USA > Maine > Cumberland County > History of Cumberland Co., Maine > Part 84
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124
The first election was held at the house of Nephtali Harmon, at " Harmon's Corners," near where the first town- house was built, in 1806. Joel Simmons was chosen Mod- erator ; Samuel Willard, Clerk ; Samuel Willard, Benjamin Foster, and Stephen Stiles, Selectmen ; Nathaniel Burnam* was Treasurer ; John Woodsum, Collector; Samuel Serib- ner, Constable ; Siuieon Caswell, Edward Lowell. Ebenezer Carsley, Nathan Carsley, and Rice Rowell, Highway Sur- veyors; and John Woodsum, Surveyor of Lumber; Levi Perry, Daniel Stone, and Peter Gilson, Fence- Viewers ; James Sampson, Edward Lowell, and Benjamin Foster, Tithing-Men ; Joel Simmons, Jeremiah Turner, and Moses Chick, Ilog-Reeves; Nephtali Harmon, Poundkeeper ; Cushing Daws, Stephens Ingalls, and Edward Lowell, Field-Drivers.
There were but 41 ballots cast at the fall election in 1805.
A second town-house was erected near the first in 1825, and the third erected in 1871, on the high land in Harrison village, at an expense of $2200. For many years elections were opened with prayer, and an entry of the faet made on the town reeord.
SELECTMEN.
1805 .- Samuel Willard, Benjamin Foster, Stephen Stiles. 1806 .- Samuel Willard, Stephen Stiles, Nathaniel Burnam. 1807-8 .- Samuel Willard, Ezra Thomas, Stephen Stiles.
1809 .- Nathaniel Burnum, Benjamin Foster, John Woodsnm. 1810 .- Nathaniel Burnam, John Woodsum, Benjamin Foster. 1811-12 .- Samuel Willard, Benjamin Foster, James II. Chadbouroe. 1813-15 .- James 11. Chadbourne, Nathaniel Burnam, Amos Thomes. 1816 .- James H. Chadbourne, Benj. Foster, Benjamin Chadbourne. 1817 .- Nathaniel Burnam, Amos Thomes, Charles Walker. 1818 .- Amos Thomes, Jobn Woodsum, Charles Walker. 1819 .- Nathaniel Burnam, Amos Thomes, Benjamin Foster. 1820. - Nathaniel Burnam, Amos Thomes, Charles Walker. 1821 .- Amos Thomes, Charles Walker, Jr., Jacob Emerson. 1822 .- Amos Thomes, Charles Walker, Jr., Joel Whitmore. 1823-24 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Jacob Emerson, Wentworth Stewart. 1825 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Amns Thomes, James 11. Chadbourne. 1826 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Charles Washburn, Jacuh Emerson. 1827-28 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Jacob Emerson, Daniel Witham. 1829 .- Benjamin Foster, Joel Whitmore, Isaae Bolster. 1830 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Joel Whitmore, Amos Thomes. 1831 .- Charles Walker, Jr., William Hlaskell, Wentworth Stewart. 1832 .- Charles Walker, Jr., William Haskell, Joseph Phinney. 1833 .- Charles Walker, Jr., William llaskell, John Daws.
* The descendants of Nathaniel Burnham spell their name Burnam.
1834-35 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Amos Thomes, William llaskell. 1836 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Amos Thomes, Wentworth Stewart. 1837 .- Amos Thomes, Charles Walker, Jr., William llaskell.
1838 .- Charles Walker, Jr., William Haskell, Seth Carsley (2d). 1839 .- Charles Walker, Jr., William Haskell, Jacob Emerson. 1840 .- Charles Walker, Jr., William llaskell, Wentworth Stewart. 1841 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Amos Thomes, Bani Burnam.
1842 .- Amos Thomes, Bani Burnham, Hosea 11. Huntress.
1843 .- Charles Walker, Jr., Ilosea H. Huntress, Thomas Phinney.
1844 .- Harrison Blake, Bani Burnham, Shepard Hawke.
1845 .- Thomas Phinney, Abner Libby, Henry Roby.
1846 .- Thomas Phinney, Hosea II. Huntress, Timothy D. Burnham.
1847 .- Thomas Phinney, George Peirce, James Weston. 1848 .- Thomas Phinney, Bani Burnham, James Weston.
1849-50 .- Thomas Phinney, Summer Burnbam, William Twombly.
1851 .- Thomas Phinney, Sumner Burnham, Ezra T. Ingalls.
1852 .- Francis Blake, Ezra T. Ingalls, lsaae llall.
1853-54 .- T. R. Sampson, Ezra T. Ingalls, Isaac Hall.
1855 .- Bani Burnbam, William Twombly, Eben S. Caswell.
1856 .- Ezra T. Ingalls, Isaae Hall, Amos Small. 1857-58 .- Sumner Buruham, Silas Blake, Cyrus llaskell. 1859 .- Baai Burnham, Ezra T. Ingalls, S. L. Andrews.
1860 .- Bani Burnham, Ezra T. Ingalls, William Twombly.
1861 .- Silas Blake, Joshina Iloward, William Twombly. 1862 .- Philander Tolman, Joshua lloward, William Twombly. 1863 .- Joshua Howard, Albert Gray, William V. Carsley. 1864 .- Obadiah G. Cook, Samuel Thomes, Edward K. Whitney.
1865 .- Joshua Howard, James E. Flood, C. C. W. Sampson. 1866-68 .-- Joshua Howard, C. C. W. Sampson, Ezra T. Ingalls. 1869 .- William Twombly, Albert Gray, Charles E. Stewart. 1870-72 .- Caleb A. Chaplin, Albert Gray, Samuel Thomes. 1873 .- Josiah Monroe, George HI. Cummings, George W. Brackett. 1874 .- Josiah Monroe, David Frost, George W. Brackett. 1875 .- Joshua Howard, J. Wendal Weston, Reuben llobbs. 1876 .- Albert Gray, Albert Cummings, N. H. Seavey.
1877 .- George 11. Cummings, Samuel Thomes, Nathaniel 11. Seavey. 1878 .- George 11. Cummings, Newel A. Trafton, Nathaniel II. Seavey. 1879 .- Albert Gray, John W. Caswell, Moses Hall.
TOWN CLERKS.
Samuel Willard, 1805-12: James W. Chadbourne, 1813-23; Charles Walker, Jr., 1821-46; Thomas T. Peirce, 1847-50; Thomas R. Sampson, 1851-63 ; S. Loton Weston, 1864-71 ; Thomas R. Samp- son, 1872-79.
TREASURERS.
Nathaniel Burnam, 1805-8; Samuel Willard, 1809-10; Nathaniel Burnam, 1811-12; James Sampson, 1813; Ebenezer Carsley, 1814; Sammel Scribner, 1815; Charles Walker, 1>16: James Sampson, 1817; Samuel Willard, 1818-20: Benjamin Foster, 1821-23; Samuel Scribner, 1824; Oliver Peirce, 1825-27; Benja- min Foster, 1828; Walker Brackett, 1829 ; James Il. Chadbourne, 1830-35; Levi Burnam, 1836; Hosea A. lluatress, 1837-40 ; Edward Stanley, 1841 : Wentworth Stuart, 1842; Samuel Walker, Jr., 1842-50; T. R. Sampson, 1851-54; Samuel Walker, Jr., 1855 ; T. R. Sampson, 1856 ; Silas Blake, 1857; Samuel Walker, Jr., 1858; Joshua Howard, 1859-60; T. R. Sampson, 1861-63 ; Samuel Walker, Jr., 1864; Joshua Howard, 1865; Thomas K. Sampson, 1866-70; Albion K. Morse, 1871-79.
COLLECTORS AND CONSTABLES.
John Woodsum, col., Samnel Scribner, coas., 1805; Jacob Emerson, 1806-7 ; Seth Carsley, 1808 ; l'eter Gilson, 1809 ; Samuel Serib- ner, 1810; Simeon Caswell, 1811-12: Capt. Benjamin Foster, 1813; Simeon Caswell, 1814-15; Jacob Emerson, 1816; Walker Brackett, Nathan Carsley, vacancy, 1817 : Samuel Scribner, 1818; Benjamin Chadbourne, 1$19; Joel Whitmore, 1820; Israel llar- mon, 1821-22; Walker Brackett, 1823-26; Alonzo Robbins, 1827; Walker Brackett, 1828 ; John P. Lowell, 1829; Cyrus 11. Conant, 1830; Otis Carter, 1831-32; llenry Roby, 1833 ; John P. Lowell, 1834: llaskell Peirce, 1835; Walker Brackett, 1836; John P. Lowell. 1837; Wentworth Stuart, 1838-39; Edward Stanley, 1840-41; Summer Burnham, 1842; Edward Stanley, 1813-44; Reuben Ingalls, 1845; Worthy C. Burrows, 1816 ; George F. Fus- ter, 1847; Wentworth Stuart, ISIS : Samuel S. Stanley, 1849-52 ;
318
HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.
David Mayberry, 1853 ; Bani Burnham, 1854; Daniel Mayberry, 1855 ; Bani Burnham, 1856; Nathan Potter, Reuben Hobbs, to fill vacancy, 1857; Reuben Hobbs, 1858; William Twombly, 1859; Charles E. Stuart, 1860; Levi Burnham, 1861; Charles E. Stuart, 1862-68; Charles T. Thomes, 1869; Charles Thomes, Reuben Hobbs, vacancy, 1870; Reuben Hobbs, 1871 ; Levi Burn- ham, 1872 ; Caleb A. Chaplin, Reuben Ilobbs, cons., 1873 ; Reu- ben Hobbs, 1874; G. W. Newcomb, 1875-76 ; Freeman J. Dunn, 1877; Reuben Hobbs, 1878; G. W. Newcomb, 1879.
SCHOOLS.
The first school-house in Harrison was built on the sun- mit, between Ilarmon's and Scribner's ; a second was built near Jacob Emerson's, and on the organization of the town there were six districts. It was then voted that " each dis- triet build their own school-house." Benjamin Totford taught school in the Woodsmu distriet in 1805. There was but $100 a year appropriated for schools previous to 1814. Many of the prominent citizens who were then boys learned to write upon birch-bark, by the flickering light of an open fireplace. In 1878 the town comprised 9 districts, one of which was a joint distriet with the town of Otisfield, and held school property valued at $5000, with a population of 328 school children, of whom 260 were registered as at- tending school. There was $1000 raised by tax for the support of schools in 1878, and $568 from other sources. Supervisors of schools for 1879, Dr. S. L. Weston, H. II. Cook, Alphonzo Moulton.
CHURCHES.
FREE-WILL BAPTIST.
The first Free-Will Baptist meetings in this town were held by Rev. Clement Phinney, of Gorham, who preached in dwellings and barns. The first church was organized at the barn of Shepard Hawk, June 3, 1826, by Elders Jonathan Clay, Andrew Hobson, Zachariah Jordan, and Elder Clement Phinney, of Harrison. Among the original members were Rev. Clement and Sarah Phinney, Samuel, Phoebe, and Abigail Lewis, Seth and Harriet Carsley, Benjamin Rich, Charles Walker, Jr., Rebecca Newcomb, Polly Gray, Betsey Fernald, and Betsey Springer. Charles Walker, Jr., was chosen clerk. He was succeeded by Worthy C. Barrows, in 1844 : Wm. Libby, 1848; David Libby, 1849 ; Franklin Walker, 1851 ; John Dawes, 1853; and Charles L. Walker, in 1875. The deacons have been Edward Bray, Seth Carsley, Charles Walker, Jr., Elijah Seribner, Asa P. Whitney, and Edward K. Whitney, present deacon. The first church was built in the centre of the town, in 1836, by Edward Bray and John Dawes, committee, and dedicated September 15th of that year by Elder John Stevens, of Liming- ton. The pastors have been Elders Clement Phinney, Joseph Phinney, Ebenezer G. Eaton, George W. Whit- ney, Austin Wheeler, Stephen Hutchinson, David Libby, E. H. Ilart, Orrin Bartlett, George W. Howe, and L. W. Raymond. A second church was ereeted at Har- rison village, in 1871, at a cost of $5500, and dedicated by Prof. B. F. Ilayes, of Bates College, Feb. 1, 1872. A legal corporation was organized in 1871, under a board of trustees, the majority of whom are members of the church. Samuel N. Dawes, Franklin Walker, and Samuel Gray were building committee. There have been 325 members,
of whom 95 are now in good standing. Present offiecrs : Rev. L. W. Raymond, Pastor ; Charles L. Walker, Clerk and Treasurer ; Caleb A. Chaplin, Charles L. Walker, Theodore Ingalls, Marshall Thomes, and George II. Cum- mings, Trustees.
The members of the Baptist Church residing in Har- rison withdrew from the Bridgton church, and met in council at the house of Samuel Seribner, March 20, 1827, organized a church, ordained Ebenezer Bisbee deacon, and elected Nathaniel Burnam clerk. Among the 12 mem- bers were Edward Lowell and wife, Sarah Buekner, Mrs. Abraham and Mrs. Nathaniel Burnham. The church was joined to the Oxford Association in 1829, and a meeting- house, the first in the town, was erected at llarmon Cor- ners for the joint use of the Baptist and Congregational Churches. This building was removed to Harrison village, and rebuilt in 1879.
There have been 136 members, 27 of whom are now living, in the society. The pastors have been Revs. Jacob Bray, John Haines, Nathaniel Chase, Ephraim Harlow, Reuben Milner, Wm. O. Grant, R. C. Starr; and since 1838: L. Burnham, 1843; D. Lowell, 1845-50; Rev. A. Snyder, to 1859; Dr. H. C. Estes, Andrew Hopper, 1878. Deacons: Ebenezer Bisbee, 1827; Edward Lowell, Reuben Burnham, 1828; Alanson Cary, 1836; David Jewell, 1839; Wm. P. Harmon, 1839; Philander Tol- man, 1869; Samuel Abbott, 1874. Present clerk, Philan- der Tolman. Deacon David Jewell was ordained as min- ister, May 3, 1849.
The South Harrison Christian Church was organized at the Methodist meeting-house, May 15, 1870, by Rev. Gideon T. Ridlon. John Johnson was made deaeon, and Ezekiel Lakin clerk. Among the first members were Charles W. Foster and wife, David Fogg and wife, George Lewis and wife, Daniel Thompson, Edmund Carsley, Nancy Emerson. Twenty were baptized on the day of organiza- tion. Rev. J. M. Hodgdon was made pastor. A church was erected by Edward Carsley, Thomas Lakin, and Clark Lewis, trustees, and dedicated by Rev. G. T. Ridlon, Jan. 4, 1871. Zebulon Knight became pastor in 1874, G. T. Ridlon in 1875. Present membership is 33.
CONGREGATIONAL.
The Congregationalist Church of Harrison was organized Feb. 15, 1826, at the house of Oliver Peirce. The council consisted of Rev. Josiah Merrill, Deacon Simeon Lovell, Dr. Silas Blake, of Otisfield; Rev. Joseph Walker, of Paris; William Warren, of Waterford. Among the first members were James II. Chadbourne, Edward Stanley, Oliver Peirce, Esq., and Philip Eastman. These members have long since passed away. Mr. Marquis O. Caswell united with this church Sept. 9, 1832, and is now living its oldest member, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. The first meeting-house in the town was built by the Con- gregationalists and Baptists, at Harmon's Corners, in 1827. It was occupied but a short time by this church. The house in the village of Harrison was erected by Ezra Cary, George Peirce, and Henry Roby, committee, in 1826, and dedicated Dee. 29, 1836, by Rev. James P. Richardson, who was installed pastor of Harrison and Otisfield, Oet. 22,
319
TOWN OF HARRISON.
1833, and continued to July, 1837 ; previously there had been no stated preaching. Rev. Joseph Searl was installed July, 1837, died Dee. 3, 1841 ; Rev. Cyril Pearl, installed January, 1843, dismissed September, 1846; Rev. A. P. Chute, installed February, 1847, dismissed August, 1849 ; Rev. Charles Packard, installed February, 1850, dismissed December, 1852; Rev. John Dodd, aeting pastor, 1854-58; E. S. Palmer, 1858-62 ; Rev. Thomas B. Ellis, 1861-62; Rev. Earnest F. Bonchers, installed Jannary, 1869, dis- missed October, 1871; Rev. Nehemiah Lincoln, present pastor, installed May 15, 1872. Deacons : James II. Chad- bourne, Edward Stanley, Amos P. Foster, George Peirce, Horace Record. Clerks of the Church : James H. Chad- bourne, Luther Rogers, Philip Eastman, Simeon Chad- bourne, A. P. Chute, Charles Packard, John Dodd, George Peirce, H. L. Sampson. Present membership, 50. Present officers : George Peirce, Horace Record, Deaeons; II. L. Sampson, Clerk.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL.
The Methodist Episcopal Society of Harrison was organ- ized in 1832. Among the first members were E. T. Ingalls and wife, Solomon Libby and wife, Jacob Senter and wife, Benjamin Green, Benjamin Foster, Amos Thomes and wife, Stephen Ingalls, Moses Fogg and wife, Benjamin Chaplin and wife. A meeting-house was erected in South Harrison in 1835, and dedicated in November of that year by Rev. Mr. Greenalth. The pastors have been Revs. Isaac W. Moore, George Stront, I. W. Moore, - Farrington, M. White, - Gay, T. B. Chase, John Fairbanks, - Gerry, D. Wittenback, L. B. Green, and Alpheus B. Love- well. First and present class-leader, Ezra T. Ingalls. Present trustees, E. T. Ingalls, Henry L. Buck, T. M. Green. Pastor, Rev. Mr. Pease.
LAWYERS.
The lawyers have been Chas. Washburn, - Thomas, Philip Eastman, 1843-46; - Harrison, Silas Blake, Almon A. Strout, Caleb A. Chaplin, Silas Bullard, O. G. Cook, 1861-79, clerk of County Court, 1855-61.
PHYSICIANS.
Thomas J. Carter, 1833 ; -- Conant, - Rodgers, John E. Dunnells, Silas Blake, 1810-44; D. O. S. Lowell, 1877; - Kimball, - Dunn, Warren Pease, 1851; H. H. Cole, Elmer Gray, and S. L. Weston, 1859-79.
ASSOCIATIONS.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
Crooked River Grange, No. 32, organized August, 1875. David Frost, Master; F. J. Sawyer, Overseer ; S. L. Wes- ton, Sec .; John Lombard, Treas .; Miss M. Andrews, Ceres. A supply store was opened at Bolster's Mills, by I. S. Skillings, the same year. Officers 1879: W. W. Andrews, Master; O. V. Edwards, Overseer; George Green, Sec .; William Chute, Treas .; Mrs. M. E. Wight, Ceres.
Lakeside Grange, No. 63, Harrison village, organized Dec. 3, 1874. George II. Cummings, Master; Charles H. Lakin, Overseer; Alphonzo Moulton, Sec .; Marshall Thomes, Treas .; Mrs. Etta Thomes, Ceres. A store was opened, with Edward Bray storekeeper. Officers for 1879 : Alphonzo Moulton, Master ; Howard Thompson, Overseer ; Nathaniel H. Seavey, See .; Edward Bray, Treas .; Mrs. Etta Moulton, Ceres.
I. O. OF O. F.
A lodge of Odd-Fellows was instituted at Harrison, in 1850, having 55 members, and obtaining a fund of $303. The lodge surrendered its charter in 1859, after having expended $582 for relief.
MILITARY.
SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.
Nicholas Bray, served in the army seven years ; came to Harrison in 1797; died 1843.
Capt. John Brackett, died 1844, and buried at Bolster's Mills.
James Watson, born in Gorham Fort, Aug. 3, 1761 ; served through the war, and settled in Harrison.
Moses Whitney, a man noted for his strength and courage, settled in Harrison after the war ; died in 1820, aged eighty- one.
Simeon Caswell, born in Taunton, Mass., 1763; died Oct. 21, 1844.
Daniel Jumper, enlisted in Gloucester, Mass .; died in Harrison, in 1841, aged seventy-eight.
SOLDIERS OF 1812.
Deacon Edward Bray, Joshua Howard, Capt. John Brackett, Enoch Brackett, Solomon Stnart, Liberius Cas- well, Jacob Senter, John Skillings, Merrill Holden, Daniel Barker, William Braekett, Seth Carsley, Benjamin Sanborn.
NAPLES.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
THE town of Naples consists mainly of high land, nearly all of which is adapted to cultivation or grazing. It is divided by Brandy and Long Ponds, extending nearly its entire length, and from one half to two miles in width. At Naples village, near its centre, a narrow drawbridge spans the outlet of Long Pond. Peabody and Holt's Ponds on the western border are small lakes fed by spring streams, and emptying into Sebago Lake. Trickey Pond is fed by a spring of pure water.
The town was incorporated Feb. 28, 1834, and was formed from those parts of Otisfield and Raymond south- west of Crooked and Songo Rivers, extending to the mouth of Muddy River, and including 1000 aeres not before incorporated in any town; 5 tiers of lots in Sebago to Peabody Pond; 4 tiers of lots from the southeast part of Bridgton, on Long Pond; and 11 tiers of lots from Harrison, between Long Pond and Crooked River. That part west from lot 94 to the mouth of Muddy River was annexed from Sebago in 1851.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
George Peirce, of Groton, Mass., the first settler of Na- ples, was born Feb. 13, 1735. The proprietors of the original town of Otisfield set aside lot 65, at Edes' Falls, Feb. 17, 1774, for the use of a mill to be erected as an en- couragement to settlers. Mr. Peirce agreed to build a saw- mill by November, 1774, and a grist-mill by November, 1775, for which he was to have £50 on completion of the first mill, and £20 on completion of the second, and the use of the proprietors' boat for ten years, with the mill lot, until the town was incorporated. In 1797 he was chairman of the committee to procure the incorporation of the town, and was the only man in Otisfield who owned two horses. . His mill was swept away previous to 1795, but afterwards re- built. His daughter, Betsey, was born at Edes' Falls, Oct. 3, 1781, and was the first white child born in the town. Mr. Peiree was an extensive lumberman and successful physician.
Mr. Eleazer Bartlett came from Groton, Mass., with his two sons, Isaac and John, in 1779, and made the first open- ing in the dense forest between Crooked River and Long Pond. The place half a mile west of Edes' Falls is known as Bartlett's Corner. Isaac, who was then seventeen years old, died in 1839, leaving but one of his family of twelve, Eleazer Bartlett, who is now seventy years of age. During the first forty-five years there was no other occupant of the land between the pond and the river, save two seasons, when a Mr. Ilobbs and Mr. Foster attempted a clearing north of them, and then abandoned it. The next settlers chose that part lying from Naples bridge to the southwest along the
-
shore of Brandy Pond. When, in 1791, Ralph Jackson moved up the lakes from Portland, he found Joseph March, Sr., living in a cabin half a mile from the present village between the road, sinee built, and the pond. He had a small tannery near the pond, where he dressed skins ob- tained from the settlements above. A horse propelled a stone around in a circle to erush his bark for tanning, and black for coloring the leather he obtained from a lamp-black kiln near by. Mr. Jackson settled farther east, near the creek, where his son William was born, in 1792, and John, a younger son, who occupies the homestead, was born in 1798.
Nathan Gerry and Elliot Staples built the first inn near the Church place, and Mr. Gerry entertained travelers along the lake, which was a much frequented route between Port- land and the earlier settlement in Bridgton before 1790, and until the opening of the " Pearsontown road" some years after. In 1816, John Chute purchased the inn, and opened the Elm House, which nine years later became one of the pioneer temperance houses of Maine. The old hotel was burned in 1822, and after three weeks of energetic building re-occupied, to be burned again in 1876. Solomon Lamb settled west of Naples in 1809; David Proctor on the E. Proctor place, near Crooked River, in 1813. In 1815, Nathaniel Knight, father of Major W. and Harrison O. Knight, moved from Windham to the east side of Long Pond near Church's.
The first building in Naples village was the school-house, built in 1822, near the steamboat landing. Back on the hill towards Mr. Lamb's a small clearing was made the next year by Thomas Stevens, and a store was opened soon after by Benjamin Goodridge, under the management of Joshua Chadbourne, who boarded with Mr. Stevens. All else was woods. Enoch Gammon, a lumberman, kept goods previ- ously, for the accommodation of his hands, in his house near " Mast Cove," north of Naples on Long Pond, so called from being the point where large numbers of masts were rafted. The post-office was opened under the name of South Otis- field, June 21, 1828, with Abraham W. Chute post- master. His first quarterly report was for the sum of 37} cents.
Dr. J. Andrew Chute, a brother of the postmaster, opened a store at the west end of the bridge, where a land- ing was built in 1831. He sold to his brother and William Winsor in 1834, and entered the missionary service among the Ottawa, Chippewa, and Cherokee Indians, dying in that service while in Missouri, in 1838.
The extensive Leavitt settlement west of Naples was made by Dr. Joshua Leavitt and his two sons, Joseph and Josiah, about the year 1800. Upon the hill beyond them to the west, Jeremiah King, David Sanborn, and William
320
RESIDENCE OF HON. S F PERIFY NAPIFS MAINF
321
TOWN OF NAPLES.
West were early settlers. Francis, father of S. G. Kim- ball, was engaged in lumbering in that part of the town for some years, thus giving his name to Kimball's Corner. Jefferson Bray made potash at the foot of Long Pond until 1835. In 1839, Nathan Church became proprietor of the old inn, transmitting it at his death to his son, Nathan A. Church.
By a skillful piece of engineering Benjamin Mitchell, an early lumberman, constructed a dam across the outlet of Trickey Pond, causing it to back water into a new outlet, where he constructed his mills, at the opposite end of the pond.
John Chaplin, a native of Massachusetts, settled in the northwest part of Naples, then Bridgton, in 1789, on land oceupied by his son, Washington Chaplin, who was born there in 1795. A Mr. Decker, his only neighbor when he came, lived on the S. F. Perley farm. Mr. Chaplin built a saw-mill in 1799 on the pond near his residence. In 1791 he sold 40 acres to William Daniels.
BURYING-GROUNDS.
In 1849 the town fenced the original part of the ceme- tery donated them by Benjamin Goodrich.
Enoch Gammon and James Sanborn, Esq., who died in 1844, Rev. Nathaniel Stone, the pioneer preacher, in 1846, Col. Thomas Eads in 1847, and Samuel Pitts and Capt. Melzor Lawrence in 1849, had already been buried on the beautiful knoll granted in the north part of the village, overlooking the lake. Nathaniel Walker was made superintendent, and in 1852 the grounds were regularly laid out. They have since been well kept. The Goodrich family monument covers the remains of the liberal donor.
A half-mile beyond the cemetery stands the brick house erected by George Peirce, Esq., in 1800. In a field near by many of the early dead were buried ; then the ground abandoned for the new one, and the old neglected ground finally plowed and planted some years ago. Near the Elm House a burying-ground, long forgotten, was discovered while building the barns. Joe Marsh, son of the first set- tler, John Davis, Jr., and some others were buried there. A later ground was regularly laid out near Mr. Church's, and members of the Hoyt, Winsor, and Chute families buried there. This is the resting-place of John Chute, the pioneer innkeeper, who died in 1857 at the age of ninety years, and the young missionary, Dr. J. A. Chute. An- other, half a mile up the lake, contains several soldiers of the war of 1861-65, who died in the service. The Leavitt family burying-ground contains the early pioneers of that family. The Jackson family ground is honored with the name of Robert H. Jackson, a fallen soldier of Company C, 30th Maine Volunteers. There are three other private yards in the cast part of the towu, one in the north, and at Edes' Falls a large and well-kept cemetery, opened in 1872, to which many of the early dead have been removed from the unprotected private grounds.
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.