USA > Maine > Aroostook County > History of Aroostook. vol. I > Part 7
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Mr. Franklin Ham came to Smyrna about 1856. He first traded for a time at Smyrna Mills and afterward built the East Branch House, on the west side of the river, where he kept a hotel until his death. Mr. Ham was a genial, kind hearted man and had many friends in Aroostook County. He was for some years a member of the board of County Commissioners, and died in 1871, from the effects of exposure while in performance of the duties of that office.
The northern half of the town of Smyrna is not settled and is still in its wilderness state. For many years the town of Smyrna was in an unfortunate condition financially and this fact gave it rather an unhealthy reputation. It is now, how- ever virtually out of debt and the tax is but seventeen mills on the dollar. We predict that with the opening of the railroad Smyrna will take good rank both as an agricultural and as a manufacturing town.
ASHLAND
The town of Ashland, formerly Number Eleven, Range Five, lies due west from the town of Presque Isle, with two ranges of townships between. The stage road from Presque Isle to Ashland follows the curve of the Aroostook River and runs through the northern portion of the towns of Mapleton and Castle Hill, and thence in a southwesterly direction across the corner of Sheridan Plantation to Ashland village. Though quite
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hilly, this road extends through a fertile region for a large por- tion of the way, and in many places the landscape scenery is grand and beautiful. Through Sheridan Plantation not much improvement has been made in the way of making farms, the settlers along the road through this township being principally French, and the buildings and surroundings being of rather a primitive character.
Ashland has for many years been the headquarters of the vast lumbering business of the upper Aroostook, and has played a most important part in the business history of the county. Its prominence as a lumbering centre, and the opportunities af- forded for engaging in that business, have had a tendency to retard its development as an agricultural town, though it is pos- sessed of a fertile soil and is naturally an excellent farming town. Much more attention is now being paid to agriculture, and the resources of the town in that direction are being more fully developed each year. The soil along the Aroostook River in this town is as fertile as any in the county, and there are beautiful intervale tracts upon which large crops of hay and grain are produced. The old stage route from Patten to Fort Kent runs through the western portion of the town, and it is along this road and in the vicinity of the Aroostook River that the settled portion of the town is found. Almost the entire eastern half of the town is still covered with forest, much of it being timberland, but a large portion being suitable for farm- ing purposes.
The first settler upon the town was William Dalton, who came to the Aroostook River some time about 1830 and settled near the bank of the river upon the lot now included in the beautiful estate of the Dunn Bros. on the west side of the Aroostook, below the mouth of Big Machias. The ruins of the timber house built by this pioneer settler of Ashland are still standing and form an object of interest to the citizens of the town. Dalton remained upon the lot until about 1844, when he sold his improvements to Elbridge G. Dunn and John S. Gilman. This lot is numbered "55" upon the town survey and no men- tion is made of it in the report of the Commissioners who visit- ed the Aroostook in 1844 to inquire into the claims of settlers under the treaty of 1842. In their report made Dec. 25, 1844, the Commissioners recognize the title of Solomon Soule to Lot No. 15, of Thomas J. Page to Lot No. 17, of John S. Gilman and Elbridge G. Dunn to Lot No. 19, and of Benjamin Howe to Lot No. 44, as "purchasers from the State of Lots improved
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before August 9, 1836. No mention whatever is made of Lot No. 55. In the report of the second Commission, made March 6, 1855, the four lots mentioned above were granted as follows: Lot No. 15 to George W. Smith; No. 17 to Josiah H. Blake; No. 19 to John S. Gilman; No. 44 to Benjamin Howe, and in the same report Lot No. 55, containing 184.30 acres is granted to Elbridge G. Dunn.
Not many years after Dalton came to the town Thomas Neal settled on the lot above the mouth of the Big Machias, afterward the homestead of John S. Gilman, and Benjamin Howe settled a few miles farther up the river near the foot of Bols- tridge's Island. In 1838 a company consisting of George W. Buckmore of Ellsworth, William D. Parsons of Eastbrook, James McCaron of New Brunswick, and others, was formed for the purpose of building a mill near the mouth of the Big Machias River. In that year a dam was built across that river some half a mile above its junction with the Aroostook. In the spring of 1839 a high freshet carried the dam away, and in September of the same year a new dam was built and a mill erected. This mill contained an up-and-down saw and also a run of stones and bolt. After a year or two James McCaron bought the mill of the company and after running it some three years sold it to E. G. Dunn and John S. Gilman, who a few years afterwards sold to Fish and True. They operated a few years and sold the mill to J. A. Flint and Ira D. Fish, who continued in pos- session some six or seven years, when Mr. Flint became sole proprietor and a few years later sold to C. W. Clayton, the present owner. The mill formed the nucleus of a little settle- ment here in the wilderness. Quite a number of those who came to work upon it remained, and others were attracted to the town for farming purposes. Luther Butler, one of the oldest living residents of the town, came from Eastbrook, Hancock County, in 1838. After working upon the mill until its completion, Mr. Butler and Mr. Septimus B. Bearce, who came to the town in the spring of 1839, bought of George W. Buckmore the lot upon the east side of the Aroostook River where Mr. Bearce now lives.
In 1840 Mr. Solomon Brown came from the town of Greene and made a clearing on the lot next north of Bearce and Butler and a short time afterward Mr. Butler bought his improvement and went to work to clear up a farm, which he still owns.
Jabez Dorman and Elbridge Wakefield came in 1838 and worked upon the dam and mill. Mr. Wakefield afterward took
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up the lot where A. T. Mooers, Esq., now lives, and made the first clearing on this lot. He afterward sold his improvement to Sincla.r, Jewett and March, a firm of lumber operators who cleared up a large part of the lot. Mr. Dorman took the lot next south of the Wakefield lot, where he cleared up a farm upon which he continued to reside until his death, which oc- curred a few years since.
Micajah Dudiey of China came in the fall of 1838 and felled some trees on the lot where R. G. Kalloch now lives. He did not remain, however, and in the spring of 1839 Mr. Kalloch, also from China, bought Dudley's improvement and moved in upon the lot. There was then no road to the town, the Aroos- took road at that time being built no farther than Masardis. Mr. Kalloch came with his family by team from Bangor to Masardis, where he made a raft of boards upon which they floated down the Aroostook River to their new home. Mr. Kal- loch has been an active citizen of the town ever since, and in 1842 represented the district in the State Legislature. He died in 1891.
In the fall of 1839, the road was cut through from Masardis to Ashland but was not made passable for carriages until some years later. Not long afterward the road was cut through to Presque Isle and was then callled the Fairbanks road, as Fair- banks' mill was about all there was of Presque Isle at that time.
In 1839, Solomon Soule came in and cleared up the land where Orcutt's hotel now stands, and built a house and com- menced keeping a hotel. A large lumber business was at that time done in the vicinity and the hotel had a good patronage. Mr. Soule afterwards sold the hotel to Mr. George W. Smith, who kept it until his death. His widow continued the business tor a number of years and then rented the house to Daniel W. Orcutt, and a few years later to Samuel Jewett. Mrs. Smith afterwards carried on the house herself for a year or two and then sold it to Mr. D. O. Orcutt, the present proprietor.
Mr. D. G. Cook came to Ashland in 1839 and made a clear- ing on the Winslow place a short distance south of Mr. Kalloch's. The next year he moved to the corner of the Presque Isle road and took up the lot on the north side of the road opposite the lot now occupied by A. T. Moores. Here Mr. Cook made a clearing and built a frame house in which he kept public house for a number of years. The first deed of this lot was given to Mr. Cook in accordance with the recommendation of the Com-
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missioners in their report in 1855. In 1858 Mr. Cook sold the property to Stephen P. Hews, and removed to Presque Isle and settled on the Whitcomb farm, a short distance south of Presque Isle village on the Houlton road. Mr. Cook was for many years a prominent citizen of Presque Isle, where he held the office of Trial Justice until his death, which occurred a few years since.
In 1840 Mr. Grindall Coffin settled on the lot where Dear- born Bearce now lives, and Mr. Joseph Walker on the lot where Leonard Ellis now lives. It appears by the report of the Com- In ssioners that the north half of lots No. Seven and Ten, lying on opposite sides of the road, was granted to Joseph Walker, and the south half of the same lots to Josiah H. and Leonard H. Ellis. Benjamin Hawes and his brother, Orric Hawes came from Vassalboro about 1840 and took up a lot on the Presque Isle road about a mile and a half from the corner. Orric Hawes remained but a short time and returned to Kennebec County. Benjamin Hawes was for many years engaged in farming and lumbering and was a prominent citizen of Aroostook County. He was sheriff of the county at one time and also served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners. Upon the breaking out of the war he entered the service as Major of the 15th Regiment and soon after the close of the war removed to Kansas, where he died a few years since. Mr. Joseph Brackett was another of the early settlers of the town. He came about the year 1840 and settled near the mill.
Soon after this Mr. Elbridge G. Dunn and Mr. John S. Gilman, both from Mt. Vernon, came to Ashland and engaged in lumbering and farming. Mr. Dunn afterwards settled upon the Dalton farm on the east side of the Aroostook River, where he made a very fine farm and built a handsome residence, which his son, E. G. Dunn, Jr., now occupies. Mr. Dunn became weal- thy in the business of lumbering and the purchase of timber lands, and in 1870 removed to St. John, where he has since been extensively engaged in the manufacture of lumber. Mr. John S. Gilman was for some years engaged in the lumber business with Mr. Dunn and afterwards with Mr. Hiram Brack- ett. In 1843 he bought the lot opposite the mouth of Big Ma- chias Stream, where he cleared up a large farm, building his farm buildings near the bank of the Aroostook River. Here he continued to reside until his death, and his widow still lives on the old place with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. Charles E. Clark.
Mr. A. T. Mooers came from Vassalboro in the fall of 1842.
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Mr. Mcoers brought with him a stock of boots and shoes and commenced trading in a building on Bearce's Flat. He after- wards moved the store to a corner of the Presque Isle road and sold it to J. Sinclair & Co., a firm doing a large business, and went into their employ as a clerk. After a few years he formed a co-partnership with Messrs. Jewett & March under the firm name of A. T. Mooers & Co., which continued for ten years. In the meantime he bought the farm where he now resides and in 1863 built a large store with a hall overhead on the corner of the Presque Isle road. Here he continued to trade until the store was burned in August, 1890. Mr. Mooers has long been very much interested in fruit raising and has done much for its encouragement in his vicinity. He is the originator of the Mooers' Arctic Plum, which has proved to be a most valuable plum. The Arctic is a seedling from a plum which Mr. Mooers bought in Quincy Market, Boston. After raising a number of the trees, and proving the excellence of the fruit, he sold the trees to Mr. Sharp of Woodstock, who has since propagated them quite extensively. Mr. Mooers was appointed postmaster of Ashland in 1845, and held the office until after the Cleveland administration came into power.
Isaac Hacker came to Ashland from the town of China, in 1843, and built a store near the saw mill, and a few years later built the store on the corner of the Presque Isle road, where W. P. Bridgham now trades. Mr. Hacker built a mill on the Big Machias Stream, in what is now the plantation of Garfield, adjoining Ashland. This mill contained an up-and- down saw and a clapboard machine. He afterwards sold the mill to Parker and Abner Weeks, who run it for a number of years, when it was burned and has never been rebuilt. Mr. Hacker also built a mill in 1844, at the mouth of the Little Ma- ch'as Stream in Ashland. This was a grist mill, and also con- tained a clapboard and shingle machine. After running a few years, Mr. Hacker sold this mill to Mr. Charles Stewart, who put in an up-and-down saw and operated the mill for a number of years, when it returned to Mr. Hacker's possession. It then passed through a number of hands, and was finally purchased by Mr. J. A. Flint, the present proprietor. David Dudley was for some time engaged in business with Mr. Hacker in those early years, and was the first postmaster at Ashland.
Mr. J. A. Flint came from Bridgton in 1844 and worked for Isaac Hacker upon the mill at the mouth of the Little Machias. The road from Ashland to Fort Kent was cut through in the fall
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and winter of 1839, but was hardly passable for teams until about this time. This road as first travelled extended up the east bank of the Aroostook River, by the Butler and Coffin lots, and a ferry was maintained across the river below the mouth of little Machias. In 1846, the bridge was built across the Aroostook and the ferry was then discontinued, the route to Fort Kent now crossing on this bridge and continuing up the west side of the river, crossing the Little Machias near the mill, where another bridge was built.
In 1844 Mr. Calvin P. Bartlett came from Mt. Vernon and settled on the west bank of the Aroostook River a short dis- tance above the mouth of Little Machias. Mr. Bartlett was formerly engaged in lumbering and now has a very fine farm and has paid much attention to raising good horses. He has now some very fine colts in his stables and pasture.
Josiah Blake came from Farmington and bought the Thos. J. Page lot about half a mile south of the village on the Mas- ardis road. This farm is now occupied by Mr. Silas S. Gilman and is one of the finest in the town. Rev. M. R. Keep came to Ashland in 1846. Mr. Keep was born in Swanton, Vt., and was brought up by relatives in Canada. He entered Middlebury College, Vt., and afterwards became a student at the Bangor Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 1846 and imme- diately started out as a missionary to the wilds of northern Maine. For many years he travelled on foot through these for- ests, preaching at the little settlements, extending his journeys away through the woods to Fort Kent and to the settlements at St. Francis and farther up the St. John. Mr. Keep is a man of marked characteristics and of many eccentricities. He has lived in close communion with Nature and cares little for the conventionalities of society. His work has been done mainly among those who had little to give him in recompense and his incentive has been a desire to do good and to carry the consol- ations of religion to those who were unable to purchase them. He will die poor in this world's goods, but rich in the posses- sion of the affection of the many who have been aided by his kindly counsels and tender ministrations in time of trouble.
Mr. Peter Dunn came to Ashland about 1849 and was for a time engaged in the lumber business with his brother, Mr. E. G. Dunn. He afterwards operated on his own account and became a large owner of timberlands. About 1860 he bought a fine farm on the west side of the Aroostook River, which he very much improved and where he built a fine stand of build- ings. Mr. Dunn studied law in his younger days and prac-
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ticed to some extent. He represented his district at one time in the State Legislature and was for many years a prominent citizen of Aroostook. His death occurred at Ashland in the summer of 1889.
Mr. D. N. Rogers was formerly a prominent business man at Ashland. He came to the town about 1851 as clerk for Isaac Hacker. He afterwards bought the business and continued in trade until his death, about the year 1872. His widow con- tinued the business for a time, and then sold to Mr. C. W. Clayton. Mr. Clayton has been engaged in the lumber busi- ness in Aroostook for many years, having formerly lived at Masardis. He came to Ashland in 1870, and bought the mills on the Big Machias Stream. Here he has done a large busi- ness in connection with his son, the firm being C. F. Clayton & Co. In 1878 they built a starch factory near their mill at Ashland, and in 1883 they built another on the Squa Pan Stream in Masardis. In 1886 they built the steam shingle mill at Ash- land. Their saw mill contains a rotary, clapboard machine, planer, lath machine and barrel machinery. They saw about 500,000 feet of long lumber yearly for the local market. They also manufacture 200,000 clapboards yearly, the shipping quali- ties being hauled to Presque Isle and sent by rail to Boston. Here also are made all the barrels used at their two starch fac- tories. In their shingle mill they manufacture in some years as many as three million shingles, the first qualities being shipped by way of Presque Isle to Boston. The firm has opera- tions in the woods every winter, cutting lumber to supply the mills. Mr. Clayton is also largely engaged in farming, having a large farm in the adjoining town of Garfield.
Mr. E. R. Mckay came to Ashland in 1852 and has been in the employ of the Dunns ever since. He carried on their large farm for thirteen years and scaled in the woods during the win- ter season. He has been chairman of the board of selectmen for many years. Mr. McKay built the large two-story build- ing on the corner opposite the hotel and uses the upper story for a residence. The lower story is occupied as a lumber supply store by Dunn Bros. This firm is largely engaged in lumbering and cut from eight to twelve millions yearly on Aroostook wa- ters. Mr. George B. Dunn, the senior member of the firm, occupied the homestead for some time after his father moved to St. John. He afterwards bought the handsome residence of Hon. L. Powers in Houlton, where he has since lived. Mr. E. G. Dunn, Jr., is now the occupant of the estate and is making
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extensive improvements upon the farm and buildings. He represented his district in the Legislature of 1891.
As we approach the town of Ashland from Presque Isle we first come to the large farm of Mr. Hazen Walker, situated upon a beautiful ridge of land and consisting of a succession of fine smooth fields extending away back to the forest growth.
After a careful examination of the town and its agricultur- al capabilities, we do not hesitate to say that were the same general attention paid to farming as in towns not so largely en- gaged in the lumbering interest, Ashland wauld be one of the best farming towns in the county. The town was incorporated under the name of Ashland in 1862. In 1869 the name was changed to Dalton, in honor of its pioneer settler, but in 1876 it was changed back again to its original name. The popula - tion of the town by the census of 1890 was 568, and the valua- tion was $136,433. The survey of the branch of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad has been completed to Ashland, and when this road is constructed it will largely increase the business of the town and increase the population.
HAYNESVILLE
About twenty-five miles southwest of Houlton, on the old Military road, is the village of Haynesville, situated near the "Forks" of the Mattawamkeag, or the point where the east and west branches of that river unite and form the main Mattawam- keag River which flows in a southwesterly direction and empties into the Penobscot at Mattawamkeag Point. The establishment of the military post at Houlton in 1828 and the consequent trans- portation of large quantities of suppllies for the garrison at Han- cock barracks attracted settlers to the line of the route over which these stores were carried. The Forks, or as it was spok- en of by Major Clark, the officer in command at Houlton, "the crotch of the Mattawamkeag," was an important point upon the route from the beginning of these operations and the handling of large quantities of supplies at times brought quite a number of men to this point. It is pretty well settled that the first per- manent settler in what is now the town of Haynesville was Mr. William Wilson who came from Somerset County in 1828 and settled a short distance east of the forks. His father, Mr. Jona-
-
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than Wilson, came soon after and together they took up the land now included in the farms of Mr. Wm. F. Wilson, Mr. H. G. Tuck and Mr. Charles Irish. They cleared a farm and bu.lt the house in which Mr. Wm. F. Wilson now 1.ves. Jonathan Willson died many years ago, and his son, William Wilson, continued to live upon the farm until his death in 1882.
Immediately upon settling at the Forks the Wilsons opened a house of entertainment, or a stopping place for those whose business callled them to this wilderness region. It was proba- bly a very primitive style of hotel, but was without doubt the first public house opened at the Forks. No road had at that time been built in all this region, and the work of forwarding sup .. plies to the garrison was one of much difficulty. Work was at once commenced with the view of cutting a road through to Houlton and was at first carried on by the soldiers. This finally resulted in the construction of the Military road, which was com- pleted in the winter of 1832.
The opening of this road induced other settlers to establish themselves along its line and to engage in farming and in sup- plying the wants of those whom this new enterprise attracted thither. Mr. Albion Haynes was one of the earliest settlers who came to the Forks, and for him the town was afterwards named. Mr. Haynes settled a short distance below the Forks, near where the Pollard store now stands, and here he kept a hotel for a number of years. Mr. Asa Smith afterwards kept the hotel, but subsequently moved to Mattawamkeag. In 1832 Messrs Hall and Leighton built a hotel on the hill about two miles below the Forks. They afterwards built a hotel near where the Military road crosses the Mattawamkeag river, on the lot where Mr. Wm. H. Chambers now lives. About the year 1840, Mr. Daniel Cummings came from Cape Elizabeth and took the hotel on the hill below the Forks which he kept for many years. In 1853, Mr. R. B. Campbell came from Boston and took the Cummings' hotel and Mr. Cummings built a house nearby, where he lived until his death some ten or twelve years ago. Mr. Campbell also carried on a large farm in connection with the hotel. He was a man of much energy and force of character and was withal an intense Union man during the war. So strong were his sentiments in this respect that he has been known to order guests from his house during the time of the war for uttering disloyal sentiments and even to threaten them with forcible ejectment if they did not depart at once. Mr. Campbell continued to keep the hotel until his death some
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twenty years ago. Mr. Jeremiah Blaisdell was in Mr. Camp- bell's employ for many years and was well known to all patrons of the house. After Mr. Campbell's death his son, Frank Camp- bell, continued in the house for a number of years, when it was sold to Mr. E. F. Hillman, who died some five years ago. Mr. L. L. Wiers now has the house.
In the olden time, before the era of the railroad, the old Military road was the principal route for communication with Arcostook County, and nearly all the supplies for this upper country were hauled over this road. Large lumbering opera- tions were carried on in its vicinity and great quantities of sup- plies for the camps were hauled from Bangor. The road was. also the mail route from Houlton to Bangor and passenger coaches, always well loaded, ran upon the line. This large amount of travel gave business to many hotels along the line and for many years no better houses of entertainment could be found in the State than were kept along the old Military road.
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