USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 20
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 20
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
the disposition of the people of Maine to violate them. For this purpose you will be justified in declaring by law that all citizens of Maine who may come within the jurisdiction of this state, on board of any vessels, as owners, officers, or mariners, shall be considered as doing so with the intent to commit the crime of seducing negro slaves from their owners, and be dealt with accordingly by the officers of justice." . No action of the ridicu- lous kind thus suggested by the Governor seems to have been taken. The Legislature of Alabama then took a hand in the matter by adopting resolutions, on the same subject, which were transmitted to the Governor of Maine and by him to the Legisla- ture. These resolutions were not preserved in our Maine archives and cannot now be found. 1
This year John Eager died on Sept. 11, at the age of 50 years. Mr. Eager was a native of Shrewsbury, Mass., and was the son of Capt. Lewis Eager of that town. 2 He married Martha, daughter of Capt. Nathan Howe, a distinguished citizen of the same town. Capt. Howe was an officer in the French and Indian war and aided in the building of Fort William Henry. He was also a captain of minute men in the Revolution. He was plowing in his field on April 19, 1775, when the post rider dashed through Shrewsbury sounding the Lexington alarm. Howe immediately detatched a horse from his plow-team, and leaving the "plowshare in the mould," set off to rally the minute men. In 1776 he commanded a company in throwing up the works on Dorchester Heights, which compelled the British to evacuate Boston, where he contracted an illness from which he never recovered. Soon after his marriage in 1808, Mr. Eager took his young wife and goods and embarked at Boston on a vessel for Camden. The weather was dark and the winds contrary, and the young couple were three stormy weeks getting to their destination. When they at
1. Gov. Cobb recently made a courteous request of the Governor of Alabama for a copy of these resolutions, but the Governor of Alabama did not even deign to acknowledge the letter.
2. See History of Shrewsbury.
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ATTICUS, THE SLAVE
last approached our port, however, the storm-clouds had vanished, and the westering sun shown brilliantly over the magnificent scene. They sailed into the harbor and landed at Ogier's Point, and as they did so, and looked for the first time upon the beautiful little hamlet nestling amid its wild scenery,
" And through the hill-gaps sunset light Shone o'er it with a warm good-night,"
to the eyes of the storm-weary home seekers the spot seemed a veritable Paradise. Mr. Eager kept an inn in what is now the Bay View House, and traded, having a store in Camden and another in Hope as has already been stated. He took a promi- nent part in town affaits and also served as Deputy Sheriff. He was Postmaster at the time of his death. During the latter part of his life he bought and occupied the comfortable homestead on Main street, still known as the "Eager House," and now owned by his grand-daughter, Mrs. Henry L. Alden. He was the father of eleven children. Mrs. Eager, who survived him several years, was the heroine of the episode of the war of 1812, related in a pre- ceding chapter. Mr. Eager's children, who reached maturity, were, Mary, (who married William Codman) Ann, (who married Edward Bradbury) Sarah, (who married Warren Morse) Francis, Charles, John, Jr., and William.
1838. Annual meeting, April 2. Stephen Barrows was chosen Town Clerk. There were three separate boards, Select- men, Assessors and Overseers of the Poor, elected this year. Selectmen. James Clark, Thomas Spear and James Tolman ; Assessors, Robert Harkness, Elisha Gurney and Job Hodgman ; Overseers, Daniel Packard, Robert Harkness and Cornelius Thomas. William Simonton, 2d, was chosen Treasurer. The board of Assessors subsequently declined to serve and a meeting was called on April 28, at which Abraham Ogier, Ephraim G. Hewett and Wm. Simonton, 2d, were elected to serve as Assessors.
This year the Democrats were once more successful in the state election, Gov. Kent being defeated for Governor by John
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Fairfield. In Camden, Fairfield had 298 votes and Kent, 258. There were eight candidates for Representative voted for this year, and it took three ballots and an adjournment to effect a choice. Samuel G. Adams led on the first and second ballot, Jacob Trafton being his nearest competitor. On the third ballot, however, Mr. Trafton dropped out and William Harkness, a "dark horse," who had not been voted for before, came in and captured the prize, receiving 288 votes to 200 for Mr. Adams.
This year through the influence of Col. Joseph Hall, a piece of ordnance was presented to the Democratic party of Camden which henceforth for years was known as the "Democratic Gun." This gun was used on what the members of the party considered proper occasions, but was rather silent during the Whig times that shortly followed.
Warren Rawson, Esq., died this year. He was born at Brookfield, Mass., June 21, 1802, and came to Camden when a young man. He attended school at Warren Academy, studied law and was admitted to the bar, and afterwards practiced in Cam- den in company with William H. Codman, Esq., under the firm name of Rawson & Codman. Mr. Rawson was the first cashier of the Megunticook Bank. We learn from Mr. Rawson's son, Mr. W. A. L. Rawson, that in the early days of the Bank there was no safe and every night he and his father used to carry the money home in bags and keep it during the night in the house. Mr. Rawson was married Oct. 6, 1825, to Miss Lucy Huse Gould. He built the house on Elm street now owned by Mr. W. A. L. Rawson, where he lived until his death, Feb. 1, 1838, when he was but thirty-five years of age. Mr. Rawson was a member and Past Master of Amity Lodge and also served as Secretary, and was one of the earliest of the Camden Masons to receive the Royal Arch Degree. His children were, Joseph W. H., William A. L., Lucy E., (who married Stewart Blake) Edwin T. G. and two others who died in childhood.
This year John Bird, a prominent resident of the west part of
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ATTICUS, THE SLAVE
the town, left here and made his permanent residence in Rock- land, where (at Blaskington's Corner) he had had a store since 1825. Mr. Bird was born in Framingham, Mass., in 1798, and came to Camden in 1805, where he attended the district school for a time, but when quite young learned the cooper's trade which he afterwards carried on in connection with his farm. In 1821 he married Clarissa, daughter of Capt. John Gregory, a woman of remarkable force of character, to whose assistance much of Mr. Bird's future success was due. After Mr. Bird opened his store at Rockland (then Thomaston) where he also manufactured lime, he walked from his farm to his place of business and back every day, until he moved to Rockland. While living in Camden Mr. Bird was collector of taxes for several years and also captain of the militia. After moving to Rockland he continued his busi- ness in which he was very successful, and was the founder of the large wholesale grocery business now carried on under the name of the "John Bird Company." He was also quite extensively interested in navigation and banking. He was elected president of the North Bank, now the North National Bank of Rockland, in 1854, and held that position to the time of his death in 1869. Mr. Bird was honored and respected by the people of his adopted city and is the ancestor of the influential Rockland Bird family. Of his eleven children, (five sons and six daughters) all except a daughter, who died young, settled in Rockland.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER XXXI.
A NEWSPAPER AND THE HARRISON CAMPAIGN.
1839. This year at the annual meeting held April 1, the town went back to one board of municipal officers, and elected Robert Harkness, Samuel G. Adams and Daniel Packard, Select- men, etc. Cornelius Thomas was elected Town Clerk, and Wm. Simonton, 2d., Treasurer.
Gov. Fairfield and ex-Gov. Kent were again this year rival candidates for gubernatorial honors, the former being re-elected by a good majority. Camden gave the Governor 253 votes and Mr. Kent 205. Camden again had plenty of aspirants for the office of Representative, eleven citizens being voted for, which again resulted in the necessity of an adjournment and another ballot. Jeremiah McIntire and Edward Freeman on the first ballot were far ahead of the other contestants, but on the second, Stephen Barrows was elected, having 132 votes to 24 for Mr. Freeman, 44 for Mr. McIntire, and 32 for Job Hodgman.
The Legislature of 1839 passed a law by which officers could be detailed from different parts of a regiment to command a com- pany in a town where there was no officer and compel the men to train. The Camden company had no officers, and, therefore, in the spring of this year, the colonel of the regiment ordered an officer living in Thomaston, holding the rank of ensign, to notify the soldiers of Camden to meet at the town house for military duty and inspection. Public sentiment throughout the state
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A NEWSPAPER
was still opposed to the existing military law, with which sentiment our people were strongly in sympathy, and consequently our soldiers did not turn out as ordered. The result was that our militia men were all sued by a Thomaston lawyer for the fines they incurred by their non- tendance, and warrants were put into the hands of a deputy sheriff for service. Our delinquents had been apprised of the pro- posed legal action, and were prepared to receive the officer, and when he was on his way to serve his papers, he was met, between Goose River and Camden Harbor, by Wm. Carleton, who advised him to return home, as it was a favorable season, and attend to his planting. The officer replied that he had a lot of good fat chickens to pick and purposed to attend to it. He proceeded to Camden village, where a committee of citizens met him and remonstrated with him and advised him to desist from his intend- ed course, as the result might prove disastrous to him. The deputy sheriff replied that he knew his duty and was determined to do it, and proceeded to Eaton's tavern (where Mr. Wm. Eaton now lives.) As he arrived there a crowd, which had followed him, assailed him with a volley of eggs, which did not cease until his horse and gig were made ready for him to leave, which he did somewhat hurriedly, heading for his home in Thomaston. Before he started, however, his hat containing the papers for service, was knocked off his head by the pelting of eggs, and its contents seized and destroyed. The officer was chagrined and determined to get satisfaction and on the following ยท week went to Augusta and laid the matter before the Governor, who sent Adjt. Gen. Thompson here to settle the trouble. When Gen. Thompson arrived he proposed to settle the matter by hav- ing one man tried as a test case. This proposition was accepted and one of the soldiers was selected for that purpose, and his case was carried to the Supreme Court where judgment was rendered in his favor on a technicality. The deputy sheriff then had sev- eral of the egg-throwers indicted, who went to court at once and
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
demanded a trial, but a flaw was found in the indictment and the proceedings were quashed.
William Parkman, an old and respected citizen of the town, died this year on Dec. 24 at the age of 70 years. Mr. Parkman, who was a cousin of Samuel Parkman, Esq., of Boston, was born at Concord, Mass. He came to Camden about the year 1800 from Lincolnville, where he had previously resided and where he married Sarah Tanner. He was a joiner by trade and in that capacity went in the ship Massachusetts on a voyage to Canton, China, in early life. For many years he was agent for the "Twenty Associates." He served as selectman of the town and in other official capacities. His wife survived him for 16 years, dying in 1855 at the age of nearly 84. His residence was the large old house in Camden village standing on Pleasant street opposite the residence of the late Capt. Jesse F. Hosmer. His children were, Sarah, (who married Thos. Bartlett) Mary, (who married Wm. Maxfield) Lydia, (who married Wm. Wood) Eliza, who married Joseph Hall as his second wife ) Frances, (who married Wm. Russ) and William.
1840. The census of 1840 showed that the population of the town had increased nearly ten-fold during its half century of existence, and had reached 3005.
The annual town meeting was held April 6, when Cornelius Thomas was again chosen Town Clerk. The other officers were, Robert Harkness, Daniel Packard and James Clark, Selectmen, and Wm. Simonton, 2d., Treasurer. In the warrant for this meeting the temperance sentiment in town was shown by the insertion of several articles, asking that the selectmen be instruct- ed not to license people to sell liquor, to prosecute anyone selling liquor, etc. All of these articles, however, were "passed over": at the meeting.
This year took place the famous and long to be remembered Log Cabin and Hard Cider" campaign, resulting in the elec- tion of the Whig candidate for President, William Henry Harrison.
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A NEWSPAPER
On the 4th of July a great Whig convention was held in Belfast upon which occasion a "log cabin" was hauled from Montville and "hard cider" was the beverage used by those participating in the celebration. Camden Whigs were represented by a boat- load of sea captains and others, who hauled their boat upon wheels, thus journeying to Belfast with waving flags, and followed by a long procession of carriages filled with ardent admirers of the hero of Tippecanoe, who frequently expressed their enthusiasm on the road by giving lusty cheers for their candidate. In the meantime the Democrats viewed the event with disfavor and apprehension, as it indicated the rapid rising of the tide that finally floated Mr. Harrison to the White House. The Maine Democrats put forth every effort to stem the tide in the state and the result was one of the liveliest campaigns in the history of the state. The Whigs were successful in securing a plurality for their candidate, Mr. Kent, of 67 votes over Gov. Fairfield, in by far the largest vote ever, up to that time, polled in the state, but 98 scattering " votes cast, prevented his having a majority, and therefore, there was no election by the people and the choice of a governor was thrown into the Legislature, which, having a Whig majority, elected Mr. Kent.
In Camden, while the vote was very close, the Democrats still maintained their ascendancy, Mr. Fairfield having 309 votes and Mr. Kent, 302. The election of a Representative was again a hotly contested one. Stephen Barrows had 292 votes, Samuel G. Adams, 303, Elias Story, 10, and Cornelius Thomas, 1. There being no choice the meeting adjourned to Sept. 21, when the second ballot resulted as follows : Barrows, 313; Adams, 317; scattering, 4. The selectmen declared that there was no choice and the meeting adjourned to Sept. 28. The Whigs claimed that their candidate, Mr. Adams, was elected and refrained from voting at the third ballot. The Democrats attended and voted for their candidate, the ballot resulting as follows : Stephen Bar- rows, 207 ; Job Hodgman, 1. The election was contested in the
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Legislature which decided in favor of Mr. Adams, who took his seat in that body. At the Presidential election following, the Democratic electors received 286 votes in Camden, and the Whig electors, 283.
It was in this campaign that the Whigs, not to be outdone by their opponents, purchased a "Whig gun."
On May 13 of this year was begun the publication of Cam- den's first newspaper, called the "American Citizen," of which Mr. John R. Shaw was editor and proprietor, and which took its full share in the exciting political campaign following. Mr. Shaw was by trade a hatter and came here from Winthrop. Mr. Locke speaks of him as follows : "Originally, he was a Whig, of aboli- tion proclivities, but, being an ultraist in religion, as well as politics, he carried his radical ideas into the church to which he belonged, and, because he could not obtain the sanction of the minister, Rev. Nathaniel Chapman, to his extreme views, he transcended the ordinary limits of Christian freedom, which ulti- mated in the severance of his connection with the church. Thereupon, he became a Democrat, but his new political relations made him no more conservative in politics, or less ultra in relig- ion." 1 After changing his politics he started the "American Citizen," through whose columns he promulgated his peculiar religious and political views. Illustrative of Mr. Shaw's style of political writing we quote the following from the "American Citizen" of July 10, 1840, relative to the Whig celebration at Belfast :
The Whigs had pow-wow at Belfast on the fourth, and from what we can learn, we are satisfied that it was a total failure. We learn that the miserable, contemptible tom-foolery of the Federal party, was exhibited by hauling a 'Log Cabin ' made out of slabs, from Montville to Belfast. What a contemptuous idea the ruffle shirt Whigs must have of the people, when they suppose that by hauling 'Log Cabins' about, parading in 'coon skins' and skunk skins' and bellowing ' hurrah for Harrison' they can
1. Locke's Sketches, Page 171.
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A NEWSPAPER
advance their cause. We are sorry to say that our quiet village was disturbed on the night of the fourth by boisterous whooping and uproar caused by the Harrisonites who had just returned from Belfast.
The American Citizen did not outlive the campaign, for on Sept. 25, 1840, the editor announced: "We are compelled to state to our readers that for want of sufficient patronage, the Citizen must be suspended, probably not again to be revived. Our paper has been kept up mostly at the expense of a few Democratic citizens, its subscription being insufficient to defray half the expenses of its publication," etc. Thus began and ended our first newspaper. Shortly afterwards Mr. Shaw closed up his hat business here and went to California.
William Carleton died March 4, 1840, at the age of 61 years. He was a native of Methuen, Mass., and came to Cam- den about the year 1806, where he went into the mercantile business at the Harbor. His store was in a building that stood on the spot where the Camden National . Bank building now stands. He remained there until 1838, when he removed to Goose River and continued to trade there until his death. He was twice married, his first wife being a Miss Mirick and his sec- ond wife, Betsey Crowell, both of Princeton, Mass. He was the father of eight sons, several of whom have been among the ablest and most enterprising business men of this section of the state. During the war of 1812, Mr. Carleton was adjutant of the fifth regiment. He also held the office of county commissioner, and was exceedingly prominent in the affairs of his town. He was enterprising, active and far-seeing and in whatever position he was placed, discharged his duties with tact and ability. As has already been stated, he was President of the Megunticook Bank at Camden Harbor. After he removed to the River he did much towards laying the foundation of the business prosperity of what afterwards became the flourishing village of Rockport. His homestead was the solid old mansion situated on the hill in Rock-
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
port on the road to Camden by the way of Elm street. His widow married Rev. Job Washburn and continued to reside at the old homestead until his death. It is now occupied by Mr. Carleton's grandson, Mr. Willis Carleton, and is probably the oldest house in Rockport. Mr. Carleton's sons all passed their lives in their native town, some of them carrying on the business begun by their father, building up one of the most prosperous
William Carleton
and best known business houses in the state. The names of the sons of Mr. Carleton are as follows: William, Jr., Samuel D., Elbridge E., Charles A., George, Philander, J., Benjamin F. and Granville E. Benjamin and Granville are the only survivors of these eight brothers.
1841. Annual meeting April 5. Elected Joshua D.
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A NEWSPAPER
Norwood, Town Clerk ; James Clark, Robert Harkness and David Bartlett, Selectmen ; Wm. Simonton, 2d., Treasurer.
The "Goose River Bridge " question came up at this meet- ing and a committee consisting of Thomas B. Grose, John Achorn and Robert Chase, was chosen to contract for and superintend building the bridge, for which the sum of $300 was appropriated and which was ordered to be built within two years.
The Old Carleton Residence
At a subsequent meeting held June 19, the town voted "That the selectmen be instructed to draw orders for a sum , not to exceed $625, over and above the $300 already raised, payable in Sep- tember, 1842, Provided the bridge is completed according to Contract and by Sept. 30th, 1841."
This year the "battle of the giants" continued in the polit- ical field, Gov. Kent again being opposed by his great rival, ex-
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Governor Fairfield. At no other period in the history of our state have two so able and popular men been so many times pitted against each other in gubernatorial contests. This time Mr. Fairfield was once more victorious, being elected by a big majority. A new party known as the Abolition or Liberty party, this year appeared for the first time, and Jeremiah Curtis, its can- didate for Governor, received 1662 votes.
In Camden the vote stood : Fairfield, 287; Kent, 25; Cur- tis, 15. E. K. Smart of Camden was one of the senators elected. The following were the candidates for Representative, viz .: T. B. Grose, A. Simonton, J. Clark, C. Thomas, N.T. Talbot, J. Hodgman, J. Tolman, J. Annis, E. Story, O. Bowers and E. Cobb. As usual there was no choice and the election was adjourned to Sept. 20, when Patrick Simonton was elected, having 266 votes, while Abrm. Simonton had 244, and J. Hodgman, 9. At this state election the question of changing the constitution of the state so as to have biennial elections and biennial sessions of the Legisla- ture, was voted upon for the first time. The people, however, did not see fit to make the change at this time. Camden's vote upon this question stood 60 in favor of the change and 79 against it.
The great temperance reform known as the "Washingtonian "" movement, was at this time attracting much attention everywhere, and in Camden an association styled the "Camden Independent Temperance Society" was organized July 6. This society's independence was made certain by the following clause in its constitution : "We desire no connection whatever as a society with any other temperance society in this town or in the world, or with persons who are now in regular standing with such." As a result of the work of this society a large number of persons signed the pledge, which did not, like former pledges, contain the reservation, that liquor might be used "when necessary," but read as follows : "We, the undersigned, pledge ourselves that we will not use intoxicating liquors as a beverage, nor countenance the use of them in others from this time, henceforth and forever."
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A NEWSPAPER
At about this time a "Martha Washington Society" was organ- ized by the ladies. Similar organizations were formed at Goose River and West Camden.
1842. The temperance agitation continued unabated and on July 4, 1842, the several societies in the different parts of the town joined in a big celebration which was also attended by the temperance societies from several neighboring towns. A fine picnic dinner was served in a tent erected on the site of the old meeting-house on Elm street, after which a procession was formed and headed by the Northport military company, marched to Goose River where a beautiful banner was presented to the Goose River Independent Temperance Society, by Miss Sophia T. G. Merriam with appropriate remarks. The banner was received in behalf of the Society by Mr. Reuben Leland. The procession then marched to the Camden Congregational church, where an able address was delivered by Maurice C. Blake, Esq. The cel- ebration was closed by a salvo of artillery. On Aug. 8 a Youth's Temperance Society was organized at the Har- bor, numbering 100 members. This society lasted one year. The Independent Temperance Society of the Harbor was re-organ- ized in 1844, when the following officers were chosen : Abraham Ogier, President ; E. M. Wood, Treasurer; and N. L. Josselyn, Secretary. Its existence, however, was brief, closing this important temperance movement among our people.
At the annual town meeting held on April 4, 1842, J. G. Norwood was again elected Town Clerk. The Selectmen elected were, Robert Chase, Charles H. Wetherbee and Daniel Packard. Wm. Simonton, 2d., was again elected Treasurer. On the Goose River bridge question the town voted to raise the sum of $1000 ; but it became necessary to call another "bridge" meeting on July 16, at which it was voted to raise the western abutment of said bridge six feet above the original plan and to pay Mr. Hil- dreth, the contractor, $150 extra to make the change.
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