USA > Maine > Somerset County > Embden > Embden town of yore : olden times and families there and in adjacent towns > Part 46
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There were two other militia organizations in Embden. Christopher Thompson had been active in forming B Company of Cavalry, was commissioned lieutenant there in April 12, 1827, advanced to captain Sept. 23, 1831, and made colonel of the regiment Sept. 6, 1834. Freeman Stevens, captain of this com- pany of horse from Sept. 11, 1841, to March 28, 1851, was the only other commissioned officer accredited to Embden. Franklin Gray on Sept. 12, 1853, was commissioned as quartermaster of the 1st. Regiment of Riflemen and served till July 22, 1856, when the "regiment" was disbanded. De Lafayette Thompson (1829-1876) was made Captain of F Company Sept. 23, 1851, and continued till the company was disbanded on July 22, 1856.
Prior to the Civil War, or about that time, there was another military company in Embden. Its officers were: Capt. Jotham G. Witham, 1st Lieut. Phineas Eames, 2nd Lieut. Benjamin Mc-
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Kenney, 3rd. Lieut. Michael F. Berry, 4th. Lieut. Cyrus Cleave- land and Orderly Sergt. John Pierce.
There were several Embden fields where these militiamen marched boldly forth for training on muster days. Statements are not altogether in agreement as to where these fields were. One authority says the Joe Boyington farm, next to Zachariah Williams, had a training field, that another field was on the Isaac Savage (Ai Moulton) farm and a third on the John Pierce farm, when John Pierce was militia officer. This was probably during the service just noted. It is also claimed there was a training field on the Squire John Gray farm. Concord corner had a muster ground, as did North Anson.
The town records have only slight mention of the militia com- panies. That there was militia service prior to 1820, however, in compliance with the general requirements of the time is shown by town orders, several of which were issued to Moses Thompson. As early as Aug. 4, 1814, he was given a town order for powder in the amount of $26.92, while on April 30, 1817 he received $11.13 for making cartridges and for other services. This was probably an annual payment to him for on May 15, 1819 a town order was made out to Moses Thompson for $20.92 "for powder and ball and one camp kettle and services as town treas- urer 1817, 1818." Subsequent items of similar character com- prised one in 1821 for $17.54 "for supporting a pauper family and making cartridges." "The situation of Embden, Town Stock, 1815" is thus described : "Powder, 55 pounds; balls, 84 pounds and flint 160 pounds" summarized as 299 pounds and two camp kettles. A few years later items for rationing the militiamen began to appear at entervals." Supplying the soldiers on muster day with rations" in 1827 cost $11 according to the town treasurer and in 1828 Jonathan Stevens, Jr., was paid $13.20 on the same account.
During the War of 1812 six Embden men were soldiers in the Canada campaign. While these have been mentioned in previous chapters, they are summarized here with further details of their service as follows :
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David Albee in Capt. Silas Parlin's Co., 34th U. S. Inf., from Dec. 19, 1812, to Nov. 18,1813.
Hartley Colby in Capt. Benjamin Adams' Co., 33rd U. S. Inf., from May 28, 1813, to May 28, 1814.
Nimrod Hinds, Jr., in Capt. Robert Douglas' Co., 34th U. S. Inf., from Apr. 28, 1813, to Apr. 27, 1814.
Nathaniel Martin, Jr., in Capt. Benjamin Adams' Co., 33rd U. S. Inf., from May 3, 1813, to March 12, 1814.
Richard Nutter in Co., 33rd U. S. Inf., who died Nov. 15, 1813, a few months after his enlistment.
John Skillings in Capt. Benjamin Adams' Co., 33rd U. S. Inf., from May 4, 1813, to May 4, 1814.
Both these infantry regiments were organized for the war under an act of Congress dated Jan. 29, 1813. Capt. Adams who recruited a company of the 33rd Regiment at Anson and sur- rounding towns was commissioned at Saco, April 30, 1814. He had been at Anson in 1810 as assistant marshal taking the third census. He was an officer till June 15, 1815, when the army was disbanded, and became a resident of Peoria, Ill. He received in 1851 a grant of government land. The 33rd Regiment was stationed at Kittery, then at Concord, N. H., and Burlington, Vt., and then at Plattsburg, N. Y. The Embden soldiers years of service covered the period of Commodore Perry's decisive battle of Lake Erie but was the year before Lundy's Lane. Capt. Douglas assembled his company of the 34th Inf. at Augusta. After a month there it was marched away to Portland for detached duty at Fort Preble but in August, 1813, proceeded across country to Cumberland Head near Plattsburg. Both regiments belonged to the army of Gen. Wade Hampton of South Carolina, owner of 3,000 slaves and reputed to have been the wealthiest planter in the United States. They were in bat- tles of Chauteaugay Woods and Stone Mill and in the skirmish at Odell Town in Canada.
These soldiers or their widows received the usual land grants or pensions or both. David Albee (1788-1825) resided just over the line in Anson when he went to Boston, shortly before his death. His service was several months in advance of the other
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Embden men. Hartley Colby (1793-1864) son of Benjamin, Sr., had lived on Colby island in the Kennebec and his army service was the beginning of a venturesome career. Nimrod Hinds, Jr. (1796) was probably born after his father had left the Embden farm on Seven Mile Brook. He married Lydia Whitney at Fair- field and they lived at Dover. He received both a land grant and a pension. Nathaniel Martin, Jr., (1793-1852) born near the Solon ferry, had a gunshot wound in his hip and from this he suffered for many years. He died at Belfast and his widow, Violet Martin, drew a pension. Richard Nutter's service is certified to in Embden town records with a list of his six daugh- ters, headed by Mary Nutter (1801), and one son, Richard (1813). It was entered by his widow, Betsey, probably at the time of her marriage to Joseph Hilton. He was a considerably older man than his Embden comrades. John Skillings (1793- 1879), who was many years in Embden, lies with his wife in Sun- set cemetery. He was the last survivor of Embden men in that war.
Four others of the town had militia service on the coast of Maine and New Hampshire, all of them for brief periods. The four were :
Levi Berry (1787-1858) in Capt. Paul Montgomery's Co. of New Hampshire Militia for 17 days in September, 1812.
John Hilton (1788-1874) in Capt. John Greenleaf's Co., Lt. Col. Sherwin's regiment of Massachusetts Militia from Sept. 13, 1814, to Nov. 7, 1814.
Job S. Hodgdon (1786-1877) for service at Portsmouth in New Hampshire Militia in 1814.
Humphrey Purington (1785-1868) service as lieutenant of a company of Massachusetts militia from Bowdoin, Me., on the Maine Coast.
The name of Moses Ayer, Jr., (1781-1849) probably belongs in the above list for he is said to have served on an American ves- sel. Hosea Washburn (1793-1893), the Freewill Baptist preacher of Madison who came much to Embden, was a militia- man of 1812 and served 45 days in Capt. Greenleaf's company along with John Hilton of Embden. Rev. Hosea went as a sub-
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stitute for Charles Pease. He engaged in business in New York, after he returned from the war, but later resumed farming and preaching at Madison.
Soldiers of the Revolution who settled at Embden have also been mentioned in various preceding chapters but their names are assembled here in one list also with more details of their ser- vices. The list probably is not complete. Similarity of names and omission of identification items are obstacles to compiling rosters of Revolution veterans. The Embden list is as follows :
Benjamin Berry (1762-1860), Barrington, N. H., enlisted July 15, 1780, and served till the following October in Capt. Moses Leavitt's Company, Col. Thomas Bartlett's Regiment, which was part of Benedict Arnold's command.
Charles Blagdon, a private in Lieut. Andrew Gilman's Com- pany, who enlisted Oct. 19, 1776, was discharged May 1, 1777 with a service of six months and 15 days at station on the Penob- scot River. He seems to be the Charles Blagdon residing near the head of Embden Pond in 1817. Tradition runs that one of the Embden Blagdons was a Revolutionary soldier and was buried on the Joseph Greene farm.
Jeremiah Chamberlain (1760-1831), Pepperell, Mass. Enlisted June 1, 1780, at Suffield, Conn. in Capt. Well's Company, Col. Samuel B. Webb's Regiment for the period of the war. He joined the patriot army in New Jersey, served first in the 2nd. Connecticut Regiment, then in the Third Connecticut Regiment and for about a year in the French Regiment commanded by Col. De Motte of Gen. Lafayette's army. His leg was bruised by a rolling cask and because of lameness he was transferred back to the 3rd. Connecticut in Capt. William's Company, and honorably discharged July 1, 1782. He was at Yorktown when Cornwallis surrendered and received a pension of $96 a year un- der the act of March 18, 1818.
Benjamin Colby (1750-1843), Wiscasset, enlisted in 1775 in Capt. John Groves, Company, Col. Sam Harnden's Regiment as sergeant and was discharged at Wiscasset after several months; in September, 1777, in Capt. Smith's Company for defense of the coast against the Milford and Rainbow, British frigates; in
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July, 1779, as sergeant for two months in a local company serv- ing with Col. Samuel McCobb's Regiment; Sept. 6, 1779, to Nov. 1, 1779, a service of one month and 27 days under Maj. William Lithgow guarding the seacoast of Lincoln county, roll endorsed "Penobscot Expedition;" August, 1780, for three months as sergeant in Capt. Solomon Walker's Company, Col. Prime's Regiment.
Simeon Cragin (1761-1832), Temple, N. H., in October, 1780, was one of 16 men from that town who "marched on the alarm at Coos at ye time when Royalston was burnt. Time of absence four days." Simeon and ten others rode horses and received an allowance of one pound apiece. The five on foot were paid 14. shillings.
Joseph Felker (1760) Barrington, N. H., enlisted in Decem- ber, 1775, in Capt. Place's Company, Col. Reed's Regiment and served till November, 1776, when he was discharged by Gen. Gates at Ticonderoga on account of illness. He was living in 1853.
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Mike Felker, Barrington, N. H., was a substitute one month in 1782 for Robert Demeritt under Capt. Titus Salter, employed on the construction of forts near Portsmouth.
Isaiah Foss (1756-1843), Barrington, N. H., enlisted in July, 1775, for three months under Capt. Samuel Hays, Col. Waldron's Regiment and was employed at constructing forts near Portsmouth; August, 1777, for three months under Capt. Moses Leavitt, Col. Bartlett's Regiment, discharged at Saratoga following the capture of Gen. Burgoyne; July, 1780, for three months under Capt. Moses Leavitt, Col. Thomas Bartlett's Regiment and served at West Point with Benedict Arnold's com- mand.
Nimrod Hinds (1758-1835) served from May 4, 1777, to July 1, 1777, under Maj. Gen. Spencer in Rhode Island in Capt. Isaac Martin's Company, Col. Joseph (Josiah) Whitney's Regiment, with allowance of 115 miles for travel; from Aug. 12, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1777, at Rhode Island in Capt. Francis Williams' Com- pany, Col. Dunforth Keyes' Regiment.
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Samuel Hutchins (1749-1788), Temple, N. H., enlisted May 6, 1775, in Capt. Ezra Town's Company, Col. James Read's Regi- ment and had command of a company at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Thomas McFadden (1740-1840), Georgetown, commissioned first lieutenant July 1, 1776, in Capt. John Hinkley's (7th.) Company, First Lincoln County Regiment, Massachusetts Militia; also first lieutenant Nov. 19, 1779, of 7th. Company, Col. Samuel McCobb's (Lincoln County ) Regiment.
Nathaniel Martin, "Norridgewalk," enlisted Sept. 11, 1777, for three years in Capt. Joshua Trafton's Company, Col. Henry Sherburne's Regiment, but was transferred Jan. 1, 1780, to Capt. William North's Company, Col. Henry Jackson's (16th.) Regiment.
Daniel Salley (1751) Nobleborough, enlisted at Cambridge, March 1, 1776, with Lieut. Blunt into Capt. William Tew's Com- pany, Col. Hitchcock's Regiment in the Rhode Island line for a year's service, as it was called, but served two months longer ; was at the Battle of Princeton, then enlisted for three years in Capt. Benjamin Tew's Company, Col. Connor's Regiment. He was se- verely wounded by a musket ball and discharged. Abram Walker of Alna was his comrade on the march from Prospect Hill to Rhode Island and then to New York and on the retreat from Long Island.
Edward Savage (1766-1856), Pownalborough, a member of the Penobscot Expedition in June, 1779, is assumed to have been the Embden pioneer when he was a lad of 14.
Joseph Walker (1761-1818), Woolwich, whose farm was in both Anson and Embden, boy on brigantine "Rising Empire," Richard Whellen commander, for three months and fourteen days from May 21, 1776, to Sept. 5, 1776.
Jacob Williams (1760-1814), enlisted at Easton, Mass., Jan. 1, 1776, for a year's service in Capt. Crocker's Company, Col. Bailey's Regiment. He was at Dorchester Heights till the Brit- ish left Boston Harbor and then marched to New York. Jona- than Bosworth served with him. Joseph Maynard (1759) of Concord and later of Madison and a Revolutionary veteran made
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affidavit that Jacob Williams was also drafted in the fall of 1779 for three weeks service in Gen. Sullivan's expedition.
John Wilson (1761-1842), Townsend, Mass., enlisted in June, 1778, for six months in Capt. Hunt's Company, Col. Gerrish's Regiment; in July, 1779, for nine months in Capt. Hugh Max- well's Company, Col. Bailey's Massachusetts Regiment and in July, 1780, for three months in Capt. Porter's Company, Col. Howe's Massachusetts Regiment.
While there were other Revolutionary veterans among Emb- den settlers, identification is uncertain from records at hand. The Joshua Chamberlain, who probably resided a brief time at Embden, may have been the Joshua Chamberlain of Pownal- borough who enlisted Jan. 13, 1777, in Capt. John Skillings' Company, Col. Ebenezer Francis' Regiment. Similarly the Ed- ward Lock, of Kensington, N. H., who served two months in Capt. Winthrop Rowe's Company, who was marched through Massachusetts to Rhode Island and was a soldier in Sullivan's army on its retreat, may have been Rev. Edward Locke (1744- 1826) who went from New Hampshire to Embden and organ- ized the Brook meeting house congregation. It was about ten years after the surrender at Yorktown, when the Embden set- tlements were first attracting notice. Consequently by that time there were many new comers of the second generation from the soldiers. Thus it was with Moses Ayer, Jr., Lieut. John Pierce, the Wentworth brothers, Elder Job Hodgdon, the Daggett broth- ers, Henry and Matthew; Thomas and Joshua Hilton and others through quite a list - all of them actual sons of the Revolution.
In the Embden group of sixteen and more were two company officers (Hutchins and McFadden) and, at least, one non-com- missioned officer, Sergeant Colby. The Wiscasset-Woolwich neighborhood in Maine and the Barrington neighborhood of New Hampshire, as has been seen, supplied the greater part of this militant array. Among them were a few who had part in decisive campaigns of the war even from the battle of Bunker Hill. Nathaniel Martin, out of Norridgewock, and Daniel Salley as three years men served under Washington in New Jersey. Jacob Williams, too, saw service from Dorchester Heights and
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Boston Harbor and to New York. Others were at West Point and in Rhode Island; Jeremiah Chamberlain stood with Lafay- ette's command when the British stacked their arms at Yorktown.
Ample warrant here for pride in patriotic founders! The earliest men of this old rural town were exceptionally identified with the struggle for independence and most of them, be it noted, lived to a green old age. Their services merit enduring remembrance.
CHAPTER XXXV
OLD SUSUP AND SUNDRY THEMES
There was a big town meeting at one o'clock on Saturday, March 28, 1868. "Bill" Atkinson stepped sedately up into the box-like desk and raised his right hand before Clerk Thaddeus Boothby. Having been thus sworn he took up the moderator's gavel. It was a special meeting, called through the written ap- plication of ten legal voters by the selectmen and on Constable Eli Walker's warrant.
The attendance was good although less than 150 townsmen responded. An air of readiness to venture pervaded the gather- ing as the farmers, who had been ranging up and down the room or talking in groups out front, took notice of the cry for order.
A few who stood by looked like men of affairs and were. Most of them qualified as lawyers or promoters or both. In preced- ing weeks they and their associates by dint of argument and ad- jectives had planted a vision in Embden's eye. They knew that the town was now about to invest $40,000 in that vision. As the town did not have $40,000 in ready money its credit would be pledged for the payment of that amount over a period of forty years.
It was an enormous debt total for Embden to assume. But had not Embden farmers, like others, become familiar with larger figures during the Civil War? Had not the promoters in describing a more prosperous future spoken in terms of $1,000 principal per year over a term of four decades when an- other generation would be paying and passed glibly over interest charges ?
The meeting settled quickly to business. There were explan- atory speeches and speeches of endorsement and without much ado a vote. By 132 yeas and only seven nays Embden decided "to raise $40,000 to aid in the construction of the Somerset rail- road." The selectmen were instructed to issue town bonds for that sum. Two or three men of the seven negatives had figured
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that 712 per cent interest on $40,000 meant an annual tax bur- den of $3,000 and could see nothing else in the proposition. Probably the others of the seven were farmers opposed to every- thing on principle.
The promoters were now at the elbows of the town officials, suggesting arrangement of the necessary formalities. The town agent was authorized to subscribe for $40,000 of stock in the railroad. The town then voted to issue bonds to run not more than forty years, but none was to be issued till individual sub- scriptions had been cancelled "except the subscription of Joel Gray." The selectmen were directed to have the bonds printed with coupons attached and sign the bonds. The treasurer was to sign the coupons. Thus with everything "all set" there was a nod from one of the leaders and the meeting "adjourned with- out day."
Embden needed the railroad. The nearest line was at Skow- hegan. It had been built to that point in 1857. An iron horse would haul more cheaply many articles Embden farmers had to buy and would take away to down river markets the produce they had to sell. The greater convenience of travel was not overlooked. The town would find itself on a better footing. Farm values would be enhanced. The project was sound and in the line of progress. The men behind it were in the main un- doubtedly sincere. That was in 1868. Six years passed and construction gangs, that had started work at Oakland where the new line tapped the Maine Central, were not much north of Old Point. It was another year before the little wood burning loco- motives got to North Anson on the south side of Seven Mile Brook and many years more before they were across that water- way and up over the Embden boundary.
Meanwhile there was a feeling of alarm in Embden. It grew as financial distress came for the annual interest charge of $3,000 that two or three careful men had figured out on town meeting day was soon a reality. The organizers and promoters of the railroad had had troubles a plenty. The management had not inspired confidence. Many more town meetings convened the next twenty years regarding this issue of bonds. Farmers
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traveled to the town house and back to their own front yards many times before Thaddeus Boothby and his associates (see page 481) had arranged a final settlement. A line from some of these town meetings tells essential features :
Sept. 25, 1869-Sale of town orders was voted to pay the rail- road's assessment, interest not to exceed 71/2 per cent. Author- ized the sale of "our railroad bonds at eighty-five cents on the dollar."
Aug. 24, 1870-Voted 38 to 27 not to issue the balance of bonds to the railroad.
Sept. 2, 1870-At a meeting on petition of David Stevens, 2nd., and 53 others, voted 55 to 49 to issue the balance of bonds to the railroad.
Sept. 12, 1870-Voted 71 to 56 to rescind the vote of Septem- ber 2.
Oct. 14, 1870-Voted 20 to 4 to issue the balance of town bonds if the railroad "will suspend the sale of our stock."
Feb. 9, 1871-Voted 18 to 13 to release conditions of the stock subscription to the railroad's capital stock so that the railroad could issue bonds and complete its construction work.
March 6, 1871-Voted to raise $4,000 to pay interest and principal of town debt. There were like appropriations at the annual town meetings in each succeeding year into 1877. The selectmen were also authorized on March 1, 1875, "to hire money as they see fit to pay the indebtedness of the town." The select- men and the treasurer were authorized March 6, 1876, to "check and destroy the $2,000 of town bonds owned by the town and also check blanks."
June 27, 1877-At a meeting called by William Atkinson and seven others the town voted against a union with the "Messa- lonskee and Kennebec Railroad Company and to extend the Somerset Railroad to tidewater at Augusta." In that year 44 farms, or one-fifth of the town, had been sold for taxes.
March 4, 1878-After raising $4,000 to pay interest and prin- cipal of the debt, instructed T. F. Boothby and I. W. Adams "to procure the opinion of D. D. Stewart of St. Albans and Eben F. Pillsbury of Augusta concerning the legality of our railroad
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bonds. "' "' No money was raised in 1879 toward the debt but the meeting of 1880 voted $2,000 for that purpose.
Aug. 8, 1878-Instructed the treasurer not to pay coupons now due on town bonds.
Aug. 29, 1881-O. H. McFadden, Calvin F. Walker and Eras- tus Walker named a committee to meet holders of Embden bonds September 8 at Lewiston.
Sept. 19, 1881-Voted "to pay 25 cents on a dollar on the town railroad bonds" and authorized the selectmen to borrow money necessary for such a payment. Delegated Calvin F. Walker to attend a bondholders' meeting September 22 at Lew- iston.
Oct. 3, 1881-Voted to pay 12 cents more on a dollar, or 37 cents in all.
March 6, 1882-Voted to leave the settlement for town bonds with the selectmen "to make the best trade possible with said bondholders and pay them the cash or give them town orders for the same."
Sept. 11, 1882-Refused to take any action on execution against inhabitants of the town on pending suits or on the cou- pons due or on a proposition to exchange the outstanding bonds for new ones at a less rate of interest.
March 5, 1883-Authorized the selectmen to "negotiate not to exceed 50 per cent with the holders of town of Embden bonds."
March 4, 1884-Repeated the vote of the previous year.
March 2, 1885-Authorized the selectmen to issue new bonds with coupons attached, not to exceed the sum of $20,000 to buy in old bonds and coupons now due at 50 cents on the dollar. These new bonds were to be at 4 per cent interest, payable in forty years, or at the option of the town after ten years. Select- men were to hire money or give town orders at four per cent interest.
April 5, 1885-Voted to pay George L. Eames the amount re- covered against him in debt and costs in the bond suits Eames vs. Savage and Savage vs. Embden. Instructed Eames to carry the bond suit lately decided against him to the United States Supreme Court.
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Sept. 3, 1885-Authorized the selectmen to issue town orders at 6 per cent to buy in railroad bonds at 50 per cent.
March 15, 1886-Voted to pay George L. Eames $300 for ex- penses in his suit Eames vs. Bickford and raise $5,000 to buy Embden railroad bonds at not more than 50 cents on the dollar.
March 25, 1886-Rescinded the vote of March 15 for raising $5,000.
March 5, 1888-Raised $10,000 to pay on principal and inter- est of the town debt.
April 7, 1888-Voted to pay George L. Eames "all just costs not already paid in his suits with Sarah J. Savage and Samuel A. Bickford" now pending in the United States Supreme Court "when said suits shall be dropped and disposed of, provided said suits shall be dropped immediately." Andrew J. Libby and Calvin F. Walker were made a committee to settle with Eames.
Dec. 15, 1888 - Meeting called at request of George L. Eames and eight others, authorized settlement with D. D. Stewart, Emb- den's attorney in the Savage and Bickford suits, on the best terms to be had. Disregarded Eames' bills of expenses in pros- ecuting the suits.
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