USA > Maine > Aroostook County > History of Aroostook. vol. I > Part 5
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
before completing his designs. The mill has not since been oper- ated and the engine and machinery have been removed.
James Daggett, Jr., came from Hodgdon in 1838 and bought of Hartley Deering the Samuel Newman lot. He cleared a large farm and lived on it until 1866. He then moved to Oakfield and afterwards to Massachusetts. After a few years he re- turned to Amity and lived with his son, Mr. Warren Daggett, until his death in 1885. Mr. Samuel Shepard came from New Brunswick about 1837, and after living for a while on a part of Edmund Cone's lot, bought of Charles Dunn the lot next. north of Columbus Dunn's. He built the buildings on this farm and about 1844 sold to James Ballard and moved to the. Gidrey lot in the southwest part of the town, where he lived a number of years, and then returned to New Brunswick. James Ballard came from Massachusetts as a teacher. He bought the Samuel Shepard farm and lived on it some three years, and sold to Mr. Milo Walton and returned to Massachusetts. Mr. Hammond Estabrook came from New Brunswick in 1840 and took a lot in the west part of the town. He cleared a farm and lived on it until his death in 1864. His son, Mr. Jed Estabrook, now lives on the farm. Mr. Lemuel Tracey bought the lot where he now lives in 1842. He cleared a large farm and has for many years been one of the leading citizens of the town. Mr. Thomas Greenleaf, a brother to Jonathan Greenleaf, came from Starks in 1840 and took a lot in the south part of the town, one mile west from the Calais road. He made a clearing of forty acres and built a house and barn. He lived here six years and moved to Missouri. Mr. Warren Daggett now owns this farm. Mr. Milo Walton came from Chesterfield, N. H., to Houlton in 1845 and kept a drug store in that town for two years. In 1847 he moved to Amity and bought the farm next north of Columbus Dunn. He immediately entered into the business of orcharding and fruit raising, which he planned to carry out on a large scale. He set extensive nurseries of apples, plums, cherries, etc., and had also a large amount of small fruits. He had just com- menced to reap the first fruits of his enterprise when his death in 1854 suddenly terminated what promised to be a most suc- cessful business career. He was a man of much ability and worth and his early death was a severe loss to the town where he had fixed his residence. His widow continued the business to some extent until her death in 1871. His son, Mr. Isaac T. Walton, now has the farm. Mr. Alden Spurr came from New Brunswick in 1848 and bought the Seth Kempton lot in the south-
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
west part of the town. He cleared a large farm and built a good set of buildings. Mr. Spurr was engaged in lumbering and was an active and prominent citizen during his residence in the town. Two of his sons died in the army and some time after the close of the war he moved to Milltown and afterwards to Houlton, where he died a few years ago. Mr. Calvin B. Curtis bought the farm where he now lives in 1849. It was then a wild lot and Mr. Curtis cleared the farm and built the buildings. He has also worked at blacksmithing a part of the time and has been one of the leading citizens for many years. Mr. Jacob Simpson came from Warwick, N. B., and was for several years engaged in lumbering in this vicinity before moving to Amity. About 1850 he bought the farm where Mr. John Hughes now lives. He cleared a large farm and was extensively engaged in lumbering until about 1864, when he sold the farm to Mr. James Martin and returned to New Brunswick.
Mr. George R. Burt came from New Hampshire in 1850 and bought the farm on which Mr. John Reed now lives. Here he opened a store and continued to trade until his death in 1856. Mr. James Lander, the veteran stage driver, then bought the place and established his home there. He continued to drive the stage from Houlton to Calais and Mr. Adrian Vandine, af- terwards collector of customs at Houlton, entered into partner- ship with him in trade. Mr. Vandine was engaged most of the time in hauling goods and Mr. John Reed was employed as clerk in the store. Mr. Lander died in 1861, and Mr. Vandine re- tained the property and business until 1866, when he sold to Mr. John Reed and removed to Houlton. Mr. Francis McCarric came from Bailyville in 1851 and first settled on the lot oppo- site Jacob Simpson's. He lived on this lot seven years and then moved to the farm in the north part of the town, formerly occu- pied by Benj. Curtis, where he lived until his death in 1874. Mr. Allex. H. Carr now has this farm.
As a whole, Amity will rank as a good farming town. The surface is not abruptly broken and the soil, though somewhat stony in places, is fertile and productive. A large part of the town is still covered with its original forest growth and is owned by non-resident proprietors, a fact which has interfered with the growth and development of the town. The town has good schools and good religious privileges and seems to enjoy a gen- eral feeling of social good fellowship. Taken all in all, Amity will rank as one of the best towns in southern Aroostook.
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
LINNEUS
The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 26th, 1804, passed a resolve appropriating a town- ship of land in the District of Maine for the purpose of assist- ing in establishing a Professorship of Botany in Harvard Col- lege. The township was surveyed by Benjamin Marshall in October, 1807, and is thus described: "Beginning at a basswood stake near a large yellow birch marked N. E. C. B. G. T. O. one hundred and sixty rods south of the southwest corner of a half township of land granted to the New Salem Academy, thench running west, thirteen degrees north six miles to a large. hemlock tree marked, thence south, thirteen degrees west six miles to a stake; thence east, thirteen degrees south six miles to a large maple tree, marked; thence north, thirteen degrees east to the first mentioned basswood stake." At a meeting of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for promoting Agriculture, held June 4th, 1808, it was voted that the Secretary of the Com- monwealth be requested to deed the township to Dudley A. Tyng. The deed of the township from William Tudor, Secre- tary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to Dudley Atkins Tyng, is dated June 27th, 1808.
At a meeting of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for promoting Agriculture held June 30th, 1810, it was voted that Dudley A. Tyng be authorized to convey the township in fee simple to Aaron Dexter and Ebenezer Preble, purchasers of the town, upon the purchase money being paid, or secured to the Treasurer of Harvard College. It was also voted that the pur- chasers be requested to cause the said township to be called by the name of Linneus. The deed from Dudley A. Tyng to Aaron Dexter, Doctor of Medicine, and Ebenezer Preble, merchant, both of Boston, is dated Aug. 9th, 1810.
The town of Linneus lies in the second tier of townships from the New Brunswick line, is directly west of the town of Hodgdon, and corners on Houlton on the southwest. The early history of Linneus is intimately connected with that of the set- tlement of Houlton as the old Soldier road over which supplies were brought to the garrison at Houlton was made through this town. This road was cut through by the United States troops in 1828. It began at what was called Soldier Landing on the east branch of the Mattawamkeag some two miles below the mouth of Beaver Brook, followed up the brook across the township of
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
"Letter A" and after entering Linneus turned in a northeasterly direction from the height of land on which is now the J. D. Gove farm, following nearly the line of the present military road to where Hon. Parker P. Burleigh now lives, entering Houlton near the southwest corner of that town.
The first settler upon the town was Mr. Daniel Neal who came from New Brunswick in 1827 and settled near the north- east corner of the town, on what is now a part of the farm of Hon. Parker P. Burleigh. We find mention of Mr. Neal in let- ters from Major Clarke, the officer in command of the garrison at Houlton to Capt. Staniford, who commanded the detachment engaged in constructing the Soldier road. In a letter dated Sept. 25th, 1828, Major Clarke writes: "As soon as the road shall have been completed to Neal's you will order the four six- pounders to that place and leave them there." On the same day Major Clarke writes to Mr. Towle, of the firm of Towle & Par- sons, who had the contract to forward the supplies for the troops : "As soon as all the public property deposited at Neal's shall have been brought in I request you to forward on those cannon."
In these letters we find the first mention of any settlement in the present town of Linneus. Mr. Neal was a Maine man and went to New Brunswick to work at his trade as a ship carpenter, coming thence to his forest home in the new grant. Here he cleared up a considerable tract and lived upon it until 1836, when he removed to Jackson Brook. His son, John Hodgdon Neal, was the first child born in Linneus.
Soon after Daniel Neal made his settlement in Linneus a man named Nesmith settled near the "Cold Spring," as it was then called, on what is now the Howard farm. Mr. Nesmith formerly lived near Thomaston, Me., and removed to Miririchi, where he was quite extensively engaged in lumbering. He afterwards met with heavy losses and the great fire in Mirimichi completed his financial ruin. He then decided to remove to the wilderness of Aroostook, and coming to Fredericton, N. B., he placed his wife and three children, together with some house- hold goods, upon a sled and started up the St. John River on the ice with a pair of horses. Before reaching Woodstock the team broke through the ice and his wife and one child were drowned. With the two remaining children, a boy of ten years and a daugh- ter then a young woman, he reached Woodstock, where he left the daughter and proceeded northward with the little boy. In company with a man by the name of Anderson, Mr. Nesmith came to Linneus and built a camp near the "Cold Spring." They
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
made a clearing and remained a number of years and then sold their improvement to Col. Benj. Rackliffe and Nesmith removed to the far West, taking the little boy with him. The boy grew to manhood and when the State of Oregon was admitted to the Union he was chosen one of the first United States Senators from that State.
The opening of the Soldier road induced other settlers to come to the town. In 1828 or 1829 Samuel and John Shields came from New Brunswick and settled east of the Soldier road near the line of Hodgdon, then Groton Academy Grant. Both cleared up farms upon which they lived for many years and died at an advanced age. Mr. Thos. O. Shields, son of John Shields, and Mr. True B. Shields, son of Samuel Shields, now live upon the old homesteads and have good farms. The same year Mr. John Jones settled south of Samuel Shields on what is now the Geo. Starrett farm. These three were the first settlers east of the road. Among the settlers who came to the town soon after Mr. Neal and settled along the line of the new road was Col. Benj. Rackliffe, who came from Waldo County about 1829 and settled on what is now the Howard farm, a short distance south of Linneus Corner. Col. Rackliffe was for years a prom- inent citizen of the town. He afterwards moved to Presque Isle, where he died some ten years ago. Jacob Martin came the same year and settled on the farm now occupied by Dr. Boyd. He was a resident of the town many years.
In 1830 Col. Moses Burleigh came from the town of Paler- mo and bought of Daniel Neal a lot next south of the farm upon which Hon. Parker P. Burleigh now lives. Col. Burleigh was a prominent man in the State before his removal to Linneus. He was a milit a capta'n in 1812 and was called into the U. S. service and was with his company at Belfast at the time the British entered the Penobscot to destroy the U. S. frigate Adams. He was a delegate to the convention held in 1816 at Brunswick in the District of Maine, to form a State Constitution in antici- pation of the separation from Massachusetts and in the same year was promoted to a lieutenant colonelcy in the Massachu- setts militia. Immediately after removing to Linneus, Col. Burleigh was appointed to take the census of the northern part of Washington County, which then included the Aroostook set tlements. As the territory was then in dispute the Provincial warden endeavored to arrest him, but he eluded pursuit and com- pleted his work of census taking. In 1831 he was appointed assistant land agent and took an active part in expelling tres-
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
passers from lands in this visinity. He held the office of post- master for several years and was an active, energetic man and an upright and honored citizen. He died at Linneus in 1860. His son, Parker P. Burleigh, was but seventeen years old when he came with his father to Linneus. He worked for his father and helped clear up the farm and build a home until he was of age, when, determining to acquire an education, he entered Hampden Academy and afterwards Hartford, (Conn.) grammar school. He paid especial attention to the study of land survey- ing and thoroughly fitted himself for that profession. Returning to Linneus, he took an active part in the affairs of the new town and held many offices in the town and county. He was State Land Agent from 1868 to 1875, and was for many years post-, master at Linneus. He represented his town in the Legislature of 1856-57 and was twice elected senator from Aroostook County. Mr. Burleigh is now living on the old farm in Linneus, upon which he has made many improvements, and although nearly eighty years old, is a hale, hearty, active man. He owns large tracts of timber land in the county, to the care of which he devotes much of his time. He has two brothers, Moses C. and Samuel K. Burleigh, living near him. Hon. Albert A. Bur- leigh, his oldest son, was born in Linneus in 1841. He also fit- ted himself for the business of land surveying and in 1864 en- tered the army. He was wounded and taken prisoner and con- fined at Petersburg and Richmond. After his return from the army he took a farm in the town of Oakfield, adjoining Linneus, upon which he lived for a number of years. He was for many years a member of the board of county commissioners and is intimately acquainted with every portion of Aroostook County. He now resides at Houlton and is collector of customs for the Aroostook District. He is also President of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Company and is giving much of his time at present to the development of that enterprise.
Hon. Edwin C. Burleigh, the younger son, was born in Lin- neus in 1843. He also enlisted in the army in 1864, but was re- jected on account of physical disability and entered the adjutant general's office as clerk. He was afterward twice elected assist- ant clerk of the House of Representatives and in 1880 was ap- pointed to a clerkship in the office of State Treasurer. He also held the office of State Land Agent for three years. He was elect- ed State Treasurer in 1885. which office he held until he resigned to accept the honored position of Governor of Maine, to which he was elected in 1888. He was re-elected in 1890 and is the
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
present Chief Executive of the State of Maine.
The act of incorporation of the town of Linneus was ap- proved by Governor Robert P. Dunlap on March 16, 1836. A petition from the citizens of the town was immediately after- ward presented to Moses Burley, (as the name was then spelled) one of the justices of the peace of the County of Washington, to call a town meeting to organize the new town. This petition was dated March 25th, 1836, and was signed by Benj. Rackliff, Parker P. Burley (sic) John C. Hamilton, Richard Hamilton, John M. Rackliff, George W. Webber, Henry Kitchen, John E. Raymond, Daniel Neal and Abner Craig. The meeting was held at Col. Burley's house and Moses Burley was chosen moderator, Parker P. Burley was elected town clerk, and Moses Burley, Jacob Martin and Benj. Rackliff, selectmen.
The old records of the town are still preserved and are in a bold, plain handwriting and signed "Parker P. Burley, town clerk." Isaiah Morrison and Aaron Plummer were chosen fence viewers, Benj. Bither one of the highway surveyors, Parker P. Burley, treasurer and collector of taxes, and he with Ebenezer Collins and J. Fisher Howard were the first board of S. S. com- mittee. Isaiah Keith was chosen constable 'on condition that he do the business for the town without charge." On June 4th, 1836, John Stevens impounded a dark red horse owned by James Files. The bill of expense for impounding and selling the horse was $3.65 1-2, and the horse was sold at "public vendue" by Constable Keith for $5.85. At the first election for representa- tive to the Legislature, 19 votes were cast; Jesse Gilman had 13 votes and Hendrick W. Judkins had 6 votes. As the election in the district resulted in a tie vote, another election was held on Oct. 24th. This also resulted in a tie vote, and a third election was held on Nov. 14th, at which time H. W. Judkins of Houlton was elected. From these records we find that Hugh Alexander was town clerk in 1837 and that Jeremiah Trueworthy was that year chosen first selectman, but declined to serve. Stephen B. Pattee was a constable in 1838. On the old records we find the names of others of the old settlers of the town who were in active life during the first years of the settlement. Though un- able to give the exact dates of each man's coming to the town we have been able to trace quite accurately the place of their first settlement.
Hugh Alexander was one of the army teamsters in 1828, when the supplies for the garrison at Houlton were hauled over the Beaver Brook road. He settled in Linneus about 1830, on
-
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HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
the lot where Mr. John Taylor now lives, some two miles north of Linneus Corner. When Daniel Neal moved to Jackson Brook in 1836, Mr. Alexander took his place and lived there some time and then took the Hamilton lot a short distance north of the Cor- ner. He lived on this farm for many years and was largely en- gaged in the lumbering business. His son, Benjamin Alexander, was for years a prominent business man at Linneus Corner, and also kept the Letter A. House for a number of years. He rep- resented his class in the Legislature and was much respected by his fellow citizens. He died at Linneus a few years ago.
Abner Craig settled on the lot south of the Bither farm, where he lived for a number of years, then sold to Edmund Bickford and moved to Haynesville, then known as "The Forks." Isaiah Morrison settled on a lot on the east side of the military road, just north of the Corner. He was an active citizen of the town for many years. His son, Benjamin Morrison, afterwards lived and died upon the farm, and B. Decatur Morrison, a son of Benjamin, now has the old homestead. Joseph L. Morrison, son of Isaiah, settled east of the Corner, on what is now the county road to Hodgdon Mills. Aaron Plummer was the first blacksmith in the town and had a house and shop nearly oppo- site Mr. Burleigh's. Silas Varney also settled on that lot in 1830. Jesse F. Howard settled on the lot opposite the J. D. Gove farm, where he lived a number of years and then moved to Brewer. Ebenezer Collins settled in the east part of the town soon after 1830, on the lot next south of John Jones and next to the Hodgdon line. Mr. Eben Collins, his son, now occupies the farm. Isaiah Keith settled on a lot north of the Bither place and on the east side of the road. He lived in the town for many years, then moved to Oakfield, where he died a few years ago. John Stevens was for many years a resident and worked at day labor for farmers. James Niles cleared up the farm now occu- pied by Mr. Charles H. Young. Jeremiah Trueworthy settled on the farm now occupied by William H. Howard. He sold to Daniel Howard in 1845 and moved to Houlton. He afterwards became a wealthy land owner and was a prominent citizen of Houlton. John C. Hamilton made a farm on the west side of the road north of the Corner, afterwards the Alexander farm, where he lived a number of years and then moved to Bangor. His brother, Richard Hamilton, lived with him. George W. Webber settled west of the Military road, on the farm now occu- pied by George Downs. Joseph H. Downs settled near him and these two were the first settlers in that part of the town.
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Mr. Downs was killed by a falling tree. Mr. Webber lived in the town a long time, then moved to Sherman, where he still resides and has been engaged in trade for a number of years. All the above mentioned citizens were living in the town at the time of its organization in 1838.
Benjamin Bither came to Linneus from Bradford, Me., in 1832, and settled on the lot where his son, James F. Bither, now l'ves. Here he made a good farm and built a fine set of build- ings. Mr. Bither was a framer of buildings and framed many houses and barns now standing in Linneus and adjoining towns. He was long a prominent citizen of the town. Four of his sons are now living on farms in Linneus and many of his descend- ants live in the town and vicinity. His youngest daughter is the wife of Hon. Edwin C. Burleigh, the present Governor of Maine.
Nathaniel Goodhue came to Linneus about 1835 and took the lot on which J. D. Gove now lives. Mr. Daniel Cookson had made a small clearing on this lot before Mr. Goodhue bought it. Stephen B. Pattee married a daughter of Mr. Good- hue and lived with him in 1837. He afterward moved to Fort Fairfield, where he was engaged in business for many years.
Other early settlers, though somewhat later than those men- tioned above, were Joshua Merrill. who settled west of the Mili- tary road on the lot now a part of the David Tozier farm, and Henry Taylor, who lived on a lot adjoining the Byrom farm and sold to Jackson Carson, who lived on the farm until two years ago, when he moved to the West. Col. Thomas Nickerson set- tled about 1843, on a farm a mile west of the Military road. Col. Benj. Rackliff had made a clearing on this lot and sold to Col. Nickerson who made a large farm and lived here for many years. He was a prominet citizen of the town, and had a large family. His son, E. S. F. Nickerson, settled on what is now the Tozier farm, where he cleared up a large farm upon which he lived for many years and then moved to Houlton. He has since engaged in starch manufacture in Minnesota and is now living in California. After Col. Nickerson's death his son, Frank C. Nickerson, took the farm and carried it on until 1881, when he sold it to Mr. B. F. Bliss and moved to Houlton. He was Deputy Collector of Customs for a number of years and afterwards engaged in trade. He is now living in Minnesota.
David Byrom was an early settler in the west part of the town. He made a fine farm two miles west from the Corner, upon which he lived until his death some six years ago. His
HISTORY OF AROOSTOOK
con, George Byrom, now occupies the farm. Wallace Fezlasen settled about 175 about @ made went from Mr. Bright and has lived there ever piace. Mr. Daniel Howard came to Linea
he lived for many years and where he died in 1962. Mr. Howard
the Letter A. House now stando. He improved the farm in Lin-
death. His son, William H. Howard, cuoceeded him and con- tinued to keep the hotel and carry on the farm, though he has
recently discontinued the hotel bedingos. Mr. H Howard
has improved the farm and built a large barn
han now one of the best farms in the tooz.
settlers is Mr. James Rath, who came from Envied fr. Linneus in 1035. He first took the lot z zor lives, dear the south line of the town, the lot two miles farther worth, where he be cleared from the forest and made a co is now comewhat out of health and alo so roma Ireland
carries on the farm. Daniel McMullen about the same time and settled on & Id =
Sarazel S. Potz,
mille south of the correr, where be
He died in. 1879 and his con, Joka H. MoMitten coupies
" lumber ny quis extensively. He moved to W cconda corta on this farm and is the present to of Linness. Alezan-
der Gamble and Isaac Codata: wer
coming from Ireland and making good farms on the Military road. Mr. John S. Taylor moved to a lot some three miles west of the Corner.
farm, upon which he lived until his death in 1866. His son, John Taylor, lived on the homestead until he was of age and in 1853 bought the farm come two mailes or less north of the Cor- ad ata of the selected of Linneus for eleven years and co. taxes for thirteen years. Opposite Mr. Taylor lives Capt Nathaniel Young. Capt Young moved Grond Dover in 1842 and Erc: He afterward made farms in different maile wrest of the Corner
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