USA > Maine > Gazetteer of the state of Maine > Part 16
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The township of Bowdoinham was claimed by the Plymouth pro-
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prietors, who conveyed 3,200 acres of it to William Bowdoin, of Bos- ton, but Sir Ferdinando Gorges had, in 1637, granted to Sir Richard Edgecomb a tract of 8,000 acres, situated near Merrymeeting Bay- then called the " Lake of New Somerset." In 1718 John Edgecomb, of New London, appeared for the heirs of his name, and entered a minute of the grant in the book of claims. In 1756 the claim was again re- vived by Lord Edgecomb, one of the heirs, who entrusted his business to Sir William Pepperell, of Kittery. The latter having died without settling his claim, his lordship empowered Nathaniel Sparhawk to pur- sue it. Mr. Bowdoin, claiming from the Plymouth proprietors, brought an action to sustain his claim, showed title from the Plymouth propri- etors, and a quit-claim from Abagadusset. The court ruled that this should prevail against the obsolete and indefinite grant made by Gorges, and Mr. Bowdoin won the case. This ruling and decision were in 1758 and 1763; but some years later the Superior Court ruled that this town was not included in the patent, the north line of the town being fixed as the southern boundary of the patent. It is also said that the Pejepscot proprietors claimed this territory and built mills within it. The settlement of Bowdoinham began soon after the building of Fort Richmond ; but its increase was much retarded by the wars with the Indians, and the disputes about the title to the land. The National Bank of Bowdoinham has a capital of $50,000. Orrington Lunt and Samuel Gray are among the most valued of former citizens. The salubrity of the climate of this town is shown by the number of old persons living here, there being thirty-three over eighty years old. It was incorporated in 1762, being named in honor of the Bowdoin family.
The Free Baptists have two churches, the Baptists one, and the Methodists one. Bowdoinham has fifteen schoolhouses, the entire school property being valued at $6,000. The valuation of the estates in 1870 w as $646,422. In 1880 it was $610.409. The rate of taxation in the latter year was twenty-four mills on a dollar. The population in 1870 was 1,804. In 1880 it was 1,681.
Bowerbank, (No. 7, R. VIII.) in Piscataquis county, lies directly north of Foxcroft, but separated from it by Sebec Lake. Its boundary on the east is Barnard, and on the west, Howard. Its area, in- cluding a part of the lake within its limits, is 26,880 acres. Birch Moun- tain is its highest elevation. About one-third of its soil is suitable for cultivation, and some parts have proved highly productive. Mill Brook, the principal stream, has a saw mill and a grist mill.
Mr. Bowerbank, a London merchant, was the first owner of the town- ship who took effective steps to procure its settlement. The first actual settler was a Mr. Robinson, who put up a framed house and barn in 1825, and married and moved in in 1826. William Newell, a blacksmith from Hallowell, was the next; William Heskith, the third, and Deacon J. Brown, the fourth.
Religious meetings very early began to be regularly held, and in 1836 a Baptist church was organized. The settlers soon voluntarily took measures to build a schoolhouse, and opened private schools for their children. The township was permanently incorporated in 1839, taking the name of its English owner. There were then but about thirty voters, upon whom were imposed the burdens of muni-
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cipal regulations and high taxes. The town organization allowed of their selling the public reserves, by which they secured a school fund of $580, which still aids in sustaining their schools. The population de- creased so that in 1850 it numbered 173, with a valuation of $17,376; in 1870 it was eighty-three, with a valuation of $15,000. In 1880 the population was eighty-six, with a valuation of $25,000. In 1869, at the instance of a petition of the inhabitants, the act of incorporation was repealed, and the township lost all organization.
Bowery Beach, a post-office in Cape Elizabeth, Cumber- land County.
Boyd's Lake, a post-office in Orneville, Piscataquis county.
Bradford, in Penobscot County, is situated 20 miles north of Bangor; and on its northern, side adjoins Piscataquis County. It is bounded on the east by Lagrange and Alton, on the south by Hudson, on the west by Charleston, and on the north by Orneville, in Piscataquis County. The middle branch of Dead River runs south-east through the middle of the town, furnishing several water- powers. The centers of business are Bradford Village, Center, East Bradford and North Bradford, each of which has a post-office. There are a saw-mill, three shingle, one planing and one stave-mill in the town. Other manufactures are carriages, harnesses, sole leather, etc., The nearest railroad station is in Lagrange, about five miles distant. The surface of the town is gently undulating, and there is scarcely any outcropping rock. Some pebbles and bowlders are found in the soil, which is a deep loam. Potatoes, corn, wheat and oats are chiefly cul- tivated, and yield well. The principal forest trees are maple, birch, beech, hemlock, spruce and cedar.
The first clearing was made in the summer of 1803, by James White and Robert Marshall, the first moving his family in during the spring of 1805. Jemison and Rogers settled in the south part of the town in 1804, and Wilson and Hildreth became residents in 1806. The set- tlement was organized as a plantation in 1820, and was incorporated as a town under its present name in March 12, 1831. Bradford has a Baptist, a Free Baptist and a Methodist church. There are thirteen public schoolhouses, the total school property having an estimated value of $7,000. There is a high school sustained a part of the year at Bradford Village. The valuation of estates in 1870, was $233,734. In 1880 it was $252,413. The rate of taxation in the latter year was about two per centum. The population in 1870 was 1,487. In 1880 it was 1,460.
Bradford Village, a small village in Turner, Andros- coggin County.
Bradley is situated on the eastern bank of Penobscot River, 11 miles above Bangor, and on the south-eastern border of the county. Its dimensions are about 7 by 10 miles. The surface is uneven, but without high hills. A very small proportion of the land is suitable for cultivation, that portion lying principally along the Penobscot. Pine
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once grew here in large quantities, but fire and the lumberman's axe have swept it mostly away. Nichols Pond, 3 miles long by 2 wide, is situated at the southern angle of the town. On the outlet are seven of the eighteen water-powers in the town, the other eleven being on Great Works Stream emptying into Penobscot in the northern part of the town. On these powers are one lumber, shingle and lath mill, one heading, stave and broom-handle mill, and five shingle-mills. On the Penobscot just above and below the town, are also numerous mills. By a bridge near its north line, Bradley has access to the European and North American Railway, on the western side of the river.
Bradley was incorporated in 1834. The Free Baptists have a church in town, but the churches in Orono and Oldtown are so near that the worshippers resort thither largely. There are four public schoolhouses, the entire school property being estimated at $1,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $158,166. In 1880 it was $118,998. The population in 1870 was 866. In 1880 it was 829
Branch Mills, a post-office in China, Kennebec County.
Bremen is situated a little south of the centre of Lincoln County, on the western side of Muscongus Bay. On the north is Waldoboro, on the west Damariscotta, and on the west and south, the town of Bristol. Bremen is 5 miles in length by 3 in breadth. Pem- aquid and Biscay ponds lie on its western line, separating it from Damariscotta. Broad Bay in the north-east and Greenland Cove on the south-east are the harbors; and at the heads of these are the principal settlements. Muscongus Pond, in the southern part, and McCurdy's, in the western part of the town, are the principal sheets of water. The surface of the town is uneven. Granite is the rock that appears in view. The soil is clay and sandy loam. The principal crop is potatoes. On the outlet of Muscongus Pond is a saw, shingle and grist mill. There are two porgy-oil factories. The occupation of the inhabitants is principally fishing and farming. Bremen is 16 miles east of Wiscasset. The nearest railroad stations are at Waldoboro and Damariscotta.
The territory of Bremen originally belonged to the Pemaquid Patent. It was once a part of Bristol, but was set off and incorporated in 1828. William Hilton, from Plymouth, Mass., was the first settler, having moved in with his family, consisting of four sons and three daughters, in 1735. He was, however, soon driven away by the Indians ; but at the close of the war in 1745, he returned. Being an heir by marriage of the Brown claim,* he took possession of a lot on that claim ; and on this he resided until the last Indian war broke out (1754), when he removed his family to the block-house at Muscongus Harbor. Though this was 5 miles from his home, he still continued his labors upon the farm. In May, 1755, while he and his three sons, William, Richard and John, were landing from a boat, they were fired upon by the Indians, who were in ambush. William was killed out- right, the father and Richard were severely wounded, the first
* John Brown, who settled at New Harbor, in Bristol, bought, in 1625, of the Indian sagamore. Samoset, for fifty skins, a tract of land between Broad Bay and Damariscotta River, extending 25 miles into the country. (See Annals of Warren, p. 17.
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mortally; but John, the youngest, (about seventeen years of age) was unharmed, and returning the fire, killed one of the Indians. Then assisting his father and Richard into the boat, he returned with them to the block-house. Commodore Samuel Tucker, of Revolutionary memory, was a resident of this town, spending here the later years of his life. During the Rebellion Bremen furnished the Union cause with 27 men, of whom 12 were lost. Mrs. Mercy Studley, a resident of this town was, in 1880, one hundred and two years of age,-one hundred and six, she herself says.
Bremen has a Methodist and a Congregational church. There are nine public schoolhouses in the town, and the total school property is valued at $5,600. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $162,437. In 1880, it was $190,387. The rate of taxation in 1880 was sixteen and one-half mills on a dollar. The population in 1870 was 797. In 1880 it was 839.
Brewer is situated in the southern part of Penobscot County, on the eastern side of the Penobscot River. Its dimensions are about 6 miles along the river, with a width of 3 miles. Holden bounds it on the east, Orrington on the south, and Bangor lies on the north- west, with the Penobscot as a dividing line. The surface is quite even, the soil generally a clayey loam, and considered good for agricultural purposes, especially along the river. The principal crop is hay. The highest eminence is Meeting-house Hill. The streams are the Segeun- kedunk Stream, emptying into the Penobscot at the southern part of the town ; Felt's Brook, flowing through the middle of the town to the river; and Eaton Brook, discharging into the Penobscot, near the north part of the town. The centers of business are Brewer, on the river near the middle of the town; Brewer Village, at the mouth of Segeun- kedunk, at the south of the town, and North Brewer, near the northern line. The first two villages have each a post-office. Brewer has seven water-powers, all on the Segeunkedunk Stream. The height of the falls, beginning with the first on tide water, are 20, 14, 4, 12, 10, 14 and 12 feet respectively. There are five saw-mills in the town, one using steam-power. These cut in the aggregate about 4,000,000 feet of long lumber annually. There are at Brewer Village two grist-mills; and here and in other parts are shingle and clapboard-mills, two planing and moulding-mills, three or more shipyards, two mast and spar makers, one boat-builder, thirteen or more brickyards, two makers of brick- machines, three carriage-makers, a churn and spinning-wheel factory, one machine-shop, one tannery, three shoe manufacturers, two stove and furnace makers, three ice companies, a marine railway, etc. At the beginning of the present decade, Brewer Saving's Bank held deposits and profits amounting to $39,922,07. Brewer is on the Bangor and Bucks- port Railroad, and is connected with Bangor with a covered toll-bridge.
The territory of this town was taken from Orrington and incorporated in 1812. The name was in honor of Col. John Brewer, who, in 1770, made the first settlement at what is now Brewer Village. Other set- tlers of this period were Isaac Robinson, Elisha Skinner, Lot Rider, Deodat Brastow, and Benjamin Snow, the Holyoke, Farrington and Burr families. ' At the date of the Revolution there were already 160 inhabitants. The first post-office was opened in the village in 1780, with Colonel Brewer as post-master,-an office which he held thirty
9
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years. The mail was then carried on horseback, and but one vessel was owned in the town. The " Brimmer Flats " opposite the mouth of the Kenduskeag River, is supposed by some to have been the site of the mythical Indian city, Norumbega, of which early voyagers to the Western Continent spoke rather indefinitely.
Among former residents of Brewer we should not forget to mention General Joshua L. Chamberlain, formerly governor of the State, now for some years president of Bowdoin College; also Mr. Quimby, editor of " Detroit Free Press "; Dr. B. F. Tefft, well known in the northern part of the State ; Mr. B. A. Burr, publisher of the " Whig and Courier," Bangor. Brewer has erected a monument of Italian marble in memory of her soldiers who fell in the war for the Union.
The Congregationalists have two churches in the town, and the Methodists one. The number of public schoolhouses is eleven ; and the value of the entire property is estimated at $11,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $669,867. In 1880 it was $735,169. The population in 1870 was 3,214. In 1880 it was 3,170.
Bridgewater is situated on the eastern border of the State, and of Aroostook County, 22 miles north of Houlton, on the stage-line from that place to the Upper Aroostook. It is bounded on the north by Blaine, south by Monticello, west by an unnamed township and east by New Brunswick. The township is near 6 miles square. The Presque Isle and St. John's road crosses the north-eastern part of the town. The Presque Isle River runs south-easterly across the northern part, receiving, near the eastern line, a tributary called Whitney Brook, from the Western part of the town. At the junction is a small village, and on a dam just below are a saw-mill and a grist-mill. One of the bridges at this place is about 500 feet in length, and is built of cedar.
Bridgewater Post-Office is in the northern part of the town, midway from east to west. The sheets of water are two ponds lying near together, in the northern part of the town, called the "Bridgewater Lakes," and Portland Lake. Each of them contains about 150 acres. The town has lumber mills, a tannery, a starch-factory, a steam flour- mill, a buckwheat-mill, and other manufactures common, to small villages. The principal underlying rock in this town is limestone. The soil is a compound of gravel and light loam. Hay, wheat, oats, birley, buckwheat and potatoes are cultivated and yield well. This township was originally granted by Massachusetts, the northern portion to Bridgewater Academy and the southern to Portland Academy. It was incorporated March 2, 1858. The town sent 25 men to put down the Rebellion, of whom 4 were lost. The churches in town are Free Baptist and Methodist. Bridgewater has five public schoolhouses, the entire school property being valued at $1,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $83,263. In 1880 it was $103,406. The rate of taxation in the latter year was about 2 per cent. The population in 1870 was 605. In 1880 it was 722.
Bridgton forms the north western corner of Cumberland County, and lies between Long Pond and the town of Denmark, in Oxford County. It is bounded on the north and north-west by
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Sweden and Waterford, in Oxford County, north-east by Harrison, south-east by Naples and Sebago, and south-west by Denmark. Long Pond separates it from Harrison, and extends nearly through the town of Naples to Lake Sebago, with which it is connected by Brandy Pond and a short stream called Songo River. Crotched, Upper Moose, Wood's, Ingalls, Otter and Beaver Ponds are wholly within the town. Kezar Pond lies on the north-western line of the town, and together with its feeder and outlet form the boundary between Bridgton and Fryeburg. The principal streams are Steven's Brook, the outlet of Crotched Pond and Willett's and Martin Brooks. The first furnishes the power at Bridgton Village, where are situated the Cumberland, Pondicherry and Forest woollen-mills, two grist-mills, two saw-mills, a shovel-handle and sash and blind factory, a foundry, machine-shop, hammer and cabinet-shops. There are on this stream ten or more available powers, of which not less than eight are improved. Within a distance of a mile and a half this stream makes a descent of about 150 feet. The village is busy, thrifty and intelligent. The houses are neat, and generally have spacious grounds which are often ornamented with trees, shrubbery and flowers. The village has church edifices of the Congregationalist, Baptist, Methodist, and Universalist denominations. The schools are graded from primary to high, and their standard is well maintained.
At the little village called " Pinhook " or " Sandy Creek," south of the former, are a grist-mill, a saw-mill, carriage and boot and shoe factories. The Baptist church at this place is very pleasantly situated.
South Bridgton consists principally of one pleasant street, on which are a Congregational church, and an excellent public schoolhouse. The manufactures are carriages and boots and shoes.
North Bridgton is a prettily laid out village at the northern extrem- ity of Long Pond. This is the northern boat landing for the west side of the pond. The manufactures are cabinet-work, leather, lumber, meal, flour, boots and shoes, etc. The public edifices are the neat church of the Congregationalists, and the well-known Bridgton Academy, which continues to flourish, though so many schools of its kind have ceased to exist. West Bridgton, at the north-western corner of the town, has a schoolhouse and post-office.
The scenery in this town is delightful, both within and about the town ; and the pleasure and comfort and safety of inland sailing may here be enjoyed to the full; the boats running from Harrison, at the extreme north of Long Pond, to all points on Lake Sebago. It is now probable that by the summer of 1881, a narrow-gauge railway will con- nect Bridgton directly with Portland, which must prove a means of much advantage and pleasure to the town and its visitors. Bridgeton was granted in 1761, by Massachusetts, to Moody Bridges and others, being divided into eighty-six shares. Sixty-one of these were held by individual proprietors ; one was set apart for the support of the minis- try ; one, for the first settled minister ; one, for Harvard College; one, for the support of schools ; one, for the first settler in the township. In 1767 the proprietors named their town Bridgton, in honor of Moody Bridges, one of their number. It had previously been called Pondi- cherry. This is the name of a town in Ireland, but is said to have been humorously given to a tract lying between Long Pond and Pleas- ant Mountain on account of its numerous ponds and abundance of wild
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cherries. Captain Benjamin Kimball, in 1768, in return for the grant of a tract of land, bound himself to build a convenient house of enter- tainment, to keep a store of goods, and to hold himself in readiness with a boat of two tons burthen, rigged with a convenient sail, to carry passengers and freight from Piersontown to the head of Long Pond and back, at a specified rate whenever called upon by the proprietors, for the term of seven years. The same year, the proprietors in like man- ner, contracted with Jacob Stevens to build and keep in repair a saw-mill and a corn-mill-which he did upon the outlet of Crotched Pond, ever since known as Steven's Brook. In 1782, certain lots on the shore of Long Pond were given to those settlers, who by greatest progress in clearings and building, merited reward ; and these lots therefore have since been known as the "merited " lots. It was at the same time arranged to build a public mill at the locality now known as "Pin- hook." Bridgton was incorporated as a town in 1794. There being a steady increase in wealth and population. In 1805 that part of its territory, lying on the easterly side of Long Pond, comprising about 8,500 acres, was set off from Bridgton to form in part the new town of Harrison. Again, in 1834, a tract of about 2,500 acres at the south- east corner of the town was set off to form a part of the new town of Naples. In 1847, to restore Bridgeton, as far as possible, to its former dimensions, there was acquired on the west, by annexations from the towns of Fryeburg and Denmark, a tract of about 3,500 acres-which territory is known as Texas-perhaps in reference to the State newly annexed at that time. The present area of the town is about 30,000 acres. The soil in general is very productive ; and the town can boast of many excellent and well cultivated farms.
The " Bridgton News," published weekly by its editor and proprie- tor, H. A. Shorey, Esq., is an able and spicy sheet.
The first minister settled in Bridgton was Rev. Nathan Church, who died in 1836, aged eighty-two. The Methodists, Universalists and Baptists each have a church in the town,-the Methodists have two and the Congregationalists three. Bridgton is unusually well supplied with public libraries ; Bridgton village, and North and South Bridg- ton each possessing one.
Bridgton has twenty public schoolhouses, valued at $18,300. The valuation of real estate in 1870 was $855,197. In 1880 it was $1,102,- 613. The population in 1870 was 2,685. By the census of 1880, it was was 2,863.
Brighton is situated on the eastern border of Somerset County, 20 miles north of Skowhegan. It is bounded north by Mayfield, west by Bingham, south by Athens, and east by Wellington in Piscataquis County. The only considerable eminence in the town is a high hill in the north-west corner. Kingsbury Pond, the head of Sebasticook River, lies partly within the town at the north- eastern corner. Wyman's Pond lies in the south-western part of the town, and Week's Pond, a square mile in area, lies just north of Brighton Centre. The latter is a small village, but the largest in town. The Wesserunsett River, outlet of Week's Pond, has a fall near the centre, where its stream descends thirty feet in four rods. There is a stone dam at the head. There are also powers on Wyman Brook. In the town are a saw-mill, shingle-machine and flour-mill, run by water-
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power, a steam saw-mill and a shingle-mill. Brighton is on the stage- line from Skowhegan to Moosehead Lake.
This town was originally a part of Bingham's purchase. It was in- corporated in 1816. The town has Congregationalist, Free Baptist, Methodist and Christian churches. Brighton has eight public school- houses, valued with other property at $2,200. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $91,727. In 1880 it was $71,930. The population in 1870 was 627. In 1880 it was 585.
Bristol, in Lincoln County, occupies the peninsula between the Damariscotta River and Muscongus Bay. The towns of Damaris- cotta and Bremen bound it on the north, and Newcastle, Edgecomb, and Boothbay lie on the west, separated from it by Damariscotta River. John's Bay, and the irregular sheet of water extending inland from it, called John's River, make a peninsula of the western part of the town. East of this, Pemaquid River, connecting with Biscay and Pemaquid Ponds at the north, divides the town into nearly equal sec- tions. Other harbors are Seal Cove on the south-west side of the peninsula, Muscongus Harbor, forming a part of the north-eastern boundary, and New Harbor on the eastern side, opposite the mouth of Pemaquid River. The long projection seaward of of the south-eastern part of the town is known as Pemaquid Point. Rutherford's Island, south of the western peninsula, contains a small harbor called " Christ- mas Cove." On the eastern side of the town, and separated from it by Muscongus Sound, is the long Muscongus Island. The territory of the town is very large and the territory very uneven. There is much granite, but of a coarse quality. The soil is largely a clay loam. Potatoes form the largest crop. The principal pond is Biscay, form- ing part of the boundary at the north, and Burns' Pond, near the centre of the town,-both connected with Pemaquid River. The river itself expands into a harbor and empties into John's Bay. Bristol embraces the ancient Pemaquid, a place justly celebrated in the early history of New England as one of the earliest and most important settlements on the coast. The town forms about one-third of the Pemaquid patent, which was granted by the Council of Plymouth (England) in 1631, to Robert Aldsworth and Gyles Elbridge, two merchants belonging in Bristol, England. The patent covered the entier peninsula between the Damariscotta and Medomac Rivers to the sea, including the Damariscove Islands, and all others within twenty-seven miles of the mainland. The proprietors commenced the settlement on the peninsula on the east side of the Pemaquid River, between its basin and John's Bay. This peninsula contains 27 acres ; which, at that time, was covered with heavy forest trees. By 1632, there was quite a village at this point, and a fort of palisades had been erected. It was at this date that Dixy Bull, the renegade English coast trader, attacked and plundered the village.
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