USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Holden > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 6
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Eddington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 6
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Orrington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 6
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Brewer > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 6
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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
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Clark, Horace Bond, Calcin Swett, Timothy W. Sibley, Henry Call, David Gilmore, William Johnson, Alfred Skinner, Luther Jones, John Robinson, Ephraim Rider, and Lemuel Copeland; pound keepers; John Rider and Silas Winchester; field drivers: Francis Brewer, Jonathan Wood, Asa Howard, and Calvin Hol- brook; superintending school committee: Oliver Leonard, John Farrington, Charles Burr, William Rice, and John Whiting.
At this meeting the decision was made that in the future copies of the warrant should be posted "at or near John Brewer's, and at or near William & Charles Rice's Store, and at or near John Whit- ing's and at the School House in Wrentham Settlemen (Holden).
An important problem facing the inhabitants of both towns at this time was the adjustment of the accounts. In order that this work might be carried out with expedience a committee was chosen to take care of the settlement. This committee consisted of Samuel Call, John Farrington, and John Whiting. Records of the numerous town meetings held during the years which followed show that the matter of settlement and adjustment was not finally completed for some time.
Due no doubt to the vast amount of business which needed to be accomplished in connection with the launching of a new town; and somewhat to the inexperience of those concerned, there re- mained unfinished business when the time came to bring this first meeting to a close. It was subsequently adjourned until April 6. At this time John Farrington was elected as the first representa- tive to the General Court. The office of collector of taxes was auctioned off to Joshua Hatheway for $15.00. Mr. Hatheway was the lowest bidder for the position.
A sum of money was appropriated for highway work and the surveyors of the highways were elected: John Curry, Jacob Holyoke, George Leonard, James Campbell, George Wiswell, John Blake, and Thomas George. Wages per day for men who worked on the highways were set at $1.50. The group must have overreached itself for at the next meeting, which was held on May 4, 1812, it was voted to reduce the amount of the highway appropriation.
Transportation in those days was difficult even as it led from one part of the town to another. Roads were few and the condi- tion of those few was poor indeed when compared with our streets of today. It was probably due to this situation that, in
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1813, it was decided to alternate the town meetings, one to be held at the Meeting House, then located near Oak Grove Spring on a part of the Farrington farm, and the next at the school house in the Wrentham Settlement near Silas Winchester's. The number of meetings at each place was to be determined by the proportion- ate valuation of the two sections. They must have at first decided to alternate the meetings and then come to the conclusion that valuation should come into the picture.
That the interest of the citizens lay beyond the boundaries of their own town is evidenced in the fact that in 1815 they voted in favor of a division of the County. The matter of separation from Massachusetts was fast becoming a topic for debate and serious consideration. On May 20, 1816, there were 32 votes for separation and 7 votes against it. Later in the same year, August 15, 1816, 28 votes were cast for separation and 21 against it. The records for December 6, 1819 a short time previous to the establishment of Maine as a separate state, show that 42 votes were cast for the Constitution; 31 in favor and 11 opposed.
On February 15, 1816, Penobscot County was incorporated by an act of the Massachusetts Legislature, the law taking effect April 1, 1816. This county embraced all of Hancock County north of Bucksport and the territory on the west side of the river, north of Frankfort, and extending at first to the Canadian border. Ban- gor was made the county seat. Maine became the twenty-third state on March 15, 1820. The town by then had been controlled by two national governments, part of two states, and three counties.
On April 5, 1819, the town voted that the minister tax should be assessed on everyone in the town who did not get a certificate from their church as actually belonging to some religious society.
In 1820, at the first election of a governor for Maine, Brewer polled 86 votes.
That people in all parts of the town might know the content of public notices, it was voted that two suitable boxes be set up for these bulletins; one at Rogers' Ferry and the other some- where in the first school district. The name Rogers Ferry bothers us a little as this is the only mention found of it. In many places were references to Rice's Ferry. The above may be an error in the copying of records; or there may have been another important ferry point. First civic gatherings were held at various points, some in school houses and some in the old meeting house; and
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in April 1820 a vote was passed that one-third of the Town meetings in the future be held in the school house in district #4, one third in district #6, and one third in the meeting house.
Several men from Brewer held important positions in the court system. James Poor of Brewer was Crier of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas during the early years of the court, which was established in 1816, and David Perham was presiding Justice of that court from 1823 to 1839. Josiah Brewer served as Crier of the Supreme Judicial Court in 1821. John Wilkins of Orrington was the first Register of Deeds and County Treasurer.
The mighty influence of nature occasionally made itself felt during the years when the town was developing. In 1821 on the fifth of May the shock of an earthquake was felt. It began with a heavy rumbling, which was followed by a detonation loud as the heaviest thunder, and then the rumbling again. It was prob- ably the severest shock that had been felt in this area for a long period of time. In some cases crockery was thrown from the shelves and the houses were considerably shaken. Heavy snow, wind, and rain had occurred during the night and continued into the forenoon. The earthquake was felt between seven and eight o'clock in the morning.
Although a number of years had gone by since the bill was passed for the establishment of Brewer as a town there yet seemed to be some debate concerning the welfare of the town of Edding- ton. On September 10, 1821, the citizens of the town voted that there should not be any part set off to be annexed to the town of Eddington and also that a committee be chosen to draft a remonstrance against the petition of Joseph Little and others for the Northerly part of Brewer to be annexed to the town of Eddington. The same question came up for discussion in Septem- ber 1822 and a negative vote was taken. Later, in December 1826, the selectmen were authorized to remonstrate to the Legis- lature against the petition of some of the inhabitants that such a move be made.
Reference is repeatedly made in the old records to the fact that many of the civic gatherings of the town were held in the meeting house. The first Meeting House was located in the general vicinity of Oak Grove Spring. In 1834, Joshua Chamber- lain Jr., Jonathan Burr, and Theophilus Nickerson were appointed a committee to procure information regarding a site for a town
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house, to obtain a plan for the same, and to estimate the cost of building it. We find a vote in the records for September 12, 1836, that all future meetings will be held in the new town house.
The first town house was located on the present municipal building site. An attractive edifice of Greek architecture, it re- sembled a small Greek temple, with two columns and recesses at this point. This building served the town well until 1889, when it was remodeled and enlarged into a large frame building with a fine auditorium and a belfry. This was done under the juris- diction of the Council. The chairman of the committee was F. L. Harlow. In March 1937, the latter building was so badly gutted by fire that it was necessary to tear it down. From the ruins has risen our present modern brick building which was ready for occupancy in July, 1938.
At the time the census of 1820 was taken the population of the town was 734. This was the first census after the division of the towns which explains the drop in population from 1810 when it is listed as 1341. In 1820 Brewer had 147 polls. By 1830 there were 1078 inhabitants; 1840, 1736; 1850, 2628; 1860, 2835; 1870, 3214; 1880, 3170. By 1889, at the time of its incorporation as a city, the population had grown to 4193. During the decade from 1870 to 1880 there was a loss in population; but in the ten years which followed a gain of more than a thousand was shown. According to the valuation of the estates in the town the 1880 census shows $735,169, while ten years later its valuation was set at $1,307,970. If we were to follow through the census figures we would find a comparatively small increase in the number of inhabitants in the period between 1850 and 1860. This fact is partly accounted for in the population of Holden which was established as a separate town in April 1852. Holden had a count of 804 inhabitants in 1860.
Perhaps it would be interesting to speak for a moment about two rather unusual members of our population. Simon Wise and his wife, Molly, were free negroes who came from Canada. They lived in a floorless shack at the junction of Wilson and State Streets. Both were well known and respected and had many friends who were very kind to them. When they became too old to live in their hut, which indeed was too old itself for habitation, they went to the almshouse to spend their remaining years.
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"Aunt Molly" had always kept a smudge burning in front of her house the year around to keep the witches away. After her husband's death, she continued to live at the almshouse. She died in 1892. Her exact age is unknown but it is thought that she was between 90 and 100 years of age.
A description of Brewer during its existence as a town states that it was bounded on the opposite side of the river, north by Veazie, southwest by Bangor, west by a small corner of the town of Hampden. On the east side of the river, bounded by Edding- ton, Holden, and Orrington. The extreme length of the town, a little more than five and one half miles; the width of the town at its widest point, three and one fifth miles.
Waterways through the town have changed to some extent due to industrial development and changing geographical fea- tures. However, at that time the following seems to be an adequate description: "At Brewer Village (South Brewer) Segeun- kedunk Stream furnishes the outlet through Orrington for Hine's Pond (Brewer Lake) and Field's Pond, runs for nearly a mile in Brewer and in the past furnished water power for grist and other mills just beyond the town line. Felt's Brook, halfway be- tween Brewer Village and North Brewer, intersects a large section of the town, having a course of about seven miles within it. Eaton Brook, entering from Holden, flows across the whole breadth of the town. The Penobscot River furnishes great facilities for navi- gation and also the important industries of ship-building and its allied labors."
Weather, which we must accept, like it or not; had its periods of unusual development, then as now. There was a heavy frost in this area in June 1884. Snow fell and the cars that came from the east were white with the snow and the platform was covered with ice.
During the years, Brewer, the Town grew; until in 1889 on the 28th of February, it became Brewer, the City. Incorporation was under the Mayor-Alderman form of government. The first mayor was Mr. Harlan P. Sargent, and the list of aldermen included Luther V. Gilmore, Bisbee B. Merrill, E. P. Farrington, Hugh O'Brian, W. C. Stone, Freeland L. Harlow, Henry F. Tefft, J. H. Weeks, Manly Hardy, and Wm. B. Snow. Frank H. Nickerson was the city clerk and the treasurer was Samuel H. Woodbury.
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In the municipal election of September 1892, the Australian ballot was used for the first time. In 1893, there were 882 register- ed voters but only 383 voted at the election, showing an apathy which is, unfortunately, all too frequent in our elections even at the present time.
The question of annexing Brewer to Bangor had been mention- ed in town reports as early as 1870, and became pertinent about 1894. Those who favored the move towards union listed as ad- vantages to such a move: better fire protection, a larger police force, better schools, and more lights. They also felt that this move would do more toward obtaining a free bridge between the cities than any other step could. Of course there were a majority who opposed the annexation and they listed as disadvantages: a probable increase in valuation and percent taxed, a relative in- crease of debt, and to a certain extent, a loss in self-government.
An amusing note, perhaps bearing lightly on the political development of our city, but indicative of the public spirit of the citizens, was that of 1897 when the Committee on Public Property erected a forty-foot flag staff on the southern end of the city hall. In the words of the committee, "We leave to some future committee the honor of raising 'Old Glory' over the city's property. Lack of funds is our only excuse for not doing it our- selves."
In listing the attractions of Brewer in 1920, Mayor Chester D. Merrifield stated that the population of the city was at that time 6000 or over. Its facilities included six miles of water front, water power in unlimited quantities, two lines of steam rail- roads, a street railway; and further contended that it was “an ideal location for business plants and for residential locations as well."
The Mayor-Alderman form of government continued until 1931 when a new charter was granted and the Council-Manager type was inaugurated, the new Council and City Manager taking over on January 11, 1932. Our first city manager was Fred Farns- worth. Others who have succeeded him have been: Harrie Eckler, Ronald Stewart, Donald Waring, and our present manager, O. Lionel Pomeroy.
Deserving mention in this report are those who served our city in the office of Mayor during the time that we existed under the mayor-alderman form of government. This list includes:
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Harlan P. Sargent, Jasper Hutchings, Henry F. Tefft, Frank H. Nickerson, Bisbee B. Merrill, D. A. Sargent, Charles J. Hutchings, Leon F. Higgins, Hadley C. Clapp, Charles H. Small, Ambrose F. Pendleton, Victor H. Mutty, Charles W. Curtis, Chester D. Merrifield, John B. Stuart, Frank R. Cowan, and Harold S. Burrill.
The Brewer Development Commission issued a bulletin in 1960 which lists some of Brewer's outstanding advantages. It might not be amiss to mention a few of them at the close of this chapter. A great many of the workers in Brewer own their own homes. Due to this they are more assuredly permanent residents of the community and take a genuine pride in their city and in its growth. Many new industries have come to Brewer during the past several years. Brewer needs to bow to no one in the state of Maine as far as its public school system is concerned. Advanced education is obtainable by traveling only a few miles from the city. There are seven churches in the city covering many denomi- nations and within two miles of the city are 43 churches which represent nearly all the faiths. Brewer is a city of homes; but it also has to offer all the facilities essential to fine industrial development.
CHAPTER VIII
RELIGIOUS HISTORY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCHES OF BREWER
During the closing years of the 17th century a group of Puritans and Congregationalists were situated in Massachusetts. These people had come over from Dorset, Lincolnshire, and Devon between the years 1630 and 1650. They represented some of the best people of England. They had never suffered persecution; but had left England when Puritanism became powerful. Thus are described the people who first came to Maine to settle.
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The first settlers in this town are described as "intelligent, sober, moral, and Christian people, largely of the old Pilgrim Orthodox faith." Probably one of the first churches in the town was held in the kitchen of the Farrington home.
Early church history on the river informs us that Dr. John Hubert, a Calvinist, came here in 1774, and although he was not a minister, he held meetings and preached in Bangor and vicinity until he moved in 1779. A Rev. Mr. Knowles from Cape Cod (possibly Isaac who graduated from Harvard in 1768) was said to be the first stated preacher on the river. There does not seem to be any record of the time he spent here.
The Rev. Seth Noble, a Revolutionary soldier, was employed by a committee to preach on the "Penobscot River" He was ordained September 10, 1786 under an oak tree in Bangor. He agreed that he would preach to the settlers on each side of the river alternately. He was to be paid $400 per year. Until at least 1822 part of the minister's salary was paid by the town and part was paid by the Massachusetts Missionary Society. Mr. Noble did much of his traveling in a birch bark canoe. He preached in all the settlements to the eastwards. There was a church society prior to 1800 which was known as the "Orrington Church". This group was composed of members on both sides of the river. Mr. Noble preached here and baptized and married many people. He married his second wife in Orrington.
Soon after the incorporation of Orrington the town voted to built two meeting houses, forty by forty-two feet on front lots. They were built seven miles apart - one near the ferry between Orrington and Hampden, and the other a mile above the ferry between Brewer and Bangor. After they were boarded and shingled, the pew ground in both houses was sold for a sum sufficient to furnish them in a decent manner and to paint one of them. They had neither steeples nor towers. The inhabitants of the lower part of town were mostly Methodists. The first church in the upper part of the town was built near the present site of Oak Grove Spring, known during the early days of the settlement as Indian Point, since the Indians often camped there for the salmon fishing.
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THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
In 1794 the framework of the first meeting-house in the settle- ment was raised on this site. The meeting house had two rows of windows on each side, sixteen in all. It had two galleries and a pulpit. The entrance was on the end opposite the pulpit. The church was clapboarded but not painted. Records state that there was occasional preaching. The land on which the church was built was given by Mr. Oliver Farrington, who also gave the land for the schoolhouse. When the new church was built a mile below on the rise of land called "Meeting House Hill" the old church was used for a stable for a time and later destroyed by fire according to some old notes. Mr. Noble served as pastor in this section of Orrington until 1797 when he left by mutual agree- ment. The amount of money which he received was not sufficient for the support of his family.
On September 9, 1800, the First Congregational Church, familiarly known as the "Old Orrington Church" and the first to be organized on the river, was formed. At this time there were only nine homes within a radius of three miles of the church. The first meeting was held at the home of Deacon Isaac Robin- son. It was attended by thirteen people, Colonel and Mrs. John Brewer being numbered among them. The group met to take the necessary steps to create a formal church organization. Pews were sold prior to the completion of the church building and some of the receipts are still in existence among the old church records.
This church has sometimes been referred to as the "mother of churches". When the First Church of Bangor was established in 1811, three or four of the original members came from the Brewer church. In 1817, the Hampden church was organized and seven members from Brewer were dismissed to it. Sixty- seven members went to form the church in Holden in 1828, and eighteen to the church in South Brewer in 1843.
The "mother" church was founded by this little group which met with Deacon Robinson in the late summer of 1800. Members came to the meeting by foot, by rowboat, and by horseback over wilderness paths from the towns that currently bear the names of Holden, Orrington, and Hampden; and the present cities of Bangor and Brewer. Deacon Robinson was elected moderator of this meeting and Dr. Elisha Skinner served as scribe.
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The group discussed the need for such a church organization, mentioning the continuing growth of the community and also of the neighboring ones. Since it would be necessary for an eccle- siastical council to meet and carry out the business procedures relative to the organization it was decided to hold the meeting early in September. Probably the traveling conditions of the period determined to a great extent the date of the meeting. Travel would still be good at this time. Mr. James Boyd was to be examined as to his fitness for the Gospel ministry and if he were found to be satisfactory his ordination could follow the organization of the church.
The Council, composed of ministers and delegates from other churches, met on the 9th of September and carried out the busi- ness of organization. After the incorporation of Brewer in 1812 this parish which had been known as the "Old Orrington Church" became known as the "Brewer Church". This was the first Con- gregational Church so-called in Penobscot County. The Covenant and Articles of Faith drawn up at this meeting are still to be found among the old church records.
Mr. Boyd was ordained on the day following the organization of the church. He had formerly been a Methodist, had fallen into disfavor and had become a Congregationalist. He is said to have been called by both the Orrington and the Bangor churches. Mr. Boyd seems to have been unministerial in his habits and "trouble came." A special town meeting was held September, 1801, and in November an Ecclesiastical and Town Council met and dismissed him. From this time until 1812 there was no settled minister in the church, which was supplied during this interim by visiting ministers or missionaries.
Rev. Thomas Williams came to the "upper church of Orrington" in 1812 to remain there until 1822. He was a graduate of Brown University and came here first as a missionary. He was ordained as pastor in 1813 at which time we were at war with England. In 1815 the British entered the church and carried away part of the pulpit furniture. This was not replaced until the following winter.
After Mr. Williams left, the church was without a regular preacher for a time though "not long without preaching, nor, indeed, all the time without pastoral oversight." This last was quoted from the old church records.
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In August 1821, the First Congregational Parish of the town of Brewer was organized. George Leonard was the first church treasurer.
In 1828, the year of the "Great Revival" a second meeting house was erected. The old one, which had proved to be too far from the center of population was sold for the sum of sixty dollars. The new church was built "near Rice's Ferry where the Liberty Pole now stands" or what is the head of Church Street, the site of the present church building.
The money for this building was raised by shareholders and later supported by the sale of pews. Among the old church papers there is a floor plan of the building. Names of church families appear on the pews in the plan. Front pews must have been in great demand for on the one directly before the pulpit is the notation, "Sell for $25". As with all buildings it was neces- sary to make repairs and changes from time to time. In 1878, the building was enlarged and thoroughly repaired. Despite this fact, by 1885, the records state that the building had become "to straight for the people" and on February 20, of that year a legal Parish was organized for the purpose of erecting a new church building to replace the old one. In case there is any question regarding the use of the word "straight" we have concluded from the reading of the records that it means too small or too crowded.
Reading down through the pages of the old church record books we are constantly confronted with cases where the church went on record as to the steps taken in the disciplining of mem- bers who offended the principles of the group. Many of the meetings called between 1817 and 1840 were for the purpose of meting out punishment to those who violated the "blue laws" of the community. Not only were there cases of those who were intemperate; but also those who were absent from church, quarreled with their neighbors, and even the curse of the dance hall; all these were subject to censure, suspension, and some- times even to excommunication.
One sister was suspended from communion until such time as she saw fit to confess her errors. She was guilty of quarreling with her neighbors. A brother, who was employed in Bucksport, was said to have partaken of ardent spirits and also to have spent some time looking in on a ball room. He was suspended at
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