USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Harpswell > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 25
USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Brunswick > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 25
USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Topsham > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 25
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"January 30th. On the fifth watch saw a young man returning home from particular business. Detained him awhile, demanded his business for being out so late ; he gave us good satisfaction ; we let him go by paying one bottle of wine."
"February 15th. First round, half past twelve o'clock, met Hannah S. and Geo. W., all was well."
" March 4th. One thing is deserving of particular notice, viz., not a hundred rods distant a fine lady was observed to be sitting in the lap of a fine gentleman, and as our respected major and squire would say, ' all as fine as silk.'"
The watch was continued for several winters and then given up.
In 1849 a similar watch was established upon a modified plan. John M. Hall was appointed superintendent of the watch. The watch for each night consisted of six citizens, who were divided into three parties of two each, and it was so arranged that four persons were on the watch at all times through the night until daylight.
The watch was discontinued at the end of the season and was not afterwards revived.
In 1852 and 1853 a watch, consisting of six citizens appointed each night by the justices of the peace and selectmen, was kept in Brunswick. The chamber of the engine-house on Pleasant Street was used as the watch-room, where the watch met at nine o'clock each evening and organized themselves for the night.
TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES AND TEMPERANCE REFORM.
The first movement toward the suppression of intemperance in this vicinity, and possibly as early a movement as any of the kind in the State (then District) of Maine, was in the year 1813.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
On the second day of April of that year a society was formed under the title of THE BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF INTEMPERANCE. The constitution of this society at first limited its exertions to the single object of restraining intemperance, but by an amendment adopted at its first anniversary in 1814, it was provided that the efforts of the society should also be directed against other immoralities.
The following extracts from the constitution, as published in 1814, will show the character of the organization and the nature of its work : -
" Article 2. The object of this society is the suppression of vice and immorality, and the encouragement of reformation and virtue. The accomplishment of this design is to be sought by admonition and persuasion, and by promoting a faithful execution of the laws."
Article 7 provided for a "Board of Council." Among the duties of this board were the following : "To make communications to other similar societies ; to receive communications from them ; to collect, combine, and digest facts and general information relating to the gen- eral purposes of the society ; to devise ways and means for the further- ance of these purposes, and at each annual meeting to report to the society their doings ; a digest of the facts and general information which they may have collected, and such measures as they may judge suitable for the society to adopt and pursue."
The eighth article provided that each member of the society should make it an object to discountenance and prevent as far as may be, by his own example and influence, every kind of vice and immorality.
April 27, 1814, Professor Cleaveland delivered an address before the society. A copy of the constitution and a copy of Prof. Cleaveland's address may be found in the library of the Maine Historical Society.
That there was need enough of a movement in favor of temperance at this period is evident from a statement made by a competent person, of the amount of spirits of various kinds that were sold in Brunswick between November 1, 1826, and November 5, 1830. From this state- ment it appears that in 1826 more than 12,000 gallons of liquor were sold. In 1830, owing to the temperance reform, the amount had been lessened one half.
The second temperance movement commenced in Brunswick about the year 1826. The subject was brought before the people by a lec- ture on temperance by some gentleman from Massachusetts. Some of the citizens of the place became interested in the subject, foremost amongst whom was Professor Packard, then a young man. The first
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movement made after the lecture mentioned above was the meeting together of the traders of the village to consult on measures for pro- moting temperance in Brunswick. This meeting was held at the old stage-house kept by Russell Stoddard, and consisted of all the grocers, tavern-keepers, and victuallers in the village. Various plans were dis- cussed, but, about the close of the meeting, one of the oldest traders arose and submitted a plan and resolution. The resolution was as follows : -
" Resolved, That hereafter the retailers of spirits in this village charge four cents per glass and six cents per gill for all New England rum drank in their places of business, instead of three cents per glass and five eents per gill, as heretofore ; and be it further resolved, that we add one cent per glass and one cent per gill to the price of all other liquors sold at our places of business."
This resolution was probably not adopted, as it is said that the patrons of this trader found much fault with him, complaining that he had always made more profit by his sales than the other traders, because when he drew his liquors for them " he placed his large thumb in the measure so that they did not get more than three fourths as much for a glassful as they did at other stores." A good way, surely, of compelling men to drink moderately !
The lecture and meeting referred to did good by attracting attention to the subject, though no real measures were taken to prevent the spread of intemperance. In 1828 the surveyors of highways were instructed by the town of Brunswick to use no ardent spirits at the expense of the town. It is extremely doubtful, though, whether this vote was due so much to the growth of a temperance sentiment in town as it was to a desire for retrenchment of expenses.
The second organization for the purpose of promoting a temperance reform was known as THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY OF BRUNSWICK. It was organized on the twenty-third of November, 1830. The funda- mental article of its constitution, or " the pledge," was as follows : -
" We agree that we will not drink ardent spirits, nor furnish them for others to drink, except when they are prescribed by a temperate physician as an indispensable medicine."
The society was at first quite small, there being in January, 1831, only twenty-seven members. The number soon after inereased to eighty. and in the year 1835 there was a total membership of four Hundred and sixty. Many of the members were so liberal in their interpretation of the pledge as to suppose they might drink wine or strong beer without violating it, and as a natural consequence, after
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
a while, they disregarded the pledge altogether. Others, however, adhered firmly to their pledge, and remained ever after strictly tem- perate men. The society continued in existence until about 1842. Those, however, who adhered strictly to the spirit of the pledge had previously left the ranks and joined other organizations. It is said of those who remained that it was customary with them to drink wine at their meetings. However that may be, it is a matter of record that the Washington Temperance Society, in 1841, requested the clergy- men of Brunswick not to take up any contribution in their meetings for the old temperance society, on account of the bad influence of its example.
We have been unable to find any records of the society, and cannot, therefore, give a list of its officers or any of its transactions. A copy of the pledge, containing one hundred and thirty-five names, is in our possession. Among the signers are the names of professors, clergy- men, lawyers, physicians, and other prominent men as well as those of humbler citizens. The names contained in this list were obtained as early as 1833, possibly earlier.
In 1834 the BRUNSWICK TOTAL ABSTINENCE AND CHARITABLE SOCI- ETY was in existence and was probably organized that year.
In 1835 the YOUNG MEN'S TEMPERANCE SOCIETY, of Brunswick, and the TEMPERANCE SOCIETY OF BOWDOIN COLLEGE, were formed. There was also one other in addition to those already mentioned as formed in 1830 and 1834, making five temperance societies in existence in Brunswick at this time. From the " Annual Report of the Directors of the Cumberland County Temperance Society" we obtain the names of all the officers of these five societies, but no clew is given as to which society a given set of officers belongs.
Of one society Doctor S. P. Cushman was the president, and Pro- fessor A. S. Packard the secretary. Of another, Reverend George Lamb was president, and James Elliot, secretary. Elder John Bailey was the president, and Jonathan Snow the secretary, of a third. Of another, Ezekiel Thompson was the president. Of the last, John S. Grows was the president, and Samuel Holbrook the sec- rotary. The total membership of the five societies numbered nine hundred and thirty-four.
About this time, as early at least as 1836, the TOPSHAM TEMPER- ANCE SOCIETY was formed. This was the first society of the kind amongst the people of that town, with the exception of the one formed in 1813, which included citizens of several towns.
THE WASHINGTON TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY OF TOPSHAM WAS
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formed on the seventh of June, 1841. In November of the following year, there were one hundred and thirty-three members. Meetings were held weekly, and a good degree of interest was manifested. The officers, in 1842, were Samuel W. Swett, president ; Nathaniel Quint, vice-president ; Charles J. Harris, secretary ; Cyrus M. Puring- ton, treasurer and collector ; E. Sawyer, Charles Barron, and Henry C. Haynes, prudential committee. We have been unable to obtain any further information regarding this society.
THE WASHINGTON TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY OF BRUNSWICK Was formed on Wednesday, June 16, 1841, fourteen persons affixing their names to the pledge. From this small beginning the society grad- ually increased in numbers, and in May, 1842, there were five hundred and eighty members. The officers chosen at the time of the organiza- tion of the society were General John C. Humphreys, president ; Moses Towns, vice-president ; George W. Carleton, secretary ; Colonel A. J. Stone, treasurer.
Weekly meetings were held, at first, in the " Red School-House" on School Street, .afterwards in Humphreys Hall, and still later (in 1842) in Washington Hall, in the old tavern which stood on the site of the present post-office and engine-house.
During the first year the society held occasional public meetings, at which addresses upon temperance were made and the pledge offered for signatures. One of these meetings was held in the Congregational Church, and was addressed by William H. Hawkins, of Baltimore. After the address one hundred and one persons came forward and . signed the pledge of total abstinence. Meetings were also held at New Meadows and Growstown, and in Harpswell. Freeport, and other towns in the vicinity, under the direction of delegations from the Brunswick society.
The society decided by a unanimous vote that moral suasion and not coercion should be the method by which its members should seek to reform the intemperate and to prevent the sale of ardent spirits.
On the twenty-second of February, 1842, Washington's birthday was celebrated by a public meeting which was addressed by Reverend George E. Adams and Reverend Mr. Hillman, after which the society partook of a supper at Washington Hall. Dean Swift furnished an appropriate banner.
On the fourth of March, 1842, Reverend Mr. Thompson delivered an address before the society at the Congregational Church, the members marching in procession to the church, escorted by Captain Newman's company of militia.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSIIAM, AND IIARPSWELL.
The society existed for several years, precisely how many we are unable to state.
In 1841 the selectmen of Brunswick voted not to license any innhold- ers, " unless they pledge themselves in writing, in the most solemn and positive manner, that they will not keep liquors in or about their premises to sell or to give away." They were also, at the annual meeting of the town, directed to prosecute all persons selling liquors without a license. They were led to the adoption of these measures in consequence of the growth of the sentiment in favor of temperance reform which was promoted by the temperance organizations.
THE MARTHIA WASHINGTON SOCIETY OF BRUNSWICK was organized on the seventeentli of March, 1842 .. A number of ladies, feeling the importance of aiding the cause of temperance, met at that time and formed a society. Meetings were held once a fortnight. In July following the society numbered two hundred and seventy-five members.
The society not only labored for the reformation of the intemperate, but rendered substantial relief to worthy destitute families.
THE YOUNG MEN'S WASHINGTONIAN SOCIETY OF BRUNSWICK was, as its name would imply, an association of young men for the promo- tion of the cause of temperance. It was formed in April, 1843. The officers at that time were M. B. Bartlett, president ; C. P. Stetson, vice-president ; A. W. Knight, secretary ; and E. A. Dunlap, treasurer.
In 1845 the TRUE WASHINGTONIAN TEMPERANCE SOCIETY OF TOPS- HAM was formed. Nothing more than this fact has been ascertained . in regard to it. It was probably formed by those who, though tem- perate, could not conscientiously join a strictly total-abstinence society.
In 1846 the popular feeling in regard to temperance had become sufficiently powerful to enable the town of Brunswick at its annual meeting to pass the following resolve : -
" Resolved, That the traffic in intoxicating liquors as a beverage is injurious and unnecessary, and that, therefore, said traffic ought to cease ; that the selectmen be directed to take all legal measures for its suppression in this town, and that in so doing the town will sustain them."
On the seventeenth of February of this year a public temperance meeting was held in Brunswick, at which a committee, consisting of sixty-three prominent citizens of the town, with John F. Hall as chair- man, was chosen to devise means for suppressing the sale of intoxi- cating liquors. This committee issued a circular letter to each retail dealer in liquor in the town, requesting him to relinquish the traffic.
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GENERAL AND SOCIAL.
These letters had the effect of inducing some to abandon the sale of liquor, though many still persisted in it.
In the fall of 1849 the SAWACOOK DIVISION OF THE SONS OF TEM- PERANCE was instituted in Topsham. It lasted for several years, and accomplished much good.
The BRUNSWICK DIVISION, NO. 142, OF SONS OF TEMPERANCE WAS instituted on the fifth day of February, 1850, by the Sawacook Divi- sion of Topsham. The charter was surrendered on the twenty-third of November, 1852.
BRUNSWICK DIVISION, NO. 20 (Sons of Temperance), was instituted March 22, 1858, by the Grand Worthy Patriarch.
In August, 1859, it was voted to admit "lady visitors." On the thirtieth of September, 1860, there were seventy-eight members, and one hundred and nineteen lady visitors. During the three months pre- vious, sixteen members had been expelled, eight had withdrawn, five had violated the pledge, four had been admitted, three suspended, and three resigned. The division broke up in the fall of 1862.
TEMPERANCE WATCHMEN. - A temperance society with the above appellation was organized in the year 1850 or 1851. Its members were required to watch for, and report to the society, all violations of the law of the State, prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors. The ceremonies of the society were simpler than those of most other orders, and the expenses were less.
PEJEPSCOT DIVISION, NO. 13, OF JUVENILE TEMPERANCE WATCH- MEN, of Brunswick, was organized in the fall of 1851, and in the course of two or three months there was a membership of about fifty. Weekly meetings were held, at which were debates, declamations, and other exercises of a like character. In the autumn of 1852 a fine banner was presented to the society by lady friends. It is now in the posses- sion of Mr. Fessenden I. Day, of Lewiston, who was the treasurer of the club. The founder and first president of the club was Mr. George W. M. Hall. The club gave a public exhibition on the fifth of Janu- ary, 1854.
A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY was organized in Topsham, on the nine- teenth of January, 1857. It had no other title than " The Temperance Society." Sixty-two persons signed the pledge. David Scribner was chosen president ; Joshua Haskell, vice-president ; William Whitten, secretary ; Sandford A. Perkins, treasurer ; Humphrey P. Mallett, William Barron, Eben Colby, committee.
THE CADETS OF TEMPERANCE, a society of young men under eighteen years of age, was formed in the spring of 1859 or 1860.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
There were two divisions of the cadets, one in Brunswick and the other in Topsham.
THE BOWDOIN TEMPLE OF HONOR AND TEMPERANCE, NO. 5, a subordinate society of the Good Templars, was instituted in Bruns- wick, August 29, 1866. The society was located in Brunswick, but contained some members from Topsham.
The JOSHUA NYE LODGE; NO. 126, OF GOOD TEMPLARS was orgail- ized on the eleventh of April, 1870, and is still in existence.
The REFORM CLUB was organized in 1871. It has held a number of public meetings which have been addressed by prominent temper- ance men from abroad, and which were productive of much good. The organization is still in existence and in a flourishing condition.
No account has been obtained of any associations in Harpswell except temperance societies, though without doubt there have been some others. Besides the Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell Tem- perance Society already mentioned, there was in 1842 a Washingtonian Society, with a membership of over two hundred, upon Sebascodegan Island, and there is now a reform club of about forty members on that island.
Other associations not given in this chapter, such as religious societies, military companies, etc., will be mentioned in their appro- priate places in other connections.
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FIRES AND FIRE COMPANIES.
CHAPTER VI.
FIRES AND FIRE COMPANIES.
CONFLAGRATIONS have been of rather frequent occurrence in Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, considering the population of the towns. The first-named town has suffered by far the most and the latter the least from this cause. The following account of the different fires that have occurred in these towns is obtained mainly from the accounts given at the time in different newspapers, from the records of the fire companies, and from private journals. It is believed to be as full and accurate as is possible from the data to be obtained.
LIST OF FIRES IN BRUNSWICK.
[1671.] The beech woods, where the pine plains now are, were destroyed by fire.1
[1676.] A house and other buildings, near where Pennell's Wharf now is, were fired by the Indians. It had been occupied by a Mr. Wakely, who was killed and his body cast into the flames.1
[1690.] This year the whole settlement was destroyed by the Indians.
[1722.] The Indians destroyed nearly all the settlement. Among the houses burnt were those of Thomas Tregoweth and James Thorn- ton. The latter was the father of Matthew Thornton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
[1735.] A block house, probably the one at Maquoit, was acci- dentally burned.
[1737.] The house of Andrew Dunning was accidentally destroyed by fire, and his widow lost her life.
[1770.] Deacon Samnel Stanwood's house, which occupied the ground where Mrs. Joseph McKeen's house now stands, was burnt.
[1777.] There was a fire in some house, not known, which was caused by hot ashes in a barrel.
1 Traditional.
17
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
[1798.] The store of Stone & Veazie was burnt. It was a two- story building.
[1805.] A two-story dwelling-house, by whom occupied or owned is unknown, was destroyed by fire.
[1809.] On April 30, an extensive fire on the plains near the colleges. On June 29, at 11 A. M., the Gun House, on Center Street, was burnt. A new one was at once built on the same spot.
[1810.] In January, day unknown, 9.15 P. M., Captain Richard Tappan's house, store, and barn, and the house of Colonel William Stanwood. Deacon John Perry's house was torn down to prevent the spread of the fire. At midnight Secomb Jordan's house, near Pollard & Green's tannery, was burnt. The thermometer at the time indi- cated -10°.
[1814.] Samuel Page's house and James Jones's blacksmith shop were burnt.
For the next eight years there has no record been found of any fire. It is hardly to be presumed, however, that so long a time could have elapsed without some such occurrence: Newspapers at that time gave but little attention to such items, and they may easily have failed to be recorded in private journals.
[1822.] On March 4, the principal college building was burned about three o'clock in the afternoon ; the whole of the woodwork was consumed by seven o'clock in the evening. The fire was undoubtedly accidental. $1,000 was contributed by the citizens to aid the suf- ferers, and the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, also gave voluntary assistance.
[1823.] On February 12, the house of Mr. Benjamin Orr, occu- pied by the Misses Tappan, was destroyed. In March, James Nelson's house, near the landing, was burnt. September 4, a fire arose in the woods of Washington Bowker, near Rocky Hill, and made such alarming progress that it soon came within a mile of the village, where, however, its progress was fortunately stayed. It destroyed nearly every building for four miles in length and one in breadth. Twenty1 buildings were burnt in all, amongst which were the houses of Andrew Toothaker, Lemuel Morse, and the Widow Douglass. There was also a great loss in woods, fences, sheep, and cattle. Among the sufferers were two widows. One of them, possibly Mrs. Douglass, " passed through a scene of peculiar anguish. After nearly exhausting her strength in fruitless efforts to save her house, she was
1 Cleaveland's Journal.
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FIRES AND FIRE COMPANIES.
compelled to bear away her sick son, with only the assistance of small children, to a place of safety." It is handed down as a tradition, that this fire was caused by a boy setting fire to a hornets' nest, in revenge for the hornets having stung him.
[1825.] On Tuesday morning, March 28, the store of Jotham Stone, occupied by Ammi R. West, was destroyed by fire, together with all his goods, valued at $2.000. his account books, and six hun- dred dollars in bank-notes, partly insured. This is the first instance met with in this town where any damages were covered by insurance.
December 1, the post-office caught fire, but was only slightly dam- aged.
On December 13, occurred what is known as the "Great Fire." Thirty-three 1 buildings were burnt, among which were the two fac- tory buildings, five dwelling-houses (occupied by eleven families), two stores, two saw-mills, one grist-mill, and a number of mechanic shops. The thermometer showed the temperature at the time to be -13°. Many persons were badly frozen. The fire broke out in the then new factory building. The total loss was estimated at $90,000. There was an insurance on the factory of $1,800.
At a town meeting in Brunswick, held on the twenty-second of De- cember of this year, it was voted that a committee of fifteen persons be appointed to solicit aid for the relief of the sufferers by the late fire. and to distribute what might be collected. This committee appointed a subcommittee of three, to ascertain the actual loss sustained by the citizens, exclusive of that of the factory company and of property which was insured. In their report it is stated that fifty-seven heads of families had lost $13,918, sixty-eight persons had been deprived of a shelter, and more than fifty persons had been thrown out of employment. $1,044 was contributed by the citizens for the relief of the sufferers.
In consequence of the frequency and severity of fires at this time a citizens' watch was established soon after the last-mentioned fire, and all citizens were requested to have holes made in the shutters of their houses and stores, in order that fires might be more easily discovered.
[1826.] On November 3, of this year, the following advertisement appeared in the columns of the Baptist Herald : -
.. WANTED, A SMART, ACTIVE BOY to set fires and burn brush on Brunswick plains. A college-learnt lad would be preferred ; one who has little else to do, and can afford to work very cheap. Apply to Doctor Shame, next door to the House of Correction."
1 A. C. Raymond's Diary.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSIIAM, AND HARPSWELL.
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