USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 23
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 23
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1. The facts for the narrative of this adventure were chiefly furnished by Mr. Robert J. Bird and Mr. Silas C. Benson.
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certain parties to take a large number of men to Chagras, S. A., to work in the mines there. At the time appointed for sailing the "miners" came down to the dock where the vessel lay, in droves and came aboard at once. They were, indeed, a "hard crowd," composed of men of almost every nationality, many of them doubtless cut-throats and criminals, and nearly all of them adventurers of the most vicious character, ready to embark upon any undertaking, however desperate or evil. Some, however, had evidently been forced or inveigled into the venture while in a state of intoxication, among them a rich old planter from up river, who was hustled on board with the rest. When this motley crowd came to the vessel, many of them were drunk and quarrel- some, and in the process of embarkation one of them was killed in a row. No sooner were they on board than those in charge of them also assumed to take charge of the bark and proceeded to cut the mooring lines, and a steamer at once towed her into the stream and down to the mouth of the river, whence she put to sea, shaping her course toward Chagras. When she arrived at Women's Island, off the point of Yucatan, the bark was anchored and presently the brig, Susan Loud, of Boston, also appeared and cast anchor near her. The Loud was commanded by Capt. Simeon Pendleton, formerly of Camden, but then a citizen of Boston, who had one Thomas Hale as mate. It soon transpired that the Loud was also heavily loaded with "miners " and that both vessels were waiting for something. They had not long to wait before a steamer appeared, coming from the United States, having on board arms and ammunition and the arch filibuster, Lopez, him- self. The character of the expedition now became evident and the work of transhipping the men, a few at a time, from the two sailing .vessels to the steamer, at once began. Some fifty odd of the men aboard the Georgiana, among them the planter, who proved to be a man of character, courage and intelligence, refused absolutely to be transferred to the steamer and were finally left on board with the officers and crew, while the steamer sailed for
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Cuba, having taken Capt. Pendleton of the Susan Loud, who was a skillful pilot, to guide them to the Cuban coast, where they safely arrived, and landed at Cardenas on May 19. Lopez was disappointed in not receiving large accessions to his ranks from deserting Spanish soldiers and discontented native Cubans and things getting too warm for comfort, re-embarked upon the steamer and started for the coast of Florida, pursued by a Spanish war vessel. The steamer by the desperate expedient of burning in its furnaces nearly everything aboard that was combustible, succeeded in escaping and reaching Key West, whence Capt. Pendleton came home and Lopez turned his attention to the organization of another expedition which he hoped would be more successful in the attempt to free his native Cuba from the tyrannical rule of Spain. 1 But to return to our Camden friends. After the men were taken off, the Georgiana and the Loud remained in the same vicinity for several days, when a Spanish man-of-war, towing an armed brig, put in an appearance, and as they approached the two harmless Yankee crafts their officers and men were evidently in a serious state of trepidation lest the terri- ble Yankees might prove dangerous, as their guns were frowning from the ports and their decks were cleared for action. Finding that they need have no fear, they at last sent officers on board the two crafts, took possession of them and carried th se on board to Havana. 2 There the sailors remained for several months, sleeping on bare planks and given little to eat except stewed black peas, being kept on shipboard as prisoners, and taken very
1. Lopez undertook another filibustering expedition for the liberation of Cuba in 1851. In August of that year he sailed from New Orleans with a force of 480 men and landed on the northern coast of Cuba, where he left Col. Wm. L. Crittenden of Kentucky with 100 men and himself proceeded into the interior. Crittenden and his party were captured and taken to Havana and shot. Lopez was again disappointed. There was no uprising in Cuba to assist him and his little army was attacked and d fe ded, he him- self becoming a fugitive in the mountains. ' He was soon afterwards cap- tured with six of his followers and taken to Havana and exeented.
2. See Locke's Sketches, Page 214.
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often before some Spanish tribunal for trial or examination. But little information, however, was obtained from them, as they knew nothing about the undertaking except what their ships' articles showed. At last on Sept. 5, through the influence of the United States government they were brought on shore and placed in a boarding house, and given $5.00 each for spending money. They remained there for two days, visited by many Americans who were in the city, but who, on account of the excitement and intense feeling against Americans, did not dare to befriend them openly. They, however, often slyly, left money with their land- lord to relieve their wants. At the end of that time they were allowed to go on board a vessel by which they were brought to New York.
The officers of the two vessels did not fare so well as the sailors. Capt. Benson and Mate Graffam of the Georgiana and Mate Hale of the Loud, were confined for several months in irons in Morro Castle, and were finally condemned to the chain gang for life and carried to Spain in a Spanish man-of-war. In the meantime the mother of Graffam, Sarah Graffam, of Camden, a woman of spirit and determination, started for Washington to obtain, if possible, the assistance of the government to release the prisoners. She reached the capital in safety and solicited the help of the Maine men in congress to get an interview with the President and Secretary of State, in which she was successful, and was kindly treated by the President, who promised to use his influence to secure the release of her son and his companions. She then went to Cuba, but on arriving there found that the prisoners had been sent to Spain, so could only return to her home. The government made a demand on Spain to release the prisoners, and when they arrived in Spain they were released and allowed to return home. The two vessels were never recovered by their owners.
The next spring Mrs. Graffam wrote a letter of thanks "to the public," which is of interest in this connection, an abstract of
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which is as follows :
Thinking it my duty and esteeming it a privilege to make my thanks public to all whom it may concern, for their kindness to me while on my way to Washington and from thence to Cuba, striving to procure the release of my son, Joseph A. Graffam, and his unfortunate companions, who were there prisoners in irons with that people whose tender mercies are cruel. I will com- mence with those gentlemen belonging to Camden, my home, the Hon. J. Hall, R. Chase, Esq., and Hon. E. K. Smart, for their kind letters of introduction which assisted me more while at Washington, than money could have done. I will also return thanks to those gentlemen who contributed to my assistance on the day I left Camden. I would return my thanks to all Captains and Clerks of Steamboats, Agents, Directors of Railroads and Land- lords of Hotels for their sympathy and kindness to me, a widow, while on my journey. I would especially acknowledge my grat- itude to the Press, for the interest manifested in my behalf. I would also tender my respects to the Right Hon. Millard Filmore, President of the U. S., for his kindness and benevolence, not forgetting the Hon. W. S. Derrick, Acting Secretary of State, for his services ; also the Hon. Messrs. Hamlin and Sawtelle, States- men from Maine, together with a number of gentlemen, whose ames I have forgotten, whose assistance and sympathy In received at Washington, while on my errand of mercy; to those gentlemen I would say with gratitude, may Heaven's choicest blessings rest upon you. * * * * As for Mr. Daniel Webster, who has the honor to be Secretary of State, I can say nothing, either of his kindness or sympathy to me. Suffice it to say, if he remains in office, may God give him a new heart as he did Nebuchadnezzar when he was transformed from a beast back to the capacity of a man. 4 I have lately received my son (who was mate of the unfortunate bark, Georgiana) to the embraces of his family and friends, released by the Spanish government.
SARAH GRAFFAM. 5
Camden, March 14, 1851.
This year or thereabout. Nathaniel Dillingham, who had been prominent in town affairs, removed to Oldtown, Maine. Mr.
4 Mrs. Graffam did not receive the sympathy and consideration from Mr. Webster that she thought her case deserved.
5. Published in the Camden Advertiser.
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Dillingham was the son of the early settler, Joshua Dillingham, and was born in Camden soon after his father settled here, Oct. 13, 1783. In 1805 he settled on a part of his father's farm, his house being what has since been known as the "Capt. Ruel D. Kent house " on Belfast Road. He married Miss Deborah Mirick of Princeton, Mass., by whom he had six children. Mr. Dilling- ham was selectman from 1824 to 1831, and was for a number of years a member of the town Committee on Accounts. He was also for several years, Cashier of Megunticook Bank. Though a farmer by occupation, he sometimes served as clerk when not occupied with the business of his farm, and served in other posi- tions which his ability as an accountant and penman, well fitted hirn to fill. Mr. Dillingham died Nov. 30, 1863. His eldest son, Theodore, who died in Oldtown, March 7, 1858, was the father of Mr. Edwin F. Dillingham of Bangor, who has for so many years been a summer resident of Camden, and who, with his sons, Dr. Frederick H. Dillingham and Mr. Edwin L. Dilling- ham, of New York, owns the valuable cottage property on what is now known as "Dillingham's Point."
This year Camden lost a citizen of unique character in the death of Daniel Barrett, Dec. 1, at the age of 90 years. Mr. Barrett was a native of Concord, Mass., and came to Camden about 1792 and that year purchased of Wm. Molineaux land on Beauchamp Neck. Aug. 4, 1794, he married Peggy Grose and having built a house on his land, carried on the farming business. As has already been related, Mr. Barrett projected and carried out the plan of building the "Turnpike," which enterprise alone will make his name known to posterity. A former biographer of Mr. Barrett says: "The characteristics most prominent in Mr. Barrett, were his scheming proclivities, his energy, industry and rectitude of character. A legal gentleman in speaking to the writer about the subject of this sketch, remarked upon an instance of his exactness, as illustrated in a clause of a deed conveying land from him to a member of his family. Said property was to
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be owned by them and their heirs, in the language employed, 'as long as oak grows and water runs.'" Mr. Barrett was in no sense an office seeker, and whenever he acted in a public capacity, it was at the demand of those who had confidence in his integrity, judgment and good sense. For over half a century Mr. Barrett was a devoted disciple of Wesley. He was the father of twelve children and many of his descendants are today respected resi -- dents of Camden and Rockport. His "Turnpike " farm property was later owned by his son, Wm. H. Barrett, while his Beauchamp farm was divided between his sons, John and Amos. The original "Beauchamp" farm is now owned by Mr. A. H. Chatfield of Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Barrett's children were Daniel Jr., Samuel, John, Charles, William, Amos, Dorcas, (who married Sylvanus Russell) Mary J., (who married Hanson Andrews) and Margaret. The others died young. With the exception of Daniel Jr., who lived in Northport, all of Mr. Barrett's sons passed their lives in Camden and Rockport. Three of them, John, Charles and Amos, at one time engaged extensively in the manufacture of lime at Rockport village.
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CHAPTER XXXV.
ENTERS "ROCKPORT."
1851. There was no change from 1850 in the Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer elected at the annual meeting, held this year April 7, except that H. H. Cleveland and Robert Harkness reversed their positions on the board of selectmen, Harkness being first and Cleveland, second. It was voted to choose "Geo. W. Simonton, Supervisor, instead of a school com- mittee." The report of the Committee on Accounts this year showed the town debt to be $3,087.49.
During the latter part of the year 1851, an academy was opened here and a Mr. Butterfield was engaged as principal. Sixty-eight scholars attended the first term. This step was taken with the hope of receiving assistance from the state in a grant of land. The Legislature did not vote the grant as expected and the institution after a brief existence, suspended.
Major Edward Hanford, an old and prominent citizen of Camden, died May 3, 1851, at the home of his son-in-law, L. R. Palmer, Esq. Major Hanford was born in Norwalk, Conn., came to Camden about the year 1806, and worked at his trade, that of a hatter. He was a lieutenant in the war of 1812 and was after- wards promoted to the rank of major. We have met him frequent- ly in this history at the time of the war and also as being active in town affairs. He was selectman one year and town clerk four years and held other town offices. During the last twenty years
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of his life, he was unable on account of poor health, to continue his former activity in public affairs. He was the father of three daughters. Susannah and Mary, (both of whom married Lemuel R. Palmer) and Lucy, (who married Capt. Nath'l Eaton.) He owned the fine old place on Chestnut street, formerly the resi- dence of the late Hon. Thaddeus R. Simonton and now owned by Mrs. Simonton.
Mr. Alden Bass, another promient citizen, also died this year. Mr. Bass was born in Hanover, Mass., Jan. 30, 1776. He came to this town about the year 1800, where, as a house carpenter, he began working at his trade. March 5, 1802, he married Miss Rhoda Tyler, a native of Methuen, Mass., by whom he had three children. Hiram, Clarissa, (who married Jonas Howe) and Mary, (who married Joseph G. Mirick.) He is said to have cast one of the first two votes cast in this town by the Republican or Democratic party in opposition to the Federal party, which was the political idol of the early residents of the town, thus showing his strength of mind and independence of character. He was an earnest partisan and later became a leader of his party here and was elected Representative to the General Court in 1814. In 1825, when there was a re-arrangement of parties, he identified himself with the Whig party, with which he afterwards acted. In his trade he was an industrious and finished workman. He built and owned the house on Elm street, recently the residence of Capt. Isaac Coombs and now the home of Mr. C. W. Babb. He died Oct. 26, 1851.
1852. At the annual meeting held this year on April 5, the same town officers were again re-elected, except that P. J. Carleton was elected Town Clerk. William Merriam, however, was elected First Selectman, Robert Harkness, Second and H. H. Cleveland, Third, being another change in the positions of the members of the old board. The report of the Committee on Accounts shows a reduction of the town debt during the year, of $1,297.30.
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ENTERS "ROCKPORT"
Political parties this year began to have something of a shaking up in the state, various parties appearing, each of which nominated a candidate for Governor, Congressman, etc. This state of affairs continued until 1857, when the cleavage of opin- ion in political matters crystallized into a division of the voters of the state into the present Republican and Democratic parties. In 1852 the old Democratic party divided into two hostile factions, then distinguished by the refined appellations of "Wool Heads" and "Wild Cats." The latter faction was also known as the "Anti-Maine Law" party, which resulted from the Prohibitory law enacted by the Legislature and approved by Gov. Hubbard in 1851. Four candidates for Governor appeared this year, viz .: John Hubbard, the regular Democratic candidate, William G. Crosby, Whig, Anson G. Chandler, Anti-Maine Law, and Ezekiel Holmes, Free Soil. Gov. Hubbard received a plurality of the votes cast, but not a majority, and the Legislature after a strenuous and protracted contest, elected Mr. Crosby.
The vote in Camden reflects exceedingly well the political feeling and the result of the balloting in the state. It resulted as follows : John Hubbard, 236 ; Wm. G. Crosby, 246; Anson G. Chandler, 159 ; Ezekiel Holmes, 2. At this election the two candidates for County Attorney were both residents of Camden, and in this town Wm. A. Codman had 353 votes and Nath'l T. Talbot, 275. Mr. Codman was the successful candidate. Eph- raim M. Wood, Whig, was elected Representative, receiving 284 votes. The other candidates being Samuel C. Chase and Obadiah Brown.
January 9, Mr. F. C. Messinger, who came here from Clin- ton, Mass., began the publication of a newspaper called the "Cam- den Advertiser." The size of the sheet was 15x21 inches. This paper was printed in Camden until the last month of the year when it was removed to Rockland, where it continued its exist- ence under the name of "Commercial Advertiser" until 1854, when it was discontinued. After removing to Rockland it still
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purported to be published at Camden, although it sometimes hailed from Rockland. During the first sixteen months of its existence the Advertiser was neutral in politics and religion, but at the beginning of the campaign of 1853 the editor placed the name of the Whig candidate for Governor at the head of its editorial page, and subsequently advocated the principles of the Whig party.
In February of this year Hon. E. K. Smart, then serving his last term in Congress, presented to that body a petition of Camden men, headed by Capt John Glover, for the erection of spindles and buoys at the entrance of Camden harbor, and they were sub- sequently erected.
Goose River had now grown to be a village of some impor- tance and its people felt that it should be designated by some more euphonious and appropriate name, and in May of this year a public meeting of the citizens of the village was called to con- sider the matter of adopting a new name for the post-office there. Many names were suggested and discussed, but the very appro- priate name of "Rockport " 1 was finally determined upon as the
1. The post-offices and post-masters in the present town of Rockport have been as follows :
West Camden (changed to West Rockport Jan. 1, 1892, after the division of the town) post-office established in 1834. Post-masters, Stephen Barrows to 1846; George Norwood and Amos Knowles, to 1854; Calvin H. mingway to 1863; Miles S. Leach and Elliot Orbeton to 1886; Henry Y. Vinal to 1892; J. W. Oxton to the present time.
Goose River (changed to Rockport in 1852) post-office established in 1840. Post-masters, Silas Piper, Alexander Martin, Thomas Spear, Alexander Mar- tin, (ending 1861) Austin Sweetland to 1881; Perez Cooper to 1886; Thomas Perry to 1890; Perez Cooper to 1894; C. E. Paul to 1898; John Harkness to the present time.
Rockville post office established in 1853. Post-masters, Alvin Hewett, Elisha Gurney, Waterman Gurney, Alvin O. Keene, Ephraim C. Long, Wil- liam Barrows, Hiram Ewell (who held the office for 27 years) and Lottie H. Ewell, the present incumbent.
Glencove (formerly Clam Cove) post-office established in 1892, with Alvin Ingraham, post-master. The present incumbent is Elizabeth H. Ingraham.
Simonton. A post-office was established under this name at Simonton's Corner in 1894, with F. A. Rollins as post-master. He was succeeded by A. B. Farnham who was the incumbent when the office was discontinued in 1901.
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ENTERS "ROCKPORT"
one to be adopted. Some of the people of Rockland objected to the adoption of this name on account of its similarity to the name of that town adopted in the place of "East Thomaston" two years before, and the Rockland Gazette in its issue of May 15 came out in opposition to it. The following week a resident at the River, over the signature of "Cleo" responded through the Camden Advertiser as follows :
The editor of the Rockland Gazette in his last week's issue complains of our adoption of Rockport as the new name for our post-office, from that of Goose River, although he admits the pro- priety of a change. He then proceeds to give grave reasons why our ears and love of gain should have been less pleased with our selection. He ought to be willing to grant us the same liberty in choice that his people exercised. Ours was not original with us, nor was theirs with them; both existed before. If theirs was appropriate to them, surely ours is to us, as the editor himself would admit, were he ever to look upon our rock-bound port. He regards us as having been a little too sharp in our selection, so similar to theirs, and living so near, together with the identity of the general business. Herein is its peculiar fitness. No reason- able man could object to these causes. If the people of Rock- land were so happy in the choice of their name, certainly they should not be displeased if we were so struck with its appropriat- ness as to seek an alliteration of the same. But the editor is so unchristian as to intimate that we were prompted in this choice by the hope that the products of our quarries and kilns would be more marketable. How? From having been manufactured where the post-office bore a name somewhat like that of their town ! Wonderful! The consumer will have occasion to be ever grateful to the sage editor for his timely warning of the stupendous fraud about to be attempted. Much as we admire the energy and go- ahead spirit of our Rockland neighbors, far be it from us to wish to pluck any laurels from their brows with which to enrich our- selves. We, too, like them, fully subscribe to the editor's quoted proverb, 'let every tub stand on its own bottom.' We have been sensible of the value of our extensive quarries. Our interests have prompted us to improvement in our lime manufacture. We seek no borrowed reputation ; with its trial is its approval, even with the Camden brand, we ask no other. Our people find a
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ready sale for all they can make, and that at remunerating prices. In our mail correspondence the editor also anticipates much inconvenience. In this I think his fears are groundless. Our post-masters ought to be able to distinguish between Rock-land and Rock-port; if they cannot, the government should furnish them with specs.
From this time "Goose River" became "Rockport," the former name going out of use. "Goose River" is now entirely obsolete, except in referring to the stream of that name.
On August 31 of this year a small sized political paper called the " Pine Tree State" made its first appearance and continued for six weeks to vigorously and ably advocate the election of Franklin Pierce to the Presidency and the principles generally of the "Wool Heads" branch of the Democratic party. Col. E. K. Smart was its editor, although his name did not appear as such. According to the Camden Advertiser, during the first four weeks of its publication, some 19,200 copies of the Pine Tree State were printed and circulated ; the most of them in this con- gressional district, though not a few found their way to all parts of the state.
The actual political complexion of Camden at this time is best shown by the vote at the presidential election in November of this year, when President Pierce was elected. In this election there was no division in the ranks of the Democratic party, and . the candidates for Pierce and King electors received 256 votes, while the candidates for Scott and Graham (Whig) electors received 203, and the electoral ticket nominated by the Free Soil party, received 18.
This year the town lost an active and valuable citizen in the death of Mr. Robert Chase. Mr. Chase was born in Exeter, New Hampshire in November, 1782. He served his apprenticeship at the blacksmith trade in Portsmouth and then made a "pros- pecting " tour eastward. He arrived at Camden in March, 1803, and liking the place and soon finding employment, he concluded to proceed no farther, but to become a permanent citizen of the
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place. He married Miss Betsey Holt of York, Maine, on Jan- uary 26, 1806, by whom he had eight children, viz .: Mary J., (who married James Burd) Samuel, Robert Jr., Benjamin, Kath- erine, (who married Valentine Mansfield) Elmira, (who married William W. Currier) Elizabeth, (who married Jacob Graffam) and Lucy A., (who married Joseph Graffam.) In 1811 he was chosen Third Selectman and two years later he was chosen First Selectman, which office he held without a break until 1824. He was several times afterwards elected to the office of Selectman and in all held the position some nineteen years. It will be recollected that while serving the town as First Selectman, during that exciting period of its history when it was threatened with destruction by the British, he went on board the British frigate, Furieuse, (in 1814) as one of the hostages while negotiations were going on between the naval officers and the town relative to the question of the payment of the $80,000 tribute to prevent the burning of the harbor village. The town having refused to compensate the hostages for the pecuniary loss that they suffered by being detained from their business, the amount was made up by private subscription. 1 In 1837 and 1838 Mr. Chase repre- sented the town in the Legislature. Mr. Chase was a systematic man and possessed a remarkable memory and excellent judgment. These qualities and the confidence that his fellow-townsmen had in his integrity, often caused him to be called by them to fill places of trust and responsibility. His house was the southerly part of the building on the corner of Elm and Chestnut streets now owned by Mr. H. M. Bean. He died suddenly of apoplexy while at work in his shop, May 1, 1852, aged 70 years.
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