Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 37

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

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The Kennebunk River, which forms the eastern boundary line, has several improved powers, and is navigable by means of a lock to Landing Village. Branch River bounds the town on the west, while the Mousain River divides the territory longitudinally into two nearly equal sections. The principal body of water is Alewives Pond, which is about three miles in circumference. The face of the country is quite level. The soil in the southern part is a clay loam, and in the northern part sandy.

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KENNEBUNK.

A grant was made in 1643 by Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the original proprietor, to Lieut. John Saunders, and his son, Goodman Sanders, is supposed to have built the first house in town. Goodman Burke, also, is supposed to have had a house upon the seashore previous to 1653, the date of incorporation ; and Steven Bastom built one soon after. Both these were probably built for the accommodation of travellers passing from the settlements at Piscataqua and York to those eastward. The first permanent settlement was by William Larrabee and four or five companions in 1718, on the banks of the Mousam. A few years after- ward a house was built on Great Hill, and two or more at the Landing. In 1748, the number of families was 25; at which time a meeting- house was built at the Landing, being the first in town. Rev. Daniel Little, who taught a school in the vicinity, supplied the pulpit, -- his pastorate continuing about fifty years. The population from this time until the Revolution increased rapidly. In 1679, the falls and water-

SERGEANT LARRABEE'S GARRISON, KENNEBUNK.

privilege on Mousam River were granted to Jonathan Corwin and Eleazer Hawthorne, who brought with them from Scotland several mechanics, and built a saw-mill, grist-mill, blacksmith-shop and dwell- ing-house, and soon opened a good business in lumber with Boston. In 1688 the mills were burned by the Indians, and the place was deserted.

In 1721, John Webber, Richard Boothbay and Samuel Sawyer built them houses; but in Lovewell's war, commencing in 1722, the latter, with Ebenezer Lewis, John Felt and William Wormwood, while rafting timber upon Gooch Creek, were surprised and killed by a party of savages led by Tom Wawa, a Pequaket chieftain.

About 1735, a large fortification was erected on Mousam River, called Fort Larrabee, which was torn down in 1762. It enclosed more

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than an acre of ground. The Indians made several attempts to sur- prise this fort, and once they were prevented only by the barking of Larrabee's dog .* Some of the inhabitants took part in the Louisburg expedition ; others served in the army in the vicinity of Lake George, in 1756-7, with General Abercrombie and others.

In 1774, iron-works were erected on the island below the lower dam on Kennebunk River, and another furnace at the western end of the dam. The iron ore was brought from Saco, Maryland Ridge, and the western side of the Wells road. A grist-mill was erected the same year on the dam at the lower iron-works. Three salt-factories were also erected about this time, and were worked several years. Stone piers at the mouth of Kennebunk River, to improve the harbor, were built in 1798 and 1823, at a cost of $12,000. Shipbuilding re- vived after the Revolutionary war, so that in 1798, there were 50 vessels owned upon Kennebunk River. In naval hostilities of this period, the French captured about 25 vessels belonging to citizens of Kennebunk, for which the National Government some years after- ward received payment, yet have never paid the owners.

Kennebunk sent into the army during the war of the Rebellion 168 men, of whom 30 died in service. Their monument is a marble slab, bearing their names, set in the wall of the town hall. This building is an excellent one, constructed of brick, and two stories in height. The buildings throughout the town are generally in good condition ; and among them are some which were erected very early in the existence of the town. Along the roadside at many points are noble elms and maples, many of them from fifty to a hundred years old. On the Mousam River near Alfred is a natural stone dam, with a fall of 45 feet. This is known as Great Falls, formerly Fluellen Falls. The entire fall in the Mousam from this point to tide-water, is 150 feet, affording several excellent water-powers. At the second fall above tide-water there is a sash and blind-factory, a saw and shingle-mill, and a machine-shop. The third is improved on the western bank by a shoe-factory, and on the eastern by a grist-mill. Above is a twine- factory,-Robert W. Lord, agent. At Varney's Falls, still further up the stream, is a lumber-mill. The power here is sufficient to drive 11,000 spindles eleven hours a day throughout the year. There are also several mills on the south side of the Kennebunk River, and on Branch River. The Mousam Manufacturing Co., at Kennebunk Village, produces a good article of leather board in large quantities. There are also a plough-factory and several ship-yards. Kennebunk is a port of entry and delivery of the U. S. customs. There were built in the Kennebunk District in the year ending June 30, 1880. ten vessels, whose aggregate tonnage is 2,576 tons.

The " Eastern Star," published by W. L. Watson, is the only news- paper. It is devoted to local news, and is a valuable paper. Many per- sons who have been eminent in their departments in life have been

* At this time Wawa dwelt for a portion of the time on Great Hill, in this vicinity. Daring the fifth Indian war (1745) Wawa was wounded by a shot from Larrabee's fort. Larrabee, who was extraordinarily watchful, noticed something strange about a cart which had been left near the fort, and tried the effect of a charge of buckshot among the shadows. Retreating footsteps were heard, and in the morning marks of blood were dis- cerned. Wawa after the war confessed to having been the person wounded. He as- serted that nothing but Larrabee's watchfulness had saved the garrison on several oc- casions.

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natives or residents of Kennebunk. Among them are Joseph Dane, Edward E. Bourne, Hugh McCulloch, Daniel Sewell, Joseph Thomas, Joseph Moody, Horace Porter, William Lord, George Lord, and others perhaps equally worthy of mention.

There are in town two Baptist churches, a Methodist, a Unitarian, an Advent and a Christian Baptist church. The number of public schoolhouses in Kennebunk is fourteen ; and the value of school pro- perty is estimated at $16,000. The village schools are graded from primary to high. The town has two circulating libraries, aggregat- ing nearly 800 volumes. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $1,577,504. In 1880 it was $1,395,798. The rate of taxation in 1880 was two per cent. on one-half the valuation. The population in 1870 was 2,603; in 1880, 2,852.

Kennebunk Port, in the eastern part of York County, is bounded on the east by Biddeford, west by Kennebunk, north by

THE CLIFFS, CAPE ARUNDEL, ME.

Lyman, and south by the sea. Its area is 14,108 acres, exclusive of water. The Boston and Maine and the Portsmouth, Saco and Port- land railroads cross the town about midway of its length. A branch is expected to be run to the port village from the former road by July, 1881. Its principal village is at the south-east angle, on two or three small but deep bays, known as Cape Porpoise Harbor. These are pro- tected from the force of the ocean waves by a cordon of islands, of which there are sixteen within the town limits. Upon one of the outer- most of these is Great Island Light, which marks the north side of the harbor entrance. The light-house is a stone tower, whitewashed, and connected with a one and a half story wooden dwelling, painted white. It shows a flashing white light, visible eleven nautical miles on an eastward arc. The custom-house of the Kennebunk District is situated in the village. The business centres are Kennebunk Port Village and Cape Porpoise Village. The principal body of water is Brimstone Pond,

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some two miles long, in the western part of the town. The streams are the Kennebunk River, which separates it from the town of the same name ; Little River, next to Saco ; Batson's River and Smith's Brook, which, uniting, form a small harbor; and Goffe's Creek, emptying into the Kennebunk River. At the mouth of the latter is the principal harbor ; whose natural security is increased by stone piers a' its entrance.

Fisheries and shipbuilding form the principal business at the sea- board. Ten vessels were built during the last fiscal year within its limits and on the opposite shore of Kennebunk River. There are sev- eral small saw-mills on the streams, and two saw-mills and a grist-mill run by steam-power. The town has four good granite quarries. The south-eastern part is rocky, but the soil for the most part is clay loam ; and both uplands and marshes yield good grass crops. The face of the country is moderately uneven. The eminence called Mount Scargery or Scargo is the highest land. The roads are kept in good condition, and there are pleasant woods of maple, oak and pine scattered over the town. Elm trees from twenty to a hundred years of age are frequently seen along the highways in the vicinity of the olden dwellings ; and in these dwellings are tokens of a time long past and of a thrifty present.

The climate is regarded as favorable to longevity, there being some 30 persons over eighty years old. There is a mineral spring in town of some note, known as the Perkins Spring.

Kennebunkport was made a town under the name of Cape Porpoise, in 1653, by the Massachusetts Commissioners. The inhabitants were driven off by the first Indian wars, and returning were re-organized in 1718 under the name of Arundel. In 1820, that name was changed to the one it now bears. The land titles came from Gorges and Rigby. The first permanent settlement was made in the south-eastern part of the town by William Seadlock and Morgan Howell, about 1630. The place is said to have been named Cape Porpoise by Captain John Smith, from his having encountered many porpoises off the cape. The court records for 1640 show that William Seadlock is presented by the grand inquest for allowing a man to get drunk on his premises. Mr. Seadlock also appears in the record of 1633 as complainant against one John Baker for opprobrious speeches against the minister and meeting, and for countenancing private meetings and prophesying to the hindrance of public assemblies. The church at Cape Porpoise appears to have been an independent body ; for when the Massachusetts Com- missioners attempted, in 1653, to organize the government of the town, they were opposed by the church, and they therefore declared that body dissolved. From 1689 to 1719 there is a hiatus in the records, the Indian wars having mostly depopulated the town during that period. There was a fort built upon Stage Island in 1689, and garrisoned by direction of Governor Andros ; but when he returned to Massachusetts, the troops deserted. The Indians soon made their appearance in large numbers, and the inhabitants either removed to the fort, or to the neighboring town of Wells. The fort was besieged until the provisions were almost exhausted, when Nicholas Morey, a lame innkeeper of the town, one dark night escaped from the island in a broken canoe. The second day the distressed inmates of the fort beheld a sail approaching. Presently she sent the contents of a swivel gun among the Indians, who instantly abandoned the siege and fled.

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The lame man had reached Portsmouth in safety, and brought his neighbors timely succor.

Grants of fifty acres of land to new settlers were offered in 1719. Stephen Harding received a lot on condition that he and his heirs should maintain a ferry on Kennebunk River, and convey all inhabi- tants of the town without charge. In 1627, feeling secure from the Indians, the inhabitants undertook to build a meeting-house, but the work went on slowly. In 1728 occurred the fourth great earthquake experienced sincet he settlement of the regions. The alarm it caused brought about a revival of religion, and the reformation of many; and in consequence of this, the church edifice was speedily completed. In 1745 the town sent a company under command of Captain Thomas Perkins to aid in the capture of Louisburg. The news of the battle of Lexington reached Cape Porpoise three days after its occurrence. Many citizens flocked to the army at Cambridge ; and at home meas- ures were immediately taken to supply the town with ammunition; a committee of safety was appointed, and a representative sent to the Provincial Congress.

The town received but one visit from the enemy during the war. It was in August, 1782, that an armed English brig came into the har- bor and took a schooner and sloop belonging in Newbury, Massachu- setts. A citizen named Samuel Wildes, who was partly deranged, went out to them in a small canoe and ordered them to give up the vessels and leave the port. He was fired at and wounded in several places, but escaped to shore. The inhabitants soon collected on Trott's Island, and afterward passed to Goat Island, and a conflict ensued. A number of the English were killed, and the brig forced to leave the harbor without their prizes. Lieutenant James Burnham was the only one killed on the American side.

The following are names of citizens who were captains in the army of the Revolution. Jesse Dorman was at Cambridge in 1776; Tobias Lord, at the surrender of Burgoyne, White Plains, Saratoga ; Daniel Merrill, Cambridge, 1775-6, Hubbardston, surrender of Burgoyne, and served until the close of the war; Joshua Nason, James Perkins, on North River, 1776-7. The following were lieutenants: James Burn- ham, killed at Cape Porpoise fight, 1782; John and Tobias Lord, sons of Captain Tobias Lord ; Lemuel Miller ; Amos Towne was at Dor- chester Heights in 1776.

In the war of 1812, a fort was built at Kennebunk Point and a battery erected at Butler's Rock, commanding the entrance of the river. Several privateers were fitted out, some under Danish colors; but most of them were captured by the enemy.

The first church records in town are of the Congregational Church, and were commenced at about the time of the settlement of the Rev. John Eveleth, in 1719. In 1720, a house was built for his residence, which served also for a meeting-house and town-house. The first Baptist meeting-house was built in the upper part of the town in 1797. The town has now two Congregational, a Methodist, and a Baptist church. There are twelve schoolhouses, and the school property is estimated at $8,000. The town valuation in 1870 was $901,431. In 1880 it was $866,802. The population in 1870 was 2,372. In 1880 it was 2,405. The rate of taxation is 18 mills on half the valuation.

Kent's Hill, a small village and post-office in Readfield,

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GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

Kennebec County. The excellent Kent's Hill Seminary, an educa- tional institution under the patronage of the Methodists, is located here.

Kezar Falls, a village in Porter, Oxford County, also a post-office in Parsonsfield, on the opposite side of the river

Kingfield is situated near the middle of the eastern side of Franklin County. It is 7 miles long from east to west, and 5} miles from north to south. It is bounded on the north by Jerusalem Plan- tation, west by Mount Abraham Township, south by Freeman, and east by Lexington, in Somerset County. Carrabasset River runs south- ward through the town, and is joined in the southern part by the South Branch, coming from the west. The Carrabasset is extremely rapid, affording within the town at least twenty good and available powers for mills. The northern part of the town is very mountainous, and affords much fine scenery. The principal peaks in Kingfield are Vose, Black, Owl's Head, and Blucherry mountains. These belong to the group of Mount Abraham, which stands in the adjoining township on the west. The forest trees are principally rock-maple, birch and spruce. The principal sheets of water are Tuft's, Grindstone, and Dutton Ponds, having areas of 100, 10 and 50 acres respectively. The soil is sandy to a considerable extent, yet along the streams there are some excellent inter als. The principal crop is hay. Kingfield village is situated on Carrabasset River in the south-western part of the town. Kingfield has a lumber and shingle-mill, and a grist-mill. Other manufactures are carriages, rakes, axes, saw-horses, etc. The village is 20 miles from Farmington in a northerly direction. The station of the Sandy River railroad in Strong is about 12 miles distant.

Kingfield was formerly Plantation No. 3, Range 1, of Bingham's Purchase, and was surveyed by Solomon Adams in 1808. Settlements commenced a year or two earlier, the pioneers being a Mr. Blanchard, from Weymouth, Mass., Rev. Nathaniel Gilbert, of Kingston, Eben Pillsbury, Solomon Stanley, Joseph Longley, Benjamin Foster, William Trash, Charles Pike and others. The town was incorporated in 1816, being named in honor of William King, the first governor of Maine, who was a large proprietor and a temporary resident.

The Methodists, Free Baptists and Universalists each have a church in this town. Kingfield has three public schoolhouses; and the school property is valued at 82,800. The village schools are graded. The valuation of real estate in 1870 was $110,910. In 1880 it was $119,095. The population in 1870 was 560. In 1880 it was 454.

Kingman is a new town in the eastern part of Penobscot County, on the European and North American railway, 66 miles N. N.E. of Bangor. It is bounded on the east by Drew Plantation, south by Webster Plantation, west by Mattawamkeag, and north by Mac- wahoc Plantation in Aroostook County. The area is about 15,000 acres. The Mattawamkeag River runs through the midst of the town from east to west, where it receives the Molunkas Stream from the north. The settlements are along the Molunkas road, and at the vil- lage on the Mattawamkeag, near the centre of the town. There are here a large sole-leather tannery of F. Shaw & Brothers, a saw-mill for long and short lumber, one for shingles, and a steam-mill making short lumber.

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KINGSBURY.

The increase of the population has recently been considerable, and the town bids fair to become an important one. Kingman was origin- ally No. 6 of Range 4, north of the Bingham Purchase. About 900 acres in the northern and eastern part belonged to the Waterson and Pray purchase. The remainder was granted to Camden, in Knox County, in aid of a bridge across Dutch Trap Stream. It was organ- ized as McCullis's Plantation, July 4, 1859 ; and re-organized, March 28, 1866, under the name of Independence Plantation. It was incor- porated as a town Feb. 1873, and named in honor of R. S. Kingman, of the firm of Shaw & Kingman.

The town has two public schoolhouses, and the entire school prop- erty is valued at $750. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $30,677. In 1880 it was $75,455. The population in 1870 was 185. In 1880 it was 546.

Kingsbury is situated in the south-western part of Piscata- quis County, having Mayfield, in Somerset County, for its western boundary. Its other boundaries are the Piscataquis County towns of Blanchard, on the north, Abbot and Parkman on the east, and Wel- lington on the south. The principal ponds are Kingsbury, 2 miles long by 1 wide, Foss, about 1 mile each way, and Tilton Pond, some- what smaller. There are two fine Cascades in town, and the streams are well-stocked with speckled trout. The town is hilly, the principal rock is slate, and the soil, where cultivated, is mostly a clay loam, good for potatoes and grass. The trees usual in the region flourish here ; and the primeval forest still stands to such an extent that one road passes through it for 9 miles without encountering a single opening. There is a saw-mill and grist-mill, built in 1835 by Judge Kingsbury (now owned by the Hilton's) on the outlet of Kingsbury Pond. This stream forms the south branch of the Piscataquis River, while the north branch passes near the north-eastern part of the town. The stage-road from Athens to Moosehead Lake passes through Kingsbury. The village is 20 miles from Dover, and half the distance from the station of the Bangor and Piscataquis railway in Abbot.

The township was a part of the Bingham Purchase. It was lotte !! by Eleazer Coburn, Esq., and in 1833 was purchased by Hon. Sanford Kingsbury, of Gardiner, for the sum of $4,000. William Hilton and his brother the next year made openings, and in 1836 there were so many settlers that the town was incorporated under the name of its honorable proprietor. There are now a store, hotel, mechanic-shops, and the mills already mentioned at Kingsbury Village. There is a church organization of the persuasion called Buzzellites. Kingsbury has two public schoolhouses, valued at $200. The valuation of real estate in 1870 was $27,327. The rate of taxation in 1880 was one cent and six mills. The population in 1870 was 174. By the census of 1880 it was 198.

Kittery forms the extreme south-western part of York County, and of Maine. It originally comprised, besides its present territory, that of Eliot, Berwick, South Berwick, and North Berwick, and was incorporated in 1647, as the plantation of Piscataqua. It is the first incorporated town in Maine. The territory of the Berwicks was set off in 1713, and Eliot in 1810. The first settlement was at the Point

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about 1623. The town was a portion of the Mason and Gorges Patent, and many of the present titles came through Walter Neal, their agent ; who, before 1634, by grant or sale, had conveyed all the lands in the tract. During the Revolution, Kittery voted men and means, as they were required of her. Portsmouth Harbor was an important station and war-vessels and privateers were built and fitted out here. The harbor was fortified and garrisoned, both on the New Hampshire and Maine side. The quota for 1776 was 60 men, and a bounty of £6 was paid by the town for each recruit. Fort McClary, situated on the western side of the island formed by Spruce Creek and the river, was garrisoned in 1812, and also in the war of the Rebellion. A monu- ment to the memory of the townsmen who fell in the latter struggle is conspicuously located in Old Orchard Cemetery. Among the early inhabitants were Messrs. Jenkins, Jones, Lord, Mason, Paul, Spinney, Humphrey Chadbourne, Nicholas and Charles Frost, John Heard, John Andrews, Nicholas Shapleigh, Gowen Wilson, Thomas Spencer, John Fernald, William Everett, Richard Nason, Thomas Withers, John Dennet, Robert Mendum, and James Emery. Eminent itizens of later times were John Cutts, first president of the New Hampshire Council; Mark Adams; General William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence ; Joshua T. Chase, and Sir William Pep- perell, who commanded at the capture of Louisburg,-for which he was made baronet by the King. The family tomb of the latter is one of the curiosities of the town.

Kittery is bounded on the north-west by Eliot, on the north by the latter and York, south-west and south by Piscataqua River and its harbor, and south-east by the sea. The town contains niear 7,247 acres of land. The Isles of Shoals, which lie about 9 miles south of Kittery Point are divided by the line between Maine and Now Hamp- shire, by which the larger number belong to Kittery. Hog Island, the largest, has an area of about 350 acres, its greatest elevation being 57 feet above the sea. Smutty Nose has about 250 acres and an elevation of 45 feet. Star Island contains 180 acres, and its height is 55 feet. The surface of these islands is mostly gneissic rocks, but a thin soil in places. These islands were formerly and are still a great resort for fishermen ; but now, though many fish are still caught in the neighbor- ing waters, they are chiefly taken into Portsmouth, whence they are sent fresh to all parts of the country. At one time previous to the Revolution the shoals contained from 300 to 600 inhabitants The islands at one time constituted a municipality called Appledore, and later, Gosport, and sent two representatives to General Court. There was a court house on Haley's Island, and once the General Court of Massachusetts convened there. Latterly the islands have become places of numerous resort in summer, and have several fine hotels. The mainland of Kittery is rocky and broken in the southern part, and moderately uneven in the northern. The soil yields well of the com- mon crops. Navigation and shipbuilding furnish the principal busi- ness of the town. Master William Badger built 100 ships here, and his son Samuel built 45 before his death in 1857. In 1782 the first 74- gun ship of the National government was launched here; she was named America, and was commanded by John Paul Jones. She was shortly after presented to the French government in return for the

KITTERY.

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loss of one of their ships in Boston harbor. The government in 1806 purchased an island of 60 acres (now connected with Kittery village by a bridge) and has ever since made use of it as a navy-yard. Seavy's Island, adjoining, was also purchased by the government a few years ago for the same purpose. The islands are now occupied by numer- ous shops and yards, in which 1,000 men are sometimes employed in the construction and repair of United States vessels. Many noted

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Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 37

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