USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Holden > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 5
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Eddington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 5
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Orrington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 5
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Brewer > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 5
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When the military Court of Inquiry was held by the state authorities General Blake was exonerated of any faliure to per- form his duty. Later, at the direction of General Blake, two of his subordinate commanders, a Colonel and a Major, were arrested and a regular trial by court martial was held. The
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former was suspended from rank and command for two years; the latter was honorably acquitted.
Two items from the reports of the town meetings held in 1814 have bearing on the military situation of the times. On May 28, 1814, the records state that "Ammunition signed for by Farrington, Brewer, and Blake was not the full proportion to which the town of Brewer was entitled." It was turned in as stock for the town and the town voted to defend the three men in the event of any suit which might be brought against them on that account.
Also on the same date, May 28, 1814, at a regularly called meeting of the town, a committee of safety was chosen consisting of Mr. David Perham, Esq., Dr. Elisha Skinner, Major Joshua Chamberlain, Mr. Josiah Brewer, and Mr. Silas Winchester.
At a previous meeting held August 23, 1812, it was voted that if the government would not make the wages of the detached men who were on duty from the town up to ten dollars per month, then the town would do so.
Numbered among those from the area who participated in the action of the war which took place between September 1 and 4 at and near Hampden were: John Blake, Brigadier-General first brigade, Brewer; Charles Blake, quarter-master, Brewer; Colonel Andrew Grant's regiment of militia, Joshua Chamberlain, Major, Brewer; Enoch Mudge, Chaplain, Orrington; Cyrus Brewer, Quartermaster, Orrington; Warren Ware, Capt., Orrington; Thomas George, Major, Brewer; Solomon Blake, Captain, Brewer; Emmons Kingsbury, Lieutenant, Brewer; Charles Levins, Ensign, Brewer. The roll of a detached company of militia stationed at Eastport from the eleventh to the thirty-first of August, 1812, included: Joshua Chamberlain, Captain, Brewer; Peter Newcomb, Lieuten- ant, Brewer; Samuel Freeman, Ensign, Brewer; Thomas George, Captain, Brewer; and Lot Rider, Lieutenant, Brewer.
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CHAPTER VII
BREWER, AS A TOWN AND A CITY
Years passed and the town grew and prospered. Diverse interests began to develop in the different sections of the com- munity. There was a certain amount of jealousy between the sections of the town as the growth of one part exceeded that of the other. Brewer Village, now South Brewer, had been the site of the original settlement and the first industry of the town. This section now began to lose some of its most out- standing citizens. Bangor, which was a town of steady growth and great ambition, drew them away. The inhabitants of Orring- ton, after much discussion and many carefully considered plans, finally decided that for the sake of harmony; and in order that the business of the area, particularly that of a municipal character, might be carried on with greater facility; that the grant should be divided into two towns.
Following are some of the documents relative to the division. These were obtained from the Massachusetts archives by Paul Hanneman of this city, and turned over to us.
"To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled:
"The subscribers, inhabitants of the Town of Orrington in the County of Hancock being a Committee Legally chosen by said Town at their Annual Meeting in April last beg leave respect- fully to represent and give this Honorable Court to understand that the extensive situation of said Town of Orrington is such as renders it extremely difficult for the inhabitants thereof to attend to their publick business, being about thirteen miles in length on the Penobscot River - That ever since the first settle- ment of said Town the inhabitants have had it in contemplation to divide it and make that part of it commonly known as Knaps Square into a separate town, And have accordingly erected Two Meeting Houses in said Town nearly in the center of each section thereof - That the Town of Orrington at their Annual Meeting in April last Voted that it was expedient it should be divided. We therefore pray the Honorable Court to take the subject into their wise consideration and divide said Town as follows Viz-
"Beginning at Nichol's Rock so-called on Penobscot River being the corner bound between said Orrington and the Town
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of Eddington thence south forty-eight degrees East to the Easterly corner of said Town of Orrington thence south forty- two degrees West on the back line of said Town six miles or so to the southeasterly corner of Lot #18 in the third division of lands in said Town, thence north forty-eight degrees West to the head of the front Lots to the North line of the Widow Priscilla Barstow's Lot Thence by the North Line of said Lot to the River - Thence as said Penobscot River runs to the first mentioned bound - Exception three acres of Land Deeded by Government to Jonathan Eddy Esq. - and that part of said Town above described be incorporated as a Town by the name of ..
and the Publick Property now belonging to said town of Orrington be equally divided between the two contemplated Towns.
And as in duty bound will ever pray
John Farrington Charles Burr Joshua Chamberlain William Rice Thomas George
Committe
Orrington May 17, 1811
"In the House of Representatives May 30, 1811 - Read and Committed to the Committee on Towns etc. Sent up for Con- currence - Joseph O'Leary, Speaker. In the Senate June 1, 1811 - Read and Concurred. Samuel Dana, President. In the Senate Jany. 16th, 1812. Read and Committed to the Committee on Towns. Sent down for Concurrence. Sam'l Dana, President.
"To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled - May 1811
The Subscribers inhabitants of the Town of Orrington humbly beg leave to state - That at a town meeting of the inhabitants of said Orrington a committee was chosen for the purpose of dividing the Town according to a former survey of a certain tract of land, called and known by the name of Knapp's Square, but as the said committee were not ordered, and have never reported to the towns their doings in said business, nor exhibited
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any petition addressed to your honorable body for the purpose of carrying the vote of the town into effect, they are entirely unacquainted with any reasons they offer, why the prayer of the petitioners should be granted: - but-they would beg leave to observe that the Northern or upper line of the Town of Orring- ton divides a small village, situated at the head of the tide on the Penobscot near the centre, one part of said Village being attached to Orrington, the other to Eddington, a small town lately incorporated, that this village if united would be com- petent for a school district, that the town meetings of said Eddington are held there, and that Eddington with this addition would soon be competent to building a meeting house, that a public landing is laid out at this spot, which is used as a de- posit for the greater part of the Lumber procured in Eddington, and in fine, that it seems by nature designed for the center of a Town.
"That six miles below, at the contemplated place of division is another village, in which is situated the post office, a Saw Mill, Grist Mill, Carding Machine, Pot-ash, Tannery, Shoemaker, Blacksmith, and other Mechanics, Traders, etc, and perhaps nearly half the business of Orrington is done within a quarter of a mile of this division line, as now contemplated, nor do we see any advantage in the contemplated division, nor any other reason for it than a partiality for old lines - and we would further observe, That a motion was made in town meeting - To choose a committee of nine persons from the different parts of the town to enquire what division will most conduce the public good, to exhibit a plan thereof and report at the next meeting - which motion was negatived.
"We forbear to mention other circumstances equally repugnant to this arrangement - and pray your honorable body that the prayer of the petitioners may not be granted - or at least that an order of notice may be issued, and we be permitted to state the "circumstances belonging to the occasion" more at large before a committee appointed for the purpose.
Elisha Robinson Josiah Brewer
Selectmen of Orrington
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John Brewer
not legible
Luther Eaton
Saml Call
Joseph Baker George Wiswell
Enoch Lovell
Henry Call
Francis Brewer
Samuel Stone
Richard Kent
Josiah Crawford
Allen Hodge Joseph Copeland
Richard Rider
John Currey
Lemuel Copeland Wm. Copeland
Jeremiah Swett Moses Rogers
Ephraim Doane
Isaac Baker
Samuel Rider
Warren Ware
not legible
Thomas Ladd
Henry Rice
David Wiswell
Amos Dole
Zacheus Hall
Henry Bickford
Samuel Phipps
Gideon Norton
John Whiting
John Pope
John Tibbets Henry Kenney
Isaac Nickerson
Israel Nichols
Danl Robinson
Stephen Rider
Nathaniel Gould
Saml Sterns
William Kent
not legible
J. Phillips 2d
Asa Howard
Josiah Baker
John Phillips
F-Rowe
Remonstrance against the petition for dividing the town of Orrington.
Towns
"the committee report that this remonstrance be referred to the next session and be filed with the petition from the Town of Orrington. Accepted F. Carr Per Order
In the House of Rep. June 14, 1811 Read and committed to the Committee on Towns. Sent up for concurrence.
Joseph Storey, Speaker
In Senate June 14th 1811 Read and concurred.
Samuel Dana, President
In the Senate Jany 16, 1812 Read and committed to the Committee on Towns Sent down for concurrence
Samuel Dana, President
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Richard Baker
Cyrus Brewer
Ebenezer Wheeldon
Richard Godfrey
John Wilkins
In the House of Representatives January 17, 1812 Read and Concurred.
E. W. Ripley Speaker
"To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court Assembled.
"The Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Town of Orrington beg leave to represent that some movement have recently been made toward a division of said Town, and, that an order of Notice has issued from your honorable Body calling on these, who may be interested to show cause if any they have why said Division should not be made. In obedience to which your Memorialists feeling a lively interest and believeing, that the Voice of a respectable part of the Inhabitants, if not a Majority, whose rights would be greatly affected by such a measure, will not be unheard or disregarded, would humbly beg leave to remonstrate and protest against any Division of the Town, and especially the ones contemplated.
"Because the present general stagnation of Business and embarrasments of Commerce are painfully felt in this section of the Country, and have produced a most alarming scarcity of the circulating medium and this Division would have a tendency to increase the Expenses, Charges, and Taxes, which are already burdensome to your Memorialists.
"Because the Division as contemplated would greatly affect the Property and Business of Individuals, and be highly injurious to the best interests and prosperity of the town. It is a well known fact to all, who are acquainted with the settlement of new Countries, and more especially those situated on navigable streams, that natural advantages and local Conveniences urge the first Settlers to select and occupy those Places, which are best calculated for carrying on Business, upon which the Prosper- ity of the Community depends; and, that in the future location of Towns public utility, as well as the encouragement of those, who have borne the hardships, and privations of first Settle- ment, render it expedient to make those places thus recommended by Nature and Art central in said Towns. Your Memorialists would further represent, that the Town of Orrington is bounded by the eastern Bank of Penobscot River and that there is a flourishing Village situated upon the Margin of said River nearly an equal distance from the two extremities of the Town, which
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the natural advantages of Navigation and various other branches of Business induced the first Settlers of this Town to select and occupy, and, which has greatly increased and commands a large portion of the Business of the Town, in which there are already a Post-Office, Mills, a Carding Machine, Traders, a Tannery, and various other Mechanics and handycraftsmen, all which render Business central in this Place, as it is not central to the Inhabitants of said Town; and the Division as Contemplated would leave this Village in the extreme part of the Town and greatly incommode your Memorialists.
"Because the Division as contemplated is partial, premature, and highly unfavorable to the future Growth and Prosperity of the Inhabitants of the part of this Country bordering upon the River, interfering with the future and ultimate Division of the Towns, which are, or may be incorporated in this section of the Country.
"Because if the future interest of the Town on this River should as we are sensible their present Interest does not, render a Division hereafter necessary, the one contemplated is not calculated to promote those Interests. Your Memorialists would further represent, that there is a small Village near the head of the tide waters, which nature has made very convenient for the landing of Lumber, which is brought down the River, and for various other purposes, and that the Northerly Line of this town divides this Village including a part and leaving the residue in the small Town of Eddington, and that the Annexation of the upper or Northerly part of Orrington to Eddington would unite the interests of this Village, render it convenient for a school District, and a central Place for a Meeting-House. That the Northerly part of Buckstown might conveniently be annexed to the lower part of Orrington which is contemplated as being likely to take place at some future period. In fine having regard to the general Good, a Division when it becomes necessary may be effected so as to save the Rights of all parties concerned, and unite local interests and Natural Advantages in promoting their laudable pursuits and Prosperity.
Orrington, January 9, 1812
Elisha Robinson
Josiah Brewer
Majority of the Selectmen of Orrington
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To this is added a list including most of the names of those on the previous petition plus many others who were dissatisfied with the proposed division of the town. The petition was read in the Senate on January 27th and committed to the committee on Towns, following which it was sent to the House of Representa- tives. This remonstrance was read in the House also on the 27th of January in 1812.
Another petition relating to the division was read in to the General Court in the early part of February.
"To the Honorable Senate & House of Representatives in General Court assembled January 1812.
"We the Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Town of Orrington beg leave respectfully to represent, that at their annual Meeting in April last it was voted almost unanimously, that it was necessary to divide said Town-a motion was then made to chose a Committee of nine persons to report at the next meeting in what manner it was expedient the town should be divided- which motion was rejected-it being a very stormy day and many of the voters were not present-Sixty-six persons then present constituted a majority-who voted to divide the town by the Knap Square (so-called) and chose a Committee to petition your Honorable body to carry the same into effect-
"We your Petitioners sensible that it is the wish of your Honor- able body to make such divisions as may best promote the public convenience & Prosperity, beg leave to state that should the division take place as contemplated by the vote of the town namely by the Knap Square-in that case such of your petitioners as reside in the upper part of the town (known by the name of Knaps Square) when incorporated into a town by themselves would not have a sufficient number of rateable polls to entitle them to send a member to your Honorable Body-which is a privilege we highly prize-and whereas it may have been stated to you as a reason for the intended division, that there are Meet- ing Houses nearly central in each-we regret the necessity of informing you that the upper meeting house is a neglected building-that there has never been a settled minister-& indeed has not been preaching in it more than three or four times these two years-which neglect is in a great measure occasioned by its solitary situation-the lower Meeting House accommodates a society of Methodists of this and the neighboring towns, and
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any division your Honorable body may make cannot affect the Society or Meeting House .-
"We would further represent that we your petitioners as many of us did in the year 1807 in conjunction with the Inhabitants of Eddington - petition your Honorable body to be united under one incorporation - a committee of your Honorable body made a report in favor of said petition which passed both branches of Legislature - but for reasons unknown to your petitioners no bill was ever brought in - and whereas the division as contemplated by the Vote of the Town is calculated to destroy all hopes of this connection which to us is absolutely necessary and indispensable, and whereas we feel confident that the granting of our petition will not be inconsistent with the rights and interests of the Town at large but will rather subserve them; as by the annexation of a small portion of the extreme part of Buckstown-whose convenience would also be promoted by the arrangement; the remainder of Orrington would form two Towns whose geographical centres would very well comport with the natural centre of business.
"We your Petitioners do therefore confidently pray your Honor- able body that three miles of the upper part of Orrington may be set off and annexed to Eddington - they take the liberty of repeating some of the circumstances which render the division necessary-the dividing line between Orrington and Eddington intersects a flourishing little village which if united in One incorporation would be sufficient for the building of a meeting house & School house - on the line is situated a public landing which is the repository of all the lumber which is made in the neighborhood - the Town meetings of Eddington are also held near said landing in short almost the whole trade & business of Eddington centres on said line - the one half the population of this village is at present on each side of the line - and your petitioners suffer much inconvenience on account of the bye laws of the two towns being often various & Contradictory-Should this union be effected your petitioners conceive it would be not only advantageous to themselves, but a publick benefit - as they should be encouraged to complete & ornament (?) their road - to build a meeting house - & in short to establish all those institutions which render a Town respectable-
"But should your honorable body in your wisdom not think that publick good and individual interest require that three
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miles of Orrington should be annexed to Eddington - then we humbly pray that the prayer of the Petition of the Com- mittee of the town of Orrington may not be granted - but that a committee of disinterested persons may be appointed to view the premises & to report to your Honorable body at your next session in what manner it appears to them expedient the town should be divided - in duty bound will ever pray.
John Whiting
Henry Call
Timo W. Sibley
Jas Phillips Finson Rowe
Wm Cash
Joshua Kinney
James Campbell
J. Hathaway
Solomon Rowe
Nathan Phillips Asa Howard John Phillips
Benjamin Perkins
Thomas Perkins
Saml Turner
Thos Nichols
The petition was read in the House on February 3, 1812, and in the Senate on February 4, 1812.
We have tried to present the above petitions as they were written. The extensive use of capital letters and the noticeable absence of punctuation reflect the English usage of the period. Changes have taken place in this branch of learning as in all other things.
The documents which we have included show the amount of discussion which must have taken place previous to the division of the towns. As can readily be seen there were a number of reasons both for and against such a division. At length, after several readings, the following bill was passed in the General Court and forwarded to the citizens of Orrington:
"Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred & Twelve
"An Act to establish a town by the name of Brewer
Sect. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate & House of Representatives
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in General Court assembled, & by the Authority of the same, that the Town of Orrington in the County of Hancock, laying on the East side of Penobscot River be divided & that the Norther- ly part thereof (commonly known by the name of Knapp's Square) with the Inhabitants thereon be Incorporated into a Town by the Name of Brewer, by the following bounds: Viz - Beginning at Nichols Rock so-called on the Easterly bank of Penobscot River being the corner bounds between said Orrington and Eddington. Thence South Forty Eight Degrees East to the Easterly corner of said Orrington thence South Forty Two Degrees West on the back line of said Town Six miles or so to the Southeasterly Corner of Lot No. Eighteen in the third Division of the Lands in said Town Thence North Forty Eight Degrees West to the head of the Front lots to the North line of the Widow Priscilla Brastow's lot. Thence by the North line of said lot to the River. Thence as said River Runs to the first mentioned bounds Excepting three acres of Land Deeded by Government to Jonathan Eddy Esq. And that the said Town is hereby vested with the powers, privileges & Immunities which other Towns do or may enjoy by the Constitution & Laws of this Common- wealth.
Sect. 2 And be it further enacted that any Justice of the Peace for the County of Hancock be & he is hereby authorized to issue his Warrant directed to a freeholder & inhabitant of said Town of Brewer to notify the inhabitants of said Town to meet at such convenient time & place as shall be appointed in said Warrant to choose such Officers as Towns are by Law required to choose at their Annual Town Meeting."
The above bill, after having several readings both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, was duly passed on the twenty-second of February in the year 1812. Thus Brewer became a town.
As has been indicated by the petitions the division was not satisfactory to a large number of the citizens, largely due to the business establishments which were located near the line, and to the fact that nearly half the business of Orrington was carried on within a half mile of the dividing line. It was arranged that in the division of debts and assets, Brewer was to receive and pay 13/24 and Orrington was to receive and pay 11/24.
The Town Line between Orrington and Brewer was finally fixed on April 1, 1815, and the record is as follows.
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"It is agreed and settled between the Committees. .that the Yellow Birch Tree marked being the North East corner bound of Lot No. 26 in the Bevel (so-called) where the same intersects the southerly line of Lot No. 94 in the second division shall be a fixed boundary, thence westerly on the division line between the south lot of the first and second division and the Bevel (so- called), to the head of the front lots to the north of Widow Priscilla Brastow's lot, thence by the north line of said lot to the river."
Years later J. W. Phillips surveyed the line between Brewer and Orrington for the sum of one dollar.
The territory which comprised Orrington had been part of Lincoln County at the time that this land was ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris. June 25, 1789, the part east of the river was divided into Hancock and Washington and this area was part of Hancock County.
The division of Orrington into the two towns took 23,582 acres from the 37,304 which comprised the township according to the original grant. Previous to the division Orrington had the largest population of any town in the County at that time.
Upon its incorporation, February 22, 1812, the new town adopted the name of Brewer in honor of Colonel John Brewer, its most eminent citizen and its founder. At its first town meeting, held March 16, 1812, Cyrus Brewer was elected town clerk and Josiah Brewer was elected to the board of selectmen. Both of these men were sons of John Brewer. John Farrington Esq. and Solomon Blake formed the remainder of the first board of select- men elected by the new town.
Other officers elected at this meeting were: assessors, John Farrington Esq., William Rice Esq., and Samuel Call; constable, Joshua Hatheway; surveyors of lumber, Samuel Turner, Finson, Rowe, Josiah Crawford, John Farrington, Joseph Burr, Josiah Brewer; surveyors of shingles and clapboards, Josiah Crawford and Timothy W. Sibley; fence viewers: George Leonard, Charles Burr, Jacob Hart, and Calvin Holbrook; cullers of staves and hoops: Calvin Green and Cyrus Brewer; tythingmen: General John Blake and Dr. Elisha Skinner; sealers of leather: Daniel Sterns and Henry Reed; fishwardens: Samuel Stone, Francis Brewer, Charles Burr, Samuel Call, and Joseph Burr; hog reeves: John Curry, Jonathan Wood, Edward Smith, Josiah Rogers, Noah
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