USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Harpswell > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 27
USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Brunswick > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 27
USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Topsham > History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot > Part 27
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August 8, at two o'clock in the morning on the Mallet road, some three or four miles from the village, Mr. Charles Purinton's house, stable, and barn were burned. Loss about $4,000. Insured for $2,000.
The following is the resume of the foregoing list.
The number of fires known to have occurred in this town is thirty- eight, an average of one in two and a half years. Of the thirty fires in which the month is given, twelve occurred in the winter, eleven in the spring, nine in the summer, and two in the autumn. The largest number occurred in December, and none in September or November. Five fires are recorded as occurring in the daytime and eight at night.
LIST OF FIRES IN HARPSWELL.
Tradition says that the lower end of Harpswell Neck was at one time burned over and the cinders, flying across to Bailey's Island, set fire to the woods on that island, and they were all destroyed. No date is given of this occurrence, but it was probably very early in the history
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of the town, quite likely before its incorporation. Very few buildings have ever been destroyed by fire in this town. It is said that the only building ever burnt on Bailey's Island was an old, dilapidated school- house.
On the 23d of January, 1822, James Barstow's house on Orr's Island was burned to the ground. Mrs. Barstow, who was then seventy-four years of age and who was very fleshy, was taken out in her night- clothes and carried some distance to the house of a friend. A portion of the way she had to walk. She died three days after in consequence of the exposure. Mr. Barstow never recovered from the shock and exposure, and was at times insane. He died in 1826. The origin of the fire was a candle which was placed under and in too close prox- imity to a shelf.
Phineas Webber's house on Great Island caught fire, date un- known, from some boiling tar upon a stove. The house and contents were entirely destroyed. The loss was about $1,000. Insured for two hundred dollars. It was the first house in Harpswell that was ever insured.
On July 4, 1868, the Mansion House on Harpswell Neck was burned. The cause of the fire is unknown. The loss was $3,000.
There have doubtless been other fires than those enumerated, but these are all of which we have been able to learn.
Owing to the few cases recorded, no résumé of the fires in this town is needed.
The first fire-engine in Brunswick was purchased in 1810, by indi- viduals. It was a small " tub " and had to be filled by buckets. An effort was made in 1810 to induce the town to appropriate some amount towards the purchase of this engine, but the article in the warrant for this object was dismissed. In 1814 an attempt was made to induce the town " to accept of the engine," but it declined so to do. This engine was used as late as 1847, at which time Whitten & Meder's factory was burned. This engine had no name at first, but was after some years named the " Mechanic."
The first fire company in Brunswick was called the Washington Fire Club. It was certainly formed as early as 1821, and very likely at the time of purchase of the engine, in 1810. No records of this company have been found, but it is known that the membership was voluntary, and that each member agreed to have in readiness for use, one canvas bag, one bed-key, and two leathern fire-buckets. In 1825 this company had charge of the engine, as is shown by a bill against the company for repairs to the pumps of the engine. In 1826 there
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
were about fifty members to this club, among whom were Doctor Isaac Lincoln, Professor Parker Cleaveland, General Richard T. Dunlap, General Abner B. Thompson, General John C. Humphreys, and Mr. John Coburn.
After the "Great Fire" in 1825, the town appointed Professor Parker Cleaveland, Robert Eastman, Doctor Isaac Lincoln, Doctor Jonathan Page, and John Coburn a committee to purchase a new engine, and eight hundred dollars was appropriated for the purpose, with the proviso that any unexpended balance should be used for building an engine-house. The selectmen were also this year directed to increase the number of engine-men to twenty-five. This second engine was the " Hydraulian." It was made in Philadelphia. It had a suction attachment, not flexible like those of the present day, but of. straight copper tubing, with curved joints. There were platforms over each wheel, upon which three or four men stood to aid those who stood on the ground in working the breaks. This engine was sold in 1852, in exchange for the " Protector No. 4."
No records of the Hydraulian Engine Company have been found previous to its reorganization in 1843, but it is known that Professor Cleaveland was especially instrumental in its organization. He was its first commander, and held the position for twenty years. He was always one of the first on the ground at a fire, always managed the hose pipe, and always stood, when duty required, in the place of the greatest exposure and danger.
In the summer of 1828 or 1830, a force pump was erected at the upper dam. It was operated by water power, and it forced water from the river through pipes, into a large tank which was situated on the high ground west of Union Street, about where the corn-house of the Honorable C. J. Gilman now stands. From thence the water was carried, by its own gravity, through pipes to Maine Street, just north of Lincoln Street, where it flowed continuously through a standing pipe. and thence along the gutter at the side of the street to the cove, where it entered the river. This arrangement worked well in summer, but when winter came the water froze in the gutter, the street and sidewalks were overflowed and covered with ice for a long distance, and the experiment was abandoned. It was probably a private enter- prise to secure the property of individuals from loss by fire, as there is nothing in the town records to indicate that the town had anything to do with it.
The third engine in Brunswick was the " Niagara, No. 3." It was purchased by the town in 1848. This engine was exchanged in 1870
.
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for a larger and better one, called the " Niagara, No. 3." also, but which was really the fourth engine.
The early records of Niagara Engine Company have not been found. The only thing known about it prior to its reorganization is that on the evening of June 11. 1855, the company paraded the streets with torch-lights.
The records which we have seen commence in 1858. The officers of the company at that time consisted of three directors, a standing committee of four, exclusive of the first director, one steward, one assistant steward, three pipemen, one foreman of hose, five leading hosemen, three suction hosemen. two axemen, and one clerk. The latter was paid between five and ten dollars per year. During the year there were sixty-seven members in the company.
The only events worthy of mention, to be gleaned from the records, are the following : -
October 17, 1858, the company attended the funeral of Professor Cleaveland. August 7, 1860, the company was presented with a flag by Edward W. Thompson, Esquire. On December 4, of the same year, a flag was also presented by Colonel Alfred J. Stone. Probably one of these was an ensign. On July 4, 1865, the company went to Lewiston to celebrate the day. August 7, 1866, the company was disbanded, but was reorganized on the thirteenth of that month, and the old constitution and by-laws were adopted.
No entry appears in the records later than the year 1871. The fifth engine in Brunswick was called the " Protector No. 4." It was pur- chased in 1852. The town that year authorized the selectmen to dis- pose of the two old engines and to purchase a new one. Two hun- dred dollars was appropriated, to be added to the proceeds of the sale of the old engines. The first book of records of the Protector Company has not been found. From the second book it appears that at the first meeting, held April 3, 1854, the following officers were chosen : H. M. Bowker, first director ; J. H. Toothaker, second director ; R. L. McManus, third director ; Hiram Talbot, clerk ; John Andrews, steward ; John Andrews, Joseph McKeen, Charles Hinkley, A. S. Aubins, suction hosemen ; Charles E. Owen, first pipeman ; Jordan Snow, second pipeman ; John D. Stanwood, third pipeman. C. R. Lunt, William Reed, B. Boutelle, John Hinkley, G. W. Swett, I. Taylor, A. Colby, hosemen ; Curtis Harmon, A. Underhill, axemen ; David Bonney, James French, torch-boys.
The sixth engine in Brunswick was the " Kennebec No. 1." It was bought in 1875.
18
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
In 1836 the village of Brunswick was created a corporation, by an act of the legislature, and invested with power " to raise money for the purchase, repair and preservation of one or more fire-engines, hose, or other apparatus for the extinguishment of fire, for the con- struction of reservoirs and aqueducts for procuring of water, and for organizing and maintaining within the limits of said territory an efficient fire department. The officers were a supervisor, clerk, treasurer, prudential committee of three, and from five to nine fire- wardens.
At a meeting of this corporation, held in November, 1836, a com- mittee was appointed " to devise ways and means for protecting the village against fire."
This committee reported in favor of building eighteen brick cisterns, circular, and about twelve feet in diameter and fourteen feet deep. They also recommended the purchase of a double-chambered engine for raising the water from the cisterns and conveying it to different parts of the village. How far these recommendations were carried out is not known.
In 1875 the town purchased the two and a half inch iron pipe which had been laid by the Compressed Air Company, from the bridge to the railroad station. It was connected with the force pump of the Pulp Company, and was found to throw a powerful stream of water for a long distance, through two hundred feet of hose.
The following was the condition of the fire department of Bruns- wick, in March, 1876.
The number of engines was three, viz., the " Niagara, No. 3," " Pro- tector, No. 4," and " Kennebec, No. 1."
The " Niagara " was built by Hunneman & Co., of Boston, in 1870. The diameter of its cylinder is five and three fourths inches. It is a first-class machine and is provided with folding brakes. The " Pro- tector" was built by Hunneman & Co. in 1852. The diameter of its cylinder is five inches. The " Kennebec " was made by Button & Son of Waterford, New York, in 1867. The diameter of its cylinder is ten inches. There were at this time twenty-three reservoirs in good con- dition.
The first engine in Topsham was purchased about 1810 by private individuals. In 1813 an effort was made to induce the town to take charge of it, but the town voted " not to accept" the gift. The next year, however, it was generously voted to accept it, " provided the town should never be at any expense either for the purchase or repairs." The town did, however, in 1826, vote, without any reservation, to
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accept and take care of this engine. Like the first engine in Bruns- wick, this one was a small affair, and hal to be filled by buckets.
The earliest fire company established in Topsham, of which there is any record, was the Lincoln Fire Club. The exact date of its organization is not known, but the regulations of the elub were printed in 1829. It may, however, have been in existence for some years previously. According to their regulations, the club met four times a year, on the first Tuesdays of January, April, July, and October. Whoever was absent the whole evening was fined twenty- five cents, and if any member left the meeting without the express consent of the club he was fined twenty-five cents also. The officers were a chairman, secretary, and treasurer. In order to be eligible for membership, one must be proposed at a previous meeting and receive three fourths of the ballots of those present on the night of his election. He must also pay in the sum of one dollar as an admis- sion fee. Honorary members were elected in the same way. but were exempt from all assessments and fines.
Each member was required, within three months after his admission to the club, to furnish himself with two good leathern fire-buckets, holding at least ten quarts each. The fire hooks and ladders were under the control of and were probably owned by this club. From there being no other officers than those mentioned, it would appear as though this club had nothing to do with Engine No. 1.
At the annual meeting in 1850 the town appropriated $1,250 to purchase a fire-engine and other apparatus, and Nahum Perkins, Sparrow Chase, and Sandford A. Perkins were chosen a committee to make the purchase.
The engine bought at this time was the " Androscoggin, No. 2." It is one of the Hunneman make, and is the only one ever bought by the town. It ranks No. 2 in size. It is one of the best engines of its class ever made, and the citizens of Topsham justly feel some pride in the good work it has done.
The company having control of this engine was formed in 1850. The first meeting was held over the store of George S. Holt on April 5. The first meeting for the election of officers was held April 15, at which time Sandford A. Perkins was chosen first foreman ; Varius Stearns, second foreman ; John R. Hebbard, third foreman ; David Farrar, treasurer ; A. G. Poland, clerk ; and James Maxwell, R. P. Whitney, and Eben Colby were chosen as a standing committee.
At this meeting it was voted to have a uniform, consisting of a blue frock with red collar, red webbing belts, a glazed cap, and dark pants.
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
The constitution and by-laws of the company were adopted at the annual meeting on the first Monday in May. The company at this time numbered seventy-one. June 28, 1850, the company voted to purchase an ensign. December 2, of this same year, a flag-staff was raised in front of the engine-house. July 25, 1851, the company voted to attend the firemen's jubilee to be held in Hallowell on August 6. At this celebration the company took the prize - a sil- ver trumpet - as being the best engine of its class present. It also has taken several prizes since that time, at different celebrations of firemen.
On March 3, 1852, the company was reorganized by the choice of the following officers : F. T. Littlefield, first director ; E. E. Max- well, second director ; D. A. Hall, third director; C. G. Jaques, sec- retary ; D. A. Hall, steward. The number of members was fifty-five.
The new organization appears to have been for some reason unsat- isfactory, as in August, 1853, the company was again reorganized.
In 1857, at a special town meeting held December 28, it was voted, " To authorize the selectmen to pay each man (not to exceed sixty in number) who shall faithfully perform his duty, twelve and a half cents per hour for his services while at fires, so long as there may be a well- organized fire company in Topsham village." The selectmen were also authorized to offer a reward of fifty dollars for the detection of incendiaries.
In 1860 the town forbade the company to take the engine out of town, except for fires and upon July the Fourth.
In 1869 the town voted to buy two hundred feet of hose, and to pay the members of the engine company twenty-five cents per hour when in active service.
There was never a fire-engine or a fire company in Harpswell. Fire-wardens are chosen by the, town annually, and the citizens gen- erally are provided with buckets, etc., to protect their own property. The population of Harpswell is so scattered that an engine would be of no service to a large majority of the people.
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COURTS AND TRIALS, CRIMES AND CRIMINALS, LAWYERS.
CHAPTER VII.
COURTS AND TRIALS, CRIMES AND CRIMINALS, LAWYERS.
THE earliest court ever held in this vicinity was the one hield, in 1654, at the house of Thomas Ashley, which has already been men- tioned. The meeting held at his house was for the purpose of organ- ization merely, and there is no evidence that Thomas Purchase, who was appointed at that time an assistant to the commissioner, ever tried any cases. The laws and regulations adopted at this meeting, however, are sufficiently interesting to warrant their insertion here in a condensed form. They were as follows : -
1. All capital crimes, such as treason, murder, witchcraft, arson, rape, and adultery, were to be tried by the General Court at New Plymouth.
2. All other crimes were within the jurisdiction of the commissioner or the assistant. Theft was punishable by the restitution by the offender of three or four times the value stolen. Drunkards were fined five shillings on conviction for the first offence, ten shillings for the second, and for the third were put in the stocks. The punish- ment for Sabbath-breaking was left at the discretion of the assistant. For selling liquor to the Indians, the punishment for the first offence was the forfeiture of double, and for the second offence, of four times the value sold, or if the transgressor was a stranger, a fine of either £10 or £20.
3. All fishing and fowling were expressly continued free to every inhabitant. All actions between party and party were to be tried before a jury of twelve men ; but no civil cause above £20 ster- ling was triable in the local courts without the consent of both parties.
From this time until the province of Lygonia came under the juris- diction of Massachusetts, there is reason to suppose that all minor offences were tried - if tried at all - by Thomas Purchase, a magis- trate under the authority of the New Plymouth Colony (1652). In 1660 all legal cases in this vicinity were tried at York.
No cases of trial of persons from this vicinity, prior to 1722, have
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
been discovered. This year the case of John Giles, of Brunswick, gentleman, rs. John Goddard, of Roxbury, gentleman and cord- wainer, is recorded. The plaintiff let the defendant a horse, with bridle and saddle, at the beginning of June, 1722, and by order of the plaintiff. one Robert Dunning, soon after, in the same month, deliv- ered the said horse, at Falmouth, to the defendant, which the de- fendant promised to deliver to the plaintiff at Roxbury, or to his order, with bridle and saddle, of value of £12; yet. the defendant, though often requested, never delivered to the said plaintiff, horse, bridle. or saddle. The jury brought in a verdict for plaintiff of £8 damage, and cost of court, against the said John Goddard.1
The next case met with occurred in 1726, when Captain William Woodside was tried by a committee appointed by Governor Dummer for cheating the Indians in trade, and otherwise defrauding them. Some of the charges were proved against him, and he was required to make ample remuneration, acknowledge his fault, and give assurance that he would defraud them no more.2
Mr. John Minot was appointed a magistrate and chief justice of the Court of Common Sessions under George II about the year 1730 or 1732. An old account-book of his has been preserved, which contains on its blank leaves an account of some cases tried by him in 1732, which are here presented to the reader : -
"Y SS. TO THE SHERRIF OF YE COUNTY OF YORK INIS UNDER SHERRIF OR DEPUTY GREETING.
" Whereas Complaint upon Oath hath bin made before me by Sam1 Boone of Northyarmouth in ye County of York that some time past he had Stole and Carried away from Merryconeag neck a black Cow with a white face and also Stole and carried away from Chebeag Island three Calves one being a Bull Calf the other a Stear and the other a heffer Calfe, which were mark'd with a Cross in the left ear and a slit in it and a flower Dlue in.ye right ear - These are there- fore in his Majies name to require you to make Diligent Search after said Cattle if they may be found in your precinct and them safely to keep in your Custody maiking a returne of these your proceedings to me or some other of his Majie. Justice of ye peace in said County that the Affair may be Examined into, and the partyes with whom said Cattle may be found may be dealt with according to law - you are also hereby required to Summons Moses Gatchell, Hannah Smith,
1 York County Records, C. C. P., Vol. 7, p. 88.
2 McKeen, MSS. Lecture.
COURTS AND TRIALS, CRIMES AND CRIMINALS, LAWYERS. 279
Wm Woodside Jas. Maleum and Eliza Malcum to give Evidence relating to this Affair hereof you are not to fail given under my hand and Seal the 16th day of Augst 1732.
"[Coppy.]
" JN" MINOT.
" THE RETURNE.
" BRUNSWICK, Augst 20th 1732.
" Having made search after the within mentioned Cattle this may certifye that I have found and taiken up three young Cattle uppon Suspision which were in the hands of Capt Willm Woodside which I have taken into Custody.
" EBENEZER STANWOOD, D. Sherriff.
"THE JUDGMENT
" BRUNSWICK, Aug 21st 1732 "Y ss
" SAME BOON Plunt. AND WILL" WOODSIDE Defend.
" Having issued out a warrant to search for severall Cattle that Sam1 Boone uppon Oath Swore he lost at Chebeag Isl. & Merryconeage neck and having Summons'd Sundry witnesses as by said warrant will appear, I have Examined said witnesses uppon Oath (they all' having veiw'd the Cattle) whether they knew them Cattle to be Mr. Boons which they all deny to have any knowledge of saving Mrs Malcum who says she remembers something of one of them but not perfecktly so as to give her Oath to it. I find therefore Cost for said Boon to pay and have ordered the Cattle to be Delivered to the said Wilm Woodside again.
"[Coppy ]
" JNO. MINOT J. P."
Notice of complaint of James Smith against Anthony Vincent for calling his wife Hannah Smith improper names.
" The Complaint of Hannah Smith against Willm Mackness in behalfe of our Soveraign Lord the King that shee goes in Dainger of her Life."
" The Complaint of Will™ Mackness against James Smith and his wife Hannah that he lives in dainger of his Cattle and Substance that they will be destroyed by them they using threatening words to kill their piggs &c. and that they will burn his house.
" [Signed] " JOHN MINOTT."
No other records of Judge Minot's cases have been met with.
At the October term of the Court of General Sessions in 1743 the selectmen of the town of Brunswick made a complaint against Isaac
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HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK, TOPSHAM, AND HARPSWELL.
Snow, "in manner following, viz., that Isaac Snow of Brunswick aforesaid, husbandman, the thirtieth day of August, 1743, at a legal town meeting held at Brunswick aforesaid, was chosen one of the constables for said town for the year 1743, who was legally notified thereof, but refused either to take the oath of a constable or to pay the fine for not serving as a constable." After a full hearing by the court the case was decided in favor of the defendant, and the com- plainants were charged with the costs.
At the April term of the same court, in 1744, committees were appointed by the court " to inform against and prosecute the violators of an act made in the seventeenth year of his Majesty's reign, entitled 'an act to prevent the great injury and injustice arising to the inhab- itants of this province by the frequent and very large emissions of bills of public credit in the neighboring governments.' . And Messrs. William Woodside, Peter Cooms, David Dunning, Samuel Hinkley and James Thompson, Inhabitants of the Town of Brunswick in said County, were appointed by said Court to the office aforesaid."
At the April term of the Court of General Sessions for Cumberland County, in 1765, William Hasty, of Harpswell, was fined ten shillings " for sailing his coasting schooner in Quohog Bay to the open sea, the space of three miles, on the Lord's day." At the same term of court, William Blake, of Harpswell, was fined ten shillings, and costs, £1 5s. 4d., for neglecting to attend public worship for the space of two months.
About this time, probably the next year, John Orr, of Mair Point, accused Captain William Woodside of cheating the Indians " by sell- ing them brass rings for gold rings," and the case was informally tried by the judges of the Court of Sessions in a dining-room at Falmouth. Woodside was 'acquitted, made friends with Orr, and having just obtained his commission as a justice of the peace for Cumberland County, he." stood treat " for the court.
In those old times physical punishment was often made use of towards offenders. The whipping-post and the stocks were found in every settlement and generally in close proximity to the meeting-house. These implements of the law were, doubtless, at the time they were in vogue, of great service in restraining the evil-intentioned from com- mitting many misdemeanors and minor crimes, and although the ob- jections to their use are many and serious, yet one is tempted to believe that their occasional use might be fraught with good even in these days. The punishments by means of these implements were inflicted by the constables, in accordance with the sentence of the selectmen,
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