History of Cumberland Co., Maine, Part 82

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

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309

TOWN OF HARPSWELL.

1872 .- James Alexander, E. K. Ifodgkins, S. S. Toothaker. 1873-74 .- Thomas E. Skolfield, Moses Bailey, S. S. Toothaker. 1875 .- Thomas E. Skolfield, Moses Bailey, Charles E. Trufant. 1876-77 .- Thomas E. Skolfield, Elijah K. Ilodgkins, Charles E. Tru- fant.

TOWN CLERKS.

Anthony Coombs, Jr., 1783, 1793; Andrew Dunning, 1758-82; An- drew Dunning, 1814-20; Benjamin Dunning, 1791-92; William Dunning, Jr., 1800-1t ; Joseph Eaton, 1821-25; Thomas U. Eaton, 1853-57, 1859-60; Washington Gareelon, 1844-45 ; James Merryman (3d), 1833-35; Robert Pennell, 1846-52; l'anl Ran- dall, 1826-32,# 1836-43; Elisha S. Stover, 1863-65, 1872-77; Lemuet 11. Stover, 1858, 1861, 1867-71 ; Sylvester Stover, 1862, 1866; Marlborough Sytvester, 1794-99, 1813; William Sylvester, 1784-90.

FORTS AND GARRISONS.

The only fort ever constructed in Harpswell was made during the war of 1812, on the land now owned by Wood- bury S. Purinton, at the mouth of New Meadows River. It was a simple earthwork, the foundation of which was made of logs. A mound of earth and a few decayed logs mark its location.

There was a garrison or block-house for defense against the Indians, on the north end of Bailey's Island. It was at the Narrows, between Garrison Cove and the main bay, within twenty feet of the shore. The stone foundations have been seen by some of the older inhabitants; but when the land was put under cultivation all the stones were rolled over the bank, and there are now no traces of the garrison to be seen.

About 1764, Joseph Orr built a large block-house on the farm now owned by Bradbury Wilson. It stood near the middle of Orr's Island, on the northwest side of the hill, northwest of the present house. This block-house was standing within the memory of Captain James Sinnett, of Bailey's Island. There is now no trace of it to be dis- covered.

On the Neck, on the point of land now owned by Paul Stover, there was a block-house; by whom erected, or at what date, is not known. It was taken down by Daniel Randall and erected as a store-house near his dwelling. In 1822 it was again taken down, and rebuilt as a dwelling, which is still standing.

It is quite probable that there were other block-houses or garrisons on the Neck, and also on Great Island, but these are all of which we have any account.

CHURCHES.

The old meeting-house of the First Parish in this town was probably commenced about the year 1757 or 1759. Elisha Eaton, son of the Rev. Elisha Eaton, who was a carpenter living in Boston, wrote in his diary, Aug. 7, 1757,-

"getting stuff for window-frames and Sashes for Meeting-house which is for North Yarmouth ye sec'd Parish."

"Sept. 21. Caping window-frames for meeting-house."

" 1759, June 13th. Puting sashes on board je vessel for Meeting- house at Harpswell."

"Octo. 6th, sait'd for llarpswetl,-arrived there yo 8th, where I tarried until Nov. 27th."

Although there is no proof, yet it is quite likely that Mr. Eaton worked upon the meeting-house during his stay in

Ilarpswell, and probably put in the windows he had been so long at work upon.

From an examination of the town records it appears that this house was a long time in being completed. At a special meeting of the town, Nov. 14, 1774, it was voted that the " Advance ground in the Galleries and seats in the same shall be for the use of the Parish, except the Pew in the Front of the Froot Gallery, they (the members of the Parish) paying the cost of the Same." And it was also voted " to put in the glass wanting in the meeting-house, mend the putty, Prime the Sashes and window-Frames."

At another meeting held the same year it was voted to lay a floor in the porch, build the stairs and doors in the porch, put up the breastwork in the galleries, and put in the seats there, and to mend the windows. Nothing further seems to have been done until June, 1781, when it was voted to shingle the " four side" of the meeting-house, and to hang the doors.

This completed the work on the church until Jan. 16, 1792, when it was voted that there should be " four pews built in the body of the meeting-house on the Neck, ad- joining the pews now built, two on each side of the front alley," and that the money arising from the sale of the same should be expended in repairing the meeting-house. Also, that the pew ground should be sold at auction.

In November, 1797, the town voted to sell ten feet two inches of the pew space in each side gallery, the purchaser to pay 82 down, and the balance in ninety days, or forfeit the whole. At the sale, pew No. 5 was bid off to William Duoning, Jr., at $21 ; No. 4 to Walter Merryman, Jr., at 825; No. 3 to Joshua Bishop, at $26.50; and No. 2 to Aleck Stover, at the same price.

This meeting-house was occupied by the First Parish until 1844. At a meeting of the parish held May 31, 1841, it was voted " to take out the insides of the meeting- house, as far as necessary, take off the porch, turn the house round end to the road, and rebuild the inside of the house," and that Joseph Eaton be a committee to consult an archi- tect and estimate the expense. It was also voted that the meeting-house should not in future be used for town pur- poses, and that Elton should inform the seleetmen of this vote. At a meeting held July 5th, the parish committee were instructed, in case the selectmen thought the town had a claim on the meeting- house, to refer the matter to some legal authority, and the committee were empowered to sue, and to defend the rights of the parish.

At a parish-meeting, held March 26, 1842, it was voted to petition the District Court for leave to sell the meeting- house at private sale, or otherwise, with or without the land on which it stood, as might be thought advisable.

The last entry in the parish records is dated Sept. 27, 1842. It was called in the legal manner, and a legal re- turu was made upon the warrant, and was signed by the person who notified the members, and by the parish clerk. For some reason, however, it was not deemed legal by some. The entry read as follows :

" At a certain meeting purporting to be a meeting of the First Parish in llarpswell held ou the 27 of September, 1842, and which was called by Washington Garceton, Jus. Peace, issuing his warrant to Thomas Alexander, voted as follows, -- Thomas Alexander,

# Supply James Merryman, q. v.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.

Moderator ; after which the meeting was objected to by a member of the said Parish, in behalf of the Parish, and they refused to act. as being illegal on account of its not having been notified by said Alex- ander :

"Voted, that a committee of three be chosen to remonstrate nt court against the meeting-house being sold. Voted, Joshua Stover, Rufus Dunning, and Simeon Stover (2d) be this committee, Voted, that this committee have power to call on papers and witnesses. Voted, that John Stover be an agent to carry the remonstrance to Court. Voted, to pass over the 3d article in the warrant [to see if the parish would repair the meeting-house]. Voted, that all votes passed on the 26th of March last, concerning the sale of the Mecting- House, be rescinded. Voted, that the Meeting-llonse be vecupied as it has been. Voted, not to assess any money for the support of the Ministry. Voted, that this meeting be dissolved.

" Attest.

WILLIAM C. EATON, " P. Clerk."

After this date the meeting-house remained, for the most part, unused, until 1856, when it was taken possession of by the town as a town-house and selectmen's office.

This building, though probably one hundred and twenty years old, is still standing, and in use as a town-house, and is in a fair state of preservation. The boards, an inch and a half thiek, and the birch-bark covering the cracks beneath the clapboards, are still to be seen in it, as well as the curious hinges and the original hand-made nails.

The old meeting-house of the First Parish, on Great Island, was built about 1770, and was taken down in 1843. It was similar, both externally and internally, to the old meeting-house on the Neck, aud does not; therefore, require further description.

The Centre Congregational meeting-house, on Harpswell Neck, directly opposite the old First Parish meeting-house, was built in 1843. It was built by individuals who entered into the following agreement :

" We, the subscribers, being desirous to have a meeting-honse built in the vicinity of the old meeting-house on larpswell Neck, to he ever owned, managed, and conducted by the Congregational Society in llarpswell, with the privilege of its being occupied by others holding evangelical sentiments, at the request of any pew-holder, when not occupiedl hy the said Congregational Society. To contain about 40 pews, with a helfry and steeple, and to be of such dimen- sions as the building committee and some experienced joiner shall deem best.

" And we hereby agree to take the number of pews set against our names, and to pay the assessments as agreed upon at any regular meeting of said subscribers, the first meeting to be called by the building committee or any three of the subscribers, to choose such officers and make such regulations as said meeting may think proper, and to determine the manner of calling future meetings. And the building committee to be Silvester Stover, Clement Martin, and James Stover. And all who can conveniently, to pay in to tho build- ing committee.

"Silvester Stover, 10 pews; Joseph Stover, 1 pew ; Dominicus Jordan, I pew; George S. Dunning, 1 pew ; James Stover, 1 pew ; Isnae Dunning, 1 pew ; William Barnes, 2 pews; Joseph Eaton, 1 pew ; Jacob Merryman, 1 pew ; William C. Eaton, I pew ; Hugh Farr, 1 pew ; Elisha Allcu, Jr., 1 pew; Abraham Allen, I pew ; James Dunning, 1 pew ; Simeon Orr, 1 pew ; Richard Orr, Jr., 1 pew ; Stephen Sinnet, Jr., } pew ; Michael Sinnet, } pew; Norton Stover (2d), 1 pew ; Clement Martin, 3 pows; George R. Skolfield, 1 pew ; Daniel Randall, 1 pew; George Skolfield, 1 pew ; Mary Skolfield, 1 pew."

At their first meeting the foregoing proprietors voted to purchase three-sixteenths of an acre of land of Elisha Stover, for the meeting-house lot. At another meeting of the same, held June 30th, it was voted, in explanation of one clause of their agreement, " that when the meeting-house is

not supplied by Congregational preaching, it shall be opened on the Sabbath under the direction of the committee or agent having charge of it, and at the request of one or more pew-holders, for preaching by other authorized min- isters in regular standing, holding the sentiments commonly called evangelical, such as the atonement, regeneration, the spiritual influences of the Holy Spirit, and future ret- ribution. But for preachers of other sentiments than those referred to, and for all other public occasions and uses what- ever, it cannot be opened except in the usual way, viz., by the committee or agent acting under the direction of the Congregational Society." It was also voted at this meeting that Joseph Eaton, George R. Skolfield, and George S. Dunning be a committee to take measures in regard to forming a new parish, whenever it should be thought expe- dient. At a meeting of the proprietors, held September 25th, George R. Skolfield, James Stover, and Daniel Randall were chosen a committee of arrangements for the dedica- tion. It was also voted "That we, the proprietors of the new meeting-house recently built on Harpswell Neck, do hereby convey and transfer to the Centre Congregational Parish in Harpswell, when formed, all our right, title, and interest in and to said meeting-house, authorizing said par- ish to give deeds of conveyance to any persons who may purchase pews in said house, and to do such other acts as may be legally done by parishes in respect to meeting- houses."

The Union meeting-house on Harpswell Neck was built in 1841, and was dedicated by the Universalists on the 21st of September of the same year. It is situated near the academy in North Harpswell.

The Methodist church on Harpswell Neck was creeted in 1854-55. Work upon the building was commenced in October, 1854, when there were but seven members in the society, which was then under the pastoral charge of Rev. George C. Crawford. Captains Norton Stover and Nathaniel Pinkham assumed the entire pecuniary responsi- bility. The building was dedicated May 17, 1855, and on that day pews were sold. The cost of the building was about $4000.

The Orr's Island meeting-house, the first and only one ever built on that island, was erected in 1855, and is occu- pied one quarter of the time each by the Methodists, Free Baptists, Calvinist Baptists, and Congregationalists. The original owners were members of the three churches on Harpswell Neek. A Free Baptist Church was organized after the building was erected, and the above arrangement as to meetings was made.

EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.

The earliest reference that has been found to any pro- vision for a school in Harpswell is the appropriation of £20 for that purpose by the town on May 9, 1759. Where a school was kept this year and by whom is nowhere stated.

In May, 1760, the town voted that each part of the Neck, and also the Island, should draw their proportionate part of the school money that was collected, and should hire mistresses .*

9 No reference oceurs in the records of Brunswick or Topsham to the employment of any mistresses in the last century.

311

TOWN OF HARPSWELL.

At the annual meeting in 1761, the town appropriated £20 for the support of a school, and instructed the seleet- men to provide one.

In 1762 the town voted to raise £20, as usual, for a school.

At the May meeting in 1763, the town voted not to build a school-house near the meeting-house. The town also voted to pay James Booker £1 and 13s. for going to Falmouth, "the Place being Presented for want of a school." By reference to the records of the Court of General Ses- sions for Cumberland County, October term, 1762, it ap- pears that though the town had been presented, it was ex- ensed from a fine by reason of the seleetmen testifying that they had employed a man as teacher who had been taken sick and had consequently been unable to attend his duty.

In 1765 the town voted to pay William Sylvester, Esq., £1 and 11s. " for the charges that he paid on account of there being no school the last summer."

At the annual meeting in March, 1771, the town voted to build three school-houses. It is not known exactly where these buildings were located, but in all probability one of them was on Great Sebascodigan Island and the other two on the Neck.

In May, 1780, the town voted to raise £300 for the sup- port of schools. The difference between this sum and £20 seems extreme. It is undoubtedly due to the depreciation of the eurreney.

In June, 1771, £15 was woted by the town for school money, " to be reckoned in silver dollars as six shillings each, or in other currency equal to silver."

From this time until May, 1791, the town took no action in regard to school matters, except to pass the usual appro- priation of money. On this latter date it was voted that " Orr's Island and Baylie's Island are to have £5 of the school money for them to keep a school with the present year, and for no other use." The appropriation for schools was this year £25.

In 1797 the town voted that " the selectuien should class the town into school classes, and appoint a day for cach class to meet and choose a head for their respective classes."

In May, 1798, the town voted to accept the school elasses or districts on the Island, as the selectmen had di- vided them. Marlborough Sylvester was chosen to be the head of the first distriet on the Neck ; Capt. William Tarr to be the head of the second district on the Neck ; Clement Orr, of the district on Orr's Island and Bailey's Island ; Samuel Snow, of the first district on Sebascodigan ; Stephen Purinton, of the second district on the latter island; and Josiah Totman, of the third distriet on this island. From this it appears that the town was divided into six distriets, of which two were on the Neck, one included Orr's and Bailey's Islands, and the remainder were on the Great Sebascodigan Island.

The records of the town contain nothing further in re- gard to schools until 1810. This year the town voted that school committees should be chosen in cach distriet.

On Nov. 7, 1814, the town passed a vote unlike any that we have ever met with in the doings of any other town. It voted " that the school money raised on the first Monday of May last shall be appropriated towards paying the ex-

penses the seleetmen were at for their attendanee and ex- penses for the militia." Inter arma leges silent !

In September, 1821, the town voted to choose a superin- tending school committee of three, and Rev. Samuel Eaton, Alcot Stover, Jr., and Capt. Stephen Snow were elected. Agents were also chosen this year for the different school districts.

In 1822 a school committee of seven members was chosen.

At a meeting of the town in September, 1828, it was voted that the school committee should not be paid for their services. As there is no evidence of any dissatisfaction with the committee, the above vote probably indicates the impression that existed in the town that the honor of hold- ing such a weighty office ought to be considered a sufficient compensation.

In 1834 a new division of the town into school districts was made.

In 1857 the town voted to dispense with a superintending school committee and to choose a supervisor. Thomas U. Eaton was elected to this office. From this time until 1862, inelusive, a supervisor of schools was chosen each year.

In 1863 the town abandoned the idea of eleeting a supervisor, and went back to the old plan of choosing a school committee of three.

SCHOOL-HOUSES AND TEACHERS.

The town in 1771 voted to build three school-houses, but it is not known whether they were erected that year nor where they stood. If they were all built at that time, it is probable that two of them, at least, were built upon the Neck. If the other was built upon Sebascodigan Island, it was probably destroyed by fire, as according to very trustworthy traditional testimony the first school-house now known to have been built upon that island was not erected until about 1785. This school-house was first located a few rods south of the burying-ground, but about 1845 it was removed to its present location, about two hundred rods north of where it formerly stood. This house has been often repaired and is still quite sound, and is annually used for schools.

In 1786, or a year or two later, the second school-house on this island was built on the land of Nathaniel Purinton. It was destroyed by fire in 1826, and the present building was erected soon after on.the site of the former.

No information has been obtained in regard to the erec- tion of school-houses in other portions of the town, and but little ean be said concerning the early teachers here.

An Irishman by the name of Patch is said to have taught the first publie school on Great Island. He kept a school in the old school-house for seven or eight winters. Some of the later teachers in that district have been Went- worth Dresser, a Mr. Ilill, T. Coten, and Mr. Edgecomb, of Topsham, who is the present teacher there.

The first teacher in the second school-house was John Sullivan, also an Irishman. He is said to have been a good teacher, but addicted to habits of intemperance, and accustomed to elose his school for a week or more in order to go upon drinking " sprees." Among his successors in

312

HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.

that school have been Samuel Williams, Nathaniel Purin- ton, W. Dresser, Dr. Seward Garcelon, Jeremiah Hacker, S. Purinton, G. C. Smith, and the present teacher, Alvah A. Plummer.

There are upon Great Island six school districts, and the schools average from sixteen to twenty-eight weeks each in length. From $20 to 840 per month and board are the wages to male teachers, and from $2 to $6 per week and board to female teachers. Board is from $2 to $43 per wock. The average number of scholars in each school is about 20.

ACADEMICAL INSTITUTIONS.

The only school of this character in town was the Harps- well Academy. Some of the prominent citizens, desirous of having better advantages of education offered to the children of the town than were afforded by the common schools, formed a corporation for the promotion of that object in the year 1859.

The first meeting of the Harpswell Academy Corporation was held June 13, 1859, in JJohnson's Hall. The act of incorporation was accepted, and a comuittee of three were chosen to prepare a code of by-laws. These by-laws, which were accepted at the next meeting, provided, among other things, that the annual meetings should be held on the second Monday in June ; that the officers should consist of a president, secretary, treasurer, and a visiting committee of three, together forming a board of trustees; that the visiting committee should visit the school twice each term, and should have entire control of the school and building; that the board of trustees should employ the teachers, fix the terms of admission to the school, and make all pur- chases ; and that " there shall never be a majority of the trustees elected from any one sect or denomination of Christians."

At this meeting Paul Randall was chosen President ; Harmon Pennell, Vice-President ; Robert Pennell, Secre- tary ; Henry Barnes, Treasurer; and Clement Skolfield, Isaiah Snow, Stephen Purinton, Thomas Pennell, and Lemuel II. Stover, a Visiting Committee. A committee of three was also chosen to raise money and select a place for an academy building. On July 2d of this year the trustees voted to accept a lot of one-fourth of an acre of land offered by David S. Dunning at the sum of $25, and very shortly after this a neat and substantial building was erected on that part of the Neck which is designated North Harpswell. The corporators, however, went in debt for the building, and accordingly, at a meeting held March 1, 1860, the academy was mortgaged in order to raise money to pay the indebtedness. On April 18, 1865, the trustees voted to raise money by subscription to redeem this building. Ilow successful this attempt was is not stated in the records.

The first term of school in this academy commenced Monday, Sept. 5, 1859, under the instruction of' II. C. White, M.D., with one or more assistants. The rates of tuition were as follows : in Primary Department, per term, $2; in Common English, $3; in Higher Branches, $4; in Drawing and Painting, $1.50 to $2 ; in Music, $6. For use of instrument, SI extra.

The school was kept up a few years, but finally failed

from want of adequate support and encouragement. The building is still standing.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

The first school-teacher upon Great Island was a man named Hobby. Ile taught in private houses. Private schools were held in many families prior to the building of the first school-house, but there have been but few held in the part of the island where the second school-house is lo- cated. Stephen Purinton, however, is known to have had schools for his children. The only private teachers besides Hobby, who are remembered to have taught here in early times, were Messrs. Pateb and Sullivan.

The first teacher on Orr's Island is said to have been a man by the name of Kinnecum, and the first one upon Merriconeag Neck is said to have been a Mr. Walker. Both of these teachers taught private schools.

The only teacher of a private school on the Neck beside Mr. Walker, of whom we have been able to learn, was Par- son Eaton, who taught a few day-scholars in some of the higher branches. Although we have no positive informa- tion upon the subject, it is probable that Mr. Eaton's scholars were only those who desired to secure a higher education than could at that time be obtained at the com- mon schools, and they very likely were the children of the more wealthy citizens.

MILITARY.

SOLDIERS IN THE REVOLUTION.

CAPTAIN JAMES CURTIS' COMPANY.

Adams, Thomas, private, enlisted July 20, 1775; served two months and twenty-five days.

Andrews, John, private, enlisted July 17, 1775 ; served three months. Barstow, James, private, enlisted May 17, 1775 ; served three months. Bibber, James, private, enlisted May 20, 1775; served two months and twenty-five days.

Blake, John, corporal, enlisted July 17, 1775 ; served three months. Cummings, John, private, colistel June 10, 1775; served two months and four days.

Curtis, Jacob, sergeant, enlisted July 17, 1775; served three months. Curtis, Nathaniel, private, enlisted May 17, 1775; served three months.

Doyle, Elijah, private, enlistel May 17, 1775 ; served three months. Ewing, John, sergeant, enlisted July 18, 1775; served three meaths and two days.

Ilunt, William, sergeant, enlisted July 18, 1775 ; served three months and two days.

Johnson, David, private, enlisted July 17, 1775 ; served three months. Johnson, James, private, enlisted May 17, 1775 ; served three months. Johnson, John, private, enlisted May 17, 1775 ; served three months. Miller, Asa, fifer, enlisted July 17, 1775 ; served three months.

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History of Cumberland Co., Maine, Part 82

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