Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 66

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

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538

GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

Thomaston was incorporated in 1777, and included, until 1848, Rockland and South Thomaston. It was named for Maj. Gen. John Thomas, of Massachusetts, a brave officer who died in the preceding May, at Chambley. Mason Wheaton, before mentioned, a connection of General Thomas, was a colonel in the army of the Revolution, and the first representative of Thomaston, in the General Court. Another notable citizen was John Paine, a most enterprising trader, who, in the single year of 1820, paid $170,000 duties on imports. Mr. Healy was an extensive ship-builder. David Fales, physician, school-master and surveyor of lands, was much employed by Mr. Fluker, son-in-law of General Waldo, as agent. The most distinguished of the inhabitants of Thomaston, was General Knox, commander of the American artil- lery in the Revolution, and Secretary of War from 1785 to 1794. In the years 1793-4, he built his elegant mansion near the St. George's River, at the great bend, near where the fort stood. The size and style of the building, its piazzas and balconies, its farm, summer and out-houses, its gardens and walks, formed a residence which, at that and for a long subsequent time, far surpassed any other in the country. Its cost was above $50,000. [See article Knox County.] Though the post-office was not established here until 1794, there was a mail carried on foot from Falmouth to Thomaston during the last years of the Revolutionary war.

Among later citizens may be mentioned Hon. John Ruggles, once a United States senator ; Hon. William J. Farley ; Hon. Edward Rob- inson, representative in Congress in 1837; Hon. Jonathan Cilley, who fell in a duel in 1839, while a member of Congress, and was greatly regretted as a national loss.

The Thomaston Herald is the only newspaper published in the town. It is devoted to local news, and is an entertaining and useful sheet. The Thomaston Savings Bank, at the close of 1879, held de- posits and profits to the amount of $161,253.84. The Thomaston Na- tional Bank has a capital of $100,000. The George's National Bank has a capital of $110,000. There are a social and a circulating library in town.

Rev. Robert Rutherford, who came over with Colonel Dunbar in 1729, first preached in Thomaston and Warren. He was a native of Ireland, and a Presbyterian. A Congregational church was gathered in 1807, over which Rev. John Lord was settled. The town now has a church-edifice of each of the following societies, Congregationalist, Methodist, Episcopal and Catholic, and two of the Baptists. The vil- lage has graded schools, from primary to high. There are eleven pub- lic schoolhouses and the school property is valued at $18,900. The valuation of real estate in 1870 was $1,854,110. In 1880 it was $2,- 202,211. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 2 per cent. The population in 1870 was 3,092. In 1880 it was 3,017.

Thorndike lies in the north-west of Waldo County. It is bounded on the north by Troy, east by Jackson, west by Unity, and south by Knox. The surface is quite broken, and is especially hilly in the north-eastern and south-western parts. Files Hill is the most notable eminence. Granitic rock is predominant. The soil is a clay loam on the levels and hollows, requiring considerable working, but yielding good crops of hay, potatoes and corn. The water-courses are Sandy Stream, a tributary of the Sebasticook, and the head-waters of

539

TOPSFIELD.

Marsh River. There is one saw-mill for long and short lumber, a shingle-mill and a grist-mill. The other manufactures are carriages, harnesses, coffins and caskets, boots and shoes, etc., etc. The Belfast and Moosehead railroad passes through this town, and has a station at Thorndike village, 16 miles from Belfast.

The carriage roads, in general, are good, and afford many agreeable drives among hills and woods, interspersed with pleasant farm-houses. Higgin's Mineral Spring, in this town, has quite a local celebrity, its water being regarded as very healthful. Ichabod Hunt, a citizen of Thorndike, in 1880 reached the age of ninety-five years. Another cit- izen, Joseph Seyward, is over ninety. The town sent some 60 men to the Union army during the war of the Rebellion. The religious so- cieties of the town are Baptists, Free Baptists and Friends. The first have a good house of worship.

This town was incorporated February 15, 1819, being named for Thomas Thorndike, one of the original proprietors. It was a part of the Waldo Patent. Previous to incorporation it bore the name of Lincoln Plantation. The petition for incorporation was signed by Joseph Shaw, Joseph Higgins and Stephen Jones.

The number of public schoolhouses in Thorndike is nine, valued at $2,000. The population in 1870 was 730. In 1880 it was 713. The valuation in 1870 was $264,801. In 1880 it was $280,033. The rate of taxation in the latter year was about 12 per cent.

Togus, a post-office, and the seat of a National Military Asylum in Chelsea, Kennebec County.

Tomhegan Township lies on the western side of Moosehead Lake, in the second range north of the line of the Bingham Purchase.

Topsfield lies in the northern part of Washington County, and is bounded on the cast by Codyville and Robbins Plantation, south by Talmage, west by Kossuth. Bascohegan Lake lies on the north, and partly within the township. Topsfield is in the second range north of Bingham's Penobscot purchase. Calais lies 36 miles to the south-east. The European and North American Railway station in Jackson Brook Plantation is 11 miles from the principal settlement which is in the south-eastern part. The Princeton station of the Penobscot and St. Croix Railroad is 16 miles distant. A stage-route formerly connected this town with Lincoln, on the first mentioned railroad.

This is an excellent town for new settlers. There is one considerable eminence in the south-western part, estimated to be about 1,000 feet in height. Musquash, Tomah and Farrar ponds lie in the southern part of the town,-the first being about 3 miles by 2, in dimensions, the others 2 and 1 in length, and of proportional width. There is some granite rock in the eastern part. The soil is a gravelly loam. Wheat and potatoes are the chief crops. The buildings in the town are gen- erally in good repair. There is one saw-mill.

Topsfield was first settled by Nehemiah Kneeland from Topsfield, Massachusetts, in 1832. It was incorporated, February 24, 1838. It is said that 74 men from this town joined the Union army in the war of the Rebellion,-of whom 10 were lost. The Methodists and Congre

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GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

gationalists have a Union meeting-house here. The town has four public schoolhouses, valued at $600. The population in 1870 was 464 In 1880 it was massed with other settlements in the preliminary census report. The polls in 1870 numbered 105; in 1880, the same. The valuation in 1870 was $82,828. In 1880 it was $68,608. The rate of taxation in the latter year was 38 mills on the dollar.

Topsham, in Sagadahoc County, is situated in a broad bend of the Androscoggin river extending, in general course, from Lisbon south-east to Brunswick, and from thence north-eastward to Merry- meeting Bay. Bowdoin and Bowdoinham bound the town on the north, and Brunswick on all other sides,-with the northern extremity of Bath across the bay on the east. The streams are Little River, which separates it from Lisbon, Cathance River, which comes down from Bowdoin to the centre of the town; then runs north-eastward into Bowdoinham,-imperfectly repeating within the town the course of the Androscoggin about its border. East of this lies Muddy River, a tide-water creek having the same course as the former. A short distance east of this stream is Pleasant Point,-a part of Bowdoinham, but springing out into the bay from the north-eastern corner of Tops- ham. The greatest length of the town is between the eastern and western angles,-the distance being about 9 miles. Its greatest width is from above the village to Lily Pond at the northern border of the town. The area is very near 25,000. The surface of Topsham is generally level, varied by a few ravines and low hills,-of which Ararat-a station of the U. S. Coast Survey a mile north of Topsham bridge-is the highest. In the higher portions the soil is a brown loam, on the plains a sandy loam, and in the lowlands, clay and clay loam. The rock is generally a very coarse granite, with a preponderance of felspar. The Trenton Felspar Company are operating a quarry here.

The manufactures are at the first falls on the Androscoggin between the villages of Brunswick and Topsham. There are here the paper mill of the Bowdoin Paper Company, a ship-yard or two, a planing and threshing-mill, three lumber-mills, door, sash and stair factories, a grain-mill, bricks, etc. The Maine Central Railroad runs through the town, having a station at the village. Topsham is connected with Brunswick on the south side of the river by three bridges, two of which are railroad bridges. The upper railroad bridge is of wood ; the lower one is a long and beautiful structure of iron. An iron bridge of a beautiful design has just been erected between the two villages for or- dinary street uses.

Topsham was first occupied about 1658 by Thomas and James Gyles, and three men named York with their families, who bought lands on the bay and river before King Philip's war. One of these built a house and resided at Fulton's Point, another at the head of Muddy River, and a third Gyles on Pleasant Point. At each of these places, not many years since, the cellars and chimnies of their rude dwellings were clearly traceable. It is thought probable that the settler at Fulton's Point arrived several years prior to the others; for it is stated that, in 1750, there was a tree upwards of one foot in diameter growing in the cellar. There is also a tradition that this settler lived for many years on friendly terms with the natives, but at last while absent in quest of provisions, the Indians massacred his family and burnt his house; and the bereaved man now returned to

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"WALKER HOMESTEAD," TOPSHAM, (Sagadahoc County,) MAINE.

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GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

England. Both the other families were murdered by the natives. Gyles and his wife were shot while gathering their crops, and the children taken into captivity ; but all except a son were ransomed by the officers at Fort George, in Brunswick. The new settlement was projected by the Pejepscot proprietors about 1715. In 1721, sixteen families had located in the town, and a minister was employed ; but later the people probably worshipped at Brunswick until the erection of their meeting-house in 1759. The first church organization was Presbyterian,-the settlers being largely Scotch-Irish. The town fur- nished 50 men for various service during the Revolutionary war. In the war of the Rebellion 144 men served on the side of the Union.

The Sagadahoc Agricultural Society laid out its grounds and erected its hall here in 1856; since which other buildings and an elegant judge's stand have been erected. The annual shows which have generally been successful, grow more and more attractive. A large collection of paintings and engravings-some of which are works of great merit and value -- belonging to. Col. Wildes P. Walker, may properly be reckoned as belonging to the attractions of the town ; since the owner, with rare public spirit, often throws his gallery open to his townsmen. The churches are neat structures situated in the village, and belong to the Congregationalists, Baptists and Free-Baptists. The Franklin Family School, which attamed its highest success under the management of its founder, Hon. Warren Johnson, is still open ; and its building and grounds are an ornament to the village. Topsham has 12 public schoolhouses, and the total school property of the town is valued at 87,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $880,265. In 1880 it was 8819,537. The population in 1870 was 1,498. In 1880 it was 1,547.

Tremont, in Hancock County, embraces the south-western portion of Mount Desert Island. Tinker's, Moose, Hardwood, Grott's and Longley's Islands are also within its limits. The feature from which the town takes its name is the three contiguous peaks of Beech Mountain, and east and west peaks of the Western Mountains. Dog Mountain has been carefully prospected with spade and pick, for money hidden by Captain Kidd. The peak known as the " Lover's Scalp " has, on its eastern side, an almost per- pendicular descent of 900 feet to the waters of Somes' Sound. The other mountains of Tremont are Dog, Flying, Bald, Burnt and Mount Gilboa. Dog Mountain is 670 feet in height; Flying Mountain, 300; Bald Mountain, 250; Burnt Mountain, 175; and Mount Gilboa, 160. South West and Bass are the chief harbors, and the villages on these are the principal centres of business in the town. On Heat's Stream is a saw-mill, and upon the outlet of Seal Cove Pond is a grist-mill. Both streams empty into Seal Cove, which is a safe and convenient harbor. The production of the saw-mill is about 250,000 M. of lumber, and sev- eral hundred thousand staves annually. There is also a shingle-mill on Bass Harbor Stream. Some ship-building is done at both Bass and South West harbors. At the latter place is a factory for canning fish, and at West Tremont is a fish-curing establishment ; also the large brick-yard of the Tremont Brick Co., and a boat-builder's shop. The " staff of life " to the people of the town is found chiefly in the sea.

Fernald's Point on Somes' Sound near the northern border of the town is thought by many to be the site of the ancient " St. Sauveur," the settlement of the colony sent out by Madame de Guercheville in

543

TRESCOTT.

1613. " About half across the isthmus and a little up the hill (Flying Mountain), so as to command the water on either side without losing its shelter, are two holes in the ground which are shown as the ruins of the Frenchmen's cellars. They are a few rods apart, running north and south, 10 to 12 feet long at present, from 2 to 3 feet deep, and of varying width. They seem to have been gradually filled in from the hill above, and overgrown with grass, On the very day of our visit (1866) a spruce, some eight inches in diameter had been cut down in one of them. The old man who was our guide said the cellars were there in the time of his grandfather, who was the first settler, and he always said that they were the remains of the French colony." Stories of the discovery of gold buried by the French are rife, like those of pirates' treasures further south. A bank of shells near North East Harbor, on the opposite side of the Sound, probably marks the neighborhood of an Indian village ; and Indian relics of various sorts are not uncommon. Tremont was set off from Mount Desert and incorporated in 1848, under the name of Mansel, from Mount Mansel, the name given to the island by Winthrop's company of emigrants to Massachusetts Bay in 1630; it having been the first land discovered by them. See Eden.

Tremont has two churches, a Congregationalist and a Methodist. Thirteen public schoolhouses, and school property to the value of $13,500, furnish the means of youthful education. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $262,353. In 1880 it was $361,419. The popula- tion in 1870 was 1,822. In the census of 1880 it was 2,011.

Trenton, in Hancock County, lies north of Mount Desert Island, between Union River Bay and Jordan's River. Ellsworth bounds it on the north. It is on the stage-line from Ellsworth to South West Harbor. The surface of the town is undulating. It lies partially or wholly within the great mica-schist basin of the county, which is supposed to be of the Cambrian age. The occupation of the people aside from agriculture is connected with the sea.

The town was formerly known as Number One of the six second- class townships granted by Massachusetts in 1762, or according to Williamson, in 1764. It was confirmed to Paul Thorndike and others in 1785 The first English settlement known was in 1763. Anterior to this there were French settlers at Trenton and Oak Points. Thom- son's and Alley's Islands are within its jurisdiction. Previous to 1870, Trenton had embraced the whole peninsula between Union River Bay and Frenchman's Bay, but at that date it was divided, and the eastern half incorporated as Lemoine. The Baptists and Methodists have each a church in town. There are seven public schoolhouses, and the school property is valued at $2,500. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $118,280. In 1880 it was $111,817. The population in 1870 was 678. In the census of 1880 it is placed at 639.

Trescott, lies in the south-eastern part of Washington Coun- ty. Lubec bounds it on the east, Edmunds and Pembroke on the north, Whiting and Cutler on the west, and the ocean on the south. The south branch of Cobscook (tide river) crosses the northern part, and into this, at its western extremity, empties Orange River. Within the

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GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

town are the harbors of Moose Cove, Bailey's, Mistake and Haycock. There are here a saw-mill manufacturing long and short lumber, and two grist-mills. The town is flourishing in trade and navigation. The Trescott Mining and Manufacturing Company is located here. Tres- cott is connected with Lubec by a stage line.

This town was incorporated Feb. 27, 1827. It was formerly No. 9. The principal religious society in the town is the Roman Catholic. There are nine public schoolhouses; and the school property is valued at $1.200. The population in 1870 was 603. In 1880 it was 552. The valuation in 1870 was $42,980. In 1880 it was $49,335.

Troy lies in the northern part of Waldo County, adjoining Som- erset and Penobscot counties on the north, and the latter on the east. Burnham bounds it on the west, and Thorndike and Jackson on the south. The area is 20,052 acres. Unity or Twenty-five Mile Pond forms a part of the western boundary. In the northern part is Carl- ton's Bog, having an area of 1,000 acres, and drained by a stream of the same name. On this stream were formerly several mills which manu- factured large quantities of lumber. In the southern part of the town is Bog Stream, which also has mill privileges ; both this and the former emptying into Unity Pond. A mill on Martin's Stream, in the south- eastern part of the town, formerly manufactured some lumber. The manufactures now consists of furniture and carriages, there being five manufacturers of the last.

The surface of the town is for the most part uneven, rising into large swells with table lands and valleys, all of which are very fertile. The inhabitants are generally and quite successfully engaged in ag- riculture. The centres of business are Troy village, Center, and West and East Troy,-which are also post-offices. The town is 22 miles north-west of Belfast. The nearest railroad stations are in Burnham and Detroit.

The first clearing in this town was made about the year 1801, by John Rogers, who was also agent for the proprietor, General Bridge, of Chelmsford, Mass. The first mill in the township was built by the lat- ter. The ownership soon after passed to Benjamin Joy and Jonathan C. Hastings, of Boston. The earliest settlers were Henry Warren, Charles Gerrish, jr., Enoch Bagley, Enoch Bagley, jr., Jonathan Bagley, Christopher Varney, John Smart, Andrew Bennett, John Rogers, James Work, Nehemiah Fletcher, Hanson Whitehouse, Francis, Charles and Thomas Hollman, and Joseph Green, who came from dif- ferent parts of Maine, and settled here from 1801 to 1813. At the first organization of the settlement into a plantation it received the name of Bridgestown, in honor of the first proprietor. It was incorporated as a town Feb. 22, 1812, under the name of Kingsville, in honor of the first Governor of Maine. Since then it has borne the names of Joy, Montgomery, and finally Troy. The last change was made February 10, 1827.

The religions societies are the Methodists and Christian. There are eleven public schoolhouses ; and the school property is valued at 83.000. The population in 1870 was 1,201. In 1880 it was 1,059. The valuation in 1870 was 8233,361. In 1880 it was $263,939.

Turner lies on the western side of the Androscoggin River in

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545

TURNER.

the north-western part of Androscoggin County. Its length on the river is ten miles, the towns on the eastern side being Leeds and Greene. The western line is of equal length, where it joins Hartford, Buckfield and Hebron. Its width at the north is about three miles, where it joins Livermore. Minot and Auburn bound it on the south, the line being there about five and one-half miles. Its area is near 33,793 acres. The principle streams are Twenty-mile River, which crosses from the western side of the town to Androscoggin River on the east ; and Martin's Stream, coming down through the northern part of the town, to Twenty-mile at Chase's Mills. Within its limits and on its borders are several ponds, of which Bear Pond, containing an area of one square mile, and Pleasant Pond, one mile in length and one-half mile in width, are the largest. The others are Little Wilson, Pickerel, Lily, Sandy Bottom, Frog, Black, Mud, Long and Round ponds. The scenery of Turner is various and agreeable, though there are no high hills or deep valleys. A cave called " Ledge House," about 15 feet square, is a curious freak of nature. The rock is granite; and a quarry in the south-east part of the town is worked through the year. The soil: in the valleys and lowlands is alluvial, of vegetable nature at the top, with a substratum of sand. The farmers are generally thrifty ; as the neatness and size of the buildings prove. The town has been noted for a culture much above the average agricultural towns. The plantation name of Turner, was Silvester Canada, it having been granted in 1765 to the heirs of Captain Joseph Silvester and Company, for the services of the latter parties in an expedition against Canada in 1690. It was incorporated as the town of Turner in 1786; being named for Rev. Charles Turner, of Scituate, Mass., one of the proprietors, as an ac- knowledgment of his services in aid of its settlement. The first set- tlers were Daniel Staples, Thomas Record, Elisha Record, Joseph Leavitt, and Abner Phillips, who removed thither in 1772. The fol- lowing were eminent citizens of the town at a later period : Dr. Luther Cary, who practiced in Turner from 1798 until about 1848, being hon- ored with several elections to the presidency of the Medical Society of Maine, and in 1805 appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Oxford County. Dr. Timothy Howe practiced in the north parish from 1806 until the close of his life in 1848. He was the author of many sketches of Turner families. Of many natives of the town edu- cated as physicians, Dr. Philip Bradford was the only one who re- mained to practice; retaining the confidence of his townsmen until his death in 1863. Among those more or less eminent who were natives of Turner, are Hon. T. O. Howe, national senator from Wisconsin ;: Hon. Eugene Hale, for many years representative in Congress from: the fifth district of Maine ; Clarence Hale, of Portland ; C. S. Conant, of Lewiston ; Hon. Washington Gilbert, judge of probate for Sagadahoc County ; Hon. Leonard Swett, of Chicago ; Hon. E. M. Prince, of Bloomington, Ill., master in chancery for M'Lean County ; William Cary, U. S. attorney-general for the Territory of Utah; William W. Cushings, of Missouri, merchant ; and B. B. Murray, jr., for several, years adjutant-general, and later U. S. marshal of Maine. Among those prominent in his own town and state in the last century we should: not omit to mention Hon. Job Prince. At one time or another he served acceptably in all the principal offices of the town ; was president of the State Senate in 1839; then judge of probate; and subsequently 35

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GAZETTEER OF MAINE.

in several other offices. During his lifetime he administered on the estates of 91 different persons.

A large number of persons, natives or residents of the town, were engaged in the Revolutionary war. Colonel William Turner was aide to Washington ; Elijah Dresser was in the battle of Bunker Hill ; Lu- ther Cary, Joseph Wardwell, Nathaniel Sawtelle and Joseph Ludden, were in the Continental army ; Samuel Blake, Mark Andrews, Moses Merrill, Levi Merrill, Malachi Waterman, Richard Phillips, Abner Phillips and Joseph Leavitt, in the defense of Boston, 1775 ; Gen. Peleg Wadsworth, Benjamin Jones, John Leen, John Keen, jr., Asa Battles, Nathaniel Shaw, Daniel French, James Phillips, Nathan Richmond, William Hayford, Benjamin Merrill, Job Randall, Solomon Millett, Ephraim Andrews, Benjamin Alden, William Putnam, John Allen, Thomas Atherton, Benj. Chamberlain, Wait Bradford, Isaac Phillips, Ichabod Phillips and Andrew Bass, in the Massachusetts militia ; Israël Smith, Laban Smith, James Lara, Bennett Pompilly, Richard Hine, Benjamin Conant, Paul Lowell, Joshua Davis, Moses Snell and Simeon Caswell, in Massachusetts Continental; Jesse Bradford served as guard of Burgoyne's captured army ; Abney Thayer on Castle Wil- liam, Boston Harbor ; Elisha Fisher, in Washington's life-guard ; Abial Turner, in commissary department; John Bailey in last three years service ; Daniel Pratt, in Rhode Island troops ; Cornelius Jones, in Massachusetts troops and as a seaman; James Allen, musician in Massachusetts line; Jacob Gardner, during the war; and Nathaniel Marston, in New Hampshire line. In the war of 1812, Captain Ste- phen Turner was killed at the battle of Bridgewater, and Theodocius Merrill died in the army. During this war the enemy making a demon- stration against Portland ; a large number of militia were ordered there in defense ; and for this short campaign Mr. Benjamin Jones furnished nine sons. In the war of the Rebellion Turner furnished 319 men, paying them an aggregate bounty of $62,445; and furnishing for sol- diers' relief $1,575. Twenty-eight of these were killed in battle or died of disease in the army.

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Gazetteer of the state of Maine, Part 66

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