History of Androscoggin County, Maine, Part 85

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew, ed
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Boston, W.A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1050

USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > History of Androscoggin County, Maine > Part 85

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695

TOWN OF DANVILLE.

the size of the town. March 9, 1852, the town chose Thomas B. Little, Esq., and Capt. John Penley to oppose the setting off of a portion of Poland. The remonstrance was in vain, and by enactment of the legislature a strip of land, lying between New Gloucester and the Little Androscoggin, was added to Danville. This action apparently aroused apprehension among the citizens lest some desirable portions of their domain should be taken away, for a month later, by an almost unanimous vote, it was decided to oppose the annexation of any part of Danville or of Auburn to Lewiston. Their opposition was for the time successful. Seven years later, however, came the action which clearly predicted, though it temporarily postponed, the disappearance of the town as a separate municipality. The territory lying between the Little Androscoggin and the southeasterly line of Auburn was annexed to the latter. This took away 80 polls and $144,000 in estates, the total valuation being $392,000. This act of the legislature, bearing date of February 19, 1859, contained a provision that the entire town should be annexed did a majority of the voters favor. The proposition was lost by a vote of 182 against to 74 in favor. The subject of annexation again and for the last time came before the legislature of 1867. In January the town voted "to send N. L. Ingersoll, Charles H. Cobb, Jeremiah Stinchfield, Rufus Penley, Albert Jordan, Isaac Murry, Francis J. Knapp, and Leonard Hicks to visit the legislature and use all fair and honorable means to oppose the petition of Capt. John Penley and others for the annexation of Danville to Auburn." In February an act was passed, uniting the two towns, provided a majority of the votes cast at special town meetings in both towns, counted together, were in the affirmative. Those interested in the movement seemed distrustful of their ability to secure the requisite number of votes, and one week later, on February 26, 1867, was approved the act which joined Danville to Auburn against the will of a majority of its inhabitants. This section on the municipal affairs may properly close with the following list of those who served as selectmen and town clerks. [For representatives to the legislature see page 300.]

CIVIL LIST. - 1802- True Woodbury, Benning Wentworth, Ebenezer Witham, selectmen; Benning Wentworth, clerk. 1803- Andrew R. Giddinge, Benning Wentworth, Benjamin Arnold, selectmen; Benning Wentworth, clerk. 1801- Andrew R. Giddinge, Benning Wentworth, John W. Jordan, selectmen; Benning Wentworth, clerk. 1805- Andrew R. Giddinge, Job Lane, Benning Wentworth, selectmen; Benning Wentworth, clerk. 1806 - Phinehas Frost, George Leach, Benjamin Arnold, selectmen; Benning Wentworth, clerk. 1807 - Andrew R. Giddinge, Lemuel Dyer, Phinehas Frost, selectmen; Benning Wentworth, clerk. 1808 - Benning Wentworth, Stephen Rowe, John Witham, selectmen; Benning Wentworth, clerk. 1809- John Witham, Lemuel Dyer, John W. Jordan, select- men; John Witham, clerk. 1810- John Witham, Pelatiah Smith, Thomas Finson, selectmen; John Witham, clerk. 1811 - John Witham, Pelatiah Smith, Jacob True, selectman; John Witham, clerk. 1812- Pelatiah Smith, Moses Rowe, Thomas Finson, selectmen; Moses Rowe, clerk. 1813-John Witham, Pelatiah Smith, Moses Rowe, selectmen; Jolin Witham, clerk. 1814 - John Witham, Jacob True, George Leach, selectmen; John Witham, clerk. 1815-John Witham, Jacob True, Pelatiah Smith, selectmen; John Witham, clerk. 1816-1817 - Elias Banks, John W. Jordan, William Plummer, selectmen; Elias Banks, clerk. 1818-Elias Banks, John W. Jordan, Pelatiah Smith, selectmen; Elias Banks, clerk. 1819-John W. Jordan, Ebenezer Witham, Jr, George Leach, selectmen;

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HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

Ebenezer Witham, Jr, clerk. 1820-1821 - Ebenezer Witham, Jr, Nathaniel Sturgis, John W. Jordan, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, Jr, clerk. 1822-1823-Ebenezer Witham, Jr, Jeremiah Dingley, Moses Rowe, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, Jr, clerk. 1824- Andrew R. Giddinge, Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, Jeremiah Dingley, selectmen; Andrew R. Giddinge, clerk. 1825- Ebenezer Witham, Jr, Jeremiah Dingley, Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, selectmen; Andrew R. Giddinge, clerk. 1826 - Ebenezer Witham, Jr, Jeremiah Dingley, Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, Jr, clerk. 1827 - Ebenezer Witham, Jeremiah Dingley, Stephen Rowe, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1828 - Ebenezer Witham, Jeremiah Dingley, William Woodbury, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1829 - Ebenezer Witham, William Woodbury, James Goff, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1830 - Ebenezer

Witham, Jeremiah Dingley, Stephen Larrabee, 2d, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1831 - Ebenezer Witham, William Woodbury, Benjamin Waterhouse, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1832 - James Goff, Jonathan Libby, George Royal, selectmen; John R. Nutting, clerk. 1833 - George Royal, Jonathan Libby, Foster Smith, selectmen; George Royal, clerk. 1835- John Smith, Jonathan Chase, Solomon Goss, selectmen; John .R. Nutting, clerk. 1834-1836- John Smith, Jonathan Chase, Solomon Goss, selectmen; John Smith, clerk. 1837 - Benjamin Waterhouse, Moses Hanscom, John Penley, selectmen; Benjamin Waterhouse, clerk. 1838- Benjamin Waterhouse, Moses Hanscom, 1839-1840- George Royal, Nathaniel L.

Jonathan Libby, selectmen; Benjamin Waterhouse, clerk.

Ingersoll, John Penley, selectmen; George Royal, clerk. 1841-Solomon Goss, Jonathan Libby, Samuel Stinchfield, selectmen; Solomon Goss, clerk. 1842- Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, George Royal, John Penley, selectmen; George Royal, clerk. 1813-Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, James Dingley, Charles 1844-1845- Ebenezer Witham, Nathaniel L.

Peables, selectmen; Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, clerk.

Ingersoll, Charles Peables, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1846 - Ebenezer Witham, Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, William Woodbury, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1847 - Edward T. Little, Joseph Parsons, James Dingley, selectmen: Edward T. Little, clerk.

1848 - Edward T. Little, Ebenezer

Witham, James Dingley, selectmen; Edward T. Little, clerk. 1849 - Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, Jonah Libby, George W. Chase, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1850-1851-1852-1853 - Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, Ebenezer Witham, Jacob Herrick, selectmen; Ebenezer Witham, clerk. 1854 - Edward T. Little, Calvin G. Skinner, Calvin Record, selectinen; Calvin G. Skinner, clerk. 1855- Calvin Record, Calvin G. Skinner, Samuel H. Haskell, selectmen; Calvin G. Skinner, clerk. 1856 - Nathaniel L. Ingersoll, Jacob Herrick, Robert Martin, selectmen; Jacob Herrick, clerk. 1857 - Jacob Herrick, Calvin G. Skinner, Daniel Field, selectmen; Jacob Herrick, clerk. 1858 -Calvin G. Skinner, Daniel Field, John Smith, Jr, selectmen; I. B. Kimball, clerk. 1859-Calvin G. Skinner, John Smith, Jr, Eben Jordan, Jr, selectmen; Eben Jordan, Jr, clerk.

1860 - William Woodbury, Isaac Murray, Winslow Hicks, selectmen; John H. Ingersoll, clerk. 1861 - William Woodbury, William Woodbury, 2d, Charles H. Cobb, selectmen; Oliver C. Waterman, clerk. 1862- Eben Jordan, Jr, Jacob Larrabee, William Robinson, selectmen; Oliver C. Waterman, clerk. 1863-Charles H. Cobb, John H. Ingersoll, William Plummer, selectmen; Oliver C. Waterman, clerk. 1864-John H. Ingersoll, Charles O. Martin, William Plummer, selectmen; Oliver C. Waterman, clerk. 1865-1866 -- Rufus Penley, Charles O. Martin, Isaac A. Johnson, selectmen; James W. Peables, clerk.

SETTLEMENT AND SOCIAL LIFE .- The first settler, according to Dr Elias Banks, was Abel Davis, who came from Salisbury, Mass., in 1762 and cleared a farm near the New Gloucester line. The settlement of the town did not really begin till the last half of the following decade. John Merrill settled in the westerly part in 1778, True Woodbury a few years later, and James Wagg was living in 1780 on the farm on the River road still occupied by his descendants. These and those that followed them in the next few years lived in log cabins and suffered the hardships incident to transforming the forest into farms. Ploughs could not be used by reason of stumps and logs. The implement most frequently employed was a rude hoe of great weight made by the nearest blacksmith. They had no carts. Manure when used was handled with wooden shovels and carried to the fields in hods. Hay and other crops were dragged to the barns on ox-sleds or else "poled in" by hand. Their heavy scythes

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TOWN OF DANVILLE.

were fastened to straight sticks or perhaps to a crooked alder cut in the swamp. Indian corn, the staple of their food, was sown according to a method brought into vogue by Colonel Isaac Parsons, of New Gloucester, directly upon the new land after it had been cleared and burned over, and was allowed to grow without being hilled. This rude form of husbandry enabled them to live at distances from traveled roads that would otherwise have been impracticable. The flesh of the deer and moose, then abundant in the region, furnished them with meat; the hides supplied material for boots, leggings, caps, and jackets. Other wild beasts of a less desirable character were not uncommon. As late as 1833 Amos and Andrew Giddinge and a Mr Emerson killed a bear weighing 200 pounds in the woods near Danville Corner. Within doors life was as plain as it well could be. Variety of food in the present sense of the term was not within the reach of the most wealthy. The poor lived on bean porridge, ban- nocks, and salt pork. The first was made "by boiling the beans very soft, thickening the liquor with a little meal, and adding a piece of pork to season it. When the good man was going away in the winter to work with his team, the wife would make a bean porridge, freeze it with a string in it so he could hang it on one of the sled stakes. When he was hungry he would break off a piece, melt and eat it." They had no table cloths, knives or forks, cups or saucers. Wooden bowls and wooden spoons were, beside those furnished by nature, the utensils employed in cating. Settles were used in place of chairs, and for the family to sit together at the board that served as a table was the exception rather than the rule.

With the increase of population all this changed rapidly. By 1800, county roads crossed and recrossed the town, frame houses had been erected, and the general material prosperity had brought a more comfortable mode of living. A social library was organized which had 40 volumes in 1820. Squire Gid- dinge and Job Lane, who had built commodious houses at Danville Corner, had the Portland Gazette brought them each week. In 1802 or 1803 a post- office was established there and 25 years later another at Goff's Corner. Many old-time customs, however, continued for at least a generation longer. Burying-cloths, owned by the town, were employed at funerals in place of a hearse. Shoes and boots were not bought, but made by the cobbler, who would often spend a week at a house working up a side of leather into footwear. Most of the cloth worn was home-made. Each farmer raised flax and wool for this purpose almost as regularly as he cured hay for his cattle. Under date of January 5, 1831, Squire Giddinge writes in his diary: "Amused myself in making matches to light candles with as our folk can not blow a coal without murmuring." A year or two later he says-and it should be remembered he was both well educated and in comfortable circumstances: "I was never so flush of money as to need a purse, so fashionable as to own a pair of gloves, so blind as to wear spectacles." The same was doubtless true of every man of his age, then resident in the town.

698

HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

The second census of the United States, taken in 1800, returns the inhab- itants of Pegypscot Gore as 701, of whom 306 were under ten years of age. For the next 40 years the population increased steadily, being in 1810, 805 ; in 1820, 1,083; in 1830, 1,128; in 1840, 1,294; and in 1850, 1,636. In 1860, it fell to 1,322 by reason of the removal of the strip north of the Little Androscoggin. The growth of the village at the Falls accounts mainly for the larger ratio of increase in the fifth decade.

The vote of the town on May 5, 1806, that a bounty of twelve cents should be given for crows when presented to the selectmen, indicates that agriculture was then the chief industry. It continued to be throughout its entire history. Of the 148 heads of families in 1820, 145 were farmers and only three engaged in commerce. The soil is on the whole well adapted for that purpose, and comparatively a small part is unfit either for tillage or pasturage. The principal crops during its corporate existence were hay, wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas, beans, and potatoes, the first and the last growing more and more important with the lapse of years. The native trees found most abundantly are white pine, rock and white maple, yellow and white birch, beach, elm, white and yellow ash, red oak, spruce, hemlock, and hackmatack. There was a remarkable growth of the white pine, which has not entirely disappeared, despite the ravages of the axe, in the territory between the Little Androscoggin and Royal's river. Col Moses Little, in 1768, measured in that neighborhood a log 181 feet in length, and 12 inches in diameter at the smaller end. In apple orchards Danville hardly equaled the neighboring town of New Gloucester. In 1820 Dr Banks estimated their number as 20 and their product at 2,000 bushels, nearly all of which was converted into cider.

The first physician to take up his abode in Danville seems to have been Dr John Thorn, who served as moderator at the annual town-meeting in 1807 and was on an important committee the following year. His fees and his method of treatment were presumably much the same as those of his successor, then practicing in a neighboring town. Some entries from the latter's account books have been printed in the periodical entitled Old Times, and a few of them are copied here to assist the imagination in picturing the medical attendance of those days:

Jan. 18, Capt. S- B-, to bleeding your wife, $0.17

Jan. 20, J- P-, to delivering your wife, .50

Mar. 3, Capt. T- M-, to a puke, peppermint, and

attendance all night, 1.00

Apr. 5, B- B-, to a visit to yr child and medicine, .33

Apr. 22, Deacon J- M-, to inoculating you with kine pox, 1.00

The second physician was Elias Banks, son of Moses and Phebe (Curtis) Banks, of Scarborough, Me. He was born September 11, 1774, married at

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TOWN OF DANVILLE.

North Yarmouth, January 17, 1805, Lucretia Prince, by whom he had six sons and two daughters, and died in Portland, February 9, 1841. Dr Banks received a good academic education, studied his profession with Dr Barker, of Stroudwater, and Dr A. R. Mitchell, of North Yarmouth, and there being no incorporated schools of medicine in those days, received his diploma from his preceptors. He was in 1824, soon after its organization, admitted to the Maine Medical Society. He came from North Yarmouth to Danville in 1811 and was in active, and as, far as the writer knows, successful practice till 1830, the year of his removal to Portland. Dr Banks was a man of good ability and wrote, in 1820, a sketch of the town, which was recently printed in the Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, and has been frequently consulted in the preparation of this chapter. The next physician was Tobias Purinton (or, as he seems in later life to have spelled it, Purington ), who was born March 19, 1801, in Windham, though his father was later resident and his own childhood was spent in Lewiston. He graduated at the Maine Medical School in 1826, and soon after entered into practice at Goff's Corner. During the ten years of his stay here he became quite prominent, serving as state senator in 1836. The following year he accepted an appointment in the United States civil service, and his home was at Washington till his decease, May 3, 1880. After Dr Purington's removal, Hosea L. Cushman, a native of Hebron, who graduated at Maine Medical School in 1832, practiced a few years at the village. Dr H. Dyer and Dr G. W. Carlton were also resident and practicing physicians in the town at subsequent periods. Of Dr Richmond Bradford, Dr Charles Millett, Dr H. L. K. Wiggin, Dr Silvester Oakes, and Dr William - Kilbourne, whose practice endeared them to most of the inhabitants of the town, and who were themselves, in several cases, resident within its limits for a few years, mention is made elsewhere.

It is no exaggeration to say that a hundred years ago it was no dis- credit to a man to have been drunk. Courtesy required the offer of ardent spirits to guests on all possible occasions, and to drink copiously was regarded a mark of manliness. Danville suffered with other towns from the manifold evils resulting from the custom. In at least one family in five some member drank to excess. In the national movement against the evil which began about 1825, and in spite of occasional declensions has grown in power to the present, the citizens of Danville took an active part. A total abstinence society was organized in July, 1828, Edward Little, Esq., and Dr Tobias Purington being the leading promoters of the enterprise, about 150 members were secured and meetings were regularly held. Five years later special exertions were made and the membership increased to 365. This included many from Lewiston and East Minot, and the society was divided at the close of 1833. The Danville division, numbering 187, chose John Smith president and Edward T. Little, secretary, and immediately began the organization of auxiliary societies in each

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HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

school district. Money was raised to furnish a copy of the Temperance Recorder to each family in town. The report of the secretary sent to the state society at this time contains some interesting items. The population of the town being 1,128, the amount of liquor sold (not including wine or eider) was 1,575 gallons. The town issued licenses to sell ardent spirits to be consumed on the premises, but there was also considerable unlicensed selling. Militia officers still treated their soldiers but mechanics were not, as formerly, furnished with grog at 11 and at 4 o'clock. "Many farmers do not now use ardent spirits in conducting their business." The society met with opposition from persons of all descriptions, religious and irreligious, but it maintained its position and its influence long outlasted its organization.

MATTERS ECCLESIASTICAL .- Dr Banks wrote in 1820, " the town of Dan- ville, when considered in relation to its religious privileges, must suffer on a comparison with other towns." This was unquestionably true for a half a century after its first settlement. The reason may be found in part in the fact that the disputed land titles brought many settlers of a lawless type and prej- udiced many others of a different character against a church and preaching of the established order which the proprietors would naturally uphold. There is reason for believing that occasional services were held during the last century by Congregational clergymen from the western part of the state on the mission tours to the eastward, which frequently led them across the town: it is known that Elders Macomber and Case, Baptist clergymen, labored here as early as 1789, and Rev. Jesse Lee, the apostle of Methodism, in 1793. Preach- ing in those days was often denominational as well as Christian, and this threefold sowing of the field seemed to have prevented the establishment of any one church or the erection of a house of worship for several years. In 1803 the town voted $60 for the support of gospel preachers, and Consider Glass, Lemuel Dyer, Matthias Vickery were the committee to expend this sum. The next year $40 was voted and Capt. Thomas Finson, Lemuel Dyer, and Samuel Crockett were entrusted with the disposal of it. The two following years #50 was the amount raised, and two new names appear on the appro- priating committee, Job Lane and William W. Peables. This course, however, was not consistent with the law of the state, and it became necessary in February, 1809, for the inhabitants of Pejepscot to send Lemuel Dyer as "their agent to the court of common pleas next to be holden at Portland for the purpose of trying to get off a fine for which the town is indicted for not being provided with a settled minister of the gospel." This commission required for its execution five days' travel and attendance, and cost the town $7.40. It was, however, the last occasion for action of this sort. The preced- ing year Rev. Joseph Roberts, a Baptist licentiate, preached in the town with marked success, extensive revivals followed, a church of fifty-six members was formed, and he was ordained its pastor in December, 1808. This position he

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TOWN OF DANVILLE.

held nearly a score of years, and was an honored and influential citizen of the town. He was the only representative of the town sent to the General Court while a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and he was also delegate to the convention for framing a constitution for the new state of Maine. It does not appear that he received a regular salary, at least during the latter portion of his pastorate, but supported himself in part by agriculture. The church, after his retirement in 1827, remained for several years without a pastor. In 1838 it received new life under the labors of Rev. John Butler, and two years later a house of worship was erected and its membership reported as 72. Subsequent pastors were Rev. Samuel Owen, Rev. Moses Hanscom, Rev. Cyrus Crafts, Rev. Anson Donham, Rev. L. P. Gurney, Rev. W. R. Millett. For a number of years it has been without a pastor, and by dismissals to other churches the membership has fallen to 22. Rev. Daniel Hutchinson, a Baptist clergyman, preached in the western part of the town in 1808, and continued to hold a service about once in every two months during the four years following. In 1812 more than usual interest attended the services, and in September of that year a small church of 13 members was organized. Nathaniel Sturgis, who had been most prominent in the prayer-meetings which had been regularly maintained for some time, was elected pastor and afterwards ordained as minister. Mr Sturgis was born in Gorham, September 3, 1774, married Sarah Patten, March 22, 1802, and January 5, 1806, Betsey Woodman. He settled near Danville Corner about the beginning of the century, and was, until his death, October 29, 1825, one of the most respected citizens of the town. Of his ten children, one son, Nathaniel Gorham, a life-long resident, and four daughters, married and left descendants. During Mr Sturgis's pastorate Samuel Small, afterwards for many years register of deeds for Cumberland county, was clerk and David Small deacon. Some 25 were added to the church during this period. In 1828 two of its members, Jonathan Tracy and James Libby were ordained as ministers of the gospel. Two years later the latter became pastor of the West Poland church, a position he held for over twoscore years. From 1826 to 1834 was a period of marked prosperity for this church. From Danville, its name was changed to the Danville, Minot, and Poland church. 140, many doubtless residents of the last mentioned towns, were added to its rolls. In March of 1833 it sent out a colony of 30 members to form what is now known as the South Auburn Free Baptist church, the mother church being styled in the denominational register as the West Danville church. This new church subsequently erected a com- modious house of worship on the river road, near the residence of the late Capt. John Penley. For a number of years Rev. Gideon Perkins served as its pastor, and subsequently Rev. E. C. Heath. Changes in population have now reduced its membership to about a score and it is unable to maintain worship regularly. Samuel H. Haskell was chosen a deacon in the original church in

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HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

1813 and for over half a century fulfilled the duties of this office in a most faithful manner. At his death, September 12, 1864, he left a record for active, earnest, and self-sacrificing labor that few can excel. From 1845 to 1858 over 50 were added to the church, and four members, viz., Almon Libby, William P. Nevins, Jesse Hayes, and Byron P. Russell were ordained as ministers of the gospel. Removal and death have since depleted its ranks and at present it reports a membership of 23, of whom nearly one-half are non-residents.

The First Congregational Church in Danville was organized April 28, 1825, by a council composed of delegates from the four neighboring churches of New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Pownal, and Freeport. It consisted of seven members. Squire Giddinge, who had been prominent in the movement for its establishment, presented it at the beginning of the next year with a book in which to keep the church records. This book can not now be found and it is impossible to state with accuracy the names of the members. Its meetings were held in the school-house at the Corner, and it was ministered to, in conjunction with the church organized at Lewiston Falls the next year, by Rev. Moses Sawyer, Rev. Daniel Newell, Rev. Azariah Adams, Rev. Henry C. Jewett, and other clergymen laboring under the auspices of the Maine Missionary Society. Within a year or two four others joined the church, a Sabbath school was maintained, and a local Bible society organized in connection with its work. The growth, however, of the sister church at the Falls, an account of which is given elsewhere, precluded its ever attaining to self-support, and in 1850 its name disappeared from the minutes of the state organization. As most of the Congregationalists in the northerly half of the town came to be connected with the church at the Falls, so the Universalists lent their support to the services of that denomination held in the meeting- house which was built there in 1838.

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History of Androscoggin County, Maine, Part 85

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew, ed Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Boston, W.A. Fergusson & co. Number of Pages: 1050

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew, ed
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Boston, W.A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1050