USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > Guilford > Guilford, Maine, 1816-1916; proceedings of the centennial celebration June 17-18, 1916 > Part 4
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I did not suppose there was any need of employing more than two per- sons as my Brother aforesaid had measured the line that divides the No. 3 and 4 ranges and found the three ranges to overrun 18 M but 6 rods only. he therefore from his own measure performed under oath has run a line West about, or nearly to the Million acre line, and consequently has rectified the error in all the Townships West in the 6 and 7 ranges.
How the mistake or error has crept into this business is at this time an absolutc mystery to me.
When the 7, 8 and gth ranges were surveyed I employed my Brother to run the N. line and one Mr. John O'Neil to run the line between the 8th and 9th ranges with particular instructions where to leave the Million acre line. I preceded up the Penobscot by water to the N. E. corner of Township No. I, in the sixth ranges thence run east to the Penobscot. I then surveyed said River up and by casting the northing Easting dis. I found where to make the corners of the Townships on the Range lines- until I came to the N. E. corner of Township No. 1, 9th range-and there I waited until my brother arrived, and so 'true were my calculations and measure that my brother struck the River with his line within Six rods of my Station before made-and by repeated measurations said three Townships are honestly 18 miles wide together I have never had any rea- son to doubt but the Stations I had so carefully made on the Penobscot were true and lines extending from them west would be the true dividing
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line for the ranges-Master O'Neil met with so many obstacles from low swampy land and ponds on the line between the 8 and 9 ranges that he did arrive at Penobscot untill after my brother and I had left and gone to checking off the Towns-But he came down to the month of the Piscata- quis and found me there and gave me some account of his voyage, and I rather concluded he had struck the River above my station made for him to come out at, and concluded there might be some difference in the Com- passes w. h. in so long a line had ***** een easily discovered. I then sent my own land up to the corner I had made for him and gave up my * * * * own compass and fitted him out for to in the dividing * * line between the 7th and 8th ranges complained of by the * * trustees of Bowdoin College-under these circumstances I confess I cannot tell how to account for the difference in the width of the 7th and 8th ranges as altogether the measure is good-and Master O'Neil has been a practical Surveyor, is called a man of ability and good understanding and the ob- jection any person made against him when I enquired into his ability to undertake the task assigned him, was that he would be rather too nice, and curious to have the work performed Just so-which I thought would not by any means unqualify him-as the amount of the objections was that he would do the work well-but it would take the longer-But that he never would slight it nor can I now think that it is slighted-as an Instance of his faithtfulness-he was so afraid lest a line be crossed and made a corner thereon which was undoubtedly the million acre line-should not prove so eventually that he continued running West until he had got within four miles of Kennebec River-and his being so much behind with the lines he ran prevented a discovery of the Error-Absolute exactness cannot be expected in so broken a country as that is, so many obstacles from ponds with all their arms, legs, inlets and outlets, swamps, bogs, thickets, morasses, Mountain Cliffs and Gullies in so close a succession render it much more difficult to close lines than might often be wished for-sometimes inter- ested persons wish to exaggerate any little errors, or rather they appear greater when found by the measure of persons influenced by interest altho' I do not pretend this to be the case in this instance. I am conscious of the most upright and honest intentions in the whole progress of the survey of those ranges of Townships and the error in the amended line must have proved from and ought I think to be considered * * * as a misfortune -and I hope I shall be exc * * * I say that I think the expense ought rath **** fall on the Government than on the Committee.
most obed. Hum Sev.
SAMUEL WESTON.
State of Maine.
Land Office,
Angusta, Jan. 15, 1897.
I certify the above to be a true copy of the original as filed in this office.
CHAS. E. OAK.
Land Agent.
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Guilford Centennial Poem
SARAH (LUCAS) MARTIN
We bridge today the hundred years That part us from the long ago, And see across the drifted snow The coming of the pioneers.
'Twas not in fair and leafy June : The February blasts blew cold Across the frozen, sunless wold As sand-storms o'er the desert dune.
Their simple homes were small and low : The wintry winds were bleak and chill Which swept across the pine-clad hills In these first days of long ago.
The weary months we scarce can trace, But women came, with child at breast, Upon this world old, home-land quest ; And so the hamlet grew apace.
The land was tilled. The forest felled : And with the Autumn crimsoned leaves They gathered in their golden sheaves, And praised the Lord that all was well.
The sufferings of that early few
We may not know; we cannot tell; We only know they builded well : Ay! builded better than they knew.
How bravely women bore their part ! If their life-stories could be told, We'd write their names in lines of gold And shrine their memories in our hearts.
They carded, spun and wove; they made The garments which their households wore. And when the cares of life pressed sore, Serenely met them, unafraid.
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SAMUEL WESTON'S LETTER
'Twas Esther Everton, true and brave, Went horse-back o'er the wooded hills, Through summer heats or winter chills, To soothe, to comfort and to save.
She cradled babes upon her breast : She closed the dim, earth-weary eyes To ope again in Paradise : And clothed the form in robes of rest.
Ah! well, more than physician she, With wondrous skill and tender heart. Ten years she wrought her healing art In service for humanity.
'Twas woman+ first for Sabbath School, The little children gathered in And taught them, always right should win, And meaning of the Golden Rule.
'Twas woman in those olden days Who sat 'beneath the forest trees, When softly blew the summer breeze ; , And taught the children wisdom's ways.
And when the winter winds blew cold, 'Twas woman oped the kitchen door ; And the first school, by Betsy Moore, Was taught in those brave days of old.
In log camps first the people met For preached words and praise and prayer. The hour of worship found them there, No matter how the wild storm swept.
(*) Amanda Morgan Herring and Mercy Macomber Herring organized the first Sabbath school.
(5) Reverend Thomas Macomber, the first minister, preached in a log camp.
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Then mills were built, and bridges spanned The stream which flowed to meet the sea ; While homes arose on hill and lea And prosperous was all the land.
For church and school house, side by side, Arose to crown the neighboring hill, The bulwark of our nation still- Our old New England hope and pride.
Then came the village, younger born,- A well beloved Benjamin- It nestled on the river's brim And grew in beauty like the morn.
O! childhood home! O! cherished town! A backward glance we turn today, We pause a moment on our way To lay a loving tribute down.
Thy children come from far and near And view your growing bounds with pride ; Yet some shall turn their heads aside ; The pictured past shall bring a tear.
We miss old friends and kindred dear ; We miss old school-mates, yet I ween They are not distant, though unseen. I seem to feel their presence near.
And "hunter Ellis: famed world-wide For lore in stream and wood-land ways ; Delight of all our early days; Thoreau's disciple, friend and guide.
The old-time covered bridge we miss. We saw its building, plank and pier ; No other bridge is half so dear Which spans the old Piscataquis.
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The snowy church that crowned the hill! It served for worship and for art, For pastor's prayer and player's part. How blessed is its memory still !
The crowded school house 'neath the hill, Where pupils from the primer age To Euclid's scheme and Virgil's page, One teacher taught with wondrous skill.
At length a room by Spartan rule Equipped with varied desks and rude, To those with learning's quest imbued, Was goal achieved! the first High School.
Ah, me! then came the country's need. And forth from school-rooms, shops and farms, Youth hastened at the call to arms, And saved the nation by their deeds.
Some fell upon the southern fields ; And some within a prison's wall. Jehovah's justice crowned them all With victory which true valor yields.
Where'er they sleep, where'er their graves, 'Neath southern palm or northern pine, Where violets bloom or trailing vine, The dear old flag above them waves.
And some, thank God, are with us yet. We'll tell their story o'er and o'er, Their deeds recount forevermore ; "Lest we forget ! Let we forget."
O, Time and change! for spinning-wheel, For cottage loom and toilsome days, We welcome in these better ways, -- Your factories with their hands of steel.
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For crowded school-room, low and small, High halls of education stand. For few books, loaned from hand to hand, Your Public Library, free to all.
Perchance, New England stock is less, And some have come across the sea To fill the places thus made free By wander-lust and battle stress.
To all who come from other lands For freedom, home and service true, We know no German, French or Jew. We hail them all, Americans.
They builded well, those pioneers ; And those who followed wrought as they, And did their duty day by day,
And all adown these hundred years.
On such a Past the Present stands. But in my dreams I seem to see More beautiful, the yet to be,- A future glorious and grand.
A century more will pass away. Some other pen the tale will tell Of how you wrought and builded well! Ye men and women of today.
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Oration
By REVEREND GEORGE A. MARTIN
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow Citizens:
This is the golden day in the history of our town. The sons and daughters of Guilford responding to her call have come from far and near to look again upon familiar scenes, to renew the pleasant acquaintances of other days, to live once more in the sweet memo- ries of the past and to share in the joyful festivities of this centen- nial occasion.
Our historian and poet have so interestingly and comprehensively narrated the events of a century of town life that any attempted addition would be in vain.
The world of 1916 is vastly different from the world of 1816 when Guilford was incorporated as a town. In order to duly ap- preciate the achievements of our citizens it is necessary to consider some of the great world changes which have occurred in the last five score years.
During the first fifteen years of the 19th century Europe was as bloody a field of battle as it is today. Austrians, Germans, Spaniards, Russians and Englishmen were fighting Frenchmen. Napoleon's legions were marching everywhere with the shout of victory. The Battle of Waterloo on which the fate of Europe hung had been fought in June 18, 1815, the year previous to our incorpo- ration.
France after the downfall of Napoleon, was entering upon a stormy career which was destined to witness the collapse of the Second Republic, the Second Empire, and the successful formation of a republican form of government.
Germany was only a collection of independent states full of strife, jealousy and hatred. Not for half a century was the domi- nance of Prussia and the genius of Bismark to weld these discord- ant factions into the solidarity of the German Empire.
Italy was only a vassal nation of Austria. Scarcely had she begun to dream of a national existence. Garabaldi and Cavour had not yet come to free her separated provinces and unite them into a new Italy.
The Russia of Peter the Great and Catherine was slumbering in the deep sleep of ignorance, superstition and serfdom.
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Brave little Belgium whose heroic defense against the invading hosts of a perfidious neighbor has won the admiration of the world. had just declared herself free from Holland and adopted a conti- tutional form of government.
England powerfully affected by the ideas which grew out of the French Revolution, was about to undergo an evolution which would carry on to a successful conclusion the principle of the Magna Chanta, the Petition of Rights, and the enfranchisement of the masses of her people.
Japan had not lifted her head on the horizon of the world's vision.
Africa was an unknown continent.
South America with its domestic upheaval and revolution, at- tracted little interest and attention.
As for ourselves, only twenty seven years had passed since we had adopted self government. To the original thirteen states six had been added. Foto: Presidents, Washington. Adams, Jefferson and Madison had served. Florida was in the possession of Spain. Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona. Cian, Nevada, California and a part of Colorado belonged to Mexico.
The Oregon territory was in dispute. Our population, mostly rural, was abrat eight millions. Our second was with England! had just closed. We were an isolated people principally engaged in the conquest of primeval nature and in the solution of the perplex- ing problema of representative government.
Whether the creative genius of the men of today is superior to that of the man of yesterday is a debatable question. The sculpture of the fifth century. B. C., has never been excelled. The poetry of the Hebrews is without parallel. Shakespeare as a literary genit- stande alone and unapproached. Music and painting have reached In higher levels.
We are by wear to accurately estimate the real values and far
revente progress in invention, discovery science. navigation, educa- tion, sanitation, government and religion.
The harvest of one century is the seed sowing of another. Thus the beginning of poplar education, architecture, arts and crafts. painting. libraries, national epics, dramas, organized charity. how pitale. jurisprudence. music. explorations, molem commerce an i self government are to be found in the thirteenth century.
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At the beginning of the sixteenth century the world knew only five great inventions, the sun dial, clock, compass, gunpowder and printing. In the three succeeding centuries ten more were added, the microscope, telescope, barometer, magic lantern, pianoforte, steam engine, balloon. weaving loom, gas lighting and the cotton gin. To these fifteen great inventions the last century has added the telegraph, telephone. wireless, dynamo, phonograph, harvester. sewing machine, spectroscope, automobile, submarine, airship. pho- tography, motion pictures and many others which have revolution- ized commerce and industry.
The wonderful inventive genius of the American people is re- vealed in the 35.788 patents that were issued in 1913 by our gov- ernment. In the early days of the Patent office one of the chief officers resigned because he said the inventive genius of mankind had exhausted itself.
What progress has been made in the conquest of disease ! Malaria, yellow fever, smallpox. hydrophobia, typhoid fever, tuberculosis and black death have been robbed of their terror. Ether. antisep- tics. the X-rays. and radium have revolutionized surgery. Science has become man's informer and preserver.
What progress has been made in the navigation of the sea and the air by the liner. submarine and aeroplane! What progress has been made on land for travel and commerce by the building of great highways of stone and steel and the digging of great canals! Mountains are removed as by faith. Deserts by irrigation blossom as the rose. Rivers by being harnessed give up their mighty energy to the service of man. Man's dominion is over .earth, sea and sky.
Over $500.000,000 are spent every year for the support of our public schools in which twenty-five millions of school children are being educated. There are three hundred and forty-four higher institutions of learning with an attendance of a hundred and thirty thousand young men and women. We have grown to the conviction that ignorance is weakness and knowledge is power. A nation that could not exist half slave and half free can not exist half ignorant and half educated.
A new day is about to dawn in representative government. Never has the world witnessed such a titanic struggle as is taking place across the sea on the far flung battle lines of Europe. The shrieking sliell, the roaring cannon, the black and burning embers of once happy homes. the fruitful and fertile fiel ls now bare and
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desolate, the cry of the widow and the fatherless, the moan of the starving and the groan of the dying, the blood soaked ground, the abandoned towns, the ruined cities, the unburied heaps of dead sons, husbands and fathers present an inferno that would have been the- despair of Dante. Whatever may be the outcome we steadfastly believe that with this rich red blood of a manhood worthy of nobler tasks, the final chapter of the Book of Kings is being written.
In religion we have come to clearer conceptions of God and duty. Atheism is dead. Everywhere men believe in God because they find his intelligence in creation, his purposes in history, his charac- ter in Christ. More and more creed is becoming deed, and deed is becoming creed. Racial barriers are breaking down. The spirit of brotherhood is alive and abroad.
"For a' that, an' a' that It's coming yet, for a' that That man to man, the world o'er Shall brothers be for a' that."
In whatsoever period of time the creative genius of man may express itself the product of his effort becomes the heritage of all men everywhere, and like the incoming tide lifts every little bark of human life.
As a fitting background to give setting to the theme of this hour, the "Spirit of Guilford," I have made this brief survey of the pre- vailing world wide conditions and some note of the centuries of achievement, in order that we may realize that the five generations which have made their entrance upon the stage of our town life have been a part of this onward movement of humanity and that they have made and are making their indenture on our community life.
The kind of men and women who settled this town were of the best New England blood and type. They were pioneers of the Puritan civilization. They possessed strength of body, keenness of mind, integrity of soul. They had convictions for which if neces- sary they would die. These they ingrained into the warp and woof of the fabric of town life. The elemental virtues of sincerity, courage, fidelity, reverence, honesty and justice were cultivated an 1 harvested in their souls. To them life was far more than cutting down trees, burning stumps, clearing fields, building stone walls and erecting log houses. The consciousness that they were laying the
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foundations of a civilization dignified and enobled every task. Though they knew it not this world spirit of progress and achieve- ment was brooding over them quickening and guiding them.
Here for a hundred years the spirit of democracy as defined by Lincoln "a government of the people, for the people and by the people" has been maintained. In the open forum of town meeting our citizens have met and counseled together concerning the meas- ures which were best for public welfare. Here without distinction of race or class or creed every man has been made to feel that he was a part of the community, necessary to its success, urged to express and register his convictions.
Piscataquis Woolen Company
The men who have served this town in official capacity have been selected on the basis of ability and character. Not one of them has ever betrayed a public trust and the record of all for efficiency of service is something for which we should be proud.
In towns like this are the springs out of which the life giving streams of true representative government flow. The purest form of self government is not always found in its largest representative assemblies such as national and state legislatures but often in the smallest unit where is first registered the consciousness of town life. There is no greater contribution to the perpetuity of a nation than in keeping alive in our town the unstained ideal of self govern- ment as set forth in the Constitution.
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Guilford has always been a bee hive of industry. The fertile and well tilled farms, the commodious and well stocked stores, the large and flourishing mills daily sending forth to the markets of the world the products of forest and field witness to our indus- trial life. Nature has not been prodigal to us in resources of soil or water power but we have sought to develop them to their utmost capacity.
These splendid industries on the banks of our beautiful river have been developed and maintained by public spirited men who loved their town and had faith in their town. Not once or twice but many times in financial crises they have hazarded their all to keep their home industries and provide employment for our town's people. When the citizens of a town subscribe to this simple creed "I believe in my town" that town has a glorious future.
The faith, the courage, the optimism, the vision and the success of this creed has been realized in our homes, our schools, our churches, our stores, our banks and our mills. Out of this has come the spirit of cooperation. We have been spared friction and strife. In essentials we have sought unity. In non-essentials we have maintained charity. Side by side the farmer, the mechanic, the teacher, the pupil, the employer, the employee, the merchant, the banker, the physician, the lawyer and the minister have worked. They have been co-laborers together. As a community we have pulled together and out of this unity of purpose and endeavor we have developed one of our greatest assets-a community spirit.
May we not be pardoned if we do pride ourselves in our beau- tiful village with its well ordered streets and walks, its fine public buildings, its home owned industries, and its attractive homes, for we know what toil, what thrift, what sacrifice they represent. They are memorials to men and women who have lived humbly, frugally, industrially, kindly and peacefully.
This town has revealed two kinds of patriotism. One is the kind that dies for one's country, the other is the kind that lives for one's country. Our loyalty has never been questioned. On every field of battle we have been represented by the bravest of the brave. The little flags that flutter in the breeze in yonder cemetery are emblematic of our noble soldier dead. Some sleep on Southern battle fields where the birds sing and the flowers bloom and the sentinels of heaven watch over them by day and night. Some
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bivouac among the scenes of their childhood where loved ones cover their mounds with flowers and water them with tears.
"Cover them with flowers These 'bold, brave heroes of ours. And oh! let their memory be A sacred trust to you and to me."
Some linger in our midst while a grateful people bring tokens of gratitude and of love for the blessings of a land where there is no North, no South, no East, no West, but everywhere "liberty and union one and inseparable."
The call of today is for the same spirit of patriotism expressed in a different form. America is big, but not big enough for any hyphenated Americans. America is strong but not strong enough to neglect a reasonable program of preparedness in these days when treaties are only scraps of paper. America is rich, but not rich enough to buy the respect of humanity if she fails to make the world honor the rights of her citizens on sea and land.
In the providence of God America is coming to world leadership. She must think and legislate in world terms. Her patriots are those who strive to maintain those high ideals expressed in the Con- stitution.
The spirit of learning has always been honored here. These school houses express our belief in education of hand, heart and head. In size and equipment of building, in curriculum of studies, in length of school terms and in qualifications of teachers our modern educational system contrasts greatly with the little red school house, the narrow range of studies, the few months of. schooling and the limited knowledge of the teachers. The opportu- nities and advantages of today are far superior to those of yes- terday but the spirit is the same.
Knowledge is not power by virtue of the range or variety of subjects studied nor by the kind of a building sheltering teacher and pupil, nor by the qualifications of the teacher, but by the ability of the student to think clearly, comprehensively, logically and inde- pendently. Systems of education come and go but the fundamentals never change. The world's greatest bequests are its thoughts. They alone survive the fall of empires and civilizations. He who can do a common piece of work whether it be the building of a house, the tilling of a farm, or the writing of a book, better than
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