Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 39

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

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In 1845, the Legislature of the State incorporated the Lee Normal Academy, endowing it with half a township of land, which the trustees subsequently sold for about $4,000. This sum now constitutes a per- manent fund for the support of the school. The institution remains a monument of the sagacity and public spirit of those of the early settlers who were instrumental in its establishment. Public worship has also been valued and maintained from the first; and many of both sexes have gone out from this community bearing with them the good in- fluences with which they had become imbued.

The town has now Congregationalist, Universalist, Baptist and Free Baptist churches. The number of public schoolhouses is nine ; and the school property of the town is valued at $2,000. The valua- tion of estates in 1870 was $139,343. In 1880 it was $109,953. The population in 1870 was 960. In 1880 it was 894.

Leeds, in Androscoggin County, lies between Androscoggin River and Androscoggin Pond, sometimes called Wayne Pond. The

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town is about 5 miles wide at the middle portion, and nearly 13 miles long. It is also about 13 miles from West Leeds to Lewiston Falls, and the same distance from Livermore Falls. On the west lies Turner and a small portion of Livermore; the latter town and East Liver- more are on the north, Wayne and Monmouth on the east ; on the south is Greene and the western part of Wales. The Androscoggin River forms the western line, and by a bend to the eastward, nearly two-thirds of the northern line. Androscoggin Pond, on the eastern side, is about 4 miles long and 3 wide in its greatest extent, and has an area of nearly 6 square miles. The town contains about 23,000 acres of land. The Androscoggin Railroad passes through the midst longitudinally. Three villages of the town, Curtis's Corner, Leeds Centre, and North Leeds, are on this road. West Leeds, the other village, is on the Androscoggin River, about midway of the town. The manufactories consist of a board and shingle-mill at the Centre; a saw-mill and grist- mill at West Leeds, and a board and shingle-mill at Curtis's Corner.

The streams are all small, Dead River being the largest. . This stream is the outlet of a chain of ponds, of which Androscoggin Pond is the largest and last. It has the rare power of running either way at different times. Upon a sudden rise of the Androscoggin River, the flow sets back the current of Dead River into the pond. It sometimes flows into the pond for three or four days. The face of the county is diversified with hill and dale. North Mountain, Boothby Hill, Bishop's Hill and Quaker Ridge are the principal eminences, the highest being about 100 feet. Woodland, containing the usual trees of the region, exists in due proportion. The valleys of the larger streams contain much good interval, usually the best for cultivation ; yet the dark soil of the high land yields well and is the best for fruit, and less liable to frost. The town has several peat bogs, the largest of which contains about 300 acres from 10 to 30 feet deep. The surface of the bog is 75 feet higher than Dead River, and a ditch less 75 rods in length would drain it. The amount of fuel this might afford is immense.

The territory was first called Littleborough from the Massachusetts family of that name, who were the largest proprietors. It was incor- porated as the town of Leeds in 1801. A portion of Livermore above Dead River was annexed to it in 1802; in 1809 a strip half a mile in width, including Bishop's IIill, was set off from Monmouth and annexed ; in 1810 the section known as Beech IIill was set off to Wayne, and in 1852 the south-east corner of Leeds was set off to Wales.

The first settlers were Thomas and Roger Stinchfield, who removed their families to Dead River in June, 1780. The two brothers had be- come acquainted with the vicinity in their hunts; and the year be- fore had raised corn and vegetables, and in the winter transported thither four goats and sundry household implements on the snow crust. They had also provided venison and maple sugar ; so that their families were supplied with comfortable housing and subsistence at once. Other names of early families are Fish, Millett and Bishop. Several soldiers of the Revolution followed, of whom were Gilbert and Lothrop, Lead- better, Lane, Lindsay, Pettengill, Turner, Morgan, Brewster, George, Cushman, and Robbins. The oldest inhabitant the town has had was Robert Gould, who died in 1868, aged ninety-nine years.

The Jennings family of this town has given some able men to the

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country, of whom may be mentioned Orville, an able lawyer in the Southwest, Roscoe G., formerly surgeon in the navy, later in resident of Arkansas. General Oliver O. Howard, well-known in the whole country, is a native of Leeds, together with his brothers, Rowland B., a minister and editor of ability, and Charles H., now publisher of " The Advance," a religious journal in Chicago.

The first religious meeting held in town was in 1794, at the request of Thomas Francis, a resident. In 1800 a Baptist church was organ- ized, and Mr. Francis was ordained pastor. The Quakers formed an organization and erected a meeting-house about 1807, but the sect now appears to be extinct. The first Free Baptist church was erected about 1836, and the Methodists in 1851.

The number of schoolhouses in town is twelve, and the estimated value of school property, $4,000. The value of estates in 1870 was $456,348. In 1880 it was $415,486. The population in 1870 was 1,288; in 1880 1,194. The rate of taxation is about one cent on the dollar.

A number belonging in town rendered service in the war of 1812; and 161 were furnished to the national forces in the war of the Rebellion.

Letter E. Plantation is situated in the south-western part of Franklin County. It is bounded east by Madrid, north by Sandy River Plantation and No. 3, and south by No. 6. The town- ship is triangular in form, about ten miles in length from east to west, and 5 miles in width at the western and widest part. Sandy River and its branches drain the eastern part. It is on these in the south- eastern part of the township that the settlements are located. Thorn Hill is the only elevation which has a well-known name; but there are other considerable hill ranges. At the north-west corner is a group of ponds of which the largest are known as Benn's and Swift River ponds. There are other small ponds in the east.

This plantation was organized in 1861. In 1872 a section of the eastern part of the town was annexed to Madrid. These contained all the largest bridges and interval farms, so that there are now in the plantation only six farms occupied by residents, and only eight polls.

The forest trees are largely spruce and hardwood, with some hem- lock and fir. There are plenty of ledges and bowlders to be found. The soil on the upland is generally good for hay and grazing. Two falls on a branch of Sandy River are worthy of mention for their beauty. The plantation has one schoolhouse, costing about $235. This serves for civil and religious meetings. The valuation in 1870 was $12,931. In 1880 it was $14,545. The population in 1870 was 93. In 1880 it was 27.

Levant is an agricultural town located in the middle of the southern section of Penobscot County. It is 8 miles from Bangor, on the " Avenue Road " to Exeter. The surrounding towns are Corinth on the north, Kenduskeag and Glenburn on the east, Carmel and Hermon on the south, and Stetson on the west. The surface is uneven, yet without high hills. The soil is fertile, and suitably rewards the tiller. The thriftiness of the town is apparent to all who allow them- selves the pleasure of a drive over its main roads. The Little Kendus-

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keag, or Black Stream, is the principal water-course, pursuing a widely winding way from west to east through the town. The powers on this stream are known as Wiggin's Mill, at Levant village, where there are board, shingle and lath machines ; Weston's Mills, at South Levant, where there are board, clapboard, shingle and lath machines, and a grist-mill ; on the Horseback Road, is a shingle mill ; White's Mill, at West Levant, where there is a board and shingle mill ; Emerson's Mill, in the west part of the town, where there is a saw-mill. Another local name for West Levant is " Rogers' Stand."

The first settlers were William and George Tebbets, and Messrs. Boobar and Knowland, who came in some time prior to 1800. In 1801 Major Moses Hodsdon settled at what is now Kenduskeag Village, but was then a part of Levant ; where, in the following year, he erected a saw and grist-mill, three dwelling-houses, a store and blacksmith-shop, which were the first framed buildings within the town. Major Hods- don was largely engaged in surveying ; and his brothers soon followed him to this place, adding much impulse to business. The titles of the settlers to their lands were from William Wetmore, who had purchased a tract here of the Commonwealth in 1792. The plantation name was Kenduskeag, which it retained until its incorporation as a town, June 14, 1813. A corner, including the village of Kenduskeag, was set off 1852, to form a part of the new town of Kenduskeag.

Levant has Baptist, Methodist and Union churches. The number of public schoolhouses is seven. The value of the entire school prop- erty is $3,400. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $277,449. In 1880 it was $282,149. The population in 1870 was 1,159. In 1880 it was 1,076.

Lewiston is practically the centre of Androscoggin County, and is nearly so geographically. It is situated upon the Androscoggin River, which separates it from Auburn on the west and south. Greene bounds it on the north, Webster and Lisbon on the east. The soil is largely a clay loam, but a gravelly loam on the high lands. The surface is quite hilly, but there are no lofty eminences. David's Moun- tain, near Bates' College, and Mitchell's Hill are each nearly 500 feet above the sea, and are the chief eminences. The former has its name from Mr. David Davis, whose heirs have given a lot on its summit to the college for an observatory. It is near the valley at the falls of the Androscoggin, in which goes on the principal business of the two cities of Lewiston and Auburn, and its summit affords a wide circle of varied and pleasing landscape. The falls of the Androscoggin at this place furnish attractive views from several points. On the river road, about one mile above Barker's Mills and three miles from the falls, is a locality where a steep wooded hill comes down close to the shore of the river, which has here just come down the rapids at Boxer's Island, and beats its swells against a rocky shore, which at one point gives way to a sandy slope, forming a little beach. For the distance of a mile the scene is quite wild and beautiful. The place is variously named " The Gulf" or " Switzerland " according as reference is had to the water or to the hill features of the picture. Here, as in other parts of the town, the rock crops out. It is, in general, gneissic in its character, intermixed with some granite and an impure limestone. No-name Pond, situated near the eastern angle of the town, is the only consid-

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LEWISTON FALLS. LEWISTON. ME.

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erable sheet of still water. It is about a mile long, and is half a mile wide at its widest part. The falls, which furnish the water-power of Lewiston, are the third on the river, reckoning from tide-water, which is about 20 miles distant. The descent is formed by a ledge of gneiss and mica-schist which crosses the river diagonally, and is so extended as to form the bed of the river above and below the falls. The rock is above water level on the eastern shore, and on the western rises to a little hill ; while in the stream it forms two islands of over half an acre of extent. The natural fall is about 38 feet, which is increased to 50 by the excellent stone dam. There is a tradition that a terrible catastrophe happened at these falls to the Indian tribe dwelling on the river above. The story varies considerably, but the most credible version is that two scouts in search of a party of Indians who had carried a girl away captive, encountered at the falls, near night, an Indian who had just landed from a canoe, and was gathering material for a fire at a point just above the falls where it would serve as a beacon. They killed the Indian; and suspecting a large body of Indians to be coming down the river in canoes, they quickly retired to a hill below but in view of the falls, and in a line with the point where the Indian was preparing the beacon. Here they kindled a fire, and lured by its deceitful ray beyond the point of safety into the swift rapids, they were unable to escape, and all went over the fall and perished.

The territory comprising the city of Lewiston was included in the Pejepscot Patent, granted to Thomas Purchase and George Way in 1632. On the death of the two original proprietors, most of the tract became the property of Richard Wharton, a Boston lawyer. To make his title secure, he obtained in 1684 a deed of this territory from Warumbee, and five other sagamores of the Anasagunticooks. On Wharton's death his administrator, in 1714, sold the claim to Thomas Hutchinson, John Wentworth, Adam Winthrop, John Watts, David Jeffries, Stephen Minot, Oliver Noyes, and John Rusk for £140. These persons were commonly styled the Pejepscot Proprietors, and their lands were called the Pejepscot Claim. Its limits were finally fixed on the western side of the river at Lewiston Falls, and on the eastern side so as to embrace about two-thirds of what is now the town of Leeds. On the east side of the river there was a difficulty in regard to the boundary rights of this and the Kennebec purchase, both on Merry- meeting Bay and at the extremest northern part of the Pejepscot Claim. By the action of the courts of Cumberland and Lincoln the entire line was settled in 1814. The grant under which Lewiston was settled was made by the proprietors to Jonathan Bagley and Moses Little, of Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1768. The territory commenced at the falls and extended 5 miles up the river, from thence in a north- east course 5 miles, from thence in a south-east course 4 miles, from thence on a southern course to Androscoggin River, and from this point up the river to the falls, whence it started. The conditions were that Bagley and Little should settle 50 families in as many houses within the limits before June, 1774, and should also clear a road to Royalsborough (Durham) to meet one to be constructed to Topsham. The houses were to be 16 by 20 feet, and of 7 feet posts. The name of the town was to be "Lewiston." The first settler was Paul Hildreth, who, in the summer of 1770, built his log cabin just below

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where the Continental Mills now stand. The first ferry in town was established by him about three-fourths of a mile below the falls. Mr. David Pettingill, the second settler, came in the fall of 1770. Law- rence J. Harris, third settler, came and erected the frame of the first saw-mill in the fall of 1770, and brought his family in the spring. He owned several lots by gift from the proprietors and by purchase ; the most valuable one being the mill lot at the falls, and comprising 100 acres. He built his house on what is now known as Lower Main street, and on the site now occupied by Garcelon Block. After his death one of his sons sold the mill lot and 15 acres of land to Colonel Josiah Little. Amos Davis moved from New Gloucester to Lewiston in 1774. He was a farmer, surveyor, and shoemaker. He surveyed a part of the town for the proprietors in 1773, and made a plan in 1795. He gave the ground for the old burying-ground on Sabattus street, and erected at his own expense a small building within its present en- closure, "which was occupied some years as a meeting-house and school- house. He was a leading member of the Society of Friends, and a very exemplary man. His son David was the 2 d male child born in Lewiston. Israel Herrick, Jesse Wright, and Jacob Barker came in 1774. James Garcelon came in the following year, and soon after settled-at what has since been called Garcelon's Ferry. His father was Rev. Peter Garcelon, a native and a resident of the Isle of Guernsey. James emigrated at thirteen years of age. He was a member of the first board of selectmen. His son James was for many years a Baptist clergyman; William was one of the first merchants in town, was engaged in lumbering, and also in shipbuilding in Free- port. Josiah Mitchell came in 1776, and Jonathan Hodgkins in 1777. James Ames came in 1785, carrying on the business of blacksmithing in connection with farming. Previous to this the people had been obliged to go to New Gloucester for blacksmith's work. He also kept a pub- lic-house for many years. Dan Read came in 1788. Xe was subse- quently one of the board of selectmen for twenty-six years, chairman of the board for twelve years, town-clerk fifteen years, representative to the General Court of Massachusetts in 1804-5, and representative to the Legislature of Maine in 1820, 1823 and 1825. He was also the first post-master of Lewiston, to which office he was appointed in 1795 by Washington, a position which he held forty years, lacking three months. He died in 1854. Ebenezer Ham, grandfather of Colonel Ham, came in 1789.

Lewiston was incorporated as a town in 1795, and as a city in 1861, and its government organized 1863. Jacob B. Ham was the first mayor. Only three persons who were residents of Lewiston are now known to have been in the Revolutionary war. These were David Pettengill, who died in the army, Benjamin Pettengill, son of the former, and Joel Thompson. After the close of the Revolution a num- ber who had served in the war settled in Lewiston. In the war of 1812-15, the town was more numerously represented in the army. Oliver Herrick raised a company in this and the adjoining towns, which started for Lake Champlain in January, 1813. A part of them were shortly ordered on board the Growler, and took part in the dis- astrous action of July 2, 1813, in which the Growler and the Eagle surrendered to the enemy. In September, 1814, the regiment raised in this vicinity, under the command of Colonel Walter R. Blaisdell, of

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Lewiston, was ordered out, but went into camp at Pittston on the Kennebec, and then returned. A small number were drafted from the two companies from Lewiston,-the North company, under the com- mand of Captain Nathaniel Sleeper, and the South company, com- manded by Captain George Williams,-remaining in service for some months. In the war of the Rebellion, Lewiston furnished two com- panies for the 1st Maine regiment. These were commanded by N. J. Jackson and Silas B. Osgood. Jackson was promoted to the command of the regiment and Lieutenant Jesse T. Stevens succeeded to the captaincy. The regiment started for Washington on the 1st of June, and was stationed in that city during its term of service. Colonel Jackson was subsequently promoted to be brigadier-general. Edward Ilsley, a cadet from West Point, in the summer of 1861 recruited a company in Lewiston for the Fifth Maine regiment. Lieutenants Knowlton and Nye also recruited here a large proportion of two com- panies for the Tenth regiment, becoming captains of companies F and K, respectively. After having passed through several hard-fought campaigns, the regiment was mustered out in May, 1863. Captains Knowlton and Nye soon after recruited two companies for the Twenty- ninth regiment, in which Captain Knowlton was commissioned major. The regiment was in the Red River campaign under General Banks, then returned and took part in the series of battles in the Shenandoah Valley, where in September, 1864, Major Knowlton was mortally wounded. Company A of the Twenty-third regiment, largely recruited in Lewiston, was employed in Maryland and Virginia on guard-duty. The city furnished a large number of men for company D, Captain William R. Ham (Thirty-second regiment), reaching the seat of war in season to take part in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Cold Harbor,-where on the 3d of June, Colonel Ham was mortally wounded. Few, if any, regiments left the State which did not not contain some representative of Lewiston. Only 16 of the 1,158 soldiers credited to this city were drafted. During the war aid was furnished to 765 soldiers' families, at an expense of $31,970.26; and for bounties there was paid the sum of $100,275. The monument erected in the park soon after the war to the memory of the fallen brave was executed by Frank Simmons. It has a square granite base, 10 feet in height, surmounted by the figure of a soldier in bronze, heroic size. On the faces of the base are bronze tablets bearing the names of the 112 officers and soldiers who fell in the struggle for lib- erty and union for America.

The park in which the monument stands is not far from the mills, and is near the centre of the city. It contains about 10 acres of grassy turf, divided by broad, smooth walks. Around it are several fine buildings, both private and public. Bates Street, on the upper side of the park, is notable for its large and pleasant dwellings, and the elegant Baptist church of brick and granite. Opposite this, separated from the common by Spruce Street, is the Episcopal church, of the last ma- terial ; while on Pine Street, directly opposite at the other, or eastern end, northern side of the park, is the large and handsome Congregational church. On the same street, a little further west, and fronting on the park, is the De Witt House, an imposing building of brick. It is wholly occupied as a hotel except the lower rooms on Park Street, on the western side, which are occupied by the offices of the Franklin Com-

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pany, and the Union Water-power Company. On Park Street, on the west side of the northern part of the park, is the city building, a noble structure of brick and granite, in partially gothic style, but having a mansard roof. The leading feature of the building is the large hall on the side next the park, which is 80 by 165 feet in dimensions, and has seating capacity for 2,500 people. The entire cost was above $200,000. Numerous shade trees of the various kinds, though young, ornament the park and many of the streets. Another important public work is the water-works for supplying the city with water. These are on the reservoir system. The water is pumped into the reservoir 220 feet above the river, and thence distributed through the pipes. The power used in this instance is that of the fall; and the river is also the source of supply. A marked feature of the city proper is the sev- eral canals leading the water from the river to the different mills. The bridges spanning these, the river and railroad crossings, number above two dozen, several of them being of iron. The healthiness of the inhabitants of the city proper is further provided for by an excel- lent system of sewerage. The city is lighted by gas, by the Lewiston Gas-Light Company.

The oldest of the manufacturing corporations until recently in operation in the city is the Lewiston Falls Manufacturing Company, making woollen cloths, which was organized in 1834, and com- menced' operations the same year. Its capital stock was $80,000. The property has now passed into the hands of D. Cowan & Co. The Franklin Company was incorporated in 1847. It owns the brick mill building on the bank of the river between the mill just mentioned and the falls (occupied as a grain-mill and by D. Cowan & Company as a woollen-factory), the Lincoln Mill, the De Witt House, several shops and other buildings, and several hun- dred acres of land about the more thickly settled parts of the city. Its capital stock is $1,000,000. The Union Water-power Com- pany was organized in 1878, to manage the water-power which had been the property of the Franklin Company. It owns the water-power property of the Androscoggin River in Lewiston, includ- ing dam, canals and shore-rights, Auburn Lake, and the water-rights of two or more of the Rangeley Lakes, letting its power to the numer- ous mills at a uniform rental. Its capital stock is $400,000. There are six corporations engaged in the manufacture of cotton. The Lincoln Mill, owned by the Franklin Company, commenced manufact- uring in 1846, and is the oldest cotton-mill in the city. It consists of one building of brick, and has 21,744 spindles. Other factories are these : the Bates Manufacturing Company, with a capital stock of $1,000,000; the Hill Manufacturing Company, capital stock, $1,000,000; Continen- tal Mills, $1,500,000; Lewiston Mills ; Androscoggin Mills, $1,000,000; Lewiston Bleachery and Dye Works, $300,000; Lewiston Machine Company, $100,000. The Continental Mills has the largest number of spindles, viz., 70,000. It employs 1,200 operatives,-900 females and 300 males ; and its monthly pay-roll and disbursements in Lewiston amount to $40,000. It manufactures 17,500,000 yards of brown sheet- ings annually. The mill is of brick, five stories high, with a mansard roof, and contains eight acres of flooring. The total annual produc- tion of cotton cloth by these factories is upwards of 50,000,000 yards. Other manufactories are the Lewiston Bleachery and Dye Works,

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Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 39

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