USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 22
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 22
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In 1847 was organized, so far as we are informed, the first fire company in Camden village, known as the "Hydrant Fire Company, No. 1." This company did not continue long, but was reorganized in 1851. It was again reorganized in 1854, each time adopting by-laws and the same name. They used a hand tub and did service at several fires. In 1867 some eighty- five young men, members, as the records show, of the leading village families, signed an agreement to organize a "Company sufficiently large to take charge of the Hydrant, Engine No. 1 and Atlantic, No. 2." They organized what has since been known as "Atlantic Engine Company, No. 2," and adopted a constitution and as their motto, "Always Ready." This company has continued to exist until the present time, and has done valiant
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service at many a hard fought fire, demonstrating that their motto was adopted to some purpose. The first officers of this company were, A. B. Wetherbee, Foreman; E. T. G. Rawson, Assistant Foreman ; Reuel Philbrook, Foreman Leading Hose; Samuel Ayers, Assistant Foreman Leading Hose ; John Campbell, Fore- man Suction Hose ; C. W. Follansbee, Clerk and Treasurer; T. R. Simonton, W. G. Adams and Alden Miller, Jr., Finance Committee.
This year two prominent Camden physicians died, Dr. Joseph Huse, June 30, and Dr. Benjamin J. Porter, August 18.
Dr. Joseph Huse was a native of Methuen, Mass. He com- pleted an academic course of study at the Atkinson, Mass., Acad- emy, and then studied medicine under Dr. Osgood of Andover, Mass., with whom he remained three years, and afterwards "rode one year " with Dr. Frank Kittridge of Tewksbury, Mass. He came to Camden about the year 1796. The same year he mar- ried Miss Lydia Page of Warren. He settled here in his profes- sion, and thus became the first permanent medical practitioner in town. Mrs. Huse, who is described as a beautiful woman, died Sept. 30, 1798, and on the rudely carved slate head stone, at her grave in Mountain Cemetery, we find the following verse, attesting her grace and beauty :
"Grace was in all her steps; heaven in her eye; In all her gestures dignity and love."
The young husband, inconsolable in his grief, is said to have passed much time at her grave playing beautiful, but sad melodies upon his flute. In 1800, Dr. Huse married Miss Lucy Stimson of Camden, who survived him several years. He had no children. He was a Whig in politics and was a member of the electoral college in the election of President Harrison in 1840. Dr. Huse was a most popular physician and carried on an extensive practice here for a period of half a century. Says his biographer, "In his latter years he placed more reliance in proper nursing than in the use of medicines. He was particularly successful in his
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treatment of fevers, in the subduing of which, he derived quite a reputation. Possessed of good perception and ordinary reflective powers, Dr. Huse evidenced these endowments of nature by a uniform and unostentatious life." He lived for many years in the house on Chestnut street lately owned by Geo. F. Mansfield of Los Angeles, Cal. The house has recently been rebuilt and is now known as "Brookside Cottage." He died at the age of 74 years.
Hon. Benjamin J. Porter was a native of Beverly, Mass. He completed his academic course of study at Byfield Academy, and then began his medical study with an uncle, Dr. Jones. His uncle being employed as surgeon in the Continental Army, in 1779 young Porter became surgeon's mate, and it is said that he acted in that capacity in Lafayette's regiment. This position gave him a rare opportunity of becoming acquainted with the leading men of the Revolution and he became on intimate terms with many of them, among whom were Lafayette and Gen. Knox. After the close of the war Dr. Porter came to Maine and practiced several years in Scarboro, Stroudwater (now Westbrook) and Portland where he had good success. He engaged in the lum- bering business in partnership with William King, (subsequently the first Governor of Maine ) then of Scarboro, and removed to Topsham, where he carried on an extensive and lucrative mercan- tile business, and married his partner's sister, Elizabeth L. King. The business of the firm of King & Porter continued until about the year 1810, when Mr. King removed to Bath and there formed another branch of the business. In 1814 the great freshet on the Androscoggin river swept away, in mills, lumber and the bridge, of which he was one of the proprietors, something like $80,000 of Dr. Porter's property. In addition he met with considerable losses in navigation during the embargo times. Prior to the separa- tion of Maine and Massachusetts he held the office of Governor's Councillor and was also Senator from Lincoln County. At the time of the separation he was chosen one of the commissioners to
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make a division of the property. In the autumn of 1829 he came to Camden where he remained until his death at the age of 83 years and 11 months. He was the father of six children. Dr. Porter is spoken of as "a gentleman of rare conversational powers and great suavity of manners." A familiar saying during his day was, "As polite as Dr. Porter." Among his children were, Benj. J. Porter, Jr., who became a prominent citizen of the town and Hon. Charles R. Porter, who moved to Bath. Charles R. practiced law for some time in Camden and owned the "Blake House " on Chestnut street.
Joseph Sherman, an early settler of the "Belfast Road " section of the town, was born at Marshfield, Mass., Feb. 23, 1754, came to Camden about the year 1780, and died April 5, 1847, at the age of 93 years. Mr. Sherman was the son of Igna- tius and Abigail (Chapman) Sherman, and a descendant of Wm. Sherman, who settled in Plymouth, Mass., about the year 1630 and ten years later removed to Marshfield. Joseph Sherman owned many acres of land in Camden. He built a large two- story, hip-roof house, which was finally torn down, the material going into the construction of the house now owned by Rodney Beverage. Mr. Sherman's children were, Wealthy, who died young ; Joseph Jr., who married Sarah Kidder and was the father of the late Darius Sherman (who owned what is now known as the "Sherman Farm " on the Belfast Road) Nancy, (who married Samuel Jones) Henry, Almarian, Cyrus and Ignatius.
Ignatius Sherman, who was born in Camden, Oct. 11, 1798, and died Oct. 24, 1870, at the age of 72 years, bought what was then known as the Isaac Morse farm, extending from the end of "Sherman's Point " to near the top of Megunticook Mountain. It is said that the large field on this farm facing Sherman's cove and once known as "Craig's Field," was the first field cleared in Camden. Deacon Morse was a staunch Baptist and the cove was the usual place in the old days, for the performance of the rite of baptism. Ignatius Sherman married Elethea Graffam and was
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the father of the following children : Sarah, (who married Wm. P. Ladd) Anna E., (who married Jonas Gleason) Helen R., (who married Geo. B. Waterhouse ) Cyrus E., Oliver G., Jacob I., Emma D. and Mary B. L., (who married Wilder W. Perry. ) Mr. Sherman was a Universalist in faith and a respected and valuable citizen. His original house, afterwards demolished, was situated some distance from the Belfast Road, in the direction of Sherman's Point.
1848. The annual meeting this year came on April 3. James F. Thorndike was elected Town Clerk ; Thomas B. Grose, William A. Norwood and James Tolman, Selectmen; and John Brown, Treasurer.
John W. Dana, Democrat, Elijah L. Hamlin, Whig, and Samuel Fessenden, Abolition, were the three gubernatorial can- didates this year. The Abolition party cast 12,037 votes in the state, once more preventing an election by the people, and Gov. Dana was elected by the Legislature. Camden as usual gave a strong Democratic majority, the vote being as follows : Dana 284, Hamlin 140, Fessenden 21. William Merriam was re-elected Representative to the Legislature by a large majority, having 276 votes, while his chief opponent, Minot Tolman, had 137.
July 4 was celebrated this year by exercises under the auspices of the Sons of Temperance. A procession was formed at the hall of the society in George Pendleton's building, and marched to a grove near Mountain cemetery, led by the Camden Brass Band. At the grove an oration was delivered by Maurice C. Blake, Esq., after which the company repaired to the tables spread beneath the oak trees on the lot now occupied by the resi- dence of the late D. W. Russell on High street, where five hun- dred people sat down to a sumptuous repast. At the conclusion of the dinner, thirteen salutes were fired which closed the pro- gram.
The Camden Brass Band just mentioned was organized this year, with the following members: Paul Stevens, leader ;
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Lorenzo Swett, D. B. Withington, James Cusic, Thomas Wood, Jacob Anderson, Jr., Edmund Barnes, Edwin A. Tyler, Theo. P. Tyler, George Berry, Geo. P. Gilkey and Austin Hosmer. This was an excellent band, but the organization lasted but two years on account of its membership being broken by deaths and re- movals from town.
It was during this year that the Ladies' Library at Goose River was established. Mrs. Alex. Martin was chosen Librarian, and Mrs. Lucy Piper, Treasurer.
The Temple of Honor also began operations at Camden har- bor this year in the institution of Excelsior Lodge, No. 4. In this society there is a "Social Degree," in which the ladies par- ticipated. The order here numbered about one hundred mem- bers, about equally divided between the sexes. We are not informed as to who were the first officers of this Lodge, which continued in an active state until its hall, records and regalia were destroyed in the fire of 1853.
1849. The principal town officers elected at the annual town meeting held this year on April 2, were, James F. Thorn- dike, Town Clerk ; Thomas B. Grose, H. H. Cleveland and Wm. A. Norwood, Selectmen ; and Hiram Bass, Treasurer.
This year the Abolition or Liberty party gave place to the Free Soil party which mustered 7,987 votes in the state and had Geo. F. Talbot for its candidate for Governor. Elijah L. Hamlin was again the Whig candidate, and John Hubbard was the Dem- ocratic candidate. Mr. Hubbard was elected. In Camden he received 287 votes, Mr. Hamlin, 174, and Mr. Talbot, 18. Christopher Young, Jr., was elected Representative, having 262 votes, while Abraham Simonton, his chief opponent, had 206.
An act of congress was approved March 5, 1849, appropriat- ing $3,500 for building a lighthouse on Beauchamp Point. This appropriation was obtained through the influence of Hon. Ephraim K. Smart, who was then a member of Congress. The light- house was built on Indian Island the following year for the
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accommodation of Goose River harbor. 1 Silas Piper was the first lighthouse keeper appointed. 2
ยท Another act of Congress passed through the influence of Mr. Smart this year and one of great importance to the town, as a source of revenue and prosperity, was the creation of Camden as a Port of Entry and the setting off of some of the principal islands of Penobscot Collection District to the District in which Camden was embraced. Camden was a port of delivery in the Waldoboro District as early as the year 1799, and it is said that Joseph Eaton, our first postmaster, was also the first revenue officer appointed at this place. 3 In 1818, Camden became a part of the new Bel- fast District, which included "all the ports and harbors on the western shore of Penobscot bay and river from the town of Camden to the town of Bangor inclusive." The towns transferred from the Penobscot Collection District to the Belfast District by the Thirtieth Congress in 1849, were, Vinalhaven, North Haven and Islesboro. This transfer was the occasion of a warm and animated contest between Col. Smart of the 5th Congressional District and Hezekiah Williams of Castine, the member from the 6th Con- gressional District. Both members saw that the transfer of these towns would also transfer a large portion of the business of fitting out fishermen, which was then a lucrative one, from Castine to
1. Indian Island is connected with the main land by a bar which is passable at low water.
2. The keepers of Indian Island Light have been as follows: Silas Piper, Wm. Mclaughlin, Richard Grinnell, David S. Arey and the present keeper, Edmund Coffin,
3. Our customs officials have been as follows: Joseph Eaton, 1799 to 1805. Calvin Curtis to 1828. Joshua Dillingham, Jr., to 1838. Frederick Conway to 1841. James Clark to 1849. Joseph C. Stetson to 1853 Jonathan Huse to 1858. Geo. B. Moore to 1861. T. R. Simonton to 1866. Edward Cushing to 1867. T. R. Simonton to 1880. H. L. Shepherd to 1887. T. A. Hunt to 1888. J. H. Sher- man to 1889 (When Mr. Sherman was appointed, Rockport was made a Port of Delivery and the office transferred to that village, where it has remained to the present time.) H. L. Shepherd to 1893. E. A. Wentworth to 1897. (Dur- ing Mr. Wentworth's term an office was also established at Camden village with C. O. Montgomery as Deputy, which, however, was discontinued after a few months.) L. H. Lovejoy from 1897 to the present time.
-
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Camden, hence the sharp struggle between these two members, which resulted in a victory for Col. Smart. Just prior to this, Col. Smart had arranged for the Custom House officer here to have the right to transact all business which could be done at the principal port in the Collection District. This was a great advan- tage to Camden people, as it prevented the necessity of traveling eighteen miles to Belfast to transact business at the Custom House. When the island towns were transferred to the Belfast District, Camden having facilities for transacting every kind of Custom House business, and being nearer than Castine, nearly the whole fleet of fishing vessels belonging in Vinalhaven and North Haven, at once came to Camden to fit out, and for all purposes in con- nection with the voyages, bringing with them a large amount of business and increasing the prosperity of the town.
In February, 1848, gold was discovered on the Sacramento River in California, and shortly afterwards in various other localities. In a few months rumors of this discovery reached the Atlantic coast. In the latter part of the year these rumors were verified and in the early part of 1849 the gold excitement had reached a fever heat all over the country. Thousands rushed from the eastern states to this great Eldorado, making their way thither around Cape Horn, across the Isthmus of Panama or Central America, and across the great central, uninhabited plains of the continent. There were but few towns in our state that did not see, at least, a few "Forty-niners," as they were afterwards called, start away for these "realms of gold." Among them Camden furnished its part. Some twenty-five or more Camden men bought the brig Perfect, built in East Boston, to carry soldiers to the Mexican war, and well fitted for the voyage around Cape Horn, and with Capt. James Stackpole as master, and Capt. Geo. Dow of Thomaston as pilot, with passengers and crew, making some forty-five in all, left Camden in November for San Francisco. The voyage was a successful one of about six months duration. The brig reached its destination in due season, having touched
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only at Rio Janeiro and Valparaiso. After reaching San Francisco the vessel was taken up to Sacramento, where its passengers disposed of the oakum, several house frames and other chattels which they brought with them. The brig was then purchased by James W. Clark and three other members of the party and taken by them to Chili and sold. These "49ers" did not become very wealthy from their venture, but unlike many adventurers at that time, they escaped disease and death, and the most of them at various times and by various ways, returned to the East. The only survivors of the expedition are Mr. Alexander Buchanan of Camden and Mr. James W. Clark, now of Rockland.
This year two old and prominent citizens, father and son, died within a few weeks of each other. They were Lewis Ogier, who died January 28, and his son, Abraham Ogier, who died June 12.
Lewis Ogier was born in England, was the only son of Abraham Ogier, one of the earliest settlers of the town, and came here with his father from Quebec in 1771, at the age of eleven years. Thus Mr. Ogier was one of the first of those sturdy men who braved the wilderness to settle in Camden. Mr. Ogier was a very active man and served his town in many capacities, and during his long life was noted for his honesty of purpose, cheerful disposition and temperate habits. Among other positions held by him was that of Deputy Sheriff. He built the house that stood near the pres- ent corner of Elm and Washington streets, where the "Camden Block" now stands, and which was destroyed in the fire of 1892, where he lived and died. In 1828 he built the brick building which is now a part of the Anchor Works, where he carried on a carding business. Mr. Ogier was one of the earliest members of Amity Lodge, F. & A. M., took a great interest in its welfare and was a constant attendant upon its meetings. He was for several years Secretary of the Lodge and during the "dark days" of Masonry he was one of the "Immortal Nine" who saved the Lodge from dissolution. Mr. Ogier married Lucy, daughter of Robert Thorndike, by whom he had twelve children, and many
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of his numerous progeny live today in this section. He married again late in life and died at the age of nearly 89 years. The children of Lewis and Lucy Ogier were : Abraham, Mary, (who married Charles Porter) Deborah, (who married Jonas Blanden) Peter, Lewis Jr., Robert, Lucy, (who married Capt. Wm. Blake) Joseph, John, Andrew, Sarah, (who married John Thorn-
Lewis Ogier
dike) and William. Of these children, Peter went to New Orleans, where he accumulated a handsome property; Lewis Jr., died at sea; Joseph at San Domingo ; John died at the age of 19 years. The other sons lived in Camden. The descendants of Lewis Ogier have been and are a sturdy people and strongly marked with the peculiarities that have characterized the Huguenot race.
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Among them the strong ties of family and kindred are particularly noticeable in the Ogier family to the present day.
Abraham Ogier was born in Camden, Oct. 23, 1783. He re- ceived from his father the "Ogier Farm" and in 1830 built on "Ogier's Hill" the brick house now owned by Mrs. E. J. Parker of Quincy, Ill., where he lived until his death. This farm re- mained in the Ogier family until it was sold in 1888, by his son, Mr. Joseph W. Ogier. In addition to carrying on his farm, Mr. Ogier was associated with his father in the carding business and was one of the successful and prominent citizens of his day. He was a life long Democrat in politics. In town affairs he took much interest and was several times selectman. He also held the office of Trial Justice for many years, and presided at the trial of many local law cases. Mr. Ogier was one of the most prominent Masons in this section. He joined Amity Lodge when a young man and kept up his interest in it until the day of his death. He held nearly all the offices in the gift of the Lodge and was six times its Master, thus serving in that capacity more than any other member in its history. He was also one of the "Immortal Nine." Mr. Ogier married Martha Mckellar, by whom he had eleven children, four of whom died young. The other seven are, Abra- ham, Mary A., (who married Richard Martin) Eliza J., (who married Wm. Hall) Frederick, Martha E., (who married Thos. B. Hodgman) Joseph W. and Lucy. For a second wife he mar- ried Anna Lundy, widow of his brother, Lewis, by whom he had five children, Peter F., Philomelia Antoinette, (who married Capt. W. D. Whittemore ) Susannah E., Edwin and Eben L. At the time of his death he was nearly 66 years of age.
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CHAPTER XXXIV.
FATE OF THE FILIBUSTERS.
1850. During the first half of the nineteenth century Camden had a slow, but steady growth in population and wealth, and at the opening of the year 1850, had attained a high degree of industrial prosperity.' All branches of industry represented here found a sure reward for their development, and shipbuilding and many other enterprises were in active and successful operation. In the decade preceding, the inhabitants of the town had increased by exactly one thousand souls, the census showing a population at this time of 4005. The financial affairs of the town, at this time, if we are to take the word of the Committee on Accounts in their report to the town meeting in the spring of 1849,were "in a most deplorable condition." This committee, consisting of Robert Harkness and Abraham Ogier, was evidently at logger-heads with the board of selectmen. They say that it had always been the practice for the books and accounts of the town to go into the hands of the committee for investigation, but this year "these ancient usages and privileges have been violated. We have been forced to make our investigation under the immediate supervision and constant interruption of the Chairman of your selectmen, who assumed the right of dictating and controlling our deliberations." They also complain that the chairman of selectmen removed important papers out of their reach and had tried to confuse them so that they were not able to make an accurate report. They
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report many outstanding town orders, upon which interest had accrued, that only a part of the state and county tax had been paid, and that in other ways considerable of a town debt had accumulated.
The town at once proceeded to make assessments for the purpose of paying the debt, and at the annual meeting April 1, 1850, we find $1,000 raised for that purpose. The whole amount raised for town purposes at this meeting was $4,230, divided as follows : For incidental expenses, $500; for schools, $1,530; for support of poor, $800; for repairing roads and bridges, $400; to pay town debt, $1,000. In addition to this, at a meeting held April 22, it was voted to raise the sum of $5,000 to repair high- ways, same to be expended in labor. The confidence the town officials had in the road money being honestly "worked out" by the various tax payers, is shown by the recommendation of the committee on accounts at about this time, viz .: "$4,000 to be expended in labor on the Roads & Bridges, or $1,500 in cash instead of the $4,000."
At the annual meeting this year the following officers were elected : Town Clerk, B. J. Porter ; Selectmen, H. H. Cleveland, Robert Harkness and William Merriam; Treasurer, Hiram Bass. Among the other officers, H. B. Eaton, N. L. Josslyn and George W. Simonton were elected Superintending School Committee. "Chose John Ingraham, Collector and voted to give said Collec- tor three cents on the dollar ; and voted that the Collector collect the tax within the year, and if not Collected within the year the said Collector is to give a note with sureties, on interest, for the balance of Tax not collected, to the Inhabitants of Camden."
The gubernatorial candidates this year were John Hubbard, Democrat, William G. Crosby, Whig, and Geo. F. Talbot, Free Soil. Gov. Hubbard was elected. In Camden he received 309 votes, Mr. Crosby, 161, and Mr. Talbot, 10. Col. Smart was again elected to Congress. Camden attested its appreciation of what he had done for the town by showing practically no opposi-
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tion to him, giving him 365 votes to 20 for his opponent. Abner Dunton of Hope, now almost a centenarian, was elected County Commissioner, receiving 310 votes in Camden. Christopher Young, Jr., was elected Representative, having 290 votes, while Hiram Bass had 168.
This year the constitution was amended to make the political year begin in January, as it did originally, instead of in May as it had for the preceding six years. Camden voted 81 in favor of the amendment and 11 against it. On account of this amend- ment, Gov. Hubbard and the state and county officials "held over" without an election in 1851, the next state election being in September, 1852.
During this year there was considerable excitement aroused in the country over an attempted invasion of Cuba by a force organized and officered in the United States, in violation of the existing neutrality laws, in which episode a Cam- den vessel and several Camden citizens were involuntary partici- pants. At that time it was said that the better element among the inhabitants of Cuba were uneasy and restive under Spanish rule and desired independence, and that they would quickly and gladly co-operate with any armed force that might invade the island for the purpose of overthrowing the Spanish government. Gen. Narciso Lopez, a native of the island, probably deceived by designing politicians, as to the real state of affairs in this particular, proceeded to New Orleans for the purpose of organizing a force of filibusters. In the meantime the bark Georgiana, built at Lincoln- ville and hailing from Camden, of which Capt. Rufus Benson of Camden was captain, and Joseph Graffam of Camden, mate, sailed from this port with lime for New Orleans. Of the bark's crew of five men, one was Mr. Robert J. Burd of Camden, then twenty- one years of age. 1 The bark arrived at its destination in due sea- son and discharged its cargo of lime. It was then chartered by
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