USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 16
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 16
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In the morning there was much excitement, and apprehen- sion of an attack upon the town, and Col Foote is said to have shared in the general agitation. Riding over to the parapet on Eaton's Point, he is said to have addressed Lieut. Hanford as follows : "Should the English attempt to land, repel them if you can ; but should you be under the necessity of retreating, make good your escape to Hope, where you will find me at Simon Barrett's." Going to the parapet on Jacobs' Point he expressed himself in a similar manner. Meeting an officer with some files in his hands as he approached the fort, he asked him: “What
are you going to do with those files ?" "I'm going to spike the guns with them if we have to leave the fort." replied the officer. " Well, if you have to resort to that," rejoined Foote jocosely, "you'll find me out back of Simon Barrett's barn." 1
1. There have been several versions of this story, all of which may be as correct as the form given here. It is hardly prob ble that Col. Foote in-
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The minds of our people, which had been enduring so great a tension for several days, were greatly relieved on Sunday, Nov. 6, by seeing the dreaded war vessel depart without executing its commander's threat to bombard the town. They wondered, however, what would be the fate of the two hostages, Messrs. Chase and Cushing, whom the British took away with them. As the Furieuse sailed along the Dillingham shore, Major Wilson kept along in the road abreast of it on horseback, wearing the uniform of his rank, and just before reaching, what is now called the "Sagamore Farm" house, and being a conspicious figure from the frigate's deck, one of the vessel's gunners fired a cannon at him. The ball fell short of its mark, and ricochetting, buried itself in the ground a few feet away from the Major who put spurs to his steed and got out of range of the shots of the frigate's play- ful gunner.
After the departure of the frigate the military companies re- mained in town until the following day when the out-of-town troops were dismissed, leaving our minute men and the soldiers in the forts to look after the further defense of the village.
The hostages were taken to Castine and kept there for ten or fifteen days, the British hoping, by so doing, to recover the value of the prize. While there they lived at a private house, on parole, and were well treated. They were granted a leave of absence that they might visit their families, but when they re- turned to Castine agreeably to their promise, they were informed that their further detention there was unnecessary, as the question relating to the prize was considered settled so far as Camden was concerned, the blame not resting with the citizens of the town but with Major Miller and the others concerned in its capture, for whose apprehension a liberal reward was still offered. The
tended to inform his fellow soldiers that he was about to act the cowardly part of hiding behind the barn of his friend Barrett, in Hope. Probably he made some remark of the kind in a joking way, which was repeated, and taken up by his political opponents, when it suited them, for " campaign purposes."
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hostages, being finally discharged from custody, returned to Cam- den, where the wonted quiet once more reigned, and the " exiles" having returned from their places of refuge in the neighboring towns, the business of the village, interrupted by the incident, was once more resumed.
1815. On January 28th, a meeting of the town was called "To see if the town will remunerate Messrs. Benj. Cush- ing and Robt. Chase, for their going on board of the British frigate, Furieuse, as hostages about the first of November last past, and other expenses incident thereto, and raise money for the same." The voters evidently decided that the chance to thus serve their fellow-townsmen was compensation enough, for they voted sum- marily to "dismiss the article."
The visit of the Furieuse was the last event of the war in Cam- den. The treaty of peace was signed at Ghent on December 24, 1814, but the news did not reach this country for several weeks afterwards, and not until one of the most important battles of the war had been fought and won by Jackson at New Orleans. The joyful news of peace reached Camden on February 14, 1815, brought by the driver of the western stage, which arrived at mid- night. The vigorous blowing of the driver's post-horn as he rode into town, aroused some of our citizens from their slumbers, who immediately proclaimed the glad tidings to their still sleeping neighbors by the firing of guns, kindling of bonfires, and other demonstrations of joy at the happy event. The 4-pounders in the two forts next began to roar and continued to do so until break of day, burning, in celebrating the dawn of peace, the now useless powder furnished by the town. At sunrise Simeon Tyler, with others, went up to Mt. Battie's summit to take charge of the two 12-pounders and one 18-pounder, and make them proclaim to a more extensive audience the fact that the longed for peace had come at last. Says Locke: "As the largest piece belched forth from its elevated position, in deep, thunder-like tones, the habitations below were shaken to their foundations, while the
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echo's reverberations were heard resounding over adjacent waters, remote hills and distant valleys. Thus through the day the firing continued, from all the guns, and the tidings of peace thereby became first announced to the inhabitants of the surrounding towns. The day being spent in demonstrations of joy, the night closed the exhibition by a public dance and a time of festivity." 1
The General Court appointed February 22, as a day of thanksgiving which was generally observed. On April 25, the British evacuated Castine. The place had been held by them for a period of nearly eight months, to the affliction of its inhabitants and the annoyance of the citizens of all the surrounding country. With their departure the last reminder of the unhappy events of the past three years was removed and thence-forward -
"No sound was heard of clashing wars; Peace brooded o'er the hushed domain."
More than ninety years have passed since then but never again has a hostile foreign soldiery invaded ou happy land. Thus may it ever be!
The war being over the country began to recover from its effects; but it was a slow process. Such vessels as had escaped capture were refitted for the sea and commerce revived, but the extensive importation of European goods reduced prices so low as to check home manufactures, and impair the value of wool, factories, manufacturing stock, etc. At the same time there had been a great deterioration of morals, inseparable from a condition of war, induced by privateering speculation, smuggling and other illicit trade, requiring for its counteraction, the organization of moral societies, which, by meetings held, discourses delivered and measures adopted did much for the repression of Sabbath breaking, intemperance, profanity, gambling and other immoralities. To all the embarrassments due to the stagnation of commerce, to war and to immorality, under which the people of the country had for a number of years been laboring, was added a 1. Locke's Sketches, Page 145.
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series of poor seasons for agriculture. Some of the seasons were too cold and wet for corn, and others too dry for potatoes and grass. A three months drought prevailed throughout the summer of 1813, less than one half the ordinary crop of hay being harvested. The spring of 1815 was very backward, farmers being obliged, late in May, to stop their plowing on account of a severe snow storm. But the coldest and most disastrous season on record was that of 1816, in which frost occured with more or less severity, every month in the year. Haying did not begin until the first of August, the corn crop was a failure, and but little grain was raised. These disastrous seasons following the mis- fortunes of the war and united with the general business de- pression prevailing, caused much suffering and discouragement among the people of our vicinity. 1 It is pleasing to note that from this time the seasons were more favorable to the husbandman, and fine crops were raised for many years, while at the same time the moral tone of our people began to improve and our business pros- perity began to keep pace with the general prosperity of our young, vigorous and enterprising nation, during its "piping times of peace," that followed.
At the state election held April 3, 1815, Camden's vote for governor resulted as follows : "His Excel., Caleb Strong, 79 votes ; Hon. Samuel Dexter, 103 votes;" showing a large falling off in the votes of both parties, from the preceding year. At the town election held the same day the same town officials who had so ably carried the town through the perplexities and dangers of the preceding year, were re-elected. At this meeting, Frye Hall, afterwards a prominent citizen of the town, was appointed one of the committee on accounts. On May 14, a meeting was called for the purpose of electing a Representative to the General Court, but the town voted "Not to send any Representative to the General Court this year."
The trouble between the town and its settled minister which
1. See Eaton's Annals of Warren Page 298
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THE WAR CLOSES
had been brewing for some time, but had been lost sight of during the past year, in the more important and exciting events arising from the war, now again forced itself upon the consideration of our people and a town meeting was called for May 1, to see, among other things, "if the Town will instruct their Committee to finish the business respecting the Dismissal of the Rev. Thomas
Cochran, or what they will do respecting the same."
The
town voted that "the Committee proceed immediately on the business as instructed by the former vote." At this meeting, Jonathan Thayer Esq., was elected moderator, this being the first time that the name of this citizen, afterwards so prominent in this community, appears on the town records. At the same meeting, Mr. Thayer was also chosen to look after a complaint against the town relative to a defective road, at the next term of court at Wiscasset.
This year Camden lost a prominent and useful citizen by the removal to Wiscasset of Col. Erastus Foote.
Col. Foote was a native of Gill, Mass. In early life through industry and energy he succeded in obtaining a good education, although he never entered college. He studied law under Hon. Samuel Hinkley of Northampton and was admitted to the bar in 1800. That same year he came to Camden and at once entered upon a successful practice. Camden was at the time without a resident attorney at law, Mr. Hathaway having died a few months previous, and Mr. Foote thus became our second lawyer. In 1811 he was appointed County Attorney for Lincoln county, and in 1812 was elected State Senator. As has already been related he served as Colonel of the fifth regiment during the war of 1812. He was exceedingly prominent in all our social, business and political affairs while he remained a resident of the town. After his removal to Wiscasset he continued to grow in prominence both as a lawyer and a politican. In 1820, he was elected Senator of the new state and the same year was appointed by Gov. King Attorney General of Maine, which office he held tor twelve years,
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giving tone and character to the criminal jurisdiction, honorable to him and highly appreciated by the public. The late dis- tinguished Chief Justice Mellen, had a high opinion of Col. Foote's talents and learning in that department of the law, and the eloquent Benjamin Orr, then at the head of the Maine Bar, used to say, "It is almost impossible to wrest a criminal out of the hands of Bro. Foote." Yet no man could be more kind when he thought an individual was unjustly suspected or vin- dictively accused. He was the prosecutor of the guilty, but not the persecutor of the poor and friendless. As a counsellor and advocate he stood in the foremost rank, and that too, at a time when there were many talented men at the bar of his county and state. He was a man of fine natural endowments, and made the criminal law in all its history and relations, the study of his life. He was fundamentally and historically prepared for all possible turns which his case might take, for all bars and objections that might suddenly be disclosed. His own understanding always penetrated the questions in issue. He was accustomed to con- tend with the ablest lawyers, but, with a perfect mastery of his cases, he had confidence in himself. He was cogent in argument, terrible in sarcasm, often lofty and powerful in eloquence. Col. Foote was prominent in Freemasonary, being of the first to be initiated into Amity Lodge, No. 6, F. & A. M., at the time of its institution, and was its first secretary. He was the old Lodge's third Master and served in that capacity three times. Col. Foote was twice married, both wives being the accomplished daughters of Major Carlton of Wiscasset. He was a genial man, a veritable "gentleman of the old school," of urbane manners, of dignity of bearing, and of virtue of character. He died at Wiscasset July 14, 1856, at the age of 78 years. 5
5. The greater part of this sketch is taken from the material gathered from various sources by Mr. Locke and printed in his " Sketches," Page 218. From the same source, will be taken the most of the material for our sketches of many of the prominent citizens of the first half century of the town's history.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
PAROCHIAL TROUBLES.
1815. Agreeably to the vote of the town the committee appointed to look after the question of dismission of the minister, Mr. Cochran, proceeded to bring matters to a culmination and in October drew up a lengthy and exhaustive report of their proceed- ings in the performance of the duty assigned them. 1 From this report it appears that on the 26th day of May, 1814, they forwarded to Mr. Cochran the following notice :
To the Rev. Thomas Cochran :
The Committee appointed by the inhabitants of the Town of Camden at a legal meeting held on the 4th day of May, instant, in conformity with the foregoing Articles & Votes of said town hereby transmitted for the information of Mr. Cochran, do hereby give notice to the Rev. Mr. Cochran that agreeably to the call and contract of Settlement between the town and their minister aforesaid, of June, A. D., 1805, & in conformity with the fore- going Articles & Votes the Settlement of Mr. Cochran over said Inhabitants, as their Minister, and the Annual Salary arising out of that Settlement, will cease from and after the expiration of six months from the date of this information. And the Committee further assure Mr. Cochran that they are ready at such time and place as he may think fit to appoint, to meet him and the Church or either of them, should Mr. Cochran desire it, for his own Con- venience, to agree on a Council, Honorably and Amicably to dissolve the connection. The Committee deem it their duty to .
1. See Town Records, vol. I, pages 281,-289.
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state to Mr. Cochran that such is the division in Religious opinions among the Inhabitants & such the peculiar situation of said town, that this step becomes imperiously necessary in the opinion of almost all the Inhabitants. The Committee tender their thanks to Mr. Cochran for his Ministerial labours, for his friendly & Neighborly advise, for his admonitions and Counsels, while Ministering over the town.
When this notice was handed to Mr. Cochran by "Mr. Robert Chase in the presence of Mr. Oakes Perry," Mr. Cochran stated to Mr. Chase "that the town had acted agreeably to the Articles of contract, tho' it was a hard case on his part ; he should want a Council & would soon let the Committee know." Expect- ing to hear from Mr. Cochran, the Committee delayed taking further measures until Dec. 12, 1814, when Mr. Joshua Dillingham and Capt. Hosea Bates called upon Mr. Cochran and handed him a writing to the effect, that not having received any reply to their former notice, and it being necessary for the Committee to make a report to the town, they wished Mr. Cochran "to signify in
writing his views & wishes in this business." Mr. Cochran then stated to Capt. Bates that "he considered the contract between him and the town as dissolved & that he did not expect more Salary & that he would consult his Church and give the Committee notice as to the Council." The report then goes on to say that "after all these conversations & with a full knowledge of the agreement of settlement, your Committee were not a little astonished on Receiving from Mr. Cochran a Communication " as follows : -
Camden, Dec. 27, 1814,
To the Community of the Town of Camden, Gentlemen :
By the Articles of Settlement between me and the Town it was expressly Stipulated that should the Town afterwards be dis- satisfied with me they should have the right by giving a six months notice, to call a Council whose duty it should be to dis- solve the connection between me and the Town, unless such dis- satisfaction should be mutually accommodated. It was under-
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stood by me at that time & I presume by the Gentlemen Com- mittee who acted in behalf of the Town, that the Town should not only vote their dissatisfaction, but express in their Vote the Causes of their dissatisfaction, that I might have an opportunity of being heard before the Council, touching all Matters of Grievance. It appears by a Vote of the Town on the 4th of May last, handed me the 26th of the same Month, that a Committee was appointed to dissolve the connection between me and the Town; but in the votes and transactions of the Town, which have been handed me, neither dissatisfaction nor the causes of it are expressed.
If the causes of dissatisfaction are such as to disqualify me for the Ministry, then it is a duty which the Town owe themselves and the Church of Christ at large, to bring them before a Council who have Power to deprive me of my ministerial office. If not, then it is a duty which they owe me that the Council may Justify and Recommend me to the improvement of other churches.
My character is to be tested by enemies, as well as Friends, which makes it necessary that my dismission be not in such a manner as to give people an opportunity of assigning whatever cause might suit a spirit of malevolence. Therefore I view it a duty which I owe my own character, the Church and Society with which I have been connected, to Request the Town to act agree- able to the Articles of Settlement, viz: To Vote their dissatis- faction and the Cause or Causes of it; and then I am ready and will- ing to fulfill my engagement with them, in uniting to call a Council to dissolve the Connection.
I remain, Gentlemen, with due Respect, Your Humble Servant, THOMAS COCHRAN.
Notwithstanding the excellent and adroit argument advanced by the reverend special pleader in this letter, the Com- mittee say they considered it "as in direct Subversion to the Call, Argeement & Articles of Settlement." They therefore, in be- half of the town called a Council themselves, by forwarding an attested copy of the votes of the town and a letter "to the Rev. Mr. Huse of Warren, the Rev. Mr. Mason of Castine, the Rev. Mr. Blood of Bucktown, the Rev. Mr. Loomis .of
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Bangor and the Rev. Mr. Packard of Wiscasset, request- ing them to meet as a council on the 1st day of the en- suing June, at the dwelling house of Nathan Brown." A notice of this Council meeting was also given to Mr. Cochran. At the time and place appointed, three of the Council were present, viz : the Rev. Mr. Huse, the Rev. Mr. Mason and the Rev. Mr. Blood. The Report says : "Mr. Cochran also attended & protested against their proceeding or taking any order on the business. The Committee urged the terms of the contract between the Town & Mr. Cochran & insisted that the town had done all con- templated in the Call & Agreement of Settlement. To this Mr. Cochran made many vague & trifling objections." The Council then adjourned until July 4, and the Rev. Mr. Jenks of Bath and the Rev. Mr. Brown of No. Yarmouth were asked to join the Council. When the Council met again Messrs. Huse and Pack- ard were the only members in attendance. Mr. Cochran then made additional objections to the proceedings of the town, "And the Reverend Gentlemen closed the business by Recommending to Mr. Cochran & the Town to come to a settlement," which was a very easy way for the Council to dispose of the trouble. The Committee closed their report by giving in detail the reasons why they deemed it inexpedient for the town to take any further action in the matter. Their report was accepted and they were relieved from further duty.
1816. Mr. Cochran dissolved his connection with the Church and town in 1816, and the Church had no settled minister for many years.
Mr. Cochran, owned and occupied the house still standing on Mountain street and for many years known as the "Fay House." This house is one of the very oldest houses in town and was probably erected by Jeremiah Farnham an early resident of the town. Mr. Farnham purchased the original "Fay Farm," partly of the "Twenty Associates " and partly of Gen. Knox, and later sold it to Mr. Cochran who in turn, when he left town, sold it to
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Silas Fay. A greater portion of it remained in the hands of Mr. Fay's descendants, until 1903 when it was sold to Mr. Wendell Hull and others of Boston, who now own it.
The State Election was held this year on April 1, and the vote for Governor stood as follows: Samuel Dexter, 107 votes; John Brooks, 80 votes.
At the town Election held the same day it was voted to choose five selectmen and three assessors. The officers elected were as follows : Moses Trussell, Town Clerk; Robert Chase, Moses Trussel, Banajah Barrows, Wm. Parkman and Samuel
The Cochran-Fay House.
Hale, Selectmen ; Robert Chase, Moses Trussel and Banajah Barrows, Assessors ; Nathan Brown, Treasurer. At this meeting it was voted to raise $100 to purchase a fire engine for the use of the town, and at a subsequent meeting the amount was raised to $200.
The town again voted not to send a Representative to the General Court.
On May 20, a meeting was called to vote again on the question of asking the General Court to assent to a separation of
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
the District of Maine from Massachusetts, and of the "Erection of said District into a separate State." The town was against the proposition and voted not to separate 83 to 37.
This question, however, like Banquo's ghost, would not "down" and in the following August it came up again. This time the vote stood 95 against separation and 32 in favor of it.
On Nov. 4th was held the election for a Representative to Congress, and Benjamin Orr received 67 votes, while his opponent, Erastus Foote, a former citizen of the town, received 54.
This year the last reminders of the late war were removed from the town by the three cannon on the mountain being taken down and carried to Portland or Boston.
For some time past the town meetings had been held at the "Masons Hall" which was the hall in the old wooden building on Maine street, destroyed in the great fire of 1892, and which stood on the site of the present Masonic Temple, that being the principal hall in town.
This year John Nicholson, a prominent citizen and leading merchant, left town to travel in the South in pursuit of health, being afflicted with a disease of the lungs. He was not success- ful in his quest and shortly afterwards fell a victim of the disease. Mr. Nicholson was brought up by Col. Head of Warren, and was for a number of years a clerk in his store. He came to Camden about the year 1808, and opened a West India goods and grocery store in what has since been known as the Daniels store on the corner of Elm and Chestnut street. He afterwards built the block on Main street now known as the Perry Block, where G. E. Rollin's grocery store now is, and traded there. He was an enterprising merchant and became largely interested in navigation. He married Miss Mary Hartwell of Princton, Mass.
In the old part of Mountain Cemetery where -
" Each in his narrow cell for ever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep,"
can be found a broad slate-colored headstone upon which is
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inscribed : -
PHINEAS BOWERS, ESQ. DIED SEPT. 23, 1816, AGED 44.
Mr. Bowers was one of four brothers, Phineas, John, Joseph and Oliver, who came from Groton, Mass., hither about the year 1795.
Phineas Bowers was one of the leading business men and a very influential citizen of the town during the early years of the century. When any crisis impended, Mr. Bowers was one of the men to whom the people looked and it has been seen that he served on important committees of the town during the exciting times preceding the hostilities with Great Britian. Mr. Bowers built for a residence the large colonial house that used to stand on the easterly side of Chestnut street nearly opposite the resi- dence of the late T. R. Simonton. In later years it was known as the "Barbour House," and was demolished about the year 1883, the lot having been purchased by Mr. Simonton.
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