USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Harrison > Centennial history of Harrison, Maine > Part 9
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Such votes as some that are recorded above sound very strangely when viewed in the light of present ideas in regard to the caring for the town's poor, and would hardly be sanctioned by our present voters. But our forefathers had different ideas, and were evidently influenced by the desire to conduct the business in such a way as to cost the town as little as possible. Although they virtually sold the ser- vices of those unfortunate people at auction the same as slaves were formerly sold, yet it was in accordance with the usages of the times and usages that have been in vogue to some extent even within the memory of the writer. Hap- pily all this was changed many years ago, and methods which are much more humane and creditable now prevail.
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A COMPREHENSIVE OATH OF OFFICE. - Benjamin Chad- bourne was the Constable of the Town of Harrison for the year 1819, and his oath of office was as follows:
"Whereas you, Benjamin Chadbourne, are chosen Con- stable within the Town of Harrison for one year now fol- lowing; and until another be chosen in your place, do swear that you will carefully intend the preservation of the peace, the discovery and preventing all attempts against the same, that you will duly execute all warrants which shall be sent unto you from lawful authority, and faithfully attend all such directions in the laws and orders of courts as are, or shall be, committed to your care; that you will faithfully, and with what speed you can, collect and levy all such distresses, rates, assessments, and sums of money, for which you shall have sufficient warrants according to law, render- ing an account thereof, and paying the same according to the direction in your warrant; and with like faithfulness, speed and diligence, you will serve all writs, executions and distresses in private causes betwixt party and party, and make returns thereof duly in the same court where they are returnable; and in all things you shall deal faithfully whilst you shall be in office without any sinister respects of favor or displeasure. So help you God."
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SAD EVENTS IN HARRISON.
In the history of Harrison, but few events of a tragical nature have occurred to shock the sensibilities of the public. One of the saddest occurrences which have been recorded was of an accidental nature. It happened many years ago, and but few of our citizens remember it. The account herewith printed is copied from the Portland Cou- rier of May 1, 1831. The young man whose untimely death is described was a brother of Mrs. Rachel (Haskell) Thomes, first wife of the late Marshall Thomes. He was a son of Daniel Haskell of Windham.
"Drowned in Harrison, April 25th, Daniel M. Haskell, aged twenty-five. His death was most sudden and melan- choly and occurred under the following circumstances: He was engaged with another person upon one log in the mill-pond in endeavoring to raise another log from the bottom, when that on which they stood commenced roll- ing and precipitated them both into the water; the other person swam to the shore, whilst he being unable to swim, and before assistance could be rendered sank to rise no more. Thus was his fair dawn of life, whilst his cloud- less sun was nearing its meridian, in a moment veiled in
the shades of death. * * *
In this death the world sustains a great loss, for with much intelligence and en- ergy of mind he combined the most spotless morals and goodness of heart. So kind and obliging was his dispo- sition that he won the hearts of all who knew him. Though he had many friends we believe he had not an enemy in the world. As the stars of heaven shine brighter at the close of day when the shades of evening gather over the earth, even so do his virtues beam with brighter lustre from the darkness of the silent tomb: and long shall it be ere there shall cease to be found in memory's waste, a green spot watered by the tears of affection for him who is gone."
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"Yet though his form now moulders into dust, His soul on viewless wings to heaven shall soar, To seek its home in mansions of the just, Where friends shall meet to part again no more ; Where tears and grief and death itself shall cease, Where all is love and happiness and peace."
Another event of a most afflictive character to the family of Joseph Gilkey, and which caused sincere grief to a wide circle of neighbors and friends, was the loss at sea of two of his sons, Charles and James B. Gilkey, who had been in California for a few years and were passengers on board a steamship from Central America to New York, which was lost in mid-ocean and all on board perished. These young men were about twenty-nine years of age, and were of most excellent character. A headstone in the cemetery of the old Free Baptist church records the simple story of their death, said to have occurred September 12, 1857.
On September 5, 1874, occurred a distressing accident, by which one of the brightest and best of the young men of our town was instantly killed. Clarence Skillings, a twin son of Ambrose and Maria Skillings of Bolster's Mills, while riding towards Norway Village along the shore of beautiful Pennessewassee Lake and having a loaded gun in the wagon, under the seat, seeing a duck or some other game animal near the road, he sprang from the carriage and seizing the gun near the muzzle, he quickly drew it towards him, with the barrel pointing towards his body. The crossbar of the seat caught the lock, by which the piece was discharged, and he was shot, the charge of shot piercing his heart, causing instant death.
Clarence was twin brother to William, and they were at that time sixteen years and eleven months old. They were both excellent scholars, and much beloved by a large circle of schoolmates and friends.
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TOWN OF HARRISON.
CHAPTER III.
PROPOSED NEW TOWNS.
A S early as 1829, some of the inhabitants of the territory contained within the original Town of Harrison began to grow uneasy in regard to their situation; and some re- siding in the limits of other towns cast longing eyes upon a part of Harrison's territory as being needed to help in the making up of a new town. In the year above mentioned, the matter of forming a new town which would include considerable territory from the southerly part of Harrison as then constituted, began to be agitated, and the propo- sition was duly set forth in a petition to the Legislature signed by John Chute and others, inhabitants of Otisfield, Harrison, Raymond, Sebago and Bridgton, as follows:
"Respectfully represents the petitioners, that, in the lo- cation of the several towns in which they reside, they are desirous of making such alterations as will, out of the several portions hereinafter particularly described, constitute a new town. To comprise the said town they represent that the public convenience will be fully answered by connecting the following tracts, namely: All that part of Otisfield lying southwest of Crooked River; all that part of Raymond situated southwest of the same Crooked River, and said line continuing from the mouth of said river on Songo River to Sebago Pond, including the thousand acres, so called, which has never been incorporated into any town; eleven tiers of lots from the south part of Harrison next adjoining Otisfield, in their course from Crooked River to Long Pond in a straight line; five tiers of lots in Sebago,
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on Bridgton line to Peabody Pond; from thence on the west line of said tiers a straight course to Sebago Pond, taking the part next adjoining Otisfield and Raymond; four tiers of lots in Bridgton, in the southeast part of the town, pursuing the north line of the fourth tier to number thirty, fourth range, of the second division, including said number thirty in the fourth range, and thence south to Sebago line, on said line of lots, and from thence on Bridgton line westerly to Sebago line above described."
The petition then goes on to show the many inconven- iences which the petitioners in each town then suffered, in part as follows :
"The many inconveniences which your petitioners suffer in the present location of the several lines of the above mentioned towns, have induced them to this petition, some of which they will now set forth. That part of Otisfield which it is proposed thus to establish into a new town, is the greater part of it fifteen miles distant from the centre of said town, thereby occasioning to the inhabitants thereof in their attendance on the business of the said town, an un- reasonable and burthensome travel, and thereby rendering the exercise of their municipal and other franchises almost valueless, and to enjoy which they are now compelled to pass through the towns of Raymond or Harrison. The town of Harrison in the section above described is very narrow, not exceeding two miles in width, and with regard to the centre of business is most disadvantageously sit- uated. *
"All your petitioners are now enjoying in a very limited and partial extent the advantages of religious worship, schools, and town meetings. Their taxes are necessarily expended in such manner as to afford them but little municipal advantage or permanent good. These evils, they verily believe, will in a great measure be remedied by the establishment of a new town, and in addition thereto many advantages will result therefrom. This connection will
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afford a suitable and convenient centre for the transaction of corporate business, and facilitate the enjoyment of their privileges of Schools and Houses of Worship. The pro- posed route of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal passes through the centre of the new town, and will, when com- pleted, aid the interests of your petitioners by affording them advantages which could not be attained in their present situation."
This petition was signed by John Chute and 25 other citizens of Otisfield, 18 citizens of Sebago, 5 of Raymond, 2 of Bridgton, and the following from Harrison: Curtis Jordan, Simon Lord, Stephen Wilkinson, Warren Gammon, William Gammon, Reuben Doughty, Moses Fogg, Benjamin Sanborn, Timothy Ayres, Henry S. Thompson, Levi Wil- lard, Samuel Lord, Samuel York, Joseph Pitts.
As all who are familiar with the location will readily see, this proposed new town was Naples. Harrison was to lose quite a large piece of territory from the southern part, something which was not relished by much the greater part of the inhabitants, and on November 28, 1829, a special town meeting was held, "To see what instructions the Town would give its Representative respecting the petition now pending for the formation of a new town." At this meeting it was voted to remonstrate against the proposed town, but it appears that, for some reason the matter did not come before the next Legislature, as nothing further appears on the records until December 25, 1830, when another special meeting was held for the same purpose. Jacob Emerson was chosen Moderator, and the meeting was adjourned one week. At the adjourned meeting a remonstrance was adopted, of which the following is the most important por- tion :
"The Town of Harrison was composed of parts of the towns of Otisfield and Bridgton, lying between Long Pond and Crooked River, and is much inferior to either of these towns, both in territory and value; yet the petitioners for
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a new town have prayed for a much larger portion from this town than from any other so compactly situated as this. Of the inhabitants living in that part of the town included in the proposed limits of the new town, many are utterly opposed to any alteration whatever, but wish to remain unmolested as they now are.
"Much inconvenience must arise concerning a school district which will be divided almost in the centre by the division line of the new town. The quantity of territory prayed for amounts to nearly one-fourth of the territory and about one-fifth of the value of the whole town, but without an equal proportion of paupers or bridges with the re- mainder of the town to support; and the taxes in Harrison are extremely onerous, yet they must unavoidably be in- creased if the town be dismembered, without producing the corresponding advantages to those taken from this town.
"Under such circumstances, we cannot but view any at- tempt to divide the town with extreme anxiety and concern, and hope that after proper deliberation on the question so much of the prayer of the petitioners as relates to this town will be dismissed from further consideration of the Legislature. But after a patient and full investigation of the circumstances connected with the prayer of the peti- tioners aforesaid, it shall be adjudged just and proper that this town should contribute a part towards the formation of the new town, then we shall be under the necessity of consenting to a loss of six tiers of lots, so that the line dividing the town shall run from Crooked River in a westerly direction over Plaisted Hill, so called, to Long Pond. But if the prayer of the petitioners must be granted to the full extent, the remainder of the Town of Harrison will be so extremely small that it will be the wish of the major part of the inhabitants that the town be divided, and be annexed to the towns of Otisfield and Bridgton whence it was formerly taken."
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TOWN OF HARRISON.
The movement for the new town was not successful till 1834, when the Town of Naples was created by the Legis- lature, but Harrison secured the compromise asked for in the remonstrance, only six tiers of lots being taken from the southerly part of the town, and the line between the two towns passing over the top of the Plaisted Hill.
In 1832, a movement was started to form another new town from parts of Bridgton and Harrison, which was regarded as a serious menace to Harrison, and evidently caused considerable excitement at the time. The petition, which was signed by Ira Crocker and 120 others, set forth the desires of the petitioners as follows :
"The undersigned, legal voters of the towns of Bridgton and Harrison, respectfully represent that their interests and convenience will be promoted by the formation of a new town which shall include those portions of the said towns of Bridgton and Harrison hereinafter described, and of which a plan is herewith presented, viz .: Beginning at the northeasterly corner of Bridgton, and running thence westerly on the north line of the said town to the centre of the main stream running from Stearns Pond in Sweden, thence down the centre of the said stream, and down the centre of Crotched Pond, and the centre of the main stream running from Crotched Pond to Long Pond; thence run- ning across Long Pond to the easterly side of it; thence running by the shore of the said Pond to the southerly line of Lot No. 30, in that part of Harrison which was formerly Bridgton; thence following the southerly and easterly line of land which composed the farm of the late Grinfill Blake, Esq., to Anonymous Pond in Harrison, including the whole of the said farm; thence across said Pond to the easterly line of the first range of lots in said Harrison; thence on the said line to the southerly line of Waterford; thence on Waterford line to the bounds first mentioned.
"And your petitioners would represent that in the forma- tion of a new town comprised within the limits aforesaid,
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it will contain two flourishing villages, the one in Bridgton, and the other in Harrison, not now more than one mile apart, at the head waters of Cumberland and Oxford Canal, whose local situation gives them a unity of interests, and constant intercourse in business. That these villages are now distant from the places of transacting public business in their respective towns; that the centre of the contem- plated town contains a flourishing Academy; that there is now a militia company in that part of Bridgton included in our petition ; that it will be a compact town, a large ma- jority of the inhabitants of which have mutual interests and mutual views in regard to their municipal concerns.
"And your petitioners would further represent that the Town of Bridgton contains a large extent of territory, as by the plan of said town will appear, being more than twelve miles in extent; that by granting our petition but a small portion will be taken from said town, and that from its northeasterly extremity; and that a large and respectable town will still remain; that from so extensive a territory there must frequently happen a jarring of interests and consequent difference of views in regard to their internal concerns.
"It will further be seen by the plan of the Town of Har- rison that your petitioners include but a very small portion of that town, which for reasons before mentioned will be very conveniently connected in the formation of a new town. That for several years past there has been a parish legally organized, consisting of individuals in each of said towns of Bridgton and Harrison having public worship regularly on the Sabbath at the village which will be the central part of the new town.
"We therefore pray that a new town may be incorporated which shall include the premises before described, having all the rights and privileges in similar cases usually granted."
It must be granted by all familiar with the situation that the above petition was most ingeniously worded, and was a
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TOWN OF HARRISON.
strong presentation of the side of the petitioners; but there were able men in Harrison at that time who were not in- clined to stand idly by and see the best part of its territory taken to help form a new town. The town was deeply stirred, and a special town meeting was immediately held. John Dawes was the moderator, and the following resolu- tions were adopted :
"Resolved, That in our opinion the formation of a new town agreeably to the request of the petition of Ira Crocker and others, would be very injurious to the interests of this town, and that we will remonstrate against said petition.
"Resolved, That we instruct our Representative, Charles Washburn, Esq., and he is hereby instructed, to oppose the formation of a new town according to the petition of Ira Crocker and others, and that our Agent notify him of the same."
"Oliver Peirce, Esq., was chosen Agent on the part of the Town of Harrison to appear before the Legislature at Au- gusta to show cause why the prayer of the aforesaid peti- tioners should not be granted."
The following remonstrance was adopted by the meeting, and a copy furnished to the Agent to lay before the Legis- lature :
"To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Maine in Legislature assembled : - The undersigned, legal voters of the Town of Harrison, beg leave to remonstrate against the petition of Ira Crocker and others praying for the incorporation of a new town to include a part of the towns of Bridgton and Harrison, as far forth as the same, if granted, would affect the Town of Harrison, for the following reasons, viz .:
"First. - The Town of Harrison, as your Honors will perceive by the plan herewith transmitted, is a small town when compared with the towns in general through the State, and our tax, including State, County, school, and taxes for
2
..... .
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other charges, are very high, as our Agent is prepared to show you; and the piece petitioned for from this town contains a flourishing village which is gaining in wealth much faster than any other part of the town, and forms a considerable part of our valuation ; and is also the only place in town where there is a licensed retailer, or innholder. It is the principal place of business in town, being at the head of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, and it is the only place in town where there can be a village of any con- sequence for many years.
"Second. - There are roads now laid, and others con- templated through other parts of the town, which will be quite expensive to make and keep in repair, and which will be much more for the convenience and benefit of said vil- lage than for any other part of the town of the same value.
"We therefore request of your Honors to give us a hear- ing as above, and as in duty bound will ever pray."
The above remonstrance is given in full, and is most cer- tainly a model of brevity, when contrasted with some similar papers found on the records. It possibly, even, omits some things which might have added to the strength of the argu- ment in favor of the town. But the case was in able hands, Mr. Peirce being an efficient and resourceful man, and our Representative, Mr. Washburn, a clever lawyer. They could be trusted to supply anything that might be needed to add to the strength of the case. The Legislature refused to grant the prayer of the petitioners, and the Town of Harrison remained as it stands today, with the exception of a few minor changes that have been made for the ac- commodation of certain individuals.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
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TOWN OF HARRISON.
CHAPTER IV.
CHURCHES IN HARRISON.
M R. Fernald was able to make only a very brief refer- ence to the church organizations, several of which have had an existence from the earlier years of the town. It is but fitting that the history of such important factors in the welfare and growth of the town should be given as fully as it is possible to obtain it at the present time.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Rev. Cassander C. Sampson of Tilton, N. H., a native of Harrison, the youngest son of Thomas R. Sampson, and brother of Howard L. Sampson, has made the history of this church a special study, and has succeeded in collecting a large amount of valuable material, giving the record of the organization as fully as it can be given, and we cannot do better than to quote from him.
On the Sunday previous to the Centennial Celebration, this society thought it would be proper to hold services fitting to the occasion, and Mr. Sampson was invited to deliver the sermon. It contains such a mass of historical matter of great value in such a work as this that we feel it is not necessary to offer any apology for reproducing the larger part of the sermon; in fact we feel as if we should be derelict in our duty if we failed to put so valuable a document into as permanent a form as possible.
The copy of this sermon was kindly furnished by the Rev. Mr. Sampson, and carefully revised by him. The editors of this History feel that their thanks are due to the author
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for furnishing so much valuable matter in regard to the churches of our town, which must have cost him much valuable time to collect.
SERMON OF REV. CASSANDER C. SAMPSON, Delivered in the Congregational Church, Harrison, Maine, on Sunday, July 30, 1905.
Text : - "As a wise master-builder, I have laid the foun- dation, and another builder thereon." I Corinthians 3: IO.
In reviewing the history of the Congregational Church in Harrison, I shall speak more at length of the founders of the church and their work. Before the organization of any church in Harrison, the town made some provision for the religious needs of its people. In 1809, it voted $30 for the support of preaching, and similar votes were passed in 1815 and 1817. In 1812, it instructed the selectmen to build a pulpit in the town house. About this time it came into possession of a fund for preaching - it being its share of the proceeds from the sale of a lot of land reserved by the settlers of Otisfield for the use of the ministry; this it expended annually. One year it voted that Elder Ebenezer Bray should preach out the money then on hand, and the next year that Ebenezer Bray should preach out half the money and Valentine Little the other half. There is noth- ing to show that any Congregational minister preached in town during these years, (unless Valentine Little was a Congregationalist), but we are told that a devoted Con- gregational layman "held meetings on the Sabbath, and read and expounded the word of God to the edification and in- struction of those who heard him."
As the population and resources increased, the religious people of the town began to form their respective denomi- national centers. Within the space of a little over a year,
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and almost in the same neighborhood, three churches were organized: the Congregational, February 15, 1826, at the house of Oliver Peirce, Esq., where Frank B. Ward now lives; the Free Will Baptist, June 3, 1826, in the barn belonging to Shepherd Hawk, on the place where Mr. Mel- ville R. Wilbur now lives; and the Baptist, March 26, 1827, at the house of Samuel Scribner, on the place where Mr. Robert Purkis lived for many years. The Congregation- alists numbered II, the Free Will Baptists, 17; and the Bap- tists, 12; making the combined number of the three churches, 40. The Methodist churches were formed later, and the Christian church later still.
Our church, the oldest in town by four months, was con- stituted at the above mentioned date and place, by a council called by its original members for that purpose, and at once elected James H. Chadbourne, deacon. Of Deacon Chadbourne it is said : "He was many years a justice of the peace, several years town clerk, and served in many other positions of trust. He was a man of candor, practical sense, executive ability and firmness ; a real gentleman of the old school, and was highly esteemed by his townspeople." The other ten members were Dorcas Chadbourne, Deacon Chadbourne's wife; Sukey Peirce, mother of our late brother, Hon. George Peirce, and wife of Oliver Peirce, Esq., who became a member later; Roxana Stanley, whose husband, Edward Stanley, was afterward member and dea- con of the church; Abigail Perley, grandmother of Deacon Sumner Perley and Mrs. Blake; Hannah Whitmore; Joanna Whitmore; Aaron and Hannah Kneeland, grand- parents of our townsmen, Mr. Frank Kneeland; Charles Walker, grandfather of the Charles Walker so favorably known as "old Deacon Walker," of the F. W. Baptist church, and great grandfather of Charles Lincoln Walker; and, the last on the list, Sally Caswell, who was the mother of our late brother, Newell N. Caswell, and whose husband, Mar- quis D. Caswell, - "Uncle Mark," - united with the church a few years later.
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