USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Jefferson > Centennial celebration of the town of Jefferson, Lincoln County, Maine, U.S.A., August 21, 1907 > Part 3
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In the same grant "one hundred acres to every passenger and fifty acres to everyone born there within seven years."
The Pemaquid claim, through change in ownership, became known later as the Drowne claim, and embraced all of the present towns of Bristol, Bremen, Damariscotta and part of Newcastle and Nobleboro.
The Brown claim was founded on the purchase by John Brown of Bristol, July 15, 1625, from the Wawenock sagamores, Capt. John Somerset and Unongoit, of the tract described as follows: "Beginning at Pemaquid Falls, and so running a direct course to the head of New Harbor, and thence to the south end of Muscongus Island, taking in the island, and so running five and twenty miles into the country north and east and thence eight miles northwest and by west, and then turning and running south and by west to Pemaquid where first begun."
The consideration for this purchase was fifty beaver skins.
These limits would include as now constituted, all of Nobleboro, Damariscotta, Bremen and Jefferson and the greater part of Bristol and Newcastle.
This old Indian deed of Brown's is supposed to be the first deed ever properly executed in America, and was recorded at Charlestown, Mass., December 26, 1720, and also an attested copy was recorded in York County Registry, August 3, 1739.
John Brown died about 1670 in either a place very near where Damariscotta village stands or in Boston at the home of his son.
He left three children, John Brown, Jr., Elizabeth, who married Richard Pierce of Marblehead, and Margaret, who married Sander Gould.
In 1660, Brown deeded to Gould and his wife a tract eight miles square nearly in the centre of his purchase.
The Goulds had three daughters, Margaret, Mary and Elizabeth. Margaret married William Stilson, who was killed by the Indians, but left two children, James and Margaret, who later made claim to the land.
The daughter, Margaret Stilson, married William Hilton, who also was killed by the Indians, but to whom the larger part of those bearing the name of Hilton in this part of the State trace their descent.
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THE NOBLE CLAIM
The Noble claim rested upon the following: Mary, daughter of Sander and Margaret (Brown) Gould, married John Coats. They had one son, Prinsent Coats. He sold his claim, whatever it might amount to, to William Noble, mentioning in particular, the eight-mile-square tract. This descended by will from Noble to his heirs, and they were very active in pressing their claims in many instances where there was no likelihood that they extended, even if they had an equity anywhere.
James Noble was the heir of William, and in 1765 he married the widow of William Vaughan, with whom the Vaughn claim originated. The town of Nobleboro, much against the wishes of its inhabitants, took its name, when incorporated, Nov. 20, 1788, from Arthur Noble, heir of James.
As early as 1730, William Vaughan of Boston came to Damariscotta Fresh Falls and commenced a settlement. He claimed under the Brown title as far east as Pemaquid pond, and west to Mill river. James Noble and Elliot Vaughn, his brother, came with him. In 1730, he built two double saw mills and a grist mill. Damariscotta pond in his day was called Vaughn's pond. After his death his right passed over to Elliot Vaughn and James Noble.
The Brown claim, including the claims of Noble and Vaughn, did not cause much if any trouble to the settlers in Jefferson.
Those settlers living within the limits of the Kennebec Purchase, that is, within fifteen miles of the Kennebec river, were driven to desperate measures to protect their ownership.
We cannot better illustrate this than by quoting from a "History of Kennebec Purchase," found in Vol. IV. of the Maine Historical Society collection.
"As early as 1796 the squatters in Ballstown (now Jefferson) had become sufficiently numerous to act in a body and to prevent individuals from agreeing to any measure not approved by the majority. They at first advanced the doctrine (which subsequently was decided untenable by the highest tribunal) that this corporation under the general law establishing landed corporations, could only sell land when necessary to raise money to pay debts. As the company temporized with them the settlers became more resolute and refused to allow any survey of the land unless they could previously know what was to be the price of their land." In 1802 steps were taken looking to a compromise between the company and settlers. A petition was made to the general court for a commission to be appointed to adjust the troubles. A resolve was passed which prescribed the principles upon which the commission should act, and required also the consent both of the company and of the settlers to the terms of the resolve, before the commission should proceed; and those settlers who did not give a written acquiescence to its terms before a fixed day were to be debarred from its benefit.
By the terms prescribed the settlers were to be divided into three classes, those who had taken their land previous to the Revolutionary War, when the company offered their lots freely to anyone who would occupy and improve them; those who went on during the war, and those who had taken up their lots subsequently. The price was to be lowest to the first class and highest to the last.
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The resolve closed with an earnest appeal to the settlers, as friends of peace, good order and the commonwealth, to submit to the resolve.
The State agreed to pay half of the expense which under common circumstances would have fallen to the settler to pay.
Many settlers in Whitefield, Palermo, Freedom and other towns submitted to this resolve and deeds were given by the company's agent to the settlers the following June when they paid for their land.
The terms were not satisfactory to the Jefferson settlers. They, however, submitted, upon a further modification of terms by the legis- lature, by which they were to relinquish all claims, and receive deeds of their lots upon payment of five dollars in each case as a fee.
The original claimants were to receive an equivalent in the unlocated lands of the State.
Three disinterested persons, not inhabitants of Massachusetts or Maine, were to be commissioners and execute the will of the State.
Jeremiah Smith, who had been chief justice and governor of New Hampshire, William H. Woodward of the same State, and Judge David Howell of Rhode Island were appointed to this office. This commission in 1813 proved satisfactory and settled the last great controversy respect- ing land titles in Maine.
In the town records we find that on June 1, 1812, the following was passed : "Voted to raise $200 to enable the committee appointed by the town to meet with agents appointed by the governor of this common- wealth to settle the dispute between the non-resident proprietors, com- monwealth and settlers in Jefferson, Nobleboro, Newcastle and other towns mentioned in submission, who are to meet for that purpose at the house of Nathaniel Bryant in Nobleboro, on the 25th day of June, 1812."
LINCOLN ACADEMY GRANT
A few years before the proprietors' claims were finally settled another element of disturbance made its appearance in what was known as the Lincoln Academy grant.
When the charter of the academy was obtained in 1801, there was a provision for State aid, when three thousand dollars was raised by private subscription. After this was raised the State assigned them one- half a township in the unoccupied lands of the State. This appropriation of land by the Legislature, not being satisfactory to the trustees, probably on the ground that it might be some time before the half township of land would be settled and become productive to the academy, they petitioned the Legislature, by a committee raised for the purpose, of whom David Dennis of Nobleboro was chairman, that instead of unappro- priated wild land they might have the "Gore."
This is described as follows: "The gore of land lying between the Plymouth and Waldo claims at the head of Damariscotta pond."
This contained about 30,000 acres.
The Legislature granted the petition of the trustees by an act passed Feb. 12, 1803, and the trustees proceeded to sell out those acres.
That this arrangement was not satisfactory to those owning or holding land in this territory is shown by a petition to the Legislature in 1813. This petition is rather long and we will give only an abstract from the closing part.
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The settlers in their petition claim that "the trustees conveyed to three of their number as purchasers the residue of their claim which they say lay within the incorporated towns, by virtue whereof these purchasers have been calling on your petitioners, asserting the right of the commonwealth to be in them.
"Intimidating all by threats of suit and as it were, hastily forcing settlement to amass wealth before it might be determined whether the deed granted to the trustees as aforesaid, be in conformity to the will of the Legislature, and the title if ever it was fully or legally vested in these purchasers of the trustees, before a release of the heirs or assigns of the non-resident claimants in the submission between them and the commonwealth since late lately was given."
This petition is signed by a long list of settlers in Jefferson, Noble- boro and Waldoboro.
A resolve was passed by the General Court in Boston, Feb. 28, 1814, authorizing the trustees of the academy to give a warranty deed to the settlers, releasing them from any claim of the commonwealth or of the trustees, upon payment of about thirteen cents per acre.
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN
Who built the first log house and settled there with his family, we do not know. We find it frequently stated that the town was settled in 1770, also that it gained its plantation name of Ballstown from John Ball, the first settler.
When and where Ball settled, I have not been able to ascertain. It is very probable that the first settler located near Newcastle, which was very early settled and was incorporated June 19, 1753. At this time there was quite a settlement at Damariscotta Mills.
There is on record at Wiscasset a deed given by Joshua Linscott to his son Ephraim and another to his son, Jonathan, in which he states that the land conveyed to each son, is a part of the premises surveyed for him by Elijah Partridge, surveyor, August 4, 1764.
Daniel C. Linscott, Esq., of Boston, a grandson of Joshua Linscott, is authority for the statement that his grandfather, Joshua, the next year after his land was surveyed, cleared a portion which for many years was termed the "house lot," and built a log house and located his family there.
This would make him a settler in 1765 and antedates any other of which we have a record. This is the farm which was occupied by the late Hiram Linscott.
There is also a plan of land which belonged to Archibald McAllister on record at Wiscasset dated May 13, 1766.
A committee was appointed by Newcastle Sept. 22, 1774, "to lay out a road from the town road near Benjamin Glidden's to the north town line to accommodate the people of Ballstown."
From this we would infer that there must have been a number of families living there, and also that at this time the plantation had received its name of Ballstown.
As early as 1792 the question of incorporation was agitated. We find in the early record of Ballstown that at a plantation meeting held April 2, 1792, Article 10, was as follows :
DAMARISCOTTA LAKE. JEFFERSON ME. 4F
VIEW AT BUNKER HILL
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TOWN OF JEFFERSON
"To see if the plantation will vote to petition the General Court to be set off as a district or incorporated into a town and in what manner they will proceed."
This meeting voted not to petition the General Court.
July 22, 1793, a vote was taken to see if the inhabitants would divide the plantation, in which 30 voted to divide and 48 against it.
In 1795-6 and -7, they voted not to take any act toward incorpora- tion. For the next four years the records are silent on this question.
December 7, 1801, it was voted to divide the plantation "beginning at Turner's meadow brook on New Milford (now Alna) line, thence running a course about N. N. E. to strike between Michael Glidden's and Jonathan Peasley's and to continue that course to the plantation north line."
Samuel Waters, Joseph Jackson and Samuel Kincaid were appointed a committee to have the division line surveyed. On April 5, 1802, it was voted to accept the line as laid out and surveyed by this committee.
At a meeting in April, 1807, after electing a few officers (pro tempore as recorded) and taking a ballot on the separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts, in which 139 votes were for separation and 47 against it, they voted to adjourn the meeting on the west side to meet at Abraham Choate's on the 27th inst. and also voted to adjourn the meeting on the east side to meet at James Reeves' on the same 27th inst.
The mutual division and adjournment of the meeting would indicate that the utmost harmony prevailed in regard to the separation and incor- poration of Jefferson.
The town was undoubtedly named for Thomas Jefferson, who at that time was President of the United States. Tradition says that the name was suggested by Jonathan Trask, who was one of the active men in town affairs, and a great admirer of President Jefferson.
ACT OF INCORPORATION
The following is the act of incorporation as found in Chapter 62, Laws of Massachusetts, Vol. 4, new series :
An Act to incorporate the easterly part of the plantation heretofore called Ballstown into a separate town by the name of Jefferson.
Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the easterly side of the plantation heretofore called Ballstown in the County of Lincoln, as described within the following bounds, be and hereby is incorporated into a town by the name of Jefferson, viz .:
Beginning at a red oak tree marked for a corner, standing near Travel pond so called, from thence running south sixty degrees east five miles and two hundred and eighty poles, to Union line, to a hemlock tree marked for a corner, thence south sixty-six degrees west one mile and two hundred and forty poles to a tree marked for a corner on Waldoborough line, thence southwest two miles and two hundred and sixty poles, to Nobleboro line, to a tree marked for a corner, thence west north-west two miles and eighty poles, to a tree marked for a corner, standing on the shore of Damariscotta pond, thence across said pond to the western shore of said pond, thence down said pond as said pond runs
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to Newcastle line, to a tree marked for a corner, thence west-northwest three miles and forty poles to a stake and stones at Turner's brook so- called, for a corner, thence north twenty-seven degrees east eleven miles and twenty poles to the bound first mentioned.
And the said town is hereby vested with all the powers and privileges, and subject to all the duties and requirements to which other towns are entitled or subjected by the constitution and laws of this commonwealth.
Section II. And be it further enacted, that either of the justices of peace, for the county of Lincoln, be and he is hereby authorized to issue a warrant directed to some inhabitant of said town of Jefferson, requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants of the said town to meet at such convenient time and place as shall be appointed in said warrant, for the choice of such officers as towns are by law required to choose at their annual town meeting.
[This act passed February 24, 1807.]
FIRST TOWN MEETING
The first town meeting was called to meet at the dwelling house of James Reeves on Monday, the IIth day of May, 1807.
At this meeting William Hopkins was elected moderator, David S. Trask, clerk; Jonathan Trask, Joseph Weeks and James Robinson, select- men. John Parker bid off the constableship at public "vendue" for $57, John Polley and Richard Powers giving bonds for $3,000 for the faithful performance of his duties as constable and collector.
On the day of this meeting another meeting was called to be held May 16, five days later. Why this adjournment was made we do not know.
At the meeting May 16, Joseph Weeks was elected treasurer, Jona- than Trask, Joseph Weeks and James Robinson chosen assessors.
John Parker bid off the collector's office at four per cent.
Then were chosen seventeen highway surveyors, eleven surveyors of lumber and cullers of staves, twelve tything men, ten field drivers, twelve fence viewers, eight hog reeves and seven pound keepers.
The appropriations made were as follows:
To defray town charges, $200.
For schooling the children, $400.
To be expended on highways, $1,000.
Voted to work out the money on highway by August I, at one dollar per day per man.
Voted, that hogs should run at large, must be well yoked according to law.
Voted, that pound keepers should make pounds of their own barns, free of expense to the town.
Samuel Waters, Jonathan Trask and William Hopkins chosen to settle accounts with plantation of Ballstown.
William Hopkins, Thomas Trask and Samuel Waters chosen to settle town accounts.
Voted that the bounty on "croos" heads should be twenty-five cents.
The committee appointed at this meeting to adjust the accounts between Jefferson and Ballstown made their report April 1, 1808.
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TOWN OF JEFFERSON
The debt of the entire plantation at time of separation was $237.44. Of this it was agreed that Ballstown should pay $107.03 and Jefferson $130.41.
We find that nearly every year at the annual town meeting, money was voted "to support the gospel."
This varied from $150 to $300 in different years, and a committee was appointed from different sections of the town "to pay over the money to whom they shall see fit to call to preach in town this year."
While there seems not to have been any objection to appropriating money for religious work, we are led to infer that there were different opinions as to how it should be used.
In a warrant for a town meeting to be held in September, 1808, the following article appears: "To see what method the town will take, in order to settle the Rev. William Allen in this town to preach the gospel of peace to dying sinners."
At a meeting it was voted to dismiss the article.
In the call for a town meeting for election of representatives to Congress or General Court at Boston, we find a property qualification of voters, which evidently did not apply to the town election as the following abstract will show: "Said inhabitants of said town for one year next preceding, having a freehold estate within said town of the annual income of three pounds, or any estate to the value of sixty pounds."
The first mention of any help being given to the poor was at a meet- ing held April 2, 1810, when a man and his wife were "bid off" by David Trask for three dollars and sixty cents per week, with the follow- ing conditions : "The said David to provide meat, furnish nursing, fire- wood and rooms sufficient for them for one year, if they should live so long."
The custom then prevailed of selling the paupers to the lowest bidder for their board and care.
There are no records to show that the town took any official action bearing upon the War of 1812, except an entry in the town treasurer's account for 1813, when there are charges for lead, bullet moulds, running bullets, camp-kettles, powder, etc., amounting to upward of forty dollars.
In the records at the Adjutant General's office at Augusta, we find a Roll of Capt. Davis Boynton's company of militia, raised in Jefferson and in service at Wiscasset and vicinity from the IIth to the 14th of Septem- ber, 1814. Including its officers this company numbers thirty-six men.
There were, according to an inventory on record in 1811 : "192 polls 21 years old and upward, 134 dwelling houses and 135 barns, one grist mill, one carding mill, one fulling mill and four saw mills."
There were raised that year 1023 bushels of wheat and 3249 bushels of Indian corn.
SEPARATION FROM MASSACHUSETTS
The earliest record we find regarding the separation of Maine from Massachusetts has been already referred to, as occurring in April, 1807. From then for several years it apparently did not receive much attention. It was revived again in the spring of 1816 when at a meeting in May a ballot was taken with 61 yeas and 45 nays. It is evident that during this year there was a great deal of effort put forth by those favoring
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separation, as there are many circulars on file, and a written ballot was called for at another meeting held Sept. 1, 1816.
The first mention of a building for school purposes was in 1809, when at the April meeting it was voted: "That one hundred and fifty dollars be expended for labor and materials that year for a schoolhouse for the fifth class," later known as the fifth district or Trask school. Thomas Trask, Abner Ford and Jonathan Trask were chosen to superintend the building of the house as well as to manage the school.
It is presumed that the early schools were held at the dwelling houses in different parts of the town, as money was appropriated each year for school purposes, but how it was used there is no account for a number of years after incorporation.
There is a document among the town papers, locating the district bounds as originally laid out, with names of families and number of schol- ars in each. This division was made in 1816 and there were according to this record 640 scholars in the town to be educated with an appropria- tion of $400. The schools of those days would doubtless seem crude and limited in the ground covered and methods used, when compared with some of our modern schools, but when we look at the men who came from those schools, we find a great many energetic and successful business men, with high moral standards that would put to shame many modern financiers whose only aim is the almighty dollar.
Jefferson's schools have always been above the average and it has been said that more teachers have gone forth from this town than from any other town in the county.
Under date of Nov. 10, 1827, we find the following record :-
"Joseph Jackson, Jr., applied for license. Town clerk and treasurer not being at home he was permitted to sell spirituous liquors until Sep- tember next for five dollars."
(Signed)
JESSE ROWELL, Selectman of Jefferson.
One of the landmarks of the town is the old pound built in 1829. This was built of stone, circular in form, forty feet in diameter on the inside. The walls are six feet thick at the bottom and seven feet high. The contract for building was made with Silas Noyes for $28.
For many years this asset of the town has suffered neglect and today remains but a monument of the past.
In 1858 on the prohibitory act there were 72 votes for prohibition and one for license. This speaks in no uncertain tone for the moral and temperance sentiment at that time.
In 1859 the town voted on petition of Orrin Folsom and others, for setting off part of Jefferson to Somerville. The vote was unanimously against it.
July 3, 1861, voted to furnish supplies to families of volunteers in the United States service.
July 26, 1862, voted to raise $2,300 to pay bounties to 23 volunteers to make up the quota.
August 27, 1862, voted to hire $3,400 for 34 volunteers, nine months men, to make up quota.
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A committee of ten was appointed at this meeting to encourage enlistments.
March II, 1863, raised $300 for support of destitute families of volunteers.
November 24, 1863, voted to pay volunteers $300 each.
February 25, 1864, voted to pay $300 to volunteers for call of Feb- ruary 1, 1864.
June II, 1864, voted to raise $700 for families of volunteers.
August 13, 1864, another vote to raise $300 per man.
August 25, 1864, voted to raise $200 per man.
December 12, 1864, voted to raise $8,000 for volunteers.
February 18, 1865, voted to raise $3,000 for volunteers.
These votes given as they were recorded furnished proof of the loyalty of the citizens of Jefferson during the dark days of the Civil War, far better than any comment which I can make.
Jefferson gave not only her money as shown in these votes, but two hundred and seventeen of her best and dearly beloved young men, many of whom never returned.
These frequent town meetings of the war time were held in the old town house which was situated on the west side of the road near where the late Charles Weeks lived. It was a rough building and during the last years of its use became very dilapidated.
On March 8, 1869, the town voted $700 to build a new town house, and on April 12, 1869, a contract was made with Josiah Bruce to build the house for $895. The old building was sold to Samuel J. Bond for $30.
DEEP RELIGIOUS INTEREST
In 1729 David Dunbar, with a commission from the Crown of Eng- land as "Surveyor General of the King's Woods and Governor of Saga- dahoc" came to Pemaquid. He by royal order was required "to settle as well as govern Sagadahoc."
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