USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Bath > History of Bath and environs, Sagadahoc County, Maine. 1607-1894 > Part 20
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Henry Tallman, a justice of the peace, a legal warrant, by virtue of which a general meeting was holden on May 5th; subsequently, a constitution was adopted as prepared by B. C. Bailey, J. W. Wake- field, and S. F. Dike, under which B. C. BAILEY was chosen Presi- dent ; Mrs. John S. Elliot, Vice-President; John Gregson, Secretary; Mrs. T. G. Stockbridge, Treasurer, and a Board of Managers.
A fund was immediately raised by voluntary DONATIONS, headed by JOHN PATTEN & SON with $3,000, and $1,000 each from RODNEY HYDE, THOMAS HARWARD, THOMAS M. REED, WILLIAM D. SEWALL, BARNARD C. BAILEY, FRANKLIN REED, OLIVER MOSES, WILLIAM V. MOSES, GOSS & SAWYER, JOHN H. KIMBALL, GALEN C. MOSES, JAMES F. PATTEN, and the addition of lesser sums resulted in a total of $19, 122. Subsequently, John Patten made money donations to the amount of $5,000 and other very liberal contributions.
To commence operations the house on the north-east corner of High and Granite streets was leased and inmates admitted. The formal opening, however, did not take place until November Ist, when the house was filled with friends of the Home and dedicatory services were held.
The number of INMATES of the Home having INCREASED, and the funds of the society being sufficient to warrant the undertaking, the present Home on High street was purchased, and on Oct. 9, 1877, the house was dedicated by the presence of its friends, the offering of prayer, addresses, and quartette singing.
MRS. MARY J. LEDYARD of the city, having taken a lively interest in the welfare of the Home for a number of years, left by will an endowment fund in trust with the city government of $14,000, which yields a yearly income of $840. Mrs. Caleb S. Jenks, who also had constantly interested herself in promoting the success of the Home, donated by her will two thousand dollars for its benefit. There have been other liberal donations from various sources, in- cluding a considerable sum that has been realized by pound parties.
Inmates are admitted at the discretion of the board of managers, which comprise both ladies and gentlemen; the applicant must furnish her room, pay in cash one hundred dollars upon entrance,
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and if she is possessed of any property it must be made over to authorities of the Home in fee simple. So far twenty-seven aged ladies have found a home in this institution. When a room becomes vacant a new occupant is immediately admitted. The aged ladies do not lose respectability on account of living in the Home.
From the date of the organization of the society B. C. Bailey was president until his death in 1876, since which time G. C. Moses has been the president; the secretaries have been John Gregson, Mrs. Michael F. Gannett, and Veturia Manson; treasurers, Mrs. T. G. Stockbridge, Charles Davenport, and Franklin Reed since 1877; auditors, S. D. Bailey, J. H. Kimball; the matrons, Mrs. L. A. Huston, Mrs. M. Stinson, Mrs. Henry Tallman, Mrs. F. P. Hogan.
The Home Edifice. - The house that is used for the Home is situated on a conspicuous and central site on High street; is of two large stories with out-buildings, and surrounded by extensive, well kept and handsomely adorned grounds. This is a favorite and favored institution of the benevolently inclined among the leaders of society, who take a constant and personal oversight of its welfare. This Home is notable for the longevity of those who have passed their later lives within its precincts, which affords worthy ladies truly a home. One lady lived to be over 101 years.
Public Beneficent Bequests .- DENNY KELLEY, a native of Ire- land, found his way to Bath in his early life. The first three nights he spent in the place he slept under a board pile on Gove's wharf. Among the first jobs of work he obtained was hod carrier to masons who were at work on the building that is now occupied by the Twen- ty-five Cent Savings Bank. In time he purchased the same building, in which he kept a dry goods and carpet store, his wife assistant. They had no children, and when he died he left by will the sum of two thousand dollars in trust, the income to be used in aid of de- serving poor of the city. The first trustee was Mr. E. S. J. Nealley, and he was succeeded by Mr. J. M. Hayes, now acting as such, who reports that this fund has been the means of doing a vast amount of good; the money is loaned to the city at six per cent. interest. MRS. CALEB S. JENKS left in her will one thousand dollars, the
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income to be used for the same purpose, and it was united with the Kelley fund, both together making one hundred and eighty dollars yearly to bless the poor, who in turn bless the generous donors and perpetuate their memories to all future time. In 1892, Mrs. L. M. Perkins, a native of Bath, living elsewhere after her marriage, bequeathed one thousand dollars in trust to this city, the income derived from it to be applied to the benefit of its poor. Mr. Rodney Hyde donated fifty dollars to the same purpose.
TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.
At a period anterior to the early temperance reform which reached this city about the year of 1830, the use of liquors of all kinds as a beverage was universal, was considered generally to be a necessity, was kept in decanters on every sideboard to be set before every visitor of social importance, to neglect which would be a slight, was indispensable on the occasion of the installation of clergymen, at raisings, huskings, chopping bees, trainings, town meetings, fur- nished by candidates, dancing and social parties, on the dinner tables when guests were present, and at every formal or festive gathering. It was a legitimate article of trade, the stock of no store was complete without it; was brought as part of the cargo of every vessel arriving from a foreign port, on board of which the sailors were entitled to their twice daily allowance of "grog," while the cabin was supplied with cases of a choicer grade; work- men employed on shore must have the regular "eleven o'clock " and " four o'clock " drinks and " bitters " before breakfast when the day's work commenced, as was often, with the sun. The best profits in trade were made by the dealing in liquors, and men of the first class were in the business.
It was not until about the year of 1812 that thinking men of broad views and philanthropic impulses began to agitate the neces- sity of temperance reform in New England. In this movement
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men of Massachusetts and Connecticut led, and the American Temperance Society was instituted Feb. 13, 1826. It met with serious opposition, not only from the lovers of liquor, but from its importers and dealers. It was upon this question that the celebrated Lyman Beecher came into conspicuous notice. He delivered a series of lectures upon the subject that were replete with logic and comprehensive eloquence. They became printed in pamphlet form and scattered gratuitously throughout the New England towns. This opened the eyes of the community.
Deacon Giles' Distillery. - About that time a great sensation connected with the incipient era of temperance reform had its origin in Salem. That sea-port was, at that day, an important one for trade with the West Indies, and large quantities of molasses were imported into the place Hence it was a good place for a distillery, and Mr. Giles, who was a deacon of an Orthodox church, established one. A minister of some distinction of the place, Dr. George B. Cheever, wrote and had published an exceedingly able and sarcastic communication in a leading newspaper of the town, in which he illustrated the iniquity of a deacon of a church operating " the worm of the still." It was headed " Enquire at Deacon Giles' Distillery." Its appearance created an intense excitement; as the subject was new and the story startling, the whole thing shook New England from center to circumference. The avaricious sanctimony of its owner and the picture which Dr. Cheever drew of the midnight fire that consumed the distillery building, in the midst of the ascending smoke of which the devil was seen carrying the writhing form of the miserable hypocrite away, were intensely sensational. For this he was prosecuted, tried, and imprisoned for thirty days in Salem jail; but it did as much for the cause of temperance as Uncle Tom's Cabin did to bring about the abolition of slavery.
The Bath Distillery. - In the age of the universal use of liquors, and when the large fleet of vessels in the West India trade brought to this port cargoes of molasses, a demand was created for it in the establishment of a distillery by Samuel Winter for making New England rum. It occupied the ground immediately south of the present gas house, in connection with which was the distillery
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wharf. The business was run for many years with apparent profit until Mr. Winter indulged in an unfortunate speculation in molasses, in the fear of disaster from which operation he drowned himself one dark night off the end of this wharf. His distillery then suspended operations, the temperance reformers soon after bought the building, and this put an end in Bath to the distilling of molasses into rum.
PARSON ELLINGWOOD made the remark in his latter days that "on the occasion of his ordination the largest bill he had to pay was for liquor for the ministers' entertainment." This was in 1812. Ministers took it with noon luncheon on the Sabbath, and in some well known instances took it into the pulpit with them. With sin- gular inconsistency the boys were not allowed to drink, and yet with potent examples before them and the opportunies to indulge, it is likewise singular that more of them did not become drunkards; and it is also a singular fact that neither those who retailed the tempting article nor their young clerks were often known to be even habitual drinkers. An old Bath paper of those days has this couplet:
"A man who saw his son quite handy Toss off a glass of strong French brandy ; 'Neddy,' cried he, 'Ah don't do so, For liquor is our greatest foe.' 'But we are taught to love our foes,' Quoth Ned, 'so father-here goes.'"
During the war of 1812, ship-loads of liquor were brought into Castine. Traders from Bath went there for the purchase of large. quantities. The files of old newspapers display advertisements of all kinds of liquors, wholesale and retail, by merchants of the high- est repute in Bath.
No two men in town swayed more influence in their days of activity than John W. Ellingwood and William King, and there were none who were more temperate in drinking, yet they were the most strenuous in not having wine and beer included in the list of pro- hibited beverages.
"Jan. 16, 1813. Retailers met at the Baptist Hall in the evening together with the 'Society for suppressing vice ' and the 'Tything-
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men.' Rev. Mr. Ellingwood, Rev. Mr. Jenks, and some other persons spoke considerably in favor of suppressing the use of ardent spirits. Mr. Mclellan, Mr. Magoun, Mr. Crombie, and a few other retailers said a number of things " (per Zina Hyde).
At a subsequent meeting of the retailers a resolution was adopted "expressive of a disposition to afford their influence to prevent the intemperate use of ardent spirits, under a sense of the evils result- ing therefrom."
Retailers. - In December, 1814, the Rev. Mr. Ellingwood and Zina Hyde united in efforts in behalf of the temperance cause, and in the diary of the latter he writes that they were strongly opposed by the retailers and their object misrepresented " as being warmly engaged to suppress the retailing of ardent spirits to be drank in shops," and this opposition " took effect among the most respectable part of the retailers." Major Hyde circulated a paper to be signed by young men, which had been drawn up by Mr. Ellingwood, to pledge themselves to aid in the suppression of the vice of drinking, but obtained no signatures.
"Jan. 23. Attended an adjourned meeting of the retailers, at which a number of resolutions expressing a disposition to afford their influence to prevent the intemperate use of ardent spirits were adopted, and Miss S. Bowman and myself requested to furnish each retailer in town with a copy of the resolutions" (per Zina Hyde).
The foreign imports of liquor into this collection district for the , year 1820 were 93,222 gallons of rum, 22,376 gallons of wine, besides a quantity of brandy.
SAMUEL WINTER advertises July 13, 1821, at his store in Bath, fifty hhds. St. Johns Rum, superior quality; five hhds. St. Croix Rum, superior quality; twenty hhds. Windward Island Rum, supe- rior quality; four hlids. New England Rom, superior quality; five pipes Cognac (Outard) Brandy; five pipes Pico Madeira Wine, in one-half and one-quarter pipes; eight and one-quarter pipes Wine; five casks Angelica Cordial; forty hhds. St. Johns Rum; Holland and American Gin. There were other similar advertisements in the old Bath papers.
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First Reform Movement. - The reform movement developed slowly into the formation of temperance societies. To sign a pledge was a great bugbear to the conservative element, while the intem- perate declared it was "signing away their liberties." Yet the reform moved on. Dealers of the better class let their stocks run out and did not replenish. Treating either at the counter or at the house became less common, and few of the religious class but felt compelled to ignore it as a beverage. The first temperance society formed in Bath was in 1816, at a meeting held in the old " Erudi- tion " school-house on Meeting-house Hill. Not all of those who took a prominent part in its proceedings were total abstinence men. The man who presided was a temperate drinker.
Wine at the Communion Table. - In the broad light of temperance reform, the consistency of using wine at communions by the churches in this city was a serious question. Discussions were endless, resulting in the use of unfermented juice of the grape by some churches, while others adopted the use of raisin water or some harmless substitute.
The First Washingtonian Society was formed in Baltimore in about 1840, and was composed of reformed drunkards only. The idea took astonishingly and spread rapidly. The movement reached Bath in about a year, when a society was formed in 1841 and styled the Washingtonian Teetotal Society. The prominent leader in the movement was Joseph Hayes. Being a ready talker, he was em- ployed by the state Washingtonian Society at Portland for state lecturer in 1841, and he traveled throughout the state, awakening interest in the new cause. He was widely known as Father Hayes. In Bath rousing meetings were held every night for many months, at which reformed drunkards would relate their experiences to great effect. The enthusiasm thus aroused was contagious. The Wash- ingtonian idea " applied to reformed drunkards only - none others need apply."
Newer and younger drinkers came into the movement, and a reorganization of the society took place. The officers were Samuel
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Crowell, President; J. H. Nichols, Vice-President; John P. Flint, Recording Secretary; Edward C. Allen, Corresponding Secretary; William S. Pettingill, Treasurer.
The society resolved: "That the person who drinks rum, gin, brandy, whiskey, wine, or even cider or beer in any quantities, drinks too much and we will do all in our power to persuade those who partake not to make use of it as a drink any longer."
Article first of the constitution was, "Any person may become a member of this society who has been in the habit of drinking any intoxicating spirit since the first of November last by signing the pledge." Article tenth, "No person shall be allowed at the regular meetings of this society who has not drank liquors since November last."
The signers numbered 158. Among the number were Jesse Dus- ton, James H. Nichols, Samuel C. Bovey, Henry E. Jenks, Benjamin Fogg, Stephen B. Penny, Eben Colson, John W. Todd, William Hodgdon, Joseph Hayes, Stephen C. Sawyer, Jesse Totman, F. A. Newcomb, Peter Knight, David Owen, George Barton, Abner McFadden, Washburn Calden, Nathaniel Longley, Joshua P. Le- mont, John Parshley, 2d, Albert Parshley, John Foote, James R. Hinkley, Stephen Crooker, Samuel Anderson, Nathaniel Jennings, Samuel G. Stinson, Samuel Parker, George Vaughn, Warren Mains, David W. Standish, John E. Brown, Stephen T. Berry, James Wake- field, John B. Trull, Levi Chadbourne, Johnson Rideout, Joseph Rideout, Isaac Crocker, Farnham Cole.
Martha Washington Society. - The Washingtonian move- ment was supplemented by Martha Washington Societies, composed chiefly at first of the wives and women relatives of the Washingto- nians. It accomplished much good. The Washingtonian Total Abstinence Society held their first anniversary May 12, 1843 or 1844. James H. Nichols was president. The Martha Washingtons, Young Men's Temperance Society, and the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society and a large line of citizens with a band from Brunswick made up the largest procession ever in Bath before that time.
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In the days of the Sons of Temperance, Bath Division, No. 7, and Long Reach Division, No. 9 (upwards of fifty years ago), all classes of people were interested, and these two lodges had a united membership of nearly a thousand, with a strong and healthy influence upon society. Now there are but 175 identified with the two Good Templar lodges, the only temperance societies now in Bath.
There were those who were truly reformed and became not only good citizens but members of churches, of which some of them became deacons, while others held responsible public offices and brought up sons now an honor to the city.
An Old-Time Raising. - An old-time citizen said: "At the first barn ever raised in Bath without liquor I was there. It was the talk for days ahead. The owner had announced his determina- tion not to have any liquor. 'He can't raise it,' said nearly every- body, and crowds gathered to see if he could. Some of the old topers felt as though it was the life or death of a traditional princi- ple. They had been used to rum at raisings from time immemorial. I was a boy then and was full of interest. Over a hundred men stood around that day-hands in pockets and wouldn't lift. They used to pin the whole side of the barn together then and lift it at once-different, you see, from to-day. I helped lift. Some of the women folks lifted. The old topers jeered and laughed, but we raised the barn and it stands."
The Maine Law. - Finally the Maine law became enacted, and to make it inoperative there were ways invented to circumvent it, especially by small retailers, who would term the drink some milder beverage. The "striped pig" was a humorous term for illegal drinks. It originated with a circus traveling through the state, one of whose side shows had up the sign of a striped pig on exhibition inside the tent, but what turned out to be liquor dealt out free to those who had paid the admission fee. For years the illicit traffic in drinks of liquor was termed "seeing the STRIPED PIG." Then came the era of the sale of "PATENT BITTERS," composed chiefly of ardent spirits and an infusion of harmless roots and herbs, and
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used by those who had difficulty in obtaining anything else to satisfy their cravings for stimulants.
Prohibitory Law. - When the statutes enacting total "prohibi- tion " became operative, the majority of the people of Bath cheer- fully acquiesced, and when a vote on constitutional prohibition was placed before the people of the state, Bath went strongly with the majority in favor of the proposition, and sporadic efforts have yearly been made by the city authorities to enforce the law against the liquor traffic.
CENTENNIAL.
The one hundredth anniversary of Bath's first town meeting occurred on March 19, 1881. A large number of citizens were enrolled on the committee of arrangements and a gratifying success attended all the exercises. Many former residents returned for the celebration, while numerous letters of regret testified to the interest felt in the town of their birth by those unable to attend. The president and vice-presidents on this occasion were, President, Hon. John Patten, Ex-Mayor; Vice-Presidents, Hon. Freeman H. Morse, Ex-Mayor; Hon. William Rice, Ex-Mayor; Hon. John Hayden, Ex-Mayor; Hon. James T. Patten, Ex-Mayor; Hon. S. D. Bailey, Ex-Mayor; Hon. J. D. Robinson, Ex-Mayor; Hon. Edwin Reed, Ex-Mayor; Hon. John G. Richardson, Ex-Mayor.
The morning of Bath's centennial anniversary opened with a serene sky and a balmy atmosphere. Prompt as the sun came to the horizon, the bells in all the steeples raised their voices, an. nouncing to the people that to-day they enter upon a new century of corporate existence.
Wesley church, where the exercises were held, was beautifully decorated with bunting, and on the walls were hung handsome banners with the following names of mark in town history: Hinckley, Johnson, Lambert, Robinson, Higgins, Mitchell, Crooker, Swanton, Lemont, Turner, Sewall, Trufant, Patten, Hyde, Donnell,
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Philbrook, Houghton, Richardson, Coombs, Lowell, Magoun, Rog- ers, Standish, Cushing, Ledyard, Lombard, Williams, Peterson, Purington.
Miss Sadie Duncan, assisted by Miss Jennie R. Morse, opened the exercises by an organ voluntary which was very finely rendered.
The following gentlemen were on the platform: Hon. John Pat- ten, President of the day; Hon. T. W. Hyde, Mayor; Rev. Henry O. Thayer, of Woolwich, Historian; F. W. Hawthorne, Poet; J. O. Fiske, D.D .; Reverends H. J. White, J. Pottle, and Wm. R. Rich- ards; Joseph G. Torrey, of Boston, the first printer in Bath; Ex- Mayors John Hayden, Samuel D. Bailey, James D. Robinson, John G. Richardson; Charles Davenport, G. C. Goss, Jason Sewall; E. B. Nealley, of Bangor, Orator; Col. Lewis B. Smith, of Portland; B. F. Tallman, of Richmond; Edward E. Hyde, City Treasurer.
A large number of old citizens were in the church, among them Isaiah Crooker, Robinson Fogg, L. P. Lemont, M. F. Gannett, Capt. Isaac Trott, L. W. Houghton, and Thomas Eaton.
The choir, under the leadership of Zina H. Trufant, sang the anthem, "To Thee, O Country," Miss Jennie R. Morse presiding at the organ.
Mayor T. W. Hyde in well chosen remarks bade the audience wel- come, and Rev. J. O. Fiske offered prayer, which was very appro- priate to the occasion and in the most beautiful language ; many were the hearts that were touched by its patriotic and Christian spirit.
The reading of the act of incorporation was followed with music by Andrews' Orchestra of Bangor.
The Rev. H. O. Thayer then delivered a very able and interesting historical address, touching briefly on the chief points of the city's history.
The singing of Old Hundred was a marked feature of the occa- ison, filling, as it did, every part of the church with its grand inspiration.
The oration by Hon. E. B. Nealley was delivered in a most elo- quent manner, and was replete with the highest and most ennobling
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sentiments of a local and national character, expressed in terse and flowing periods.
F. W. Hawthorne's poem fully merited the close attention given to its well delivered lines.
After the closing hymn to the tune of America by the choir, orchestra, and audience, and benediction by Rev. Mr. Pottle, the immense audience slowly wended its way homeward, the booming of cannon and the ringing of bells blending in a national salute.
Evening Gathering. - An audience of five thousand people thronged the Patten Car Works in the evening. Mayor Hyde pre- sided. The speaking was varied by occasional music by Andrews' Orchestra and the reading of letters from former residents who could not attend. The letters from Capt. C. C. Duncan, President George F. Magoun, and Rev. Philemon R. Russell were listened to with much interest, as was also that of Jonas Burnham, eighty years of age, the oldest surviving school-master who had taught school in Bath.
Hon. Henry Tallman gave some interesting recollections of other days which were listened to with deep interest.
Col. Lewis B. Smith, of Portland, was the next speaker, and made remarks expressive of his deep regard for Bath, and closed with words of Tiny Tim, "God bless you, God bless me, God bless all and everybody."
Other speeches followed by Gen. Joseph S. Smith, of Bangor; Silas Stearns Low, of Bangor; Major H. A. Shorey, of the Bridgton News; Capt. Guy C. Goss, representative of Bath in the legislature ;. Hon. Wm. L. Putnam, Ex-Mayor of Portland, and Rev. S. F. Dike.
The Ball. - At a meeting of the Commandery held in February, the whole affair of the ball was placed in the hands of a committee of gentlemen, consisting of Sir Knights Charles A. Coombs, Joseph M. Hayes, Charles H. Greenleaf, John O. Shaw, John W. Ballou, William C. Duncan, William D. Mussenden, and David O. Foye, who had complete charge of the arrangements, and to whom the credit should be given for the pronounced success of the evening's ball.
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