History of Cumberland Co., Maine, Part 100

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 780

USA > Maine > Cumberland County > History of Cumberland Co., Maine > Part 100

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

" Voted, That one-fifth part of Rev. Thomas Browne's salary for the present year be paid in Indian Corn, rye, and wheat, in the month of January next, at the following prices, viz. : Indian Corn, the natural growth of this country, at four shillings, rye at 4d. 88., and wheat at 68. per bushel. That the remaining four-fifths of his salary be stated and proportioned agreeable to the current price of beef in the afore- said parish in the month of November next; allowing two pence and ¿ of a penny per Ib, to be the original price, and that the asses- sors and the Rev. Thomas Browne be vested with full power to deter- mine the price of beef as proportioned above, and to proportion the salary accordingly."

" The next year it was no better, although paper money was abundant. The salary was paid in 1780 in corn, rye, aud wheat, with the addition of good cord-wood, delivered at his house in Back Cove, at 10s. a cord, beef at 2d. 3fur., or Spanish milled dollars at 6s., or, if people preferred, they might pay-even in those days of primeval greenbacks- at forty-five paper dollars for one Spanish milled dollar. Subsequently the records show that a price in paper money was fixed for eorn for all that year, viz., sixty dollars of paper currency for every bushel of corn. The next year Ruth Pennell was voted 18s. for being the woman sexton, yet she got $15, such as it was."*

In the following vote, taken at a parish-meeting in 1785, there appears the dawn of a change from the old-fashioned method of " lining out" hymns, which were usually drawled by one of the deacons ;

" Voted, That the singers are desired to sit in the singers' seats, and have liberty to sing the last time on each day of public worship with- out reading, und to sing such tunes as are agreeable to them."

# Manuscript discourso of Mr. Gould.

At the same meeting there was a bill presented by Joshua Stevens " for making a christening stand, one pound ten."

In 1797 commenced the illness of Parson Browne which terminated his earthly labors. The parish, in addition to the usual salary, voted £50 to supply preaching by another when the minister was sick. Mr. Browne died that year, and his widow was paid £75 in full settlement of his claim.

Mr. Browne lived in a house which stood near Wood- ford's Corner, a rod or two south of the present residence of Mr. George Raekleff. His barn stood where Capt. Jor- dan's house now stands, and we are told that his well was some years sinee filled up with stones. Mr. Sawyer's house, on the corner, is about where the old well was. He owned all the land from Brighton Corner to the salt water,-i.e., the woods on High Street, and thence down Spring, Me- chanie and Lincoln Streets, including Mr. Sparrow's place.t We are not informed what Mr. Browne paid for this land, but it is said that when Mr. Chandler Racleff bought of Mr. Browne he paid only $2200 for the entire tract.

After Mr. Browne's death, Rev. Mr. Wright supplied the pulpit till June, 1798. A meeting was then held to see if Rev. Mr. Parker should be called : the parish voted against it. In June, 1799, Rev. Caleb Bradley was called, and accepted the invitation of the parish. He was then a young man, and had been studying theology with Rev. Dr. Cum- mings, at Billeriea. Dr. Cummings preached the sermon on the occasion of his ordination, Oct. 9, 1799. Dr. Deane, of the First Parish in Portlaud, made the ordaining prayer.

The affairs of the parish went on smoothly, with nothing special to note, except the death of Mr. Daniel Dole, in 1815, who had for many years served the parish as clerk. But the trial came in 1821. " The preaching, or the prac- tice, or both, of Mr. Bradley, together with the growing doctrines of Universalism and of other liberal teachings, and possibly the outgrowing of the old parish taxing sys- tem, led a very great number of the parishioners to give formal, legal notice to the clerk that they were no longer to be considered as contributors to the salary paid to Rev. Caleb Bradley." A large number of those who withdrew formed the Universalist Society, now worshiping at Ste- vens' Plains, ¿ while several who withdrew were again voted iu as members of the old parish. Of course the " Old South" Society was weakened by the withdrawal of so many worthy men; the finances shrank; even as far back as 1823 Parson Bradley concluded that he was himself the best tax colleetor in the parish, and actually undertook the task, and was allowed six per cent. commission on the collection of his own salary. By continual increase of their debt to the preacher the parish became largely in arrears, and, after much consultation, it was finally settled by the release to Mr. Bradley of a very considerable property then owned by the parish, being the estate so long occupied by himself, as well as much land running along the road eastward from his house, back to Brighton. In 1824 the parish was told, in very plain English, that if they did not propose to pay their bills he should stop his preaching; but he made a proposition to abandon the old system of parish taxes and accept voluntary contributions, which appears to have been

+ Manuscript discourse.

# Soe Ilistory of the Universalist Church.

Photo, by Lamson, Portland.

Leander Valentine

HON. LEANDER VALENTINE was born in the village of Saccarappa, town of Westbrook (then Stroudwater), March 14, 1814. His first ancestor in this country was John Valentine, who deseended from an ancient family in the parish of Eceles, England, and who is mentioned in the Boston Records as having been made a freeman May 12, 1675. Married, April 16, 1702, to Mary Lynde. They had seven children. Their son, Thomas, Leander's great- grandfather, removed to Hopkinton, Mass., about 1730. Was married, July 17, 1735, to Elizabeth Gooch, whose parents lived upon a street in Boston which now bears their name. They had six sons and five daughters. Their son, William Valentine, born Nov. 2, 1750, at Hopkinton, Mass., married, about 1770, Elizabeth Jones, by whom he had fifteen children,-eleven sons and four daughters. Their son, William, Leander's father, was born April 14, 1773. Married Abigail Spring, of Northboro', Mass., and in 1803 removed to Westbrook (then Falmouth), where he engaged in the manufacture of nails. At the same time he carried on a grocery trade in the building now occupied by L. W. Edwards. In 1815 he gave up all other business and turned his attention to farming. He was for several years selectman of the town, and was one of the original trustees of the Sacearappa Grammar School Association. Hle died in Westbrook, April 16, 1845. His wife died Jan. 27, 1861. They had eleven children, three of whom are still living, viz., Albert, Leander, and Caroline, the latter the wife of Moses B. Walker, of Poland, Mc.

Leander Valentine received his education in the common school at Saccarappa village, supplemented by two terms

at Westbrook Seminary. He taught school from 1835 to 1854, nineteen years, mostly in the town of Westbrook. He was for a number of years engaged in the grocery trade at Saccarappa, first with T. B. Edwards as partner, subse- quently with the firms of Valentine, Hardy & Co., and Valentine & Pennell. Ile was married Aug. 28, 1842, to Margaret S. Coolbroth, daughter of Joseph W. and Alice Coolbroth. Mrs. Valentine was born April 21, 1822, in the town of Gorham. They have had one child, Marcena Adriana, born May 16, 1845; died April 1, 1846.

In politics Mr. Valentine was identified with the Demo- cratie party up to the time of the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. Regarding slavery and its extension as the paramount evil of the land, he united with the Republican party, and from the time of its organization has been one of its stauneh supporters. He has held various offices of publie trust; was school commissioner twelve years, and one of the selectmen two years; represented the town in the Legislature in 1847-48; was a member of the Senate in 1849 ; a member of the Executive Council in 1850-52; and has been connected with the eustom-house in Port- land from May, 1861, to September, 1877,-six years as weighier and gauger, one year as assistant appraiser, and nine years as appraiser. At the end of this long term of service he resigned the position on account of ill health.

In religion Mr. Valentine has entertained Universalist views. He has always resided ncar the place where he was born, and the places of honor and trust he has held arc of themselves sufficient evidence of the esteem in which he is held by his townsmen and the publie.

Photo, by Lamson, Portland.

WILLIAM L. PENNELL

was born in the town of Gray, Cumberland Co., Mc., April 15, 1821. The family descends from Clement Pen- nell, one of three brothers who emigrated from the Isle of Jersey and settled in the town of Deering (then Falmouth). Hle married Ruth Riggs, Jan. 10, 1742. Their son Joseph, grandfather to William L., married for his first wife Ilannah Ward, by whom he had eight children. Ilis second wife was Charlotte Nash, by whom he also had eight children. Joseph Pennell, W. L. Pennell's father, was the second child by the first wife. He was born in the town of Gray, Aug. 7, 1778. Hle married Elizabeth Stone, of Kennebunk, Me., Oct. 29, 1779. Their children were Dixey S., Susannah, Jeremiah, Robert B., Hannah W., Luther, James, William L., and Luther. The first five were born in Minot, Androscoggin Co., the four latter in Gray. All are deceased, except Luther, James, and William L. The father died March, 1826; the mother, June, 1828.

William L. lived at the homestead in Gray until twenty- one years of age. Ilis education was limited to the com- mon school. When of age, with fifteen dollars in money, and a trunk for which he gave his note for five dollars, he started out for himself. The note and trunk have been preserved as relics. The first year he worked at brick- making in Summerville, Mass., at sixteen dollars per month. The next two seasons he was employed by Geo. Lotham, on a farm in Gray. In 1844 he came to Saccarappa, where for two seasons he engaged in brick-making, in com- pany with his brothers, Luther and James. In 18.17 he was employed in the cutlery works of Mr. Ropes, at Sacca- rappa. In the fall of 1848, in company with James Pen-

nell, he engaged in the manufacture of coopers' heading, in which business he continued up to 1854. For the next thirteen years, chiefly in company with Leander Valentine, he carried on the grocery trade in Saccarappa. On account of poor health, and with a view to recruit it, he sold out his interest, went to Canada, and entered into the oil speculation. Lost money, but recovered his health.

Mr. Pennell, in politics, was first a Whig, and a Repub- lican since the organization of the latter party. In 1861-62 was elerk and treasurer of the town of Westbrook ( then including Deering). In that capacity he paid the first soldiers' bounty for the town. In 1867-68 was one of the selectmen of the town. In 1867 was appointed deputy sheriff, which position he held for five years. In 1872 was elected sheriff, and held the office four years.

In the spring of 1878 he purchased his residence and store at Cumberland Mills, where he still resides, and carries on the leading grocery trade of the place.

Ile was married, May 25, 1848, to Sophia J. Pennell, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Pennell. Mrs. Pennell was born March 10, 1821, in the town of Buxton, York Co., Me. They have had six children, viz. : Sarah, born Feb. 9, 1849 ; died June 21, 1853. Joseph Henry, born July 27, 1832 ; died Sept. 29, 1870. Addie Louisa, born Dec. 11, 1853; married, Jan. 27, 1876, Frank Hale Boody ; one child, Jennie Ethelyn, born June 30, 1877. William Jones, born Sept. 7, 1855; married, May 14, 1879, Abbie F. Quinby. Hattie Jane, born July 21, 1857 ; died June 22, 1863. Nettie Sophia, born Nov. 11, 1859 ; living at home.

381

TOWNS OF WESTBROOK AND DEERING.

accepted, and from that time acted upon. In 1829, Mr. Bradley resigned the pastorate, having been minister of the parish about thirty years.

" The ministry of Mr. Bradley was marked by charac- teristics differing from those of many of his contemporaries. He was frequently in controversy with the neighboring clergymen on matters of doctrine, and for some years was not in fellowship with the more orthodox and evangelical wing of his denomination."

Mr. Gould relates the following incident illustrative of the peculiarities of Mr. Bradley, which was told him by an eye-witness. The seene was at Gorham Corner, in March, 1847. The Congregational Church had been for some little time destitute of a settled pastor, and the people were desir- ing to be free from the " candidate fever," so much so that several meetings had been held for prayer and consulta- tion. The regular quarterly fast of the church was held, and the attendauce was quite general. Several of the brethren had prayed, and others had bewailed their wicked state, when up jumped Mr. Bradley, who had come from the Codman Flats, and in his quick and nervous way said, " Let us pray." Ilis prayer was at first a general deserip- tion of Gorham; the wickedness of the people; their needs; then what was desired if they had their own way. Then he paused, and placing himself as erect as his form would allow, he continued nearly as follows : "O Lord, have merey on this people ! Thou knowest, O Lord, that they are a very difficult people,-a people hard to suit. Thou knowest that they have had good men sent to them, but they did not suit ; some were too tall, some were too short, and some they could not have. Thou knowest that they are a difficult people." Then Mr. B. paused, and once more he began : "And now, O Lord, if thou hast in all thy wide universe a man suited to this people, we pray, O Lord, that thou wouldst find him, and then send him along. Amen," -quick and short. It is needless to say that the meeting was soon closed. The result was that in a very short time the Rev John R. Adams came, and a happy pastorate of fourteen years followed.

The good people of Gorham had one other surprise from Mr. Bradley at an earlier day. When Rev. Asa Rand was the pastor in that town, he exchanged onee with Mr. Bradley, as etiquette required, but for many years the Gor- ham pulpit was closed to the Westbrook minister, as Mr. Rand, Mr. Payson, and some others had declared Mr. Bradley hardly sound in the faith. But in 1822, Rev. Mr. Pomeroy came to Gorham, and etiquette required an ex- change. It was a bright Sabbath morning in summer, the congregation was large, and Mr. Bradley was in his best mood. The opening services passed along nicely, while the older people were counting how many years it had been since the good brother had stood in their pulpit. It was time for the sermon. Mr. Bradley stood up with his pecu- liar expression, his straight form, and looked all over the audience. Every eye was upon him; everybody feared that something was about to happen. Then with his sharp, quick voice, he exclaimed so that all the people heard, " It is I, be not afraid !" When the smile had passed away from the faces of the congregation, he added in his most serene and quiet tone, " Matt. xiv. 27."

Some of the old people in Gorham may remember the time that he visited the school in the Codman District. In his fatherly way he told the boys that by real hard study they might probably be ministers, or lawyers, or doctors ; " but," added the parson, "any of you can be a James K. Polk !"

After a very short interval Rev. Henry Jewett was called to the pastorate. He was settled for a term of five years, and was a devoted and genial minister, who left behind him memories still cherished and an abiding influence for good. His ministry began in 1829 and terminated in 1835. At a parish-meeting held this year, it was decided to settle Rev. Joseph Lane as pastor, and to take down the old meet- ing-house and erect a more suitable and modern edifice upon the same site. Mr. Lane at first declined, but after- wards, upon the importunate pressing of the invitation, he accepted, and was ordained Dec. 19, 1836. The new church was also built, and is familiar to many as the white church still standing.

Mr. Lane remained two years. lle subsequently re- moved to the West, and died there in 1850. Rev. Jotham Sewall, Jr., was the next pastor, who was ordained in Oc- tober, 1839, three months after his call. Ile came of a famous preaching ancestry, and has a goodly number of sons who honor the profession. Mr. Sewall was employed for $550 a year and a house to live in, the house belonging to John Haskell, and rented for $60 a year with the lot. He ministered to the parish two years and a half, and was succeeded by the following-named clergymen, who success- ively supplied the pulpit for several years : Rev. Stephen Merrill, Rev. Charles E. Lovel, and Rev. Calvin N. Ran- som.

Rev. John B. Wheelwright received a call in July, 1855 ; he was installed by a council in April, 1856, and minis- tered with profit till April, 1859, when he was called to Bethel, Me. Rev. George S. Gray came in 1860, and preached two years. Rev. Francis Southworth followed from 1862 to 1864; then Rev. Wm. H. Haskell for a short time after.

The Congregational Parish at Woodford's Corner was formed, and the house of worship erected, in 1872; since which time the services of the denomination for this sec- tion of the town have been held in the new edifice, although occasional preaching by different persons has been main- tained at the old parish.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AT SACCARAPPA.

This church was the offspring of the First Parish of Westbrook, and was formed into a separate parish under the ministry of Rev. Mr. Jewett in 1832. Previous to this time the minister of the old parish had divided his time equally between the two places. But the people in Saccarappa and in the upper part of the town had become tired of going so far as the old meeting-house to worship ; the minister also had got tired of encountering the mud and slush and snow and wind during the inclement season, and desired a change. Besides, Saccarappa had become an important growing centre of population and business, and needed a church of her own, as well as for the accom- modation of those farther off' still from the old parish

382

HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.

church. Accordingly, on Jan. 17, 1832, the second church was formed, and after sixteen months Rev. Joseph Searle was installed pastor.

Among the successors of Rev. Mr. Searle in this parish have been Rev. John Il. Mordough and John H. Ashley, who remained longest, and in more recent days Rev. Messrs. Danielson, Thwing, and Rev. Henry B. Mead.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AT CUMBERLAND MILLS.

The church in this growing and prosperous village be- came a fixed organization Sept. 30, 1869.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI, WOODFORD'S CORNER.

In the year 1855 the Methodist Episcopal Society of this part of the town was formed, consisting of 20 members, and worshiping in the chapel on the corner of Pleasant Street and Forest Avenue. The chapel was erected in 1855-56, and dedicated in the latter year. Rev. William McDonald was the first pastor. Rev. W. N. Richardson followed, and, with the exception of an interval of about four years (1870-75), there have been preachers in charge of the society. Rev. John A. Strout is the present minister.

UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, STEVENS' PLAINS.

The settlement of Rev. Russell Streater at Portland in 1821, and the dissemination of Universalist views at that period through the pulpit and the press, had much to do with the origin of this society. There were also influences at work in the First Congregational Parish of Westbrook, with which most of the original founders of this society were connected, which favored the movement for the estab- lishment of a more independent organization. The 40 or 50 persons alluded to in the history of that parish, who in 1821 notified the clerk that they were no longer to be considered its supporters, mostly united to form the Uni- versalist Society in 1829. In that year they petitioned Moses Quimby, Esq., one of the justices of the town, who granted a warrant for the organization of the society. Among the founders of this society whose names were familiar in the past affairs of the old parish, two are still living,-Jona. Smith and Albert Stevens.

Upon the formation of the society measures were carly taken to secure a place of worship. Several meetings were held in the school-house at Stroudwater, and it was finally decided that the lot offered by John Jones, Esq., was the most eligible site on which to build. The house was ac- cordingly erected on the rock at Brighton (now the town- house of Deering), and was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Reese, of Portland, in September, 1830. In October of the same year, Rev. Samuel Brimblecom was settled as pastor, at a salary of $400 a year.

COL. THOMAS WESTBROOK.

Of Col. Thomas Westbrook, from whom the town de- rives its name, we have been able to obtain materials only for a meagre sketch. Neither the place nor the date of his birth is given by any authority which we have been able thus far to discover. From the fact that he named the place of his settlement here Stroudwater, it has been inferred that he came from Stroudwater in Gloucestershire, England.

But that is only conjecture. His ancestors may have come from there, but he himself may have been born in this country. His early residence was in Portsmouth, N. H., where he was well known and held in high esteem by the authorities of that province. He first appears in the his- tory of Maine as commander of an expedition sent to Norridgewock, in 1721, for the purpose of capturing Father Râle, the Jesuit priest, who was supposed to have incited the Indians to renewed hostilities. The priest made his escape, but important papers were discovered, implicating the French in a plot to let loose the savages upon the de- fenseless settlers. When the war broke out, in 1723, Gov- ernor Dummer appointed Westbrook commander of the forces on the eastern frontier.

Willis, in speaking of the second settlement of Falmouth, says, "Some, who in that day filled a large space in the annals of the town, have left no living memorial to perpet- uate their memory. Of these was Col. Thomas Westbrook, who had been commander of the forces in the late war ; he came from Portsmouth, N. II., in 1727, and was admitted a proprietor on the payment of ten pounds. He was a very active and useful man, became a large proprietor of land, built mills, employed many men, and by his activity and capital essentially promoted the welfare of the town. lle fixed his residence at Stroudwater, in the neighborhood of which his estates were situated. Unfortunately, he en- tered into large speculations in eastern lands, with Gen. Waldo and others, by which he was effectually ruined. In 1743, Waldo recovered judgment against him for ten thou- sand five hundred pounds, which he levied upon his prop- erty, and swept it nearly all away. He died in February, 1744 ; the fragments of his estate sold at auction, by Enoch Freeman, his administrator, amounted to six thousand four hundred and six pounds eighteen shillings and nine pence, old tenor, equal to eight hundred and fifty pounds lawful money."*

He first lived on the hill beyond Stroudwater Bridge, and subsequently built his seat, called " Ilarrow Ilouse," on the other side of Stroudwater River, near where the tannery now stands, or stood recently.

In 1735, Col. Westbrook and Samuel Waldo built a dam and saw-mill at the lower falls of the Presumpscot River.

Among the estates which Col. Westbrook owned here were half of Great and Little Chebeague Islands. Ilalf of the former had been conveyed to Richard Wharton, and his title was confirmed by the government of Massachusetts in 1683. After his death his administrator, Ephraim Sav- age, conveyed his share of the island to the deacons of the First Church, in Boston, for the benefit of the poor. In 1743 it was owned by the First Church of Boston and Col. Westbrook, for in that year Westbrook's hall was set off upon execution to Samuel and Cornelius Waldo. We are not informed how Westbrook came into possession of his part of Great Chebeague Island, but Willis tells us that he and Waldo derived their title jointly to Little Chebeague from the legatees of Silvanus Davis, and that it was taken by Waldo on execution at the same time that his property in the other island was taken. It was only the year before

* Itistory of Portland, p 354.

VITTLE

Photo, ly Lamson, Portland.

GoWaren

HION. GEORGE WARREN was born in the town of West- brook, Cumberland Co., Me., Oct. 6, 1811. Ile was eldest son of John and Eleanor Warren, and from boyhood to the week of his death, July 29, 1876, his life was one of un- tiring activity. While a mere boy he became valuable in the service of his father, whose lumubering enterprises promised a field for the exercise of his early desire for business life. He was clerk and treasurer of the Sacca- rappa Manufacturing Company, formerly occupying what is known as the island at Saccarappa. llis first business venture for himself was in forming a copartnership with the late B. M. Edwards ( Edwards & Warren), about the year 1830, a general store, groceries, etc. During this partner- ship he attended school at Gardiner, Me., and had previously attended school at Bridgton, Parsonsfield, and Gorham. llis next business connection was with Rufus and Cyrus King and his brother, Lewis P. Warren. After the death of his father he took the leading part in carrying on the extensive lumber manufacturing interest which had been built up by his father and uncle. He also, in company with his brother, Lewis P., was associated with different firms in the manufacture of weavers' harnesses, wire, and moccasins.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Cumberland Co., Maine, Part 100

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 780

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 780