'cup that cheers', as he was coming out of the Hatch tavern he attempted to go down the long flight of steps that lead to the road, making a misstep he rolled to the bottom. Picking himself up as speedily as possible, he turned to the right-about-face, and said, as if giving military instructions, "As you are, Jake Hart, pretty likely." Then looking towards the witnesses of his misadventure, he proposed, "If any man in the town of Bangor can tumble down stairs equal to old Jake Hart, he has an undoubted right to try it - hum - pretty likely - of course - yes!"
Mr. Hart once sold a gentleman some hay. When asked if it was fine hay, the Captain replied, "Hum - pretty likely - of course - yes." The gentleman did not examine it but paid for it and gave directions for having it put in his barn. When he began to use it he found it to be very coarse hay; and when he again saw the Captain he chided him for cheating. The Captain raised his eyes and asked how he had cheated him.
"In the hay. You told me it was fine hay and it was coarse."
"Hum - pretty likely - I told you 'twas fine hay of coarse, yes. - of c-o-a-r-s-e."
Of course the gentleman said no more.
Still another story told about Mr. Hart; one evening he rode into the door yard of John Farrington after the family had re-
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tired. Mr. Farrington asked him what he wanted and he said, "I want to see you."
"What do you want?" repeated Mr. Farrington.
Captain Hart reiterated, "I want to see you."
When Mr. Farrington finally reached the door, Hart had wheeled his horse and as he was riding away he said, "You can borrow my inch auger if you will come after it."
Joseph and Lemuel Copeland, brothers, whose family line can be traced directly to John and Priscilla Alden, settled on adjoin- ing farms in the Wiswell neighborhood. Joseph's farm is now the summer home of Dr. Gilley, and that of Lemuel is occupied by John Mains. Both of these men added to their resources by making fish barrels and shingles as well as getting out ship timber and lumber. Lemuel owned several vessels and also had an interest in the Bangor-Brewer toll bridge.
In 1814, Joseph was a sergeant in Captain Solomon Blake's Militia Company in the battalion of Major Thomas George. As payment for his services, Sergeant Copeland received a bounty of one hundred fifty acres of western land.
Old maps give the name "Prospect Hill" to what is now "Cope- land Hill". It is thought that this may have originated from the fact that at one time mineral prospecting was done on the land of the farm now belonging to Mrs. Alma Smith.
The home life of the early settlers in all parts of the town was much like that of any of the old New England towns. Neighbors were remote. If one lived within a half mile, he was a near neighbor. Neighbors were called upon to help out in case of child birth, sickness, or death. The women spent much of their time weaving, spinning, sewing, making soap, and carrying on sundry other duties which fell to their lot in making a home in the wilderness. It is said that in some neighborhoods, the neighbors would form an orchestra and hold concerts in the various homes. Some even made their own instruments.
Although I have found conflicting statements in regard to the following, it is said by some that men on horseback used to ford the river during low water at the point where the dam is now located. In winter folks could skate from Bangor to Bucks- port.
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Jacob Holyoke built the first log house in what is now Brewer proper. This cabin was said to have been on the Center Street site of the brick building known as the Harlow Block. Mr. Holy- oke also erected the first frame house, a one-story dwelling on State Street.
The first town meeting for Orrington after its incorporation was held on April 7, 1788. John Brewer was elected moderator. Town officers elected were: Thomas Campbell, Edward Snow, and Samuel Freeman, selectmen; Solomon Swett, town clerk, (He held this office for fourteen years. ) John Holyoke, treasurer; and John Thoms, constable. At this meeting there was no cash tax raised. It was voted to spend sixty pounds on the roads to be worked out at the rate of four shillings a day.
Samuel Brown of Orrington was one of the many who was driven from home by fear of the British during the War. He spent some years at sea directly following the war and there- fore was not able to get title to his land when the other settlers received theirs. The following is Mr. Brown's petition to the General Court of Massachusetts, written in 1803. This is to be found in the Massachusetts records:
"To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled:
"The petition of Samuel Brown of Orrington, in the county of Hancock, humbly sheweth that he was one among the first settlers in the said Town, that he moved into it with his family twenty-five years ago and continued there till he with others was driven off by the British; he sustained considerable loss in his stock of cattle, furniture, clothing, etc. by the enemy; he removed his family back to the Cape; and being reduced by his misfortune and the difficulties of the times, he went into the seafaring business for a number of years, but during his absence he employed a person to improve his place and paid the taxes upon it. When Esq. Dummer came to quiet the settlers who were settled in the town previous to 1784, our Petitioner was unfortunately absent from the town at sea, though his family had long before returned and resided on his said Lot. There being nobody to represent the situation of his Lot it was not taken into consideration and returned by the said Dummer as being resided upon previous to the year 1784. He has therefore never procured the title to his Land in the same manner as
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those have done who were settlers with him under similar cir- cumstances; he therefore Prays his name may be entered among others of that description, and he receive the title to his land in the usual form, and he as in duty bound will ever Pray.
Signed. Samuel Brown Orrington, Jan. 5, 1803
The following certificate confirmed the plea of Mr. Brown for the title to his land:
Orrington 2 Jan. 1803
Those may certify all whom it may concern, That Capt. Samuel Brown came to the Penobscot River, took up and settled on a Tract of Land, containing one hundred acres in said Town in July one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight and continued to live on Said Lot until the defeat of Bigaduce (now Castine). At that time he was obliged to escape with his family to Cape Cod, his former place of residence. And being brought under low circumstances by being striped of his property, was not able to Return to his lot until the year 1794, but has conducted all the time he was absent as if he was determined to return to his Lot by Paying the Taxes that was assessed on it, and we believe if it had been represented to Esq. Dummer as ought to have been, it would have been contained in the Collumn of first settled lots.
Signed:
Simeon Fowler, Solomon Swett, George Brooks, Nathaniel Gould, Oliver Doan, Paul Nickerson, Jesse Atwood, Daniel Nickerson, Nathaniel Pierce, Eliphalet Nickerson, Warren Nickerson, Joseph Baker.
Knapp and his associates were declared exempt from town taxes for seven years, according to an act of exemption passed on November 22, 1788, the time of exemption dating from that day. About twelve miles of County Roads were laid out running nearly parallel with the Penobscot River. These were in addition to the town roads. Improvement on the roads was a gradual process since the real highway of the town, as well as that of Bangor on the opposite shore, was the river itself. Most of the settlements which had been made in this part of the country were on the river banks.
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