USA > Maine > Franklin County > Farmington > History of Farmington, Maine, from its First settlement to the year 1846 > Part 2
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plan was to be made and returned by the 10th of May, 1780.
It appears that the survey was completed, and the returns were made, agreeably to directions, in June, 1780, by Joseph North, Esq. But as it was consid- ered somewhat doubtful whether the town would fall within the limits of the Plymouth Claim, no further measures were taken to obtain a title to the lands till after the Revolutionary War, when the bounda- ries were settled between the State and the Plymouth Company.
A front lot and a back lot making a right in the town, the settlers chose a Committee to couple them according to quality, and draw them by lot, on the 17th of May, 1780. Some, however, who had com- menced improvements on particular lots were exempt- ed from this mode of division, and permitted to retain the lots they had before selected. The result of draw- ing the lots was recorded in a bock kept by the Clerk of the associates, and agreeably to a vote of the associates, all conveyances of lots were to be re- corded by their Clerk in his book, which was admit- ted as evidence in the trial of the action, "Simeon Pane vs. Thomas and Timothy Johnson," in the Su- preme Judicial Court, at the October Term, 1816, by the Court directing depositions to be taken of some persons who were present when the lands were divid- ed and the lots drawn, and also that the deposition. of Solomon Adams, Esq., should be taken in perpetuam, identifying said book, and confirming the records of said book,-he being the last Clerk of the Associates. This being done agreeably to the directions of the Court, and the deposition recorded in the Registry of Deeds for Kennebec County, and annexed to the book, it was directed that it should be lodged in the Town Clerk's Office for the use of the town, or any person who may have occasion to use it in defense of his title.
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18 .- Laying out Road-Survey Finished.
In July, 1780, measures were taken to lay out and open a road from the head of Chandler's Pond to Farmington, and to build a bridge over the Little Nor- ridgewock Stream, and in the year following a con- tract was made to have one built over Wilson's Stream. In 1782 a vote was passed to have the sur- vey completed as soon as might be, the side lines of the lots not having been run when the plan of the town was made, the lots only having been fronted on the river, with the corners of the back lots marked on the range lines of the first survey.
19 .- First Mills Built in 1781.
It was agreed by the Associates, July 4, 1780, that Reuben Colburn and Stephen Pullen should build the mills at Sandy River, upon their giving bonds that it should be done by the first of August, 1781, and that they should be kept in repair seven years. The sawmill was first put in operation in Nov. 1781, and the gristmill in the following August.
20 .- Meetings of the Associates.
The first meeting of "Colburn and his Associates," held at Sandy River, was on the 15th of Oct., 1783, at the dwelling house of Samuel Butterfield, where their meetings were afterwards held as long as they continued to transact business in that capacity. At this meeting they chose Samuel Bullen Moderator ; Nehemiah Blodget, Clerk; Peter Corbet, Treasurer ; and Reuben Colburn, Samuel Butterfield and Nathan- iel Davis, Committee,-who were empowered to finish the survey in the most convenient possible manner for he Associates. The next meeting was held on the 12th of May, 1785, which was organized by choos- ing Samuel Butterfield, Moderator; Solomon Adams was chosen Clerk; Peter Corbet, Treasurer; and Sam- uel Butterfield, Solomon Adams and Nehemiah Blodget.
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Committee for that year. At this meeting they took measures to settle with Joseph North and Solomon Adams for the survey of the town, which had previ- ously been completed. Samuel Butterfield, Church Brainard and Solomon Adams were chosen a Commit- tee to dispose of lots on which the dividends had not been paid. This meeting was continued by adjourn- ment to the first Wednesday in March, 1786, in the course of which period the Proprietors closed most of their business, and made an assessment of one - pound on a right for the repair of roads, to be paid in labor at four shillings a day. Seth Greely and Church Brainard were chosen Surveyors to see it expended, and make returns to the Committee. Samuel Butter- field, Solomon Adams and Samuel Bullen were chosen Agents on matters relative to securing their titles ; but it does not appear that anything decisive was done till Feb, 1790, or any records kept of the doings of the Associates.
21 .- Stephen Titcomb.
We shall now trace the settlement of the town from the commencement in 1781, till the title was obtained in 1790, from the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts. Stephen Titcomb, Esq., as has already been stated, commenced making improvements on the farm on which Capt. Gill now lives, in Sept., 1776, which he continued to enlarge till 1780, when he built a log house, having before lived in a temporary camp .- That season he raised some corn, potatoes and turnips. Having secured his corn in a crib, and his potatoes and turnips in the ground, he returned to Topsham. From Topsham he started with his family in the win- ter of 1781, intending to move immediately into his log house, but on account of the depth of the snow he was compelled to stop through the winter at Con- stant Norton's in Readfield, near the spot now occu- pied by the Brick School House, his being the last
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house. In the spring he came up and got in his crop, and then went down after his family. Ou the road he met Joseph Brown and Nathaniel Davis, on the way, with their families, to the Sandy River .- Mr. Titcomb immediately returned with his family. The corn, which the fall before he had secured in a crib, was destroyed by bears while he was detained by the snow. His potatoes and turnips having kept well, the potatoes supplied seed for the settlers that year. The stock which Mr. Titcomb brought with him consisted of a yoke of oxen and three cows, which he provided for by pasturing them in the woods in the summer season, and by cutting meadow hay and raising oats for fodder in the winter. The nearest mill at this time was at Winthrop where the Facto- ry now stands, about thirty miles distant. This cir- cumstance subjected the settlers to great inconvenience, as the road was bad and the settlers were deficient in means of transportation. A sawmill, however, was put in operation as early as November, 1781, when Mr. Titcomb went up with his team to haul in tim- ber to saw for the running gear for a gristmill. He staid all night and sawed a thousand feet of boards in the evening, being the first boards sawed on the Sandy River or any of its tributaries. The gristmill was set in operation in August following, which re- lieved the settlers from one of their greatest embar- rasments, Mr. Titcomb built his first barn in April, 1785, and his house in 1788, into which he moved in 1789. The Rev. Mr. Emerson preached the first sermon in the Valley of the Sandy River in Mr. Tit- comb's log house. Stephen Titcomb, Jr., son of Mr. Titcomb, was born Nov. 4, 1782, being the first white male child born in the town. He died Sept. 26, 1830, Mrs. Titcomb was a native of Johnstown, Rhode Isl- and. She died Nov. 6, 1839, at the age of ninety. Mr. Titcomb lived on the farm on which he first set- tled 59 years. In 1840 he sold his farm to Capt. Charles Gill, and removed to the village, where he
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was living in 1846 at the advanced age of ninety- three years. . At that date he was the only survivor among the heads of the seven families who first spent the winter in the town.
22 .-- Joseph Brown.
Joseph Brown and Nathaniel Davis removed from Winthrop to this then uninhabited wilderness in May, 1781. Their families were the first families who moved into the town, or anywhere this side of Read- field. Mr. Brown settled on the farm which in 1846 was owned by John Brooks and Loring Sweet. Hav- ing made but little preparation for the accommoda- tion of a family, Mr. Brown erected a temporary camp, which answered his purpose till he became able to build a more substantial one. Mrs Brown, whose maiden name was Mary Greely, was one of the six heads of families of the same name, and children of Greely, who early settled in this town. They were natives of Haverhill, Mass. Mrs. Brown being lame and there being only a path bushed out along the river, was under the necessity of riding on horse- back, notwithstanding the many dangers of the road. Coming down a steep descent within a short distance of their destined residence, she was thrown over the horse's head at the risk of her life. Mr. Brown built his first house on the intervale where it was surround- ed by water to a considerable depth in the great fresh- et of 1785, when the family had to make their es- cape in a conoe during the darkness of night. Af- ter this he built another log house on the upland. He suffered severely by the loss of his crops in 1783, by a frost on the 9th of August. He put up the first framed barn in the upper part of the town in about 1787, the boards of which were fastened on by pegs. This was an invention not uncommon with the early settlers, and which answered a valuable pur- pose. He erected his house in 1793. Mr. Brown
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was born on the banks of the Merrimac, in Massachu- setts. He served as a soldier in the French War, in . which he was made partially a cripple through life, by the lodgement of a ball in his leg. The ball was never extracted. He came to the place poor, himself and wife partially crippled, but by persevering indus- try and strict economy they soon became clear of debt and independent, but from circumstances mostly beyond his control, he subsequently became reduc- ed in circumstances and his farm was sold to John Patterson, from Damariscotta. About 1796 he remov- ed to Industry, (then Plymouth Patent,) with his eld- est son, Samuel Brown, where his wife soon after died, and the wife of his son likewise. The family having been broken up, he was supported by the town of Industry, where he died about 1810.
23 .- Nathaniel Davis.
Mr. Davis, who as has been already stated, remov- ed to Farmington in May, 1781, and whose wife also was a Greely, settled on the farm now owned by Jacob Abbott, Esq. His situation was similar to that of Mr. Brown, he having made little or no pre- paration for the reception of a family. He, howev- er, fitted up a camp which answered his purpose for a time. He afterwards erected a more substantial log dwelling. He subsequently became insane, and, in- clining to forsake the society of his family and betake himself to the forest, he made the little eminence just south of the present residence of Rev. Samuel Abbott [since the Little Blue Family School] his prin- cipal abode. The eminence was then covered with a thick growth of spruce. He afterwards became quite rational. For abont three years previous to 1793, Jeriah Blake lived with Mr. Davis and his wife, who had no children. Mr. Davis, about this time remov- ed to the "Upper Town,"-now Phillips,-where his wife died. He afterwards resided in the family of
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Mr. Blake, in Temple. He was subject at times to partial insanity, and was afterwards supported by the town of Temple, where he died. Mr. Davis' farm passed into the hands of Samuel Pool, who set up a tannery and continued business for some years. Mr. Pool was a soldier in the war of the Revolution and with his wife was living at advanced age in Mount Vernon, in 1846.
24 .- Jeriah Blake.
About 1790 Jeriah Blake removed with his family from Augusta into this town, and took up his resi- dence, as already stated, with Mr. Davis. About 1793 he removed to the farin in Wilton, owned in 1846 by Adam Mott. Mr. Blake died at the residence of his son, John L. Blake, in Phillips, July 14, 1840, at the age of 89. He was an officer in the Revolu- tionary Army.
25 .- Enoch Craig.
In June, 1781, Enoch Craig, Robert Kannady, Cal- vin Edson and Gerret Burns came from that part of Hallowell now Augusta, for the purpose of viewing the country. Mr. Kannady had drawn a right in the town the year previous. Mr. Craig was a native of Wrentham, Mass. He early enlisted in the Conti- mental service and served until 1780, when he left the army and came into this part of the country for the purpose of procuring land on which to settle .- His brother Elias was then settled at Augusta. The party returned immediately, and in Sept. Mr. Craig, with William Kannady came up and felled some trees on the farm on which Joseph S. Craig now lives, and on that known as the Heath Farm, on which Mr. Kannady settled. They found some bark peeled, of which they constructed a camp. Mr. Craig sowed two bushels of winter wheat in the fall of 1782, which was all winter Killed. He sowed the same
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ground with spring wheat in 1783. and planted some corn which was all killed by the great frost in .Au- gust. In 1785 he suffered considerable damage by the great freshet which flowed his hovel to a consid- erable depth, and injured his grain. Mr. Craig con- tinned to make improvements, and added to his farm the lot immediately above it. He erected a superior log house near the intervale. In the winter of 1789 he went to Augusta, with Dorothy Starling his in- tended wife, for the purpose of being married. There was then no one nearer who was authorized to sol- emnize marriages Their intentions of marriage had been previously published at Augusta. He erected his framed barn about this time, but his house was not raised till 1795 or 1796. He possessed the uni- versal confidence of his townsmen, and was elected one of the first selectmen, in which office he served some years. He was subsequently town treasurer, and held other responsible offices, all of which he filled with fidelity. He died Dec. 10, 1835, at the age of 77, and his wife Feb. 2, 1829, at the age of 66.
26. - William Kannady.
William Kannady, as has been stated, commenced on what has since been called the Heath Farm, in 1781, where he made a permanent settlement. He erected a log house on the first rise from the inter- vale. In Jan. 1788 his wife died. She was the third adult who had died in the town. Mr. Philip Daven- port, who lived near the present site of Fairbank's Bridge, lost a child a few days before, and they were both buried in what is called the Old Burying Ground, near the Center Bridge. This was the first Burying Ground in town. Mr. Kannady was afterwards mar- ried to Sarah Smith. They accompanied Mr. Craig to Hallowell for that purpose. He continued on the farm on which he first began till 1792, when he sold to Benjamin Heath, from Freetown, Mass. Mr. H. set up and carried on the blacksmithing business in
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connection with farming, for some years. About 1817 he sold and removed with his sons to what is now Salem, and built the first mills in that place, where he died in 1826. Mr. Kannady removed to what is now Temple, and, after a number of removals he again settled in Farmington, where he died in 1820, aged 57. His wife was living in 1846.
27 .- Solomon Adams.
Solomon Adams, a native of Chelmsford, (now Low- ell, Mass.,) having served in the War of the Revolu- tion from its commencement to near 1781, in the course of that year came to the Sandy River for the purpose of settling, He made some improvementson the farm on which Benjamin Adams now lives, and built a log house. At this time he brought his pro- visions from Chelmsford to Boston by land, from Bos- ton to Hallowell by water, and from there to his destination on horseback. He lost his barn by fire, with all his effects, in 1788. He erccted his first framed house in 1788, and married Hannah Butter- field about the same time. He was a practical survey- or, in which capaciy he was of great use in the then new country. Mr. Adams held various offices in the militia, was early commissioned as Justice of the Peace, was chosen Town Clerk, Treasurer, and Select Man, in all of which offices he served for many years with credit to himself, and to the interest of the town. He was killed in Vienna by being thrown from his carriage, Nov. 4, 1833, at the age of seventy-five. His wife was living in 1845 on the same farm, and was drawing a pension from the United States for the services of her husband in the War of the Revolu- tion.
28. - Nehemiah Blodget.
Nehemiah Blodget begun on the farm known as the Brown Farm, in the lower part of the town, now owned by Daniel Beal, Jr., [George Gower,] in 1780,
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where he made a permanent settlement and built the first framed house in Farmington, about 1785. The same house has since been fitted up and now stands on what was a part of the Tufts Farm, a little east of its former location. Mr. Blodget sold to a Mr. Ditson. Capt. Samuel Brown settled on this farm in 1801, and erected new buildings. He died in 1811. His widow, Susannah Brown, was living in 1846 at the advanced age of 94 years. Mr. Blodget soon left the place and little is known of his history.
29 .- Samuel and Jonas Butterfield.
Samuel Butterfield and Jonas Butterfield removed from Dunstable, Mass., to Farmington in Nov., 1781, bringing their families in a wagon. They came through Lewiston to Monmouth, over a new road, where there was only' a spotted line the spring pre- vious. Samuel Butterfield settled on the lot now owned by Moses Butterfield. . Having no buildings erected, he set up four crotches on which he laid poles and covered them with elm bark, which answer- ed a valuable purpose for a dwelling house for some years, with the addition of a small framed building, the first of the kind put up in the town. These build- ings were occupied by Mr. Butterfield till he built what was long called the Butterfield Red House, about 1789, (now white, and occupied by Moses But- terfield.) Mr. Butterfield built the brick house now owned by Col. James Butterfield, in 1800, the first brick building erected in town. Mr. Butterfield was one of the three who purchased the town in 1790. He was chosen representative in 1808, and died the same year at the age of 66. Prudence Butterfield, his youngest daughter, (now [1846] Widow Whittier, formerly Russell,) born Feb. 12. 1784, is said to have been the first female born in town, but it appears by the Records that she was the second, a Mr. Page having had a daughter born in the winter of 1783.
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Jonas Butterfield settled on the farm now owned by David Ingham, where he died at an advanced age. The farm cleared by him passed to David Ingham, a son-in-law, and from him to the present occupant.
39 .~~ Jonathan Knowlton.
Jonathan Knowlton 1st, moved into this town in 1781, from Damariscotta. He was a native of Ips- wich, Mass., and he settled on the farm now [1846] owned by Jonathan and Francis Knowlton. He built his first log house on the intervale, where it was surrounded by water in the great freshet in Oct. 1785, to the depth of four feet. He was compelled to con- vey his family across the river in the night in a ca- noe, to a higher peak of intervale on which Francis Tufts had built a log house, which was all surround- ed by water. Here they all remained in trembling anxiety, expecting to see the canoe sunk by the drift stuff which run without cessation from the low lands then in the process of clearing, till the last trip was made, and to their astonishment and joy all were safe- ly landed. Mr. Knowlton soon after built a more substantial log building on the upland. He lived in this till about 1796 when he built a framed house. At this date he was in easy circumstances, though in the commencement of pioneer life his family suffered in common with many others, as is frequently the case in making new settlements so far in the wilder- ness. For the first year they were not favored with a chair or a table, and for the want of a mill had to hull corn and pound samp. Mr. Knowlton was one of the principal agents in the purchase of the town- ship now New Vineyard. He was also the principal owner of the mills and machinery at Farmington Falls for a time. He died in 1819, at the age of 70 .- Samuel Knowlton, his second son, was born Jan. 14, 1183, being the second male child born in town.
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31 .- Peter Corbell. ·
Peter Corbett brought his family into the new set- tlement from Winthrop in Jan. 1782. Mr. Corbett was a native of Millford, Mass. He had moved his family from Millford to Winthrop the year previous, His family remained in Winthrop while he was mak- ing preparations for their residence in Farmington - He was one of the Associates and drew the lot on which he settled. It was the south part of the farm now [1846] occupied and owned by Rufus Corbett and sons, on which he built the second framed house in the town, in 1786. (This has recently been torn down.) Mr. Corbett made the bricks for his chim- ney on his farm. He is supposed to have made the first bricks made in Farmington. Mr. Corbett made the seventh family that wintered in town in 1782 .- He was one of the first selectmen, in which office he acted for many years.
32 .- Francis Tufts.
Francis Tufts, a native of Medford, Mass., having married a daughter of Ebenezer Blunt and settled in Nobleborough in 1780, came on horseback to a Mr. Emerson's on the farm since known as the Ingham Farm, at the foot of the Folsom Hill in Mount Ver- non, from thence by a compass struck the Wilson Stream near the present location of the Whittier Bridge, and then traveled up as far as Strong, his object having been to explore the country. He pur- chased a possession of one Mr. Knights, the farm on which Samuel Daggett now [1846] lives, and contin- ued to make improvements till Nov. 1783, when he removed his family, together with Mr. and Mrs. Blunt, his wife's parents. He was four days on the road. He brought his children in hanyards made of basket stuff, on horseback. He came some distance on the east side of the Kennebec, under the bank at low water to Pittston Ferry, there crossed, then had a road
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to Mount Vernon, and then followed a spotted line. They brought little more than their beds. Mr. Tufts had erected a log house which he covered with elm bark and floored with hewn basswood planks and made partitions of lumber of the same description .- The jambs and back were of hemlock. He cut the first English hay, though Mr. Titcomb raised the first corn and grain. His corn was injured by the frost on the 9th of Aug., 1783, yet he saved his red corn. Mr. Blunt died in 1784, the first instance of the death of an adult in the town. Mr. Tufts built the first mills at the Falls in 1788, sold one half to Mr. Jones in 1790, and he built his framed house on the intervale in 1791, and his barn previously to that time, and his brick house on the road in 1800. He was one of three who purchased the town in 1790. He sold his farm and removed to the upper part of the town about 18-, and subsequently to his son's, near the old farm. when he relinquished business .- On the death of his wife he went to the State of Ohio, in 1831, where he died in Oct., 1834, at the age of 93 years,
33 .- Jesse and William Gould.
Jesse and William Gould removed from Dunstable, Mass., in 1782. Jesse settled on the farm now own- ed by Ira Armsby, and married with - - Starling. They sold in 1837 and removed to Ohio, with their son, where both have since died. - William Gould settled on the farm where Daniel Sewall now lives, and where he died. He was appointed Adjutant in the Militia soon after it was organized on the Sandy River, and subsequently held the office of Brigadier General. He represented the town in the General Court of Massachusetts in 1822, and died at his res- idence some years since.
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34 .- Benjamin Weathern.
In 1783 Benjamin Weathern, from Nobleborough, made a beginning on the farm now owned by his son, of the same name. Here he subsequently made a settlement, and died of Cold Fever about 1814.
35 .- Reuben Lowell.
Reuben Lowell, from Kingston, Mass., also settled about 1783 on the west side of the river, where Sam- uel Lowell now lives. He was a man of intelligence, and filled several responsible offices in the early set- tlement of the country. He died in Chesterville.
36 .- Jesse Butterfield.
Jesse Butterfield, formerly of Dunstable, Mass., was also among the settlers of 1783. He settled on the farm adjoining Mr. Lowell's, where Nathan- iel Greenwood now lives. [Zina Greenwood.] Here he lived to the advanced age of ninety to enjoy the liberality of his country for the services he had ren- dered in the War of the Revolution. He died March 7, 1842.
37 .- Robert Gower.
Robert Gower moved his family from Topsham in 1783. He was a native of England, and his wife was from Johnstown, R. I. He settled on the farm adjoin- ing Mr. Titcomb's, where he began to make improve- ments in 1776, and where he made a permanent set- tlement in 1782. He died Aug. 26, 1806, at the age of 84. His wife died in New Sharon, Jan. 15, 1836, at the age of 91.
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