USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 9
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 9
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Mr. Locke tells us that it was during this year that the "Old 1. The names of those who have held the office of Postmaster in Caniden are as follows: Joseph Eaton, 1794 to 1797. John Hathaway to 1799. Benj. Cushing to 1830. Joseph Hall to 183 . John Eager to 1837. Joseph Hall to 1838. E. K. Smart to 1841. Hiram Bass to 1845. E. K. Smart to 1847. Jonathan Huse to 1849. J. W. K. Norwood to 1853. B. J. Porter to 1861. Hiram Bass to 1×76. Alden Miller, Jr., to 1883. W. B. Rich to 1886. E. C. Fletcher to 1890. F. A. D. Singhi to 1894 Isaac Coombs to 1898. Geo. T. Hodgman to the present time.
2. Town Records, Vol. I. Pages 51-54.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Foote House " was erected by John Bowers. 1 Mr. Bowers occu- pied it for about two years as a hotel, after which it was occupied by Ebenezer Pain in 1797; Philip Crooker, 1797-98, and by Capt. Edward Payson until 1800, when he died. It was then obtained by Erastus Foote through an execution, and while owned by him was used as a dwelling house, tavern, etc. This house stood until 1853, when it was torn down by Mr. Joel Thomas who purchased the house and land. It stood in the present business centre of Camden village and its site is now occupied by the brick blocks, between Main and Mechanic streets. The convey- ance of this property to Mr. Foote speaks of its being bounded by the river, the road and the land of James Richards, and says it was purchased by Mr. Bowers of Joseph and Dodiphar Richards.
This year there were but two town meetings. One held at Mr. Ott's inn at the River and the other at John Bowers' inn at the Harbor, agreeably to the vote taken the year before.
1796. At the annual meeting held at Peter Ott's inn March 7, the same Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer were again re-elected. Some of the new names among the minor officers are Benj. Cushing, Jeremiah Farnham, Wm. Upham, Daniel Cheny, Samuel Conklin, Thomas Nash and James Davis. Prior to this year the amounts raised by the town were generally given in denominations of pounds, shillings and pence, but this year we find that the town voted to raise $500 for highways ; $130 for support of poor ; $130 for support of schools, and $100 for the support of the Gospel. Yet they elected Nath'l Hosmer, Collector, who was to collect for "one penny and three farthings upon the Pound."
We are told by Mr. Locke 2 that the $100 raised for preach- ing was paid to several transient religious teachers, and he men- tions the following reverend gentlemen as being among those who used to preach here at about this time : Elisha Snow (of St.
1. Locke's Sketches, Page 74.
2. Locke's Sketches, Page 74.
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ANCIENT RECORDS
George), Isaac Case, Jno. Whitney, Joseph Richards (of Camden), Baptist, Paul Coffin (of Buxton), Jno. Lathrop (of Boston), who was an agent for the Tract Society, Phineas Pillsbury, Congrega- tionalist, Joshua Hall, Joshua Wells, Robt. Yallalee, Aaron Humphery and Ephm. Stinchfield, Methodist. 1
Following this, Mr. Locke gives an entry made in the journal of the Rev. Paul Coffin, D. D., when at Camden, under the date of Aug. 15, 1796, which is of interest and is as follows : "Camden, formerly Megunticook. Squire McGlathry treated me with true and simple politeness and hospitality. This is a place beautiful for situation and promising for trade. The harbor, a mill for boards and corn, on a fresh stream, and the adjacent gently rising lands make a good appearance, and are quite con- venient. The back country east and west, have no market but this. One ship and a schooner have this year been launched here, and six or seven heavy vessels are on the stocks. The streets are beaten and worn. The place looks more like home, and a seat of trade, than Ducktrap, Northport or Belfast. Eight years have done all this. The Squire has sold one-fourth of an acre of land for $100. About fifteen neat houses, some large, with other buildings, make the appearance of a compact town. The harbor is full of pleasant islands." 2 Thus the early wander- ers to our town, like those of the present day, remark upon the beauty of its situation, and are struck with its prosperity and business activity.
This year the first library was established in town. It con- tained 200 volumes. Pretty good for those days. It was known as the "Federal Society's Library" and had an existence of thirty-four years when it was closed and the books sold at auction.
1. From this it would seem that religious teachers had greatly increased in this section during the preceding five or six years, for in 1790, Gen. Lincoln writing concerning the " Religious State of the Eastern Counties of the Dis- trict of Maine," said, " There are not more than three ordained ministers from Penobscot river to Passamaquoddy, an extent of more than one hundred miles."
2. Locke's Sketches, Page 75.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
The election for Governor and Lieut. Governor, held April 4, resulted in 40 votes for Samuel Adams for the former office and 39 votes for Moses Gill for the latter. Apparently one man went home while the votes for Governor were being counted.
On Nov. 7 a town meeting was called "at the School House Near Negunticook harbor," to see about building a meeting- house, at which meeting it was voted "to Build a Meeting House at the crotch of the Road on Mr. Isaac Harrington's land, Provided that said Land is given to the Town." 1 It seems, however, that this meeting-house was never built, the project having failed, either because the land was not given or for some other cause.
1. Town Records, Vol. I, Page 58.
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THE WANING CENTURY
CHAPTER XV.
EVENTS OF THE WANING CENTURY.
1797. There was a law of the Commonwealth at this time requiring every citizen to pay a tax for the support of the standing religious denomination of the town in which he resided unless the fact that he belonged to some other denomination and contributed to the support of the same, was duly recorded in the Town Clerk's office. Accordingly we find the following under date of Feb. 14, 1797, recorded in the town records :
To the Inhabitants of the town of Cambden, members of the annual meeting of said town, Gentlemen : We the subscribers, citizens of America, willing to bair our Proportionable part of Charges for the Support, both of Religion and Civic Government, and belong- ing to the Denomination of Baptists, do Request of you Brethren an Exemption from being taxed for the support of any Preacher of the Gospel but those of our own Denomination, and for your health and happiness as in Duty bound we shall ever pray.
SEDATE WADSWORTH, JOHN GROSE,
GIDEON YOUNG, WILLIAM PERRY,
GEORGE ROBINSON, CHARLES DEMORSE,
JAMES SIMONTON, JAMES SIMONTON, JR.
ALEXANDER JAMESON.
Similar protests were afterwards, from time to time frequently recorded from persons of the Baptist, Free Will Baptist, Methodist and Universalist denominations.
At the annual meeting, March 6, 1797, there was again no change in the Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer. George
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Robinson, Joshua Dillingham and Hosea Bates, are among the new names appearing in the list of other officers. About the same amounts of money were raised for the various town purposes as in the year before.
April 3 a "legal meeting" was held at the house of Eben- ezer Pain, innholder, at the Harbor, to vote for Governor, etc., when Increase Sumner had 38 votes for Governor, and Moses Gill 34 votes for Lieut. Governor.
On May 10 a meeting was called at the same place, to vote upon the question of separation from Massachusetts. Apparently there had been a change of sentiment since the matter was pre- viously voted upon, for the result of the ballot was 26 votes for separation and 4 against it. During the autumn of this year the town found itself again indicted for failing to comply with the laws of the Commonwealth, and a meeting was held October 2 to raise money to purchase a town stock of powder "and to Defray the charges of two Indightments that is against the town of Cambden, one for not having a town stock of amminition, the other for not having good Passable Roads," and John Hathaway, Esq., was employed to defend the town in the Lincoln County Court.
1798. After this trouble, the perversity of the early Camden voters is shown by the fact, that at their next annual meeting, March 5, 1798, they voted "not to Rase money to the gospel this year." The principal officers elected this year were the same as the year before except that Benj. Cushing was elect- ed 3d Selectman. Joel Mansfield, Wm. Spring and Thomas Roberts are new men among the remaining officers elected. John Hathaway was elected one of the "hog reeves." April 2, Increase Sumner and Moses Gill received all the votes cast for Governor and Lieut. Governor, the former having 30 votes and the latter 38.
May 7, a meeting convened at the house of Philip Crooker at the Harbor, for the purpose of electing a Representative to the
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General Court. Camden had not elected a Representative before this year, and the choice of a citizen for that office was doubtless considered a momentous question. After the moderator was elected, the meeting adjourned for half an hour to meet at Benj. Cushing's store. The reason for the adjournment is not stated, but it was doubtless to give the politicians a chance to talk over the candidates, or to prevail upon some unwilling or modest candidate to accept the office, for when they reassembled the voters elected Samuel Jacobs their first representative.
This year the bridge question came up for its final settle- ment. Notwithstanding that some dissatisfaction had arisen over work done by Mr. McGlathry, (some claiming that the bridge was too high and frail as teams made it sway when driving over it, that it did not have a substantial railing and was unsafe, etc.) and the town had revoked his contract, nevertheless he seems to have completed it, and demanded his pay, but the town voted at the meeting held April 2, "not to pay Wm. McGlathry for the Bridge." In the following October, however, at another meeting the affair was settled by the passage of the following vote : "Voted to pay Wm. McGlathry, Esqr. for the Bridge built across Negun- ticook stream, twenty dollars, which twenty dollars was due from him for highway tax, provided he will give a full Discharge for sd. bridge." It has been said that another bridge was built across the river where the present Main street bridge stands as early as 1795. The town records, however, are so indefinite on this sub- ject that it is impossible to be certain about it.
It was in 1798 that the first church was organized in town by the Free Will Baptist denomination at West Camden. The first pastor of the church was Elder John Whitney. 1
'At about this time Capt. William McGlathry removed to Winterport, (then Frankfort) and Camden lost one of its foremost citizens. Capt. McGlathry was born in Belfast, Ireland, and was
1. We shall in another place, give a sketch of the history of all the churches in the original town since its incorporation.
:
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
of what is known as the Scotch-Irish stock. When a boy his parents came to Bristol, where they settled. Later Mr. McGlathry went to sea and rose to the command of large vessels. During the Revolution he was in command of a vessel that was captured by a British privateer, and three men were put on board to sail her, as a prize, to Halifax. Capt. McGlathry, being manacled, was placed on the quarter deck. He determined, however, to escape if possible, and after thinking over various plans for so doing, all of which seemed untenable, he at last thought of the
The Old McGlathry House.
following expedient: The water casks being within his reach, he succeeded in turning the bung side down without being observed, so that the contents ran out. Soon afterwards the prize master found that there was nothing on board to drink, and being un- acquainted with the locality, began to find the necessity of having someone besides his equally ignorant crew to guide him to a watering place. McGlathry being the only one aboard who was acquainted with the neighboring coast, was given the helm with directions to steer to the nearest place for water. It was foggy, and
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McGlathry steered for the Maine coast, and before his captors were aware, he had taken the vessel into Machias, where they found the tables turned upon them, being captured and held as prisoners of war by a small number of the citizens of that place. McGlathry then took command of his vessel and sailed for home where he safely arrived. Capt. McGlathry came to Camden soon after the Revolution. In 1786 he bought Lot No. 75 of the " Twenty Associates." Later he bought other lots in the same vicinity among them being a lot of Leonard Metcalf in 1793 "on stony brook " and running back to the mountain. His land was principally on the shore at the head of the inner harbor, crossing the present Atlantic avenue and extending to Mt. Battie. He erected a large colonial house on the lot where the Methodist Episcopal church now stands, where he resided. 1 Two of his sisters married Camden men and some of their descendants now live in town. After removing to Frankfort he erected a large house there which was demolished a few years ago. He was one of the leading citizens of Frankfort for many years. He died in 1834, at the age of 85 years. He had six children, five sons and one daughter.
1799. On Jan. 2 of this year the members of the Masonic fraternity in this vicinity held their first meeting in Camden, for the purpose of instituting a new lodge. 2 They formed a temporary organization, by making choice of the follow- ing officers : Philip Ulmer, Master; Jno. Hathaway, Secretary ; Philip Ulmer, Thurston Whiting and George Ulmer, "a commit- tee to address a petition to the Grand Lodge for a charter." Four weeks later (Jan. 30, 1799) the petitioners met again and decided to recommend that the new lodge be called "the Fed- eral Lodge." At the same time they voted the sum of fifty
1. The MeGlathry house was moved from its original location when the Methodist church was built in 1893, to Sea street, where it is now owned by Mr. F. H. Wilbur. It is probably the oldest building in the two towns.
2. For a detailed history of Freemasonry in Camden, see Robinson's History of Amity Lodge, No. 6, F. & A. M.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
dollars to pay for the charter and defray necessary expenses. For some unknown reason the charter was not granted to the new lodge until two years later.
This year the annual town meeting was held at the "dwel- ling house of Capt. Edward Payson," at Camden Harbor, and the same Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer that served the pre- ceding year, were re-elected. Among the Highway Surveyors and other officers we find the following new names : Simeon Hilyard, Waterman Hewett, Elisha Gibbs, John Bucklin, Joshua Palmer, Benj. Palmer, Winchester Farnham, Ephraim Wood, John Thorn- dike and Lewis Derry. Among the votes taken was one to raise $60 for the "support of gospel," and that "David Blodgett Esq., Joseph Cushing and Elisha Gibbs bee a committee to hire a minister." We find also the following: "Voted John Gregory, Constable, to collect for nothing." It would be hard to find a man who would be willing to do that in these modern days of "commercialism." The state election this year was held April 1, when there seemed to be a slight rift in the perfect harmony that had up to that time existed in town on matters political, for while Increase Sumner received all the votes (33) cast for Governor, the vote for Lieut. Governor was divided between Moses Gill, who received 11 votes and Samuel Phillips, who received 27.
A meeting was called May 13 to elect a representative to the General Court, but when the voters assembled, they were appar- ently unable to find a candidate, for they voted "Not to Choose a Representative to said Court."
From Locke's Sketches of the History of Camden (Page 78) we take the following concerning the first meeting-house erected in town, which was built in 1799 from contributions of private individuals : "It was situated on the old post road exactly half a mile from J. H. Curtis, Esq's store. 1 It had a vestibule on the 1. The location was on the northerly side of Elm street, not far from the corner of Park street, near where the house of the late Charles Watson now stands.
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front end which extended to the eaves. The roof was flat, and in the center was a belfry that rose to an altitude of about twenty feet, and was pointed at the top. The outside was clapboarded and painted yellow. The house was entered through the vesti- bule, the door of which opened into the central of the three aisles. The body of the church contained 75 pews which were of the high, old-fashioned kind. The gallery which encircled the room, was entered by a flight of stairs leading from the porch. In the gallery directly in front of the pulpit, were the singing seats. The pulpit was nearly on a line with the topping of the gallery, thus placing the preacher in a lofty position enough to scan the whole audience. Directly over the pulpit was a sound- ing-board of the size and shape of a mill stone, which was sus- pended by an inch and a half iron bar. Among the juvenile hearers it used to tend to enforce the precepts given by the preacher, from the fact that they (as one of them avers) used to reverently believe that if the incumbent of the sacred desk deviat- ed from the truth during his ministrations therefrom, said sound- ing-board would fall upon his head instanter, as a token of Divine disapproval. This meeting-house was used as a place of worship until 1834, when the Congregational church was erected. It was afterwards sold, and falling into a dilapidated condition, was torn down about the year 1838."
This year a most promising career was blighted in the death of John Hathaway, Esq., of typhus fever, on Oct. 6, 1799. Mr. Hathaway was Camden's first lawyer. He was the son of Abraham Hathaway, and was born in Wrentham, Mass. He graduated at Brown University, and, while teaching school, studied law with Judge Benj. Whitman of Hanover, Mass. Soon after completing his legal studies, he decided to come to Camden to settle, prob- ably being induced to do so by the representations of the Cushings who came here from Hanover two years before he did. He came in 1796, and being well satisfied with his prospects here, determined to make Camden his permanent home. With this in view
.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
he returned to Hanover, and, on Sept. 21, 1797, married Deborah, sister of Benjamin Cushing. He had already purchased of Wm. Molineaux, (July 5, 1797) a lot of land 20 feet long by 15 feet wide, on what is now Chestnut street, upon which he built a small building for a law office. Through doing business for the "Twenty Associates " he quickly became well known as a lawyer and rose rapidly in his profession. That his talents were appreciated by his fellow-citizens is shown by the fact that he soon had a large practice in the courts in different parts of the state. He was an eloquent advocate, convincing in argument, and always held the attention of his auditors. With a bright mind, a sound body, a growing practice and a young wife, he entered upon his career with the most flattering promises of a long life of success and happiness. The next spring after his marriage he purchased another lot in the same locality upon which he was erecting a stately residence, 1 when he was stricken down by disease, and died at the early age of 26 years. He was buried in Mountain cemetery and the slate colored stone at the head of his grave bears the following inscription :
" How strange, O God, who reigns on high, That I should come so far to die, And leave my friends where I was bred, To lay my bones with strangers' dead ; But I have hope, when I arise, To meet my God in yonder skies."
By its side stands a more modern marble slab, which tells the sequel of this pathetic romance of our early history, for it was erected to the memory of Deborah Hathaway, who died March 2, 1863, aged 91 years and 10 months. For more than 63 years this stricken bride lived true to the memory of her first love, in the house he was building when his hand refused longer to labor, caring for their only son until he reached man's estate,
1. This house is the one known as the "Cushing Homestead," now owned by Mrs. John Tufts, daughter of the late Hon. Edward Cushing, who was Mrs. Hathaway's nephew. The Hathaway law office was the small hip- roofed building which joins the southerly end of the T. H. Hunt harness shop.
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and, at the age of 23 years, was lost at sea, then bowed down by the burden of her double sorrow, she waited through the years, until, in the fullness of time, the summons came for her to join the loved ones long gone before, and to be laid in her last resting place under the shadow of Mt. Battie where her youthful husband had awaited her coming for so long.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
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CHAPTER XVI.
OPENING OF THE TURNPIKE.
1800. During the preceding decade, Camden had had an excellent growth. Its population had much more than doubled, the census showing that in 1800 it contained 872 souls within its borders. Many houses and other buildings had been erected at the Harbor, and elsewhere throughout the town. New farms had been taken up and cleared of the forest. Gen. Knox had taken great interest in disposing of his holdings in the northern portion of the town. Wm. Eaton and his brother, Joseph Eaton, Jr., had purchased of him a large tract adjoining the "Twenty Associates " line. Benj. Cushing had purchased a tract adjoining the Eaton land. As has already been said Joshua and Lemuel Dillingham and the Palmers, together with Joseph Sherman and others, had secured large tracts farther up the shore, and the "Belfast Road " region had become a settled farming community.
The same was true of other sections of the growing town. So large and important had Camden village become, that it was thought worthy of being supplied with water works, and this year Camden's first water company was established by Micah and Will- iam Hobbs, who came here from Princeton, Mass., April 7, 1800, and shortly afterwards contracted with Jacob Reed to lay an aque- duct to supply the Harbor village. The pipes were of hemlock, spruce and cedar in sections of about ten feet in length, connect- ed by chamfering the ends, so as to fit one into the other. The
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OPENING THE TURNPIKE
spring from which these conduits led was at the base of the mountain, back of the present Hillyer cottage. The company supplied several houses north of the bridge and crossed the river near where P. H. Thomas' stable now stands, about midway between Main and Washington streets, thence branching off to supply several houses south of the bridge. It may be well to note here that between the years 1812 and 1818 another aque- duct was laid from a spring in Mr. James Richards' field, supply- ing the more southerly part of the village. Some of the old conduits have been found as late as 1893 in making excavations for buildings on the Bisbee block lot and elsewhere. This is said to have been a stock company of which Mr. Reed was the manager, and only such houses were supplied with water as com- plied with the terms of the company.
So large, too, had become the town that it began to have the dream that disturbed its tranquility so much in later years, viz .: that of becoming divided into two municipalities.
The annual town meeting of "Camden" (for the first time spelled that way on the records) was this year held on March 27, and for the first time since 1792, John Harkness was not elected Town Clerk, but Moses Trussell was elected to that office ; while Wm. Gregory, Jr., Joshua Dillingham and Benj. Cushing were elected Selectmen, and Samuel Jacobs, Treasurer. Among the new men elected to office were Elisha Snow, Tithingman, and Dr. Joseph Huse and John Horton, Hogreeves.
At the state election on April 7, harmony still prevailed, Caleb Strong receiving all the votes (59) for Governor and Moses Gill all (51) for Lieut. Governor.
In the warrant calling this meeting was an article as follows : "To see what the Town will do in regard to Setting off a part of Camden, Joining the Northerly part of Thomaston to make another Town." At the meeting it was voted to refer this article to a meeting to be held in May. A committee was appointed to make a survey, which reported to the town a dividing line begin-
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
ning on the shore between Goose River and Clam Cove and extending to the Hope line, but at the said May meeting it was voted "Not to Accept the Return Laid before the Town by the Committee Respecting the Division of the Town." At the same meeting a Representative to the General Court was elected. "Capt. Wm. Gregory, Jr., 38 votes, Sam'l Jacobs, Esq., 52 votes and Chosen."
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