USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 31
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 31
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Thomas B. Grose of Camden, was the Democratic candidate for sheriff and received in his own town, 448 votes, against 447 for his opponent. He was elected, the county showing that strong Democratic tendency which has always characterized it, ex-
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
cept when some special issue causes it to turn to the Republican party. 1
Philander J. Carleton, Democrat, was again elected Repre- sentative to the Legislature, receiving 460 votes, while Cyrus G. Bachelder received 439.
On the queston of the Constitutional Amendment the town voted 81 "no" and none "yes." This proposed amendment was to authorize the state to assume the municipal war debts, by loaning its credit to the amount of $3,500,000. 2
It was about this time that the Pacific Engine Company was organized at Rockport. Capt. Thomas Amsbury was elected Chief of the Company. We have not the early records and have but little knowledge of the early history of the Company. They possessed a hand tub and were an efficient organization. Some years later the present engine was purchased and the old Pacific went to West Camden where another Engine Company was organized. The Company at Rockport then took the name of G. F. Burgess Engine Company in honor of Hon. Gershom F. Burgess. This Company today is one of the best in this locality.
The town clock was this year put in the steeple of the Baptist church at Camden village at a cost of $475. This money was raised by private subscription, chiefly through the efforts of David Knowlton. The original subscription paper is now in the possession of Mr. W. D. Knowlton and contains over one hundred signatures familiar forty years ago. The amounts subscribed range from $25 to $1.
This year, in October, died Capt. John Gregory, a venerable and respected citizen, at the age of 99 years and 3 months. Mr. Gregory lived in the southern part of the town on the road from the Glen Cove school-house to Blackington's Corner. He was a farmer and lime manufacturer. He received his title from having
1. So close has the County election been at times that for many years there was nearly an equal division in the election of County officers, a part of them being Republicans and the rest Democrats.
2. This Amendment was adopted.
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THE CAMDEN HERALD
served as captain in the militia. He was the son of William Gregory and was born in Thomaston shortly before his father moved to Camden. His long life was passed in Camden, where he possessed the highest regard of all his fellow townsmen. Mr. Gregory married Elizabeth Simonton and their nine children were, Mary S., (who married Ebenezer Cleveland), Frances A., (who married Jeremiah Berry), William, Clarissa, (who married John Bird), John, Jr., Celinda, (who married Michael Achorn), P. Hanson, Hiram and Isaac.
1869. F.H. Shaw was again elected Town Clerk and Hiram Bass Treasurer, at the annual town meeting held March 15. The selectmen elected were, E. M. Wood, G. F. Burgess and E. F. Leach.
It was voted "that the Treasurer be instructed to receive amount reimbursed by the State on account of Bounties paid by the town during the late war in State Bonds, and apply the same to the liquidation of the war debt." 1
This year Gen. Chamberlain was for the fourth time nomi- nated for governor by the Republicans, and elected. His Democratic opponent this year was Franklin Smith. For the first time since 1862, there were three gubernatorial candidates in the field. A Temperance party this year made its appearance and nominated N. G. Hichborn, who received 4,735 votes. ยบ In Camden Gov. Chamberlain received, 356 votes; Mr. Smith, 349 and Mr. Hichborn, 28.
Philander J. Carleton of Camden was one of the Democratic candidates for senator and was elected. His vote in Camden was 417, against 321 for his opponent.
Isaac W. Sherman, Democrat, received 382 votes for Repre- sentative to the Legislature and was elected. His competitor for that office, Edward F. Leach received 357 votes.
In 1869, was published the first volume of The Camden
1. Under this vote $22,791.66 was received from the state in State of Maine six per cent. bonds reducing the town debt to less than $60,000
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Herald, a newspaper that has since flourished and proved a most valuable institution of the town. It was published at first by William H. Berry, who during the year sold out to D. L. Crandall, who, with Wm. H. Twombly as editor, continued its publication. In 1870, Mr. Twombly purchased Mr. Crandall's interest in the paper and continued to publish it alone. 5
This year began an agitation in favor of a railroad from Rockland to Bangor to be known as the Penobscot Bay & River R. R. In July a meeting of those interested in the project, was held at Belfast, at which a large delegation of Camden people was in attendance. A survey was made which was completed in November. From this time for a period of several years the railroad question was one of the principal themes of discussion with our people. Many meetings were held, which were largely attended and speeches were made by our citizens. At one time it was hoped that if the whole line could not be constructed at once, the link between Camden and Rockland might, at least, be completed so as to connect this town with the Knox & Lincoln R. R., that was then in process of construction. Our people again had dreams of the iron horse meandering among our hills and felt confident that soon they would be connected with the outside world by a steam railroad. These dreams, however, like many similar ones, our people never realized, as the Penobscot Bay & River road was never constucted.
1870. At the beginning of another decade, the popula- tion of Camden showed a slight falling off, the census showing the same to be 4512, a loss of 76 since 1860. The number of poll tax payers in town, however, had increased from 927 in 1860, to 1129 in 1870, and the valuation from $1,062,228 in the former year to $1,497,631 in the latter.
5. Mr. Twombly published the HERALD until Sept. 1872, when the Dunton Bros., (Aubrey W. and Abner F.) became its proprietors. They continued its publication until Jan. 1, 1874, when it again changed hands and Wilder W. Perry owned and edited it until 1883, when the Camden Publishing Co. was organized which still publishes the HERALD. Since that date its editors have been T. R. Simonton, D. F. Mills, Reuel Robinson and Jesse H. Ogier.
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THE CAMDEN HERALD
At the annual town meeting held March 14, the town clerk, selectmen and treasurer elected were as follows : J. H. Martin, Town Clerk ; E. M. Wood, A. S. Eells and E. F. Leach, Select- men and Hiram Bass, Treasurer.
The following amounts were raised this year for the various municipal purposes : For support of poor, $3000; for roads and bridges (to be expended in money), $1000; for roads and bridges (to be expended in labor "at one shilling per hour"), $8000; for breaking roads, $300; for incidental expenses, $1400; for expense of fire department, $100; for town debt, $5000; for interest on town debt, $5000; total $23,800.
It was voted, as an encouragement to the establishment of new industries, to exempt from taxation for a period of five years any concern that would invest not less than $5000 here in any branch of manufactures not then carried on in town.
Sidney Perham, Republican, and Charles W. Roberts, Demo- crat, were the state gubernatorial candidates for the year 1870. The Temperance party dropped out of existence, its members preferring to cast their votes for Mr. Perham, who was elected.
In Camden the balance still tipped a little towards the Re- publican end of the beam, Mr. Perham receiving 393 votes and Mr. Roberts 379.
Philander J. Carleton of Camden had been nominated by the Democrats of the district as their candidate for Representative to Congress, his opponent being Eugene Hale. Mr. Carleton received a good endorsement in his own town, running well ahead of his party ticket. He received 429 votes, and Mr. Hale 349. Mr. Hale, however, was elected.
Thomas B. Grose of Camden, Democrat, was again elected sheriff. He received in Camden, 400 votes, his opponent receiv- ing 358.
Edward Cushing, Democrat, was elected Camden's Repre- sentative to the Legislature. The vote was: Cushing, 399, Enoch C. Moody, 377.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
At a meeting held Nov. 19, the town voted to loan its credit to the amount of ten per cent. of its valuation, for the purpose of build- ing the Penobscot Bay & River R. R., from Camden to Rockland, the town receiving mortgage security on the road so built, provided a sufficient sum could be raised from other sources to complete the road between the two places. The vote stood 387 in favor of the proposition and 103 against it. E. G. Knight, T. R. Simonton and P. J. Carleton were made a committee to attend to getting the action of the town legalized by the Legislature.
The Camden Savings Bank was organized at Rockport village in October of this year, S. D. Carleton was elected its President and Charles F. Richards its Treasurer.
In the month of October our people were disturbed by a slight earthquake shock.
On April 13, an old resident of the western part of the town, Stephen Barrows, died at his home in Rockville at the age of 80 years. Mr. Barrows was the son of Banajah Barrows and was born in Camden. His father, who was one of the first settlers in that part of the town, was a native of Attleboro, Mass., and after coming here was prominent as a citizen and held many town offices. He transmitted to his son, Stephen, his interest in town affairs, and he in turn became a prominent citizen, occupy- ing for quite a number of years the offices of Town Clerk and Selectman. He was also a Justice of the Peace and represented the town in the State Legislature in 1840. While at Augusta he was elected Assistant Clerk of the House. For a time he also served as one of the Inspectors of the State Prison. He was a farmer, and was throughout his life distinguished for his industry and integrity of character. He had three sons, William, Gilman S., and Benjamin.
1871. This year the annual town meeting was held on March 13, at which J. H. Martin was elected Town Clerk, Joseph F. Stetson, Joseph W. Thorndike and Ezekiel Vinal, Selectmen and Hiram Bass, Treasurer.
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THE CAMDEN HERALD
Sidney Perham was this year again nominated and elected governor, the Democratic candidate being Charles P. Kimball.
Camden, for many years a Republican town, this year became Democratic, giving Gov. Perham but 357 votes while it gave Mr. Kimball 414.
Isaac Coombs, Democrat, was elected Representative to the Legislature over Augustine F. Miller, the Republican candidate the vote standing, Coombs 411, Miller 363.
Twombly Lodge, I. O. G. T., was organized, May 12, 1870, and was named for the editor of The Camden Herald William H. Twombly, a strong advocate of Temperance. The first officers elected were as follows: Rev. Geo. A. Crawford, W. C. T .; Lizzie F. Gould, W. V. T .; Jos. E. Thomas, W. Sec .; Johnson Knight, W. F. S .; Geo. W. Thorndike, W. T .; Rev. L. L. Hanscom, W. Chap .; E. G. Fuller, P. W. C. T .; A. O. Glover, W. M .; Miss Theresa M. Philbrook, W. I. G .; D. A. Wheeler, W. O. G .; Miss Nellie Wood, W. R. H. S .; Miss Lizzie Boardman, W. L. H. S .; Miss Carrie Hemingway, W. D. M .; Mrs. A. C. Bowers, W. Asst. Sec. 1
The Knox & Lincoln R. R., was opened to Rockland about Nov. 1, 1871, after which regular stage coaches ran between Camden and Rockport villages and the railroad station in Rock- land twice each way every day.
Charles H. Wetherbee died March 4, 1871. Mr. Wether- bee was born in New Braintree, Mass., Jan. 25, 1795, and came to Warren, Maine, when 17 years of age and learned the shoe- makers trade of his uncle. At the age of 21 years he came to Camden and went into business for himself in a building on the site of the G. A. R. Hall. For quite a long time he had for a partner his brother-in-law, James Bird. He sold his business in
1. Twombly Lodge flourished for quite a long period when it began to decline and went out of existence in November, 1896. Since then there have been several attempts to maintain a Good Templars' Lodge in town. At the present time there is no Good Templars' organization in either Camden or Rockport.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
1852 to Charles Hosmer. In 1836, Mr. Wetherbee built the house on Mechanic street now owned by Mrs. Clara E. Wether- bee. He was prominent in town affairs, being selectman, etc. He married for his first wife, Lucretia D. Bird of Warren, and for his second wife, Sarah A. Bird, sister of his first wife. His children, all by his first wife, were Charles B., Martha N., (who married Robert Davis), James B., Elizabeth W., (who married Edward Cushing), Alexander B., Mary L., (who married Paul Stevens), Isaac F., and Leroy B.
James Bird, above mentioned, was the son of Alexander Bird. He was born in Warren, in 1798, and was the ancestor of the present Camden family of that name, who spell the name "Burd." James was a shoemaker by trade and worked at his trade in Camden, and was an overseer in the shoe-shop of the State Prison for several years. He built the house on Elm street, now owned by his son, Charles Burd. Mr. Bird married Mary Jane, daughter of Robert Chase, and their children are Mary Elizabeth (who married John Day), Robert S., George, Sarah C., (who married C. C. Haskell), Frances (who married B. F. Adams), Samuel, Anne (who married Daniel Wing), and Charles. Mr. Bird died, 1857.
Benj. J. Porter died Sept. 12, 1871, at the age of 67 years and 6 months. Mr. Porter was the son of Dr. Benj. J. Porter and was born in 1804. He was a man of much executive ability which was frequently called into requisition by his fellow towns- men. He held various town offices and was Postmaster of Cam- den from 1853 to 1861. Mr. Porter married Arathusa, daughter of Phineas Bowers. They were the parents of seventeen children, three of whom died in infancy. The other fourteen are as follows : Phineas B., William, Albert, Cyrus, John, Henry, Eben, Mary, (who married Charles Noyes), Ellen, (who married Frank Milli- ken), Harriet, (who married Isaac Thomas), Maria T., (who married James Brown), Octavia, (who married Dr. Perly Sanborn), Augusta and Arathusa.
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THE CAMDEN HERALD
Capt. Rufus Carle died in 1871, at the age of 84. He came to Camden from Saco, Maine, about 1794 with his father, Joseph Carle, whose wife was Margre Deering, of Kennebunk. Their other children were Rhoda, who married Wm. Hilt, Stephen, died in Ohio, William, died at sea in West Indies, John, married Sally Wright, drowned in Sheepscot, James, married first, Elonia Wright, second, Hannah Wright, Nehemiah and Margre. Joseph died in 1839, aged 85, his wife in 1847 aged 92. Rufus Carle married Anna, daughter of Lieut. James Lawrence, Jr., who came from Pepperell, Mass., and married Sarah, daughter of James and Anna Simonton. Mr. Lawrence lived for a time in the Clay house, where the Methodist church now stands. Being a miller, he later had charge of the Molyneaux mill. In 1804, he bought of Charles Barrett the place now known as the Carle farm, which then included the farm adjoining (now owned by Wm. Brown), that place having soon been sold to his wife's brother, John Simonton, and recently burned, it having stood upwards of 90 years and been occupied by twelve different families and about 58 people. There has been but one death there, that of Mr. Has- kell, several years ago. Mr. Lawrence built a log house near the present Carle house, which was built by Rufus Carle in 1818. Mr. Lawrence was nearly 93 and his wife nearly 94 when they died. Rufus Carle followed the sea for awhile, then returned to his farm. His children were James L., Sarah L., Marcia, Mary A., Rufus, Sophia B., Betsy H. James Carle's children were, by his first wife, John; by his second wife, Otis, Amos, Jonas, George.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER XLIX.
DEATH OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
1872. At the annual town meeting held March 11, the Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer elected in 1871 were re- elected.
As illustrative of the town's continued liberality to new in- dustries, it was again voted to exempt from taxation, for a period of ten years, any new industy that might locate here.
Sidney Perham and Charles P. Kimball were again the gubernatorial candidates this year, the former being re-elected.
Camden came back to the Republican fold this year by giving Gov. Perham, 455 votes and Mr. Kimball, 442.
Ephriam M. Wood of Camden, Republican, was this year a candidate for Judge of Probate and was elected. His vote in Camden was 461, while his opponent, Judge Levensaler received, 430.
Thomas B. Grose was again a candidate for sheriff receiving in Camden, 402 votes. Isaac Hobbs, Republican, received, 453 votes here for the same office. Mr. Hobbs was elected.
Fred E. Richards, Republican, was elected Representative to the Legislature, receiving, 537 votes, to 367 for Isaac Coombs.
In November, Camden gave the Republican candidates for presidential electors, 376 votes and the Democratic candidates, 161 votes.
Our most prosperous industry, the Knox Woolen Company,
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PROMINENT CITIZENS
had its birth in 1872, in the organization of the corporation of that name, with the following officers : Henry Knight, President ; Albert Johnson, Treas .; H. G. Fuller, Clerk ; Andrew Fuller, Supt .; Henry Knight, Albert Johnson, Andrew Fuller, Charles Newcomb and H. E. Alden, Directors. This Corporation took over the factory and business of Johnson, Fuller & Co.
The year 1872 is distinguished by the death of several prominent citizens of the town, among them being Hon. Horatio Alden, Gilman S. Barrows, Deacon Joseph Stetson, Capt. Samuel G. Adams and Hon. Ephriam K. Smart.
Hon. Horatio Alden, was born in Union, Maine, in the year 1800. He was the son of Ebenezer and Patience Alden, who came from Duxbury, Mass., and settled in Union in 1792. The subject of this sketch, who in many respects might appro- priately be styled, the "Father of Camden's Manufacturing In- dustries," went to Thomaston in 1825 and started a business of cloth-dressing and wool-carding. He also started there the first manufacture of oakum by machinery in this country. It is said that he and a man by the name of Allen built the first woolen factory in Warren. In 1842, the water powers in Camden, now used by Knowlton Bros., and the Oakum factory, was owned by Gen. Amos H. Hodgman, and Mr. Alden not having sufficient power in Thomaston to operate his different manufactories, ex- changed his Warren property for the Hodgman privileges on Megunticook river and moved his machinery to Camden that year. Here he continued the manufacture of oakum and at about the same time associated himself with Cyrus G. Bachelder, under the firm name of H. Alden & Co. This firm built the block manu- factory which was destroyed by fire in 1861, employing some forty workmen. In 1862, Mr. Alden purchased the privilege below the Oakum Mill, known as the "James Richards privilege," and at that time used for running a grist and saw mill, and erected one of the buildings now occupied by the Knox Woolen Co. and in company with Albert Johnson manufactured the first paper-
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKFORT
makers' endless felts manufactured in this country. He also owned the power at the "Bakery Bridge" and at one time was interested in a bakery there. He also assisted in financing the Camden Anchor Works, where that industry was started by his sons, H. E. and W. G. Alden. In his various business enter- prises Mr. Alden displayed great executive ability and was em-
3
Horatio Alden.
inently successful, amassing what was then considered a hand- some fortune. Mr. Alden was interested in politics and when Knox County was organized he was elected its first Judge of Probate in 1861, serving one term of four years. Mr. Alden married twice, both of his wives being the daughters of Nathan Bachelder. His first wife was Sarah Bachelder and the children
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PROMINENT CITIZENS
of that marriage were, John, Salina, (who married Asa Andrews), Nathaniel, Caroline, Cyrus G., and Horatio E. His second wife was Polly G. Bachelder, and the children of that marriage were, Benj. H. B., William G., Henry L., and Sarah B., (who married Benj. C. Adams.)
Gilman S. Barrows died at Rockville, April 29. Mr. Barrows was a farmer by occupation and a man of great intelli- gence. He was the son of Stephen Barrows, and like his father, held many town offices, performing his official duties in a most creditable and satisfactory manner. In 1856, he represented the town in the Legislature. Mr. Barrows married Fidelia Tyler. Their children are Rose, (who married Leander Keene), Banajah, Alden, and Nellie, (who marreid John Clough).
Deacon Joseph Stetson died May 8, 1872, at the age of 80 years. Deacon Stetson was the son of Micah Stetson and was born in Scituate, Mass., in 1792. 1 He was a direct descendant of John and Priscilla Alden through their daughter, Ruth. He came hither in January, 1813, but returned to his native town the following December, and later went into the navy yard at Charles- town where he worked at his trade, that of a ship-carpenter. In February, 1814, he went to Lake Champlain and there followed his trade during the building of the American fleet which after- wards composed Commodore McDonough's squadron which did such execution to the British fleet, commanded by Commodore Downie in the battle of Sept. 11, 1814. One of the American vessels was built in twenty days from trees growing near the shore of the Lake. After the war vessels were launched, Mr. Stetson returned to Massachusetts, and in June, 1815, again came to Camden, where he became a permanent resident. He worked with Capt. Noah Brooks until 1816, when he married Mary, daughter of William and Lucy Eaton, and the same year began the ship-building business on his own account. In 1819
1. For a genealogical register of the Stetsons, see Barry's " Records of the Stetson Family ;" also History of Hanover, pp. 378- 84.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND 'ROCKPORT
he was chosen Captain of the Camden Light Infantry Company which position he held for several years. Mr. Stetson was a strong Whig in politics but was not an aspirant for public office. Never- theless his party several times nominated him for the Legislature, and he was elected Representative in 1844. Mr.Stetson superin- tended, as master, the building of something like 70 sail of vessels ranging from 47 to 1200 tons burden, the latter sized vessels being very large ones in those days. He was for forty- two years, a member of the Congregational church of which he was for many years a deacon. He was early an advocate of temperance, and at once changed the usual "grog" supplied to his men in the ship-yard, to strong coffee, having an immense coffee pot made for that particular purpose. This coffee pot under the name of "The General" is still preserved by his chil- dren and often does service in supplying coffee for large Con- gregational and other social gatherings. Joseph and Mary Stet- son were the parents of ten children, viz : Mary E. (who married Alexander Thorndike ) Sarah C. (who married John W. Glover) Lucy W. (who married Thomas Glover) William M., Jane C. (who married Charles Hosmer) A. Augusta, Joseph F., Henrietta and Elizabeth H.
Hon. Ephraim K. Smart who died, Sept. 29, at the age of 59 years, was one of the ablest men that Camden has produced. He was the son of Rev. E. K. Smart, a Methodist clergyman and was born in Prospect (now Searsport) in 1813. At the age of eighteen his father died suddenly and shortly afterwards the property left by his father was destroyed by fire leaving the sub- ject of our sketch without property or friends to aid him. He was determined, however, to obtain an education, and applied himself diligently to his studies at home, and afterwards for two years, placed himself under the tuition of Dr. Holmes, of Win- throp and then went for five terms to the Maine Weseylan Semi- nary at Readfield. In 1835, he came to Camden and began the study of law in the office of Hon. Jonathan Thayer and three years
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later was admitted to the bar. In 1838 he was appointed Post- master of Camden. In 1841, at the age of twenty-eight years, he was elected to the Maine Senate. In 1842, he was appointed Aid de Camp to Gov. Fairfield with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The same year he was re-elected to the Senate. In 1843, he removed to Missouri and was admitted to the practice of law
Ephraim K. Smart
in that state, as an Attorney and Counsellor at Law and Solicitor in Chancery. The following year, however, he returned to Maine and re-entered upon the practice of his profession in Camden. In 1845, he was again appointed Postmaster of Camden. In 1847, he was elected to Congress by the Democratic party, and was returned by them to his seat at the national Capitol in 1850.
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