USA > Maine > Gazetteer of the state of Maine > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75
Freedom was a part of the Plymouth Patent. The first opening was made in the forest in 1794 by Stephen Smith, a soldier of the Revolution. With the assistance of his brothers, he also built the first house in the town in the latter part of the same year. It was located a short distance south of the burying-ground in South Freedom. The next June, John Smith, subsequently known as Father Nehemiah, set- tled in the township. Then followed Rev. Aaron Gould, Isaac Worth- ing and James and Joshua Smith. Other prominent names of a little later date are Jason Wood, Frost Gerry, Gideon Robinson, Colonel Brown, Benjamin Comings, Bradstreet Wiggins, William Sibley and Rev. Reuben Keen. Still later well-known names are honorables Robert Elliot, J. D. Lamson, N. A. Luce, William Sibley, esquires ; and of M.D.'s, Ithamer Bellows, Varney Blackstone and Aaron W. Gould. The plantation name was at first Smithstown, afterwards Beaver Hill. In 1813, during the last war with Great Britain, the town was incorporated under its present name, which was the choice of the inhabitants and had a political significance.
The Congregationalists have the only church-edifice in the town. Freedom Academy was incorporated in 1836. It has furnished a part of their education to many who have become prominent in their call- ings. Freedom has nine public schoolhouses, valued, with their appur- tenances, at 82,500. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $191,505. In 1880 it was $177,241. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 13} mills on the dollar, cash tax. The population in 1870 was 716. In 1880 it was 652.
Freeman is situated near the middle of the eastern side of
243
FREEPORT.
Franklin County, 15 miles north-west of Farmington. It is bounded on the north by Kingfield and Salem, east by New Portland, south by Strong and New Vineyard, and west by Phillips and Salem. Its area is 17,000 acres. The surface is much broken by hills, but the soil is fertile, though hard to cultivate. Freeman Ridge, occupying a large portion of the northern part of the town, is said to be the best for till- age. The middle and southern part of the town is drained by a branch of Sandy River, and across the northern part flows Curvo Stream, the southern branch of Seven Mile Brook. Freeman and West Freeman are the post-offices. There are saw-mills at Freeman, West and North Freeman.
Freeman is the westerly of two townships granted by the State of Massachusetts to the sufferers of Falmouth (now Portland) in the burning of the town by the British during the Revolutionary War. It was surveyed and settled under the agency of Reuben Hill about 1797. William Brackly, David Hooper, Alexander Fasset, Samuel Wey- mouth, and Messrs. Burbank, Morton and Boston were among the first settlers. The township was No. 3, in 2d Range, and when first settled took the name of Little River Plantation. It was incorporated in 1803, taking its name from Samuel Freeman, of Portland, who was one of the principal owners at the time of settlement.
The Methodists have a church at Freeman Village, and the Free Baptists at West Freeman. There are ten public schoolhouses in the town, and the school property is valued at $2,400. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $146,090. In 1880 it was 140,269. The population in 1870 was 608. In 1880 it was 549.
Freeport is situated in the eastern part of Cumberland County, and at the north-eastern extremity of Casco Bay. Brunswick bounds it on the east, Pownal on the north, the latter and Yarmouth on the west, and Casco Bay on the south. Cousin's River forms the dividing line between Freeport and Yarmouth for about half the dis- tance of their boundary. The Maine Central Railroad runs through the town, having a station at Freeport Corner, 17 miles from Portland. Other business centres are South Freeport, Mast Landing and Porter's Landing. The surface of the town is varied, with but moderate eleva- tions and depressions. The soil is chiefly clay loam, and generally productive. The largest crops are hay and potatoes. Harraseeket River is the principal stream. The long basin at its mouth constitutes a harbor navigable by large vessels, and its openness through the year is supposed to have given the town its name of Freeport. This harbor is formed by Wolf's and Mitchell's necks. Flying Point forms the south-eastern angle of the town. There are upwards of a dozen islands within the corporate limits. The largest of these are Bustin's, Silver, Lanses, French, and Cab islands.
The manufactures are ships and boats, shoes, clothing, harnesses, canned food, etc. The shipbuilding points are Mast Landing, Porter's Landing and South Freeport. Freeport Corner is a pleasant village, with elm-shaded streets and several elegant residences. Most of the houses have ample grounds, and some ornamental shrubbery. Orchards, with fine old as well as young trees, and choice fruit, are a feature of the village. The Pownal and South Freeport roads continue these attractions, and afford agreeable drives.
244
GAZETTEER OF MAINE.
The town was formerly a part of North Yarmouth, but was set off and incorporated in 1789. It then included Pownal, which was set off in 1808. The name of its principal stream, Harraseekit, was formerly applied to the town. The first church in Freeport was formed Decem- ber 21, 1789, by ten members dismissed from the first church, North Yarmouth, and the Rev. Alfred Johnson was ordained the following week. He was dismissed in 1805, being succeeded by Rev. Samuel Veazie, who died at the age of thirty years, of consumption, the night after he was carried from his burning house, February 6, 1809. Rev. Reuben Nason was his successor (1810-15). He came to the office of pastor from Gorham Academy. He is said to have been an excellent Christian man, yet with much of the Puritanic sternness. He was
prompt to punish offences, yet quick to appreciate a joke. The boys of the academy once put a donkey in his place at the recitation. In- stead of becoming enraged, he simply told them that he thought they had shown excellent taste in selecting a suitable instructor-" a donkey to teach donkeys"-and retired. This ended all their fun of that sort with him. Rev. John S. C. Abbott, the historian, also preached in Freeport for a time. There are now two Congregationalist churches, one of which is a very handsome edifice. The Methodists, Baptists and Free Baptists also have each a church. Freeport has an excellent high-school at the Corner. There are in the town seventeen public schoolhouses, valued at $25,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $912,053. The rate of taxation in 1880 was $1.17 on $100. The pop- ulation in 1870 was 2,457. In the census of 1880 it was 2,279.
Frenchville lies on the southern bank of the St. John River, in the north-eastern part of Aroostook County, 110 miles 'north-east of Houlton. It is on the stage-line from Van Buren to Fort Kent. For- merly it was the plantation of Dionne, named for Father Dionne, who built there the first Catholic church-St. Luce. It was incorporated Feb. 23, 1869, under the name of Dickeyville, in honor of Hon. William Dickey, of Fort Kent. The name was changed Jan. 26, 1871, to indi- cate the nationality of the inhabitants.
The town is very irregular in form, lying on a south-eastern bend of the St. John. On the south-eastern side it rests on the northern end of Long Lake, the north-eastern of the Fish River Lakes. The principal streams are Dufour, Gagnon, Rosignol, Bourgoin, and Cyr brooks, all emptying into the St. John, and each having falls suitable for mills. Gagnon Brook has two-saw-mills and two grist-mills, and Cyr Brook a small saw-mill. There are other small saw-mills, a cloth- dressing mill and a starch-factory in the town.
The soil is sandy on some streams, but there is much interval, and the fertility is general. The crops cultivated are chiefly buckwheat, oats, peas, wheat and potatoes. The most numerous forest trees are maple, cedar and fir.
The Catholics have the only church in the town. Frenchville has twelve public schoolhouses ; and the children of school age number 1,112. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $80,600. In 1880 it was 8107,753. The rate of taxation in 1880 was 1} per cent. The number of polls in 1870 was 274. In 1880 the number was 375. The population in 1870 was given in the report massed with townships 16 and 17, Range 5, the aggregate being 1,851. In 1880, the same were given at 2,288.
245
FRYEBURG.
Friendship, the south-western town of Knox County, is situated at the north-west side of Muscongus Bay. On the north-west is Waldoboro, and on the east, Cushing. Friendship River forms the larger part of the boundary line on this side, and the outlet of South- west Pond forms its entire line with Waldoboro. The greatest length of the town is from north-east to south-west. The area is about 8,000 acres of mainland, and Friendship Long Island, nearly 3 miles long, and Moses Island, about half as large, containing 85 acres. The surface of the town is very rough and ledgy, having but a thin layer of sand and alluvium.
Friendship was a part of the Muscongus or Waldo patent, and the original deeds are from General Waldo. The Indian and the planta- tion name of the town was Meduncook, signifying "Sandy Harbor." Yet the term seems inappropriate, for the shore is rock-bound, and in some parts are bold bluffs where ships may ride at anchor in safety in 20 feet of water. The first settlements were in 1750. About this date a garrison was erected on an island in the southern part ; which, from this circumstance, bears the name of Garrison Island. It is connected with the main at low water. James Bradford, who was one of the first inhabitants, settled near the fort. In 1754, there were resident here 22 families, among whom occur other names as follows : Jameson, Wads- worth, Davis, Lowry, Gay, Cushing, Bartlett, Demorse, Bickmore, Morton and Cook. In the war of 1755 all moved their families with- in the garrison except Bradford, who believed he could easily reach it whenever Indians should appear. One morning while he was engaged in pounding corn, the watchers in the garrison saw savages approach- ing the house, and at once fired a gun to alarm Bradford's family. None of them heard it, and the savages entered the house and killed Mr. Bradford and his wife with their tomahawks. As her infant fell from her arms, a daughter some twelve or fourteen years old, sprang from her concealment under the bed and caught the infant as it fell, instantly running away with it toward the garrison. The Indians pur- sued, flinging their tomahawks after her. One of these made a deep flesh wound, yet she reached the garrison still holding the infant. The girl recovered from her wound, and, removing to Vermont, became the mother of a large and respectable family.
The manufactures are mostly at Friendship Village, and consist of ship and boat building, sail, carriage, boot and shoe making ; and there is one stave and shingle mill in operation. This place is 14 miles south- west of Rockland. It is on the stage-route from Thomaston to Friend- ship and thence to Waldoboro.
There is a church of the Methodists, of the Baptists, and of the Advents in the town. The number of public schoolhouses is seven. The total school property is valued at $2,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $140,267. In 1880 it was $157,165. The population in 1870 was 890. In 1880 it was 938.
Fryeburg is an old and interesting town in Oxford County, situated between Bridgton, in Cumberland County, and the New Hamp- shire line. These are its eastern and western boundaries; on the north lie Stowe, Lovell and Sweden, on the south-east is Denmark, and on the south, Brownfield. As originally incorporated in 1777, the town was 2,172 rods square. A triangle of 4,147 acres was taken from
246
GAZETTEER OF MAINE.
its south-west corner, when the dividing line between Maine and New Hampshire was run; and a tract was subsequently annexed to the north part, and another on the south-the latter taken from Brownfield. That on the north was known as Fryeburg Addition. It included the valley of Cold River, and in 1833 was set off and incorporated as Stowe. The extreme length of the town, north and south, is 12 miles, and the extreme width, east and west, about 7 miles. The surface is much varied with hills, plains, ponds and streams. The Saco River forms in the town an immense bow with its curve toward the north, absorbing 31 miles of its length. There is a connection with the sides of this bow. through the middle of the town by means of a canal, pond and bog. The river receives the outlets of four large ponds and seve- ral small ones, lying wholly or partially within the town. Of these, the largest are Lovell's (area, 2 square miles), Kezar and Kimball ponds, the first in the southern, the second in the eastern, and the latter in the north-western part of the town. Other ponds bear the names of Pleasant, Bog, Charles, Clay, Horseshoe, Cat, Round, Black, Haley and Davis. Kezar River is a considerable stream that comes in on the north-east-the outlet of ponds in Waterford and Sweden. Bog Pond lies in the centre of the town ; and between the south-eastern part and Saco River stands the solitary "Mount Zion." Between the head of Lovell Pond and Saco River, on the west, lies Fryeburg Village; and on the river, west of the village, is Pine Hill. The Port- land and Ogdensburg Railroad approaches the village from the south- east and turns away toward the south-west, passing between a southern bend of the Saco and Stark's Hill on the south. Stark's Hill is 500 feet in height, and is succeeded southward by Long Hill and Bald Peak. Three-fourths of a mile north-east of the village is Jockey Cap cliff, and a mile and a half north of this, on the eastern bank of the west side of the Saco bow, is Martha's Grove Camp Ground. In the western part of the town, on the south-eastern shore of Kimball's Pond, is Birch Hill. On the north end of Lovell's Pond, on the eastern side, comes in Fight Brook, upon the meadow, at the mouth of which oc- curred the famous Lovewell's Fight, from which the pond and brook take their names. North Fryeburg and Fryeburg Centre are small villages; and these, with Fryeburg Village (Fryeburg post-office), and East Fryeburg, are the post-offices. The principal water-powers of this town are on Kezar River, Ballard and Evans brooks, and at the beautiful Swan's Falls on the Saco River, within a mile of Fryeburg Village. The manufactures of the town consist of leather, harnesses, carriages, lumber in its various forms, tinware, cheese, canned vegetables, etc. There are four water-mills and two steam- mills.
The Fryeburg intervals are noted for their richness and beauty, containing nearly 10,000 acres which are frequently overflowed and fertilized by the Saco. There is the usual variety of trees, with large tracts of pine and oak. Fryeburg, the principal centre of business in the town, is a pretty village on a broad level plain, slightly elevated above the intervals of the Saco. Many from the cities every summer find rest in its pleasant hotels and boarding-houses. The views to the west are very mountainous.
This town is celebrated for the fight to which allusion has already been made. Capt. John Lovewell, the son of an ensign in Cromwell's
247
FRYEBURG.
Puritan army, was an able partisan officer of the colonies. In April, 1725, he led 46 men from the frontier Massachusetts towns by a long and arduous march into the heart of the Pequaket country. After marching over 100 miles they reached Saco (now Lovell's) Pond, with 34 men, and here they encamped over night near the chief village of the Indians. In the morning, Saturday, May 8, while they were assembled around the chaplain on the western side of the pond, and ere the morning devotions had been finished, a gun was heard, and an Indian was seen on the opposite side. They at once commenced a circuit of the northern end of the pond ; leaving their packs on a small plain among the brakes in the shade of tall pines, and continued on around the eastern side of the pond in search of the Indian. They soon met him returning to the village. Shots were exchanged and he fell. Meantime, a party of savages about three times as strong as Lovewell's, led by Paugus and Wahwa, had discovered the packs half-hidden among the brakes. Paugus ordered his warriors to fire over the heads of the English, then make them prisoners. As Love- well led his men back to the little plain by the brook, the savages rose before them, front and flank, and rushed toward them, presenting their guns and holding out ropes, and demanding if they would have quarter. "Only at the muzzle of our guns " replied the brave captain. The forces met with a volley, and several Indians fell. Three more rounds were fired at close quarters, and Lovewell was mortally wounded, and 8 of his men were killed. The English retired, fighting, to a position among the pines with the pond in their rear, Fight Brook on one side and Rocky Point on the other. This sheltered position they main- tained for eight hours against continued assaults ; and at sunset the Indians retired, leaving 39 of their warriors killed and wounded, in- cluding Paugus. The fight had continued so long that some of their guns became foul with so much firing, and John Chamberlain went down to the water to wash his piece. Just then a warrior, supposed to be Paugus, came down for the same purpose, only a short distance off. They watched each other's movements, and finished the cleaning at the same time, then commenced to load.
" Quick me kill you now," exclaimed the Indian.
"May be not," answered Chamberlain, thumping the breech of his gun heavily on the ground. His old flintlock primed itself, and a mo- ment later his bullet crashed through the brain of the huge savage, whose bullet whistled harmlessly through the air. Throughout the long day, the yells of the Indians, the cheers of the English, and the reports of the muskets resounded through the forests; while chaplain Frye, mortally wounded, was often heard praying for victory. About midnight the English retreated, leaving 15 of their number dead and dying on the field, while 10 of the remaining 19 were wounded. This battle broke the strength of the Pequakets and filled the neighboring clans with fear ; so that most of them removed to Canada.
The larger part of Fryeburg was granted by Massachusetts in 1762 to General Joseph Frye, who had been at the siege of Louisburg, and commanded a regiment at Fort William Henry, on Lake George, in 1757. In the same year a grant was made to some persons in Concord, N.H., who came with their cattle and commenced clearings, and the next year (1763) came in with their families. Of these, Nathaniel Smith with his family were the first settlers, followed in November by
248
GAZETEEER OF MAINE.
Samuel Osgood, Moses Ames, John Evans, and Jedediah Spring, with their families. In 1766, Lieut. Caleb Swan and his brother James came in. The year 1766 was a period of great suffering from lack of food, and the settlers were obliged to send men to Concord, 80 miles through the wilderness with handsleds, for provisions.
A Congregational church was organized in 1775, and Rev. William Fessenden ordained as pastor. He was the ancestor of the noted family of his name. Fryeburg Academy was incorporated in 1792, and has ever maintained high rank. Paul Langdon, son of the presi- sident of Harvard University, was the first preceptor. He was suc- ceeded in 1802 by Daniel Webster, then " a youth unknown to fame." The new building was erected in 1852. The first lawyer in Fryeburg, and in what is now Oxford County, was Judah Dana, who came to Fryeburg in 1798. The town was first represented in the General Court in 1781, by Simon Frye, many years a senator and judge of the Court of Common Pleas. At North Fryeburg there is a Universalist church ; and in other parts are a Congregational, a Methodist, and a New Jerusalem church. It has sixteen school-houses, valued at $6,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $670,383. In 1880 it was $796,322. The population in 1870 was 1,507. In 1880 it was 1,633.
Gardiner, in the southern part of Kennebec County, is situated on the western bank of the Kennebec River about 25 miles from the sea. The Kennebec separates it from Pittston on the east, and the Cobbossee Contee Stream, on the opposite side divides it partly from W. Gardiner. Farmingdale forms the northern boundary, and Rich- mond the southern. The other principal stream is Rolling-dam Brook. The form of the town is nearly triangular, the side on the river being about 6 miles in length, and the width of the southern side about 4 miles. Ward 6, in the southern part comprises two-thirds of the ter- ritory. On the river in this ward is the village of South Gardiner, where there are the large lumber-mills of Bradstreet Brothers and Lawrence Brothers. The city proper is at the northern extremity of the territory, where the Cobbosee Contee Stream enters the Kennebec. On this stream within one mile of its mouth is a descent of 127 feet to high tide in the river, included in 8 falls or rapids. Six of these priv- ileges are improved by well-built stone dams, and are occupied by five saw-mills, one employing 25 hands and two about 40 hands each ; sash, blind and door factories, cabinet, water-wheel, and fancy wood-work factories ; two corn and grain mills-each consuming about 40,000 bushels annually-two machine-shops-one with foundry, the latter employing about 28 hands-three mill-wright shops, woollen-factory, employing 40 hands, washing-machine factory, carriage-spring factory, axe-factory, Copsecook, Richard's, and Hollingsworth & Whitney's paper-mills, emploving about 38, 75, and 100. The total annual prod- uct of these various factories is estimated to be $2,000,000.
The rural portion of the town is a thrifty agricultural region, while along the river, the inhabitants are largely engaged in the ice business, which yields an annual return almost equal to that of the manufac- tures. The Maine Central Railroad runs through the length of the town along the river. The city proper is at the head of steam naviga- tion on the river, and through it is connected by a line of boats with Boston.
249
GARDINER.
Gardiner was formerly a part of Pittston, and the earlier part of its history will be found involved with that of the latter town. The separation took place at the incorporation of Pittston in 1804, when that part of the territory west of the Kennebec, now Gardiner, took the name of the Cobbossee Plantation. It was mostly owned by Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, of Boston, but later, for a long period the resident agent of the Plymouth Proprietors on the Kenne- bec. He erected a saw-mill on the Cobbossee Contee Stream in 1760, and thus began the settlement of the place. His grandson, Robert Hallowell Gardiner, came into possession of the property in 1803, when the territory was incorporated as a town under its present name in honor of its founder. The number of inhabitants at that time was 650. It received a city charter in 1850 ; soon after this what is now West Gardiner was set off and formed into a separate town ..
COBBOSSEE CONTEE FALL, GARDINER, ME.
Gardiner has one savings and three national banks. The Gardiner " Home Journal," a lively sheet, independent in politics, is published here weekly, by H. K. Morrell & Son. The other sheet is the popular " Kennebec Reporter," published by R. B. Caldwell & Co. It is local in its aims. Each of the leading religious denominations has a church here; the large stone church of the Episcopal society being the most interesting. There is a fine soldier's monument in the park nearly op- posite the church. There is quite a good city library, and steps have been taken for the creation of a free public library. The city proper has a complete system of graded schools. There are in all fourteen public schoolhouses, valued at $38,000. The valuation in 1870 was $2,179,243. In 1880 it was $2,379,129. The population at that date was 4,497. By the census of 1880 it was 4,440.
250
GAZETTEER OF MAINE.
Gambo Falls, a small manufacturing village in Windham, Cumberland County.
Garland is 25 miles north-west of Bangor. It is bounded by Charleston on the east, Dexter on the west, Exeter on the south, and Dover, in Piscataquis County, on the north. The town is 6 miles square. The southern portion, embracing more than half of the area, is quite level, not very stony, and very good for culture. The rock is argillaceous slate. The northern part is traversed, east and west, by a high range of hills. These are intersected near the medial line of the town by a deep ravine known as "The Notch," through which runs a county road to Dover. The Kenduskeag originates in Pleasant Pond, which extends its length across the southern part of the line between Garland and Dexter. At the east end, on the outlet of this pond, is the village of West Garland. On the same stream, and reaching to Garland village a little south of the centre of the town, is the long " Mill Pond." At the south-east corner of the town the Kenduskeag again furnishes a power at the little village of Holt's Mills. The manufactures of this town consist of boots and shoes, long and short lumber (four mills), doors, sash, etc., meal and flour (two mills), wool rolls, carriages, furniture, egg-cases, etc. The stage-line from Exeter to Dexter passes through the town, connecting with the Maine Central Railroad at the latter place.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.