USA > Maine > Aroostook County > History of Aroostook. vol. I > Part 21
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Up to the year 1854 Island Falls was the property of the State of Massachusetts. In that year it came into the owner- ship of the State of Maine and the same year was lotted by Mr. Daniel Cummings and opened by the State for settlement. Set- tlers now began to come in and take up lots, but the State af- terwards most unwisely sold the town to proprietors, by which action its settlement has been very much retarded.
Capt. Daniel Randall, a man well known throughout Aroos- took County and indeed throughout the State, came from Port- land to Island Falls in 1859. He was a retired sea captain and was for some time city marshal of Portland. Capt. Randall bought a farm on Fish Stream, on the road from Island Falls to Patten, one mile from the Falls. Here he built up a large farm and built a handsome two-story house and good barn. He
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at once took an active part in the business and also in the poli- tics of the county. He engaged in lumbering quite extensively and also paid good attention to his farm, which he made pro- ductive and profitable. He served two terms as a member of the State Legislature and also served as sheriff of Aroostook County. He afterward returned to Portland, where he died some years ago. He was a man of massive build, weighing 325 pounds, but active and full of energy. He was a genial, good natured man and had many friends.
Dr. Isaac Donham came from Readfield to Patten in 1858, and in 1860 moved to Island Falls and took the lot next to Capt. Randall's. He was a druggist and physician in Readfield and also practiced medicine in Patten and Island Falls. In 1862 he entered the service in the 1st Me. Heavy Artillery, and af- terwards re-enlisted in the 31st Inf. and died in the hospital at City Point, Va., in 1864. His son, Mr. George H. Donham, now owns the farm, which consists of 160 acres of land, with fifty acres cleared and a good set of buildings. Mr. Donham was formerly engaged in trade at Island Falls, but three years ago sold his business to Eemrson Bros. and went into the print- ing business. He has two presses and does all kinds of job printing. He is also chairman of the board of selectmen, town clerk, supervisor of schools and trial justice, and may be called a fairly busy man.
In 1861, Mr. Levi H. May moved from Lowell, Mass., and took a wild lot in the north part of the town, where he made a good farm, upon which he lived until his death six years ago. His son, Levi H. May, now lives on the farm.
Mr. David A. Sewall, the eldest son of Levi Sewall, has long been a prominent man at Island Falls and is well known throughout the county. He was largely engaged in lumbering for many years. He has been for years an officer of the town and was a member of the board of county commissioners for eight years. He has a fine residence on the south side of the stream and is now living quietly and happily, farming some in the summer and sometimes scaling in the woods winters, just to keep his hand in. Mr. Samuel Sewall, the second son, has a very handsome set of buildings on the north side of the river. In company with his brothers he attends to the business of the farm, for Levi Sewall's land has not been divided, but his sons carry on the farms together and seem to own all things in com- mon. The large homestead built by Levi Sewall in 1861 is occupied by the youngest son, Mr. Wm. W. Sewall, and with him
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live his aged mother and only sister, Miss Sarah E. Sewall, who holds the commission of postmaster of Island Falls. Mr. Wm. W. Sewall was the first white child born at Island Falls, and he is a white man in every respect. He has for years been a friend and companion of Theodore Roosevelt of New York, who formerly came to Island Falls every summer for a few weeks' outing. A few years ago Mr. Sewall went with Mr. Roosevelt to Dakota and for two years took charge of a large cattle ranch for that gentleman. Mr. Sewall also having an interest in the business.
The township was crganized as a plantation Sept. 6, 1858. At the first meeting Levi Sewall was chosen moderator, Jesse Craig, clerk, D. A. Sewall, Cyrus Barker and Nathan Thorn, assessors. The town was incorporated in February, 1872.
We have visited few towns where there is so general a community of feeling and such a genuine each-help-the-other spirit as in this town of Island Falls. Every man says his neighbor is the best fellow in the world, and I think they all tell the truth.
MOLUNKUS AND BENEDICTA
Two miles west of the village of Macwahoc the Military road enters the township of Molunkus, now an unorganized plantation with the exception of the little hamlet at the mouth of the Aroostook road. This township is in the extreme south- west corner of Aroostook County and is bounded on the north by the unsettled township No. 1, Range Five, on the east by Macwahoc, on the south by Mattawamkeag in Penobscot Coun- ty, and on the west by Medway in the same county. The entire township, with the exception of a comparatively small tract near the mouth of the Aroostook road and a few clearings far- ther north upon that road, is still covered with forest growth and is owned by non-resident proprietors.
The old Aroostook road starts from Molunkus and con- tinues northward through No. One, Benedicta and Sherman to Patten, and thence on to Fort Kent, at the mouth of Fish River. The intersection of this road with the Military road at this point made Molunkus an important business center for lumber- ing operations and for the moving of supplies to the country away to the north.
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Soon after the opening of the Aroostook road, a hotel was built at Molunkus, the first house of entertainment as near as we can determine, having been erected by Mr. Richard Libby, who had previously kept the hotel for a number of years at Macwahoc. After remaining some years at Molunkus, Mr. Libby removed to Mattawamkeag. The hotel was afterwards kept for some time by Mr. Samuel Crocker, who was succeeded by the Burnham Brothers of Lincoln, who remained some five years. Messrs. George and Joseph Libby then had the house for one year and were succeeded by Mr. E. H. Davis, who kept it two years. In 1865, Mr. B. F. Coburn came from Lincoln and bought the hotel of Mr. Davis and continued in the house until last spring, when he leased it to Mr. F. A. Wing of Mattawam- keag.
In the souhtwest portion of the township is Mattawamkeag Lake, a fine body of water some two miles long and half a mile wide. Two streams flow southward and empty into this lake, the West Mattesunk being near the west line of the township and the East Mattesunk flowing in the more central portion. A portion of Molunkus Lake is in the northeastern part of the township, the northern portion of the lake being in Number One and the southern portion in Macwahoc. The Penobscot River skirts the southwestern corner of Molunkus and the Mat- tesunk Lake discharges its waters into that river.
The Molunkus Exchange is seven miles distant from the railroad station at Mattawamkeag and daily stages run from Mattawamkeag to Patten, stopping at this hotel for dinner.
Molunkus has now no plantation organization and has but a small resident population for a point of so much business im- portance. The population of Molunkus in 1890 was 77.
Leaving the Molunkus Exchange and journeying northward on the Aroostook road, after passing a number of primitive habitations erected by new settlers, we enter the forest, through which we ride for nearly ten miles with only an occasional opening in the wilderness. A ride of a little more than four miles from Molunkus brings us to the north line of the township and here we enter Number One, Range Five, a timber township lying along the border of Penobscot County. Five miles from Molunkus we come to the farm owned by Mr. Melville Johnson of Macwahoc. Two miles farther on, or seven miles from Mo- lunkus, is the farm and hotel of Mr. Peter Millmore. Mr. Ste- phen Cobb made a clearing and built a house here more than
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fifty years ago and, after keeping public house for a number of years, moved to Michigan.
The town of Benedicta comprises the western half of town- ship No. 2, Range 5.
Nearly sixty years ago Rt. Rev. Benedict Fenwick, Catholic Bishop of Boston, conceived the idea of settling a Catholic col- ony upon the cheap lands of northern Maine and also of erect- ing and maintaining a Catholic college in connection with the colony. The project of establishing the colony was carried out, but the idea of the college in northern Maine was afterwards abandoned and the proposed institution was located at Wor- cester, Mass. The half township selected was then the proper- ty of the State of Massachusetts, and on the 7th day of July, 1834, Bishop Fenwick made his contract for the land. The township had been surveyed by Joseph C. Morris and Andrew McMillan in 1825. Though Bishop Fenwick purchased the tract he did not receive his title to it until March 31, 1846, on which date it was deeded to him by George W. Coffin, agent of the General Court of Massachusetts. Soon after purchasing the half township in 1834, Bishop Fenwick commenced to take measures to carry out his project of establishing a colony upon it. The township was in the midst of an almost trackless wilderness, but it consisted of good land, and large lumber operations were being carried on in its vicinity. Midway of the town from north to south, village lots were laid out, and in course of a short time a church was built, also a parsonage and nearby a tract
of land was set apart for a college farm. The erection of build- ings for the proposed college was commenced, and one large college building was nearly completed, when this part of the project was abandoned. This building remained unoccupied for a number of years, and was finally taken down. The Bishop also built a mill on the Molunkus Stream, near the east line of the town. This mill contained an up and down saw and shingle machine, but was afterwards abandoned and allowed to decay.
The first settlers came to the town in 1834. The Bishop charged the settlers $2 per acre for land upon the line of the main road and $1.50 per acre for land farther back, giving them all necessary time to make payment for their farms.
The first settlers upon the town are said to have been David and Joseph Leavitt, but whether these men were a part of the Bishop's colony or squatters who had come previous to his purchase, we have not yet been able to determine. Among the first of the Catholic colony to settle upon the town were Nich-
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olas Broderick, Timothy Dorsey, Martin Qualey, Philip Finne- gan and John Millmore, who came in 1834. Patrick Brade, Chris. Keegan, John Byrne, Francis Smith and John Perry were early settlers, as also were Henry Rivers and Martin Lawlor. These settlers were all Irish emigrants who had worked for some time in the cities of Massachusetts. Nicholas Broderick, one of the earliest settlers, settled in the south part of the town on the lot where Fenton McAvoy now lives, and died there some fifteen years ago. Timothy Dorsey settled a mile and a half north of the church and cleared the farm on which Daniel McDonald
In 1838 and 1840 quite a number of settlers came in. John D. Rush came in 1838 and settled opposite where the church now stands, that edifice not having been erected until 1843. now lives.
The Catholic Cemetery is neatly enclosed and carefully kept and nearby is the Catholic Church, a comfortable and com- short distance from the church is the parsonage, a neat, two- modious edifice of sufficient size for the needs of the parish. A story residence now occupied by Father Kearney, who has re- cently taken charge of the parish. The college farm, so called, is not now cultivated, but is devoted to pasturing and is a part of the church property.
Benedicta may not perhaps be classed among the best half townships in Aroostook County for agricultural purposes, but it has a good soil, the land lying in a succession of easy swells and not very stony. The many good farms and neat and com- fortable homes in the town give ample evidence of what a col- ony of thrifty and industrious Irish emigrants can accomplish under even quite unfavorable circumstances at the beginning of their settlement, and the improvement here made bears witness to the wisdom and philanthropy of the good Bishop in planting this colony here in the wilderness.
The town was incorporated in 1872 and was named Bene- dicta, in honor of its founder, Bishop Benedict Fenwick. It is bounded on the north by the town of Sherman, on the east by Silver Ridge, on the south by No. 1, Range 5, and on the west by Penobscot County. Its citizens are nearly all Catholics of Irish descent and are a thrifty, industrious and prosperous com- munity. In 1890 the town had a population of 317 and a valua- tion of $57,849.
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SILVER RIDGE
The half township now known as the Plantation of Silver Ridge was originally the east half of Township No. 3, Range 5, the west half of the same township being now the town of Benedicta.
In 1857 the county commissioners of Aroostook County were petitioned to locate a road from Benedicta through Silver Ridge to Haynesville. At that time the half township was en- tirely covered with forest in which no clearing had yet been made for settling purposes. The commissioners viewed the route and decided not to locate the road as asked for, but the partial survey called attention to the excellent land owned by the State and lying unimproved. During that year (1857) a number of settlers came in and made clearings on the half township, al- though it had not yet been lotted and of course these settlers were merely squatters upon the land. Francis Smith, Thomas Millmore, Thomas McAvoy and Fenton Seals all from the ad- joining town of Benedicta, made clearings that year.
Silver Ridge lies immediately south of Sherman and the mail route from Island Falls to Kingman runs through that plantation. Nearly every lot on the road through Silver Ridge is settled and there some very fine farms and handsome res- idences, which would seem to show that the people are pros- perous, have comfortable and convenient homes and are making a good living.
The settled portion of the town is confined to the two ranges of lots bordering on the main road. The remainder of the town is now owned by non-resident proprietors and is not generally good land for settling purposes. The plantation of Silver Ridge was organized in 1863 and since that time it has made a marked increase in the appearance and value of its farms and residences, although it has decreased somewhat in population during the last decade.
HERSEY
The town of Hersey lies along the border of Penobscot County and, though yet but partially settled, is naturally one ·of the best townships in western Aroostook for agricultural pur-
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poses. The town is bounded on the north by Moro, on the east by Dyer Brook, south by Crystal and west by Mt. Chase in Penobscot County. The old Aroostook road, now the mail route from Patten to Ashland, runs diagonally across the northwest corner of the town and the State road from Smyrna Mills runs on the line between Hersey and Moro and intersects the Aroos- took road some two miles from the northwest corner of Hersey.
The first settlers upon the town of Hersey, then called Number Five, Range Five, were Samuel Huston, Timothy Hale, Nicholas Cooper and Daniel Cooper.
Samuel Huston came from Plymouth in Penobscot County, in 1839 and settled on a lot on the Aroostook road six miles from Patten. Here he cleared up a large farm and was for many years one of the leading men of the town and his de- scendants are among the prominent citizens. Mr. Huston lived upon this farm until a year ago, when he moved to Patten, but still retains possession of the farm.
Mr. Timothy Hale came from Plymouth in 1839 and settled on the north half of the lot on which Mr. Seth Allen now lives, near the Penobscot County line. Mr. Hale felled fifteen acres on this lot, but did not clear the land and after living in the town a year or two removed to the West. Mr. Harvey Houghton then took the lot and made a small clearing and after remaining a year moved to Oxford County.
Nicholas and Daniel Cooper came from Plymouth in 1839 and settled on part of the Seth Allen lot and also had a lot in the adjoining town of Mount Chase in Penobscot County. Mr. Nicholas Cooper built the buildings next north of Seth Allen's, where he lived for some twenty years, then moved to Ashland and afterward to Moro, where he died. Daniel Cooper did not remain in the town.
James Brown came from the town of Wilton, in Franklin County, in 1840, and settled on the lot next north of Nicholas Cooper. He cleared a large farm and lived upon it until 1868, when he moved to Patten and died. Mr. Brown was a promin- ent citizen and was well known throughout this section.
Nathan Fish came from Jefferson, Lincoln County, in 1840 and settled near the Mt. Chase line, a short distance from the Aroostook road. Here he made a farm upon which he lived until about 1859, when he returned to Jefferson and died soon afterwards. He was unmarried, and the farm is now unoccupied.
Daniel Darling came from Hartland, in Somerset County, in 1840 and settled north of Samuel Huston's on the farm now
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occupied by William Monteith. Mr. Darling cleared some twenty acres on this lot, and after living on it four years, moved to the adjoining town of Moro.
Seth Allen came from the town of Sumner, in Oxford Coun- ty, in 1842 and two years later bought the lot on which he now lives, on the Aroostook road five and one-half miles from Pat- ten. Mr. Allen cleared this farm and has lived upon it ever since, and is now the oldest settler living in the town. Mr. Allen is a veteran of the Civil War, and has always taken an . active and prominent part in the affairs of his town. Though now advanced in years, he is still a hale and hearty man, and has not yet given up active work upon the farm.
Lewis Sargent came to Hersey in 1843 and settled upon part of the lot now owned by Seth Allen. He made a clearing and lived upon the lot until 1858, when he moved to Mount Chase, where he died.
Columbus Bragg came from Plymouth in 1844 and settled on a lot a mile and a half north of Seth Allen's. He cleared a portion of the lot and lived on it a few years and moved to Stacyville, where he died ten years ago. Josiah Bates came from Palmyra in 1845 and settled on the Aroostook road a mile south of the mouth of the State road. He made a large clearing and lived here two years and moved to Moro. This farm has been unoccupied and has grown up to forest again.
Hon. Wm. W. Thomas of Portland owned the township when the settlers first came to it. He afterwards sold it to Messrs. Hall and Lewis of Cherryfield, but obtained possession of it again soon after and subsequently sold it to Gen. Samuel Hersey and Mr. George Stetson of Bangor.
In the north part of the town, along the State road, a set- tlement was made later and on this road are now some of the best farms in the town. The earliest settler in this portion of the town was Mr. John R. Blynn, who came from Garland, in Penobscot County, in 1852, and settled on the lot where Wil- liam H. Bates now lives. Mr. Blinn cleared something over twenty acres on this lot and lived on it some four years, then moved to Bangor and afterwards engaged in peddling. He sold the farm to Mr. Stephen P. Bates, who enlarged and improved it. Mr. Bates went into the army and was killed near Spottsyl- vania. Mr. George L. Bates moved to Hersey from Moro in 1854 and took the lot where Solomon Bates now lives. In 1861 he joined the 8th Maine Regiment and after two years service was discharged and returned to Hersey and died.
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Mr. Joel P. Jameson came from Lee in Penobscot County in 1860 and bought the west half of the lot east of Solomon Bates. Mr. Jameson cleared some thirty acres on the lot and lived on it eight years. He then sold to Mr. Solomon Bates and moved to Lincoln. Mr. David L. Lowell came from Lee in 1860 and settled on the east half of the Jameson lot. He cleared some ten acres and then went into the army, where he lost an arm, was discharged from the service and died soon after re- turning home. The farm passed through a number of hands and is now owned by E. E. Kennedy.
Mr. William Campbell came from New Brunswick in 1860 and settled on the lot next east of Mr. Lowell. He felled some ten acres and then went into the 8th Maine Regiment and served through the war. He was promoted to a lieutenancy and did not return to Hersey. Mr. James Palmer now has this lot.
Mr. James Hall came from Garland in 1861 and settled on the lot next but one west of Wm. Bates. Mr. Hall cleared fif- teen acres on this lot, lived on it some three years, then sold to Mr. John Doe and moved to Moro. John McGibney now lives on this farm.
The township was originally organized as Dayton plantation and was incorporated as a town January 25, 1873, and named for General Samuel F. Hersey of Bangor, the principal owner of the township. The land throughout the town is comparatively level, having no abrupt elevations, but containing a number of swells of very fine land.
The West Branch of the Mattawamkeag runs for something over three miles across the northeast corner of the town and Alder Brook, a tributary of the West Branch, runs diagonally in a southeast course across the entire township. In the south- west portion of the town is Crystal Lake, a pretty little sheet of water, from which Crystal Stream flows southward and emp- ties into Fish Stream in the town of Crystal. Huston Brook also runs across the southwest quarter of the town and empties into Crystal Stream a short distance below the lake.
The land in this town can be purchased of the proprietors at a very reasonable rate and its excellent quality offers ex- ceptional inducements for settlers desiring cheap and fertile lands in a good town. The population of Hersey in 1890 was 151, and its valuation $63,783.
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BLAINE
Not every agricultural section will bear as close inspection as will the fertile County of Aroostook. As one rides along the main highway from Houlton northward, he is surprised and de- lighted with the number of fine farms and handsome farm build- ings along this road in the several towns through which the road passes, while the view on either hand is most beautiful.
Some twenty-five miles north of Houlton on the road to Presque Isle, and at the point of intersection with the road through Mars Hill and Easton to Fort Fairfield, is situated the thriving little village of Blaine. It is a busy little inland village with neat and handsome residences, and with a beautiful out- lying farming district on every hand.
The town of Blaine includes but a half township and ex- tends but three miles north and south and six miles east from the boundary line. The first clearing was made upon the town nearly fifty years ago, just after the conclusion of that blood- less struggle which has passed into history as the famed Aroos- took War.
In 1842, the year in which the Ashburton Treaty was con- cluded, Mr. B. W. Chandler came from the town of Winslow and cut the first tree upon the town for farming purposes. The spot chosen by Mr. Chandler for his new home was the beautiful ridge of land just north of the present village and upon the farm now occupied by Mr. R. W. Lowell. With the exception of the winter lumber roads, there was then no road in all this section and the home of this hardy pioneer was miles from any neigh- bor, and in the midst of an almost boundless wilderness. Some six miles further north could be seen the smoke from the log cabin of James Thorncraft, built the year previous on what is now the Trueworthy farm in Westfield, but the entire township of Mars Hill, and indeed the township of Easton, next beyond on the north, was at that time covered with its original forest growth as yet unbroken by any clearing.
During the few years following a number of other settlers came upon the town and when Mr. Joel Valley came in 1847 and commenced a clearing upon the spot where the village is now located there were about ten settlers upon the town. To one who looks about this busy little village, with its business industries and its many indications of lively enterprise, it seems hardly possible that the man who cut the first tree upon the village site is still one of its active business men and that all
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this development has been the work of about forty years.
In the fall of 1847 Mr. Valley came from New Brunswick and took a lot which included all the land contained in the present village on the east side of the road and extending back to the Mars Hill line. He commenced his clearing and built his log house nearly upon the spot where the present hotel is located.
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