Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 27

Author: Varney, George J
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Boston Russell
Number of Pages: 648

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A church was first formed in Edgecomb in 1783. Rev. Benjamin Chapman, the first settled minister, was installed in 1801. He died in 1804, and was succeeded in 1807 by the Rev. Samuel Sewall. About the time that Mr. Chapman was settled, Timothy Cuningham, a resi- dent of the town, of the Freewill Baptist persuasion, was made elder of that society. Moses Davis, Esq., was the first representative of the town in the General Court. He was also a member of the conven- tion by which Massachusetts ratified the Constitution of the United States. Among later citizens worthy of note were Isaac Pool and Rufus Sewall, Esqrs., and Captain John Chase.

The town has a library association possessing a library numbering upwards of 300 hundred volumes. The Congregationalists and Metho- dists each have a church in the town. Edgecomb has seven public

. 217

ELIOT.

schoolhouses, and the school property is valued at $3,500. The valua- tion of estates in 1870 was $202,428. In 1880 it was $189,440. The rate of taxation in 1880 was 12 per cent. The population in 1870 was 1,056, In 1880 it was 872.

Edmunds lies near the south-eastern extremity of Washington County on the western side of Cobscook Bay. Dennysville and Pem- broke bound it on the north, Marion on the West, and Whiting and Trescott on the south. The area is 17,696 acres. The surface of the town is moderately uneven. Denny's River forms the boundary line on the north-east side of the town, and Cathance River flows east across the northern part. The latter has three considerable falls, known re- spectively as the Mill Seat, The Flume,-embracing three pitches,-and Great Works. The last has mills. Cathance Lake, situated about ten miles north-west, is the reservoir for this stream, and has an area of six or seven square miles. Bull's Meadow Brook, Burnt Cove Stream, Little Falls Stream, each has one or more powers, but without much improvement. Those on the last are the Rock, the Falls, and a tide- power near the mouth of the river. There is at present only one con- siderable mill in the town. Cattle raising and sea-faring constitute the chief occupation of the people. The north-eastern part of the town is most numerously settled. The nearest post-office is Dennysville.

The town was formerly Number 10; and was purchased of Massa- chusetts in 1786 by Col. Aaron Hobart, of Abington, Mass., for $2,200. Rufus Putnam, of Boston, was the chief surveyor. James Neil an Irish- man who deserted from the British army, was the first settler, building his log house in 1775. He had shot two of his pursuers, but in 1793 he re- moved into the British Dominion of New Brunswick. Nathaniel Ho- bart, a son of the proprietor, came and built a mill in 1787, but after following the lumber business ten years, he sold it to Phineas Bruce, an eminent Machias lawyer. Many had settled in the town for a few years, then moved to other places. In 1792, Isaac Hobart, another son of the first proprietor, built a house and mill. On the death of his father he purchased the wild lands belonging to the heirs, and became owner of three-fourths of the township. His three sons, Aaron, Isaac, and Benjamin, succeeded to his lands. Samuel Runnels and family came in 1796. He had been a soldier of the Revolution.

The Methodists have a church in this town, and usually sustain a minister. Edmunds has four public schoolhouses, which, with other school property, are valued at $1,000. The value of the estates in 1870 was $86,418. In 1880 it was $72,331. The population in 1870 was 448. In 1880 it was 445.

Eliot, situated in the north-western part of York County, on the eastern bank of Piscataquis River, was incorporated under its present name in 1810. Previously to this it was the north parish of Kittery, and bore the name of Sturgeon Creek. Walter Neal, as the agent of Gorges and Mason, made grants of land here in 1632; and it is thought to have had settlers a little before this date. One of the earliest settlers of whom we have a definite account was Nicholas Frost, who settled at Sturgeon Creek about 1636. He filled various offices of the town, and died in 1663 at the age of seventy-four years. He has many descendants, several of whom have been eminent in their

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generation. Other early settlers were the Hills, who came about 1670 or 1680 ; Anthony Emery, who came before 1652, as he was one of the selectmen in that year; James Tobey came about 1675, receiving a town grant in 1687, and was killed by the Indians about 1705 ; John Heard, was an early settler and a noted school-teacher in his day ; Nathan Bartlett and his brother, who were tanners, came about 1713. The first settlers were allowed to take up as much land as they could fence, on condition of paying 2 or 2} shillings per acre for 100 years. The best, if not the only, garrison-houses standing in town in 1870 were the two upon the farm of Joseph Frost, Esq., having been built by his grandfather about 1735 and 1740. During the war of the Rebellion the town provided its full quota of men, paying on an average $400 bounty. Among the memorable names of former days are those of the Bart- letts, and Alpheus Hanscom, teachers ; Rev. John Rogers, first minis- ter of the Congregational church, in its service for fifty-two years, until his death in 1768 ; also Rev. Alpheus Spring, his successor, and Rev. Samuel Chandler, who followed; Captain Moses Paul of the Methodist church, and the Allens, Fryes, Neales and Jenkins, of the Society of Friends.

Along the Piscataqua, the surface of the land is generally level and sloping to the river. Near the middle of the town is an exten- sive bog swamp; while in the east and north-east the surface is quite hilly. The highest eminences are Frost's, Third or Bartlett's, and Raitt hills. In the north-east of the town is York Pond, from which flows the western branch of York River. The soil is generally good, and much attention is given to orcharding. The common trees flourish wild, and at the roadsides, particularly along the river, there are many noble shade trees. The Piscataqua River sends two arms or creeks into the town, Sturgeon Creek, and in the south-west Oramphea- gan, which, with the river, forms a peninsula called the Neck. The Piscataqua is navigable the whole length of the town, while Great Bay opens opposite, affording water communication with several New Hampshire towns. The farm-houses and buildings are generally neat and in good repair ; while the western part adjacent to the river is adorned with handsome cottages, with gardens and fine orchards. The west branch of York River gives several small water-powers, which are improved by one grist-mill and two saw-mills. A small tide-power on Sturgeon Creek was also utilized in early times. The Portland, Saco and Portsmouth Railroad passes through the midst of the town, from north-east to south-west, having a station at the centre and another near the head of Sturgeon Creek, where it finds connection with shipping. The town has one Congregational and one Advent church, and two Methodist churches. Eight schoolhouses, valued at $5,000, afford the facilities of public school education to the children. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $535,982. In 1880 it was $462,060. The popula- tion at the same date was 1,769; in 1880 it was 1,640.

Ellingwood's Corner, a post village in Winterport Waldo County.

Elliotsville is situated in the southern part of Piscataquis County. It is bounded on the north by Greenville and the Bowdoin

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ELLSWORTH.

College grant, east by township Number Seven, Ninth Range, west by Shirley, and south by Howard and Monson. Within its limits are two lofty eminences, Boarstone and Peaked Mountains ; in its south-eastern part lies Ship Pond; Wilson's Stream crosses its south-west corner, there receiving the Little Wilson. On these united are some good mill privileges ; while above on Little Wilson is one of the most re- markable cataracts of the east. This is a fall of 80 feet perpendicular. Clapboard cuts have sometimes been driven over this fall, but many of them would come up in the stream below, split and quartered from end to end. The township has still a fair amount of pine and spruce tim- ber, and some good agricultural soil; but there is much waste land.

The first grant in this town was a mile in width on the west side to the Massachusetts Medical Society. The next grant was of half a town- ship to the heirs of William Vaughan (a leading officer of the Louis- burg expedition of 1745) for services rendered the State by him, the heirs selecting the northern half of this township on the east of the Medical Society's tract. Four thousand acres being granted to the Saco Free Bridge Company, this also was located in the township south of the Vaughan tract. Two other small parcels in the south part on either side of Ship Pond were purchased by Elliot G. Vaughan and a Mr. Watson. Eventually, E. G. Vaughan became chief owner of the territory of the heirs of that surname in town. Joseph Sawyer, from Buxton, was the first to move his family in. E. G. Vaughan built a saw-mill on the Little Wilson Stream, and E. T. Bridge built a grist- mill on the Wilson. Hoping to hasten settlements thereby, he pro- cured a town incorporation for the township in 1835, giving it his own Christian name. A county road was opened to Monson, school dis- tricts established, and a school fund secured by the sale of the reserved lands, but the incorporation proved premature. The inhabitants de- creased, and in 1858, in response to their petition, the act of incorpo- ration was repealed; since which time the township has been without an independent civil organization. The population in 1870 was 42. In 1880 it was 55. Valuation in 1880, $11,020.

ELLSWORTH, the shire town and only city of Hancock County, is situated at the head of Union River Bay, and near the centre of the county. The territorial area is between 60,000 and 70,000 acres. Union River passes southward through the middle of the town. Branch, Beech Hill and Reed's are the principal ponds. The surface of the land is generally broken, especially on the western side of the river. Mountain Rock is reported to be the greatest elevation. The stage-road, the main thoroughfare of the town, passes through a section of metamorphic ledges, on which rest many erratic boulders. Those found between Falls Village and the "Craigs " are said to sur- pass all others in the county for size. The land would be regarded as generally better suited for sheep-ranges than for the cultivation of crops.

The business portion of the town is situated about the Falls. These cover a distance of 2 miles, extending from the upper and business portion known as "Falls Village" to the Bridge, having in that space a total fall of 85 feet. The holding capacity of the supplying ponds is estimated at 5,500,000,000 cubic feet, and the water annually discharged over these falls at 17,500,000,000 cubic feet. The mills and factories con-

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GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

sist of two grain-mills, an excelsior and a planing-mill, eight long-lumber mills, with a productive capacity of 40,000,000 feet of lumber annually ; five stave-mills, with a productive capacity of 25,000,000 annually. Shingles, clap-boards and laths are also made in nearly all these mills. Other manufactures are boxes, bricks, furniture, wool rolls, carriages, coopers' ware, carpenters' trimmings, iron castings, maible work, ship pumps and blocks, sails, vessels and boats, leather, tinware, etc. At North Ellsworth also there is a tannery. Ellsworth Town Hall is a brick building two stories in height, with an audience room having a seating capacity of 800. The lower story is used for a high-school. The county buildings and custom-house, with the church-edifices of the

UPPER DAM, AT ELLSWORTH, ME.

Congregationalists, Baptists, Methodists, Unitarian and Catholics, are also more or less impressive and pleasing structures. Shade trees, of maple and elm, from one to eighty years' growth, adorn the streets. The nearest railroad station in 1881 is at Bucksport, 20 miles distant. A railroad between the two places is projected. Ellsworth is on the Bangor and Calais stage-line, and is itself a stage centre for the south- ern part of the county.

The Hancock County Savings Bank, located at Ellsworth, in 1880 held deposits and profits to the amount of $72,544.08. "The Ellsworth American," issued by the Hancock Publishing Company, is the only well-established newspaper in the county, having been published con-

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EMBDEN.

tinuously since 1853. There is a good public library, assiduously read. The usual entertainments of a city are found here.

Benjamin Millikin is said to have been the first settler in the town, having come in 1763; and, according to the "oldest inhabitant," his daughter Elizabeth cooked the first meal prepared by white people in Ellsworth "by the side of a huge bowlder, which stood where Dutton's store now is." The next settlers were Meltiah Jordan, Benjamin Joy, Colonel Jones, George Lord, Nathaniel and John Jellison. Others soon followed these. The first children born were Edward and Susan Beal. Twenty years after its settlement the township had a population of 992. The first minister was Rev. J. Urquhart, who came in 1785. The Rev. Peter Nourse was ordained in 1812. As a plantation the township bore the name of New Bowdoin. It was incorporated in 1800, being named in honor of Oliver Ellsworth, one of the delegates to the National Constitutional Convention, held a few years subsequent to the Revolution. It comprised Township No. 7 (of the "Ten Town- ships "), a part of Township No. 6, and the north-west part of Trenton. The part taken from No. 6 was annexed to Surry soon after 1820, but was re-annexed to Ellsworth in 1829. Ellsworth became the shire town in 1838, and a city in 1869. James F. Davis was the first mayor. It is said that all the buildings now standing south of Main street have been erected within about sixty-five years. The first framed house is still standing in the rear of the " Clark and Davis" store. It is to be supposed that "ye olden custom " of breaking a bottle and naming the building by some bold and nimble citizen bestriding the ridge-pole when the raising was completed, was observed here. The descriptive rhyme for this house ran thus;

" This is a good frame; It deserves a good name. What shall we call it ? Josh Moore's folly, And Pond's delight. The lawyer has got it- It looks like a fright."

Ellsworth is the home of Hon. Eugene Hale, U. S. Senator, and of his law-partner, Hon. L. A. Emery, a few years since attorney-general of Maine. Colonel Z. A. Smith, of the Boston "Journal," was for a time a resident of the town. The city furnished 653 men for the Union cause during the Rebellion. The bounties paid by the city amounted to $49,600. Ellsworth has twenty-two public schoolhouses, and the school property is valued at $25,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $1,233,199. In 1880 it was $1,456,366. The rate of taxa- tion in 1880 was 21} mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 5,257. In the census of 1880 it was 5,051.

Embden lies in the southern part of Somerset County, on the west bank of the Kennebec River, about 40 miles north of Augusta. It is bounded on the north by Concord and Lexington, east by Solon, south by Anson, and west by New Portland. The surface of the town is hilly. The highest eminence is Black Hill, situated in the western part of the town. There are many ledges, and the soil is rocky, ex- cept at the south-west corner of the town, where there are some good

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intervals. The largest crop is hay. The forests contain the usual variety of trees. The sheets of water are Embden Pond, near the middle of the town, having an area of 1,535 acres; Hancock Pond, at the north-west corner, containing 325 acres ; and Sandy and Fahi ponds, smaller, connected with Fahi, in the south-eastern part of the town, with several still smaller. On the outlet of Embden Pond were a few years since two saw-mills for long and short lumber, and a grist-mill, turning-lathes, threshing-machine, etc. There are other powers and mills on Martin and Mill streams, outlets of ponds in Con- cord, and on Seven Mile Brook.

The first settlements in town were made along the river in 1779, by Amos Partridge, George Mitchell, and William Hamblin. In 1782 Samuel Hutchins and a Mr. Young located on Seven Mile Brook, at the south-west corner of the town. They were followed by Capt. John Gray, from Wiscasset, and in 1790 by Thomas McFaden, Joseph Cleveland, with his sons, Jonathan and Luther, and Edward Savage; and at about the same time came John Chamberlain and his sons, Jeremiah and Stephen. John was the son of the John Chamberlain who shot the Pequaket chief, Paugus. (See Fryeburg.) On "Indian Ledge," in this town are numerous cuttings in the surface of the rock representing objects familiar to the aborigines. The ledge inclines to the water at an agle about 40°, and the portion marked is about 12 feet long by 3 to 6 feet wide. Some of the figures are as follows: two warriors and two squaws, dog and deer, bow and arrows, a canoe with Indians, two crosses, a small wigwam and a larger house of English form, etc. A Penobscot Indian to whom these were shown acknowl- edged that he could not read the inscription, but said that there was one member of his tribe who could. This ledge is situated about 2 miles below Caratunk Falls.

Embden was incorporated June 22, 1804. The active religious societies are Methodist. The town has eleven schoolhouses, valued, with appurtenances, at $2,300. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $207,793. In 1880 it was $171,203. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 298% cents on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 803. In 1880 it was 674.

Emery's Mills, a post-office in York County.

Enfield lies upon the east bank of the Penobscot River, in Pen- obscot County, opposite the mouth of the Piscataquis, and about 35 miles north of Bangor. Lincoln bounds it on the north, Lowell on the east and south, Howland and Matamiscontis on the west, having the Penobscot as a dividing line. The town contains 15,000 acres; but Coldstream Pond, on the eastern side, occupies about one-third of this area. The surface of the western part of the town is level, but the eastern part is much broken. In the north-eastern part are some ledges of a superior quality of granite. The soil of the eastern part is productive ; that in the west is a clay loam, and is less fertile. Hay is the chief crop. Coldstream Pond, 5 miles long and 2 wide, is a fine sheet of water, fed mostly by springs, and well-stocked with the finny tribe. The outlet falls into the Passadumkeag about 4 miles below, and fur- nishes excellent water-power The principal fall is about 50 feet in 80 rods. The entire series of privileges is known as Treat's Mills, and

223

EUSTIS.

have been occupied by saw-mills, shingle and grist-mills. The Euro- pean and North American Railway runs through the midst of the town, between the pond and the river.

The Baptists have a settled minister, and meetings are sometimes held by the Methodists. Enfield has seven public schoolhouses, valued, with appurtenances, at $1,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $90,204. In 1880, it was $64,224. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 33 mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 545. In 1880 it was 489.

Etna is a small town in the south-western part of Penobscot County, 17 miles west of Bangor. The Maine Central Railroad runs through the north-eastern part. Stetson and Levant bound it on the north, Carmel on the east, Dixmont on the south, and Plymouth on the west. The surface is quite broken, but the soil is, for the most part, a good, light loam, producing fine crops of potatoes and hay. Pine, spruce and hemlock are the principal forest trees. Etna and Carmel Pond lies on the north-eastern corner of the two towns whose names it bears. Its area is about three-fourths of a square mile. The town is drained by several small streams,-Kinsley and Soadabscook Streams being the largest. Kinsley Stream furnishes some water- powers, two of which have been occupied by a saw-mill and a shingle- mill. The pursuits of the people are chiefly agricultural.

The buildings are generally in fair condition ; and a few maples and elms along the roadside here give token of good taste and public spirit. Etna (P. O.), near the railway station, has the largest collec- tion of houses. The other post-offices are Etna Centre and South Etna.

The first settlements in this town were made in 1807 by Dr. Benj. Friend, Phineas Friend, James Harding, Dennis and Reuben Dennett, and Bela, Asa and Calvin Sylvester and others. At this time General John Crosby, of Hampden, owned the township; and it was known as Crosbytown until about the time of its incorporation in 1820.

The Baptist house is the only church-edifice in the town. Etna has eight schoolhouses valued, with appurtenances, at $2,600. The valu- ation of estates in 1870 was $154,339. In 1880 it was $162,209. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 22 mills on the dollar. Tho population in 1870 was 844. In 1880 it had increased to 895.

Eureka, a post-office in Kenebec County.

Eustis is (1881) the most northerly town in Franklin County. It is No. 1 of Range 4, west of Bingham's Kennebec Purchase. Som- erset County adjoins it on the east. There are several good water- powers on Dead River and its branches. On one of the latter, in the northern part of the town are a shingle, saw-mill and grist-mill. Con- nected with the latter, also, is a planing-mill. These constitute Eustis Mills, the principal business centre of the town. Dead River enters the northern side of the town, and receiving Saddleback River from the south-west, continues nearly to the south-east corner, then turns north-east and enters Flagstaff. Two roads lead to the settled towns southward and to a railroad connection at Anson, there being a stage-

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GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

line by the former route. The distance on an air line is about 35 miles. One of these passes through Flagstaff and Dead River Plantation, while the other follows Carrabasset River.

Some time before Maine became a State, the southern half of this township was granted by Massachusetts to Bath Academy Associa- tion. About 1,700 acres of this lying south of the Saddleback River was purchased by Gilman and Redington, of Waterville. Caleb Stevens, a native of New Hampshire, was the first settler. He brought with him his wife and nine children, the eldest, a son being eighteen years of age. Abram Reed, of Kingfield, was the second settler; and was soon followed by Capt. Isaac Proctor, Frank Keen, Nathaniel Allen, and Reuben Bartlett, from Hartford, and Noah Staples, from Dixfield. The balance of the Bath Academy Grant was purchased by Captain Pettingill and Colonel Herrick, of Lewiston. From them it went through various hands to .Gibson, Fogg and Company, of Fair- field. The north half of the township was purchased of the State about the year 1831, by a Mr. Clark, of Massachusetts, and Charles L. Eustis, of Lewiston, Me .; and a saw and grist mill was built by the latter at the same date. From them it went through the hands of a New Hampshire firm to ex-governor Coburn and his brothers.

In 1840 the township was organized as a plantation under the name of Hanover. About 1850 the township together with all others ad- joining in the county that contained inhabitants, were embodied in a plantation under the name of Jackson. Soon after the act of Legisla- ture passed in 1857, prohibiting the organization of more than one township in one plantation, township No. 1, of the 4th Range was organized independently of others, assuming the name of Eustis in honor of the former proprietor of the north half of said town. Eustis furnished more than her quota of men and money in the war of the Rebellion, and paid her war-debts while money was plenty. She was subsequently reimbursed by the State. Eustis was incorporated as a town in 1871, with a population of 342 inhabitants.

The Methodists and Free Baptists each have a church in the town. The number of public schoolhouses is four; and these with the other school property are valued at $600. The valuation of the town in 1870 was 857,558. In 1880 it was $64,880. The population in 1870 was 342. In 1880 it was 302.

Exeter is an excellent agricultural town in the south-western part of Penobscot County. It is 20 miles north-west of Bangor, on the stage-line from Bangor to Dexter, and is the terminus of the stage- line from Etna station on the Maine Central Railroad. The town is bounded on the east by Corinth, south by Stetson, north by Garland, and west by Corinna. Its area is about 33 square miles. The surface is uneven, but the soil in general is excellent, though it contains almost all varieties. Ilay and potatoes are the crops principally cultivated. The rock is chiefly granitic. The prevailing forest trees are maple and cedar. The Kenduskeag is the largest stream, rising in the north- western part, and flowing in a curve through the middle of the town. It furnishes in its course eight distinct powers, all of which have been improved and occupied by mills. Not many years ago, there were upon the streams of Exeter, three saw-mills for long lumber, seven shingle-mills, four grist-mills, a machine-shop, a carriage-shop and a

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Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 27

Author: Varney, George J Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Boston Russell Number of Pages: 648

Author: Varney, George J
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Boston Russell
Number of Pages: 648