USA > Maine > Franklin County > Farmington > History of Farmington, Maine, from its First settlement to the year 1846 > Part 4
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
and Isaac Perkins and Otis Foster on the farm now owned by Uzziel Weeks and others. Mr. Perkins soon removed to the river at the upper part of the town. It is to him and Ruful Allen that we are mostly indebted for our first and early start in orch- arding. They furnished most of the trees in town from nurseries of their own planting. In 1790, or 91 many of the first settlers in the middle and upper sections of the town were disposed to sell and go back to still newer settlements. Others came in, among whom were Benj. Butler, Elvaton Parker, Peter West, Elijah Butler and Abiatha Green.
-65 Barter Trade-Exports.
During this period most of the business was done by exchange of articles. Corn and grain at first, and afterwards neat stock, were the staple commodities produced by the farmers, and most of the paper tak- en was for specific articles of this character, at a stated market or cash price, as might be agreed upon. In 1791. Mr Brown received a silver dollar-silver being the only money then in circulation-in payment for the labor of himself and team for a day, which he observed, was the first dollar he had received for the ten years he had lived in the place. At this pe- riod considerable quantities of corn and grain were hauled to Hallowell, the nearest market, and exchang- ed for such commodities as were needed by the in- habitauts; a trade which continued for many years, while the new lands were being cleared. Since this, grass secd, beef, store cattle, sheep and wool have become the chief articles of export. The potatoc crop has almost invariably been abundant, until affect- ed by the rot the last year, but the situation is too far in the interior to afford a profit by transportation to market. Should the potatoe rot cease, however, it is thought they will afford a profit to the produc- er by being manufactured into starch. From the sugar
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON
maple considerable quantities of sugar and syrup have been produced, and were sufficient attention paid to the subject a liberal supply might be made for many of the inhabitants, and in many instances a surplus might be furnished. In 1791, being ten years from the first settlement, there were about 85 families in the town.
66-Question of Proprietorship Settled. .
Previous to the winter session of the General Court of Massachusetts for 1790, the boundary line between the Plymouth Company and the State Lands had been settled by agreement that the boundary of the former should begin at the mouth of the Wisserunset Stream, which empties into the Kennebec just below Skowhe- gan Falls, in Milburn, running from thence due north, three miles, thence west twenty miles, thence sonth- erly to agree with the courses of the Kennebec. A survey having been taken by Samuel Titcomb, Esq., it was found that this town would fall without the Plymouth Claim. A meeting of the inhabitants was held at the house of Samuel Butterfield for the pur- pose of petitioning the General Court to obtain a title to their land. It was agreed to petition jointly, that the Colburn Associates who had settled on settler's lot should be used as they were to have been used under the Plymouth Company, and that the settlers on the proprietor's lots should be used as other set- tlers were on State lands. Samuel Butterfield and Benj. Whittier were chosen agents on the part of the proprietors of the settler's lots, and Francis Tufts on the part of the settlers on the lots reserved for the proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase, agreeably to the arrangement made with them by Reuben Colburn and his Associates. - This Committee attended the General Court at the winter session of 1790, and ob- tained the following Resolve in favor of the inhabit- ants, and granting the residue of the unsettled lands
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
to Dummer Sewall, Francis Tufts and Samuel But- terfield.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
IN SENATE, FEBRUARY 4TH. 1790.
Whereas, the proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase, by their Committee. on the fourth day of October. 1779. under the apprehension that the tract now called the Sandy River Lower Township, belonged to said proprietors, did enter into an agreement or contract respecting the land contained in said township, with Renben Colburn and his Associates, wherein the said Associ- ates on their part agreed to survey and lay out said township, divide the same into lots, mark the lots for settlers with the letter S .. and the lots to be reserved for said proprietors with the leiter P .. and return a plan thereof to the Clerk of said Proprietors, and within a certain time to settle said township. make improvements therein. clear roads. &c. ; and in considera- tion thereof the said Committee, in behalf of said Proprietors, on their part agreed that the said Reuben Colburn and his Associates, should hold all the lots in said township marked with the letter S., in the said plan returned, a duplicate whereof accompanies this Resolve.
And whereas it appears to this Court, that said Reuben Colburn and his Associates have complied with the said agreement, on their part. and would have been entitled to the several lots in said township marked with the letter S., if the said township had really belonged to the said Proprietors. But whereas it now appears that the lands in said Township are the property of this Commonwealth, and inasmuch as considerable advantage has resulted to said Commonwealth from the settlement of said Township by said Asso- ciates ; and in order that said Associates may not be disturbed in the posses- sion of their settlements :
Therefore, Relolved. That there be, and hereby is, granted and confirmed unto the said Reuben and his Associates aforesaid, their heirs and assigns, all the lots in said plan marked with the letter S., together with the Mill Lot in said Township, so called, as tenants in common, excepting such lots as have already been drawn to the Associates, which shall be held in sever- alty by each Associate. his heirs and assigns accordingly.
And it is further Resolved, That there be. and hereby is granted and con- firmed to Dummer Sewall of Bath, Esq .. Francis Tufts and Samnel Butter- field, of Sandy River, aforesaid, yeomen. their heirs and assigns, all the rest and residue of said Township, on the following conditions, and with the following reservations, viz .- That the said Dummer, Francis and Samu- el shall quit the settlers hereafter named, who settled in said Township be- fore the first day of January, 1784, viz. Benjamin Weathren, William Gould, Reuben Lowell. Jonathan Knowlton, William Gower, John Austin, Simeon Russ, John Huston, Enoch Craig, Joseph Sylvester. Joseph Holland. Eben- ezer Sweet, Abram Page, William White, Samuel Keen, Lydia Blackstone, Stephen Titcomb, Robert Gower, and Francis Tufts, by granting to each of them to hold in fee one hundred acres of land, to be so laid out as will best inelnde his or her improvements, and be least injurions to the adjoining lands, upon the receipt of thirty shillings from such settler, to be paid by each within nine months from this date. And also shall quit the settlers hereafter named, who settled in said Township after the first day of January, 1784, viz .- Josiah Blake, Sanmel Ames, Samuel Briggs, Joseph Riant, Ilugh Cox, David Wentworth, Joseph Bradford, Benjamin Handy; Isaac Powers. Abram Page, Silas Gould, Samnel Chandler, Ephraim Cowen, Noah Billington, Susannah Davenport, Isaac Teagne, Abram Smith, Joseph Ralph and Oliver Bailey, by granting to each of them to hold in fee. one hundred acres of land, to be so laid out as will best include his or her improvements
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
and be least injurions to the adjoining lands, upon the receipt of six pounds from each settler, to be paid within nine months from this date. Reserving, however, four lots of three hundred and twenty acres each, for public nses, viz .- one for the first settled minister, one for the use of the ministry, one for the use of schools in said Township, and one for the fature appropriation of the General Court, to be laid ont near the center of said Township, and to average in goodness with the other lots therein ; and on condition that the said Dmmer Sewall. Francis Tufts, and Samuel Butterfield shall pay or give sufficient security to pay to the Committee on the subject of unappropriated lands in the Counties of York, Cumberland and Lincoln, or to their succes- sors in office, for the use of the Commonwealth. the sinn of four hundred pounds in specie. within the space of one year from the time of passing this Resolve, which Committee upon the receipt of said sum of four hundred pounds. or sufficient security therefor, are hereby empowered to make and exeente a good and lawful deed to the said Dummer, Francis and Samuel, their heirs and assigns, of the land granted to them in this Resolve, on the conditions, and with the reservations therein contained.
Sent down for concurrence.
THOMAS DAWS, President pro tem.
In the House of Representatives, February 4th, 1790. Read and concurred. DAVID COBB, SPEAKER. A True Copy, Attest, JOHN AVERY, JUN., Secretary.
The aforesaid Sewall, Tufts, and Butterfield gave security to the satisfaction of the Committee and re- ceived a Deed before they returned home. Although the purchase of the town was not entirely to the sat- isfaction of the inhabitants, yet they complied with the provisions of the Resolve, and received titles to their lands agreeably to the conditions therein speci- fied.
67-Town Incorporated.
From this time till 1794, when the town was in- corporated the settlers had no particular mode of trans- acting public business. They were never organized as a Plantation, but proceeded in regard to roads, schools, &c. as individuals were disposed to associate. In the latter part of 1793, the inhabitants at a meet- ing held for that purpose, agreed to petition to be incorporated agreeably to the original survey of the town; and Supply Belcher Esq., was agreed upon to attend the General Court at its next session, with the Petition, which was signed by most of the inhabitants. He accordingly attended, and obtained an act of in-
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
corporation, which was signed by Samuel Adams, then Lieutenant Governor and Acting Governor of Massachusetts, on the 1st day of February, 1794, in- corporating the Plantation of Sandy River, with the inhabitants thereof, into a town by the name of Farm- ington. The name was given to the town by Col. Porter, by the consent of the inhabitants. The Act thus bounds the town :----
68-Boundaries.
"Beginning at a maple tree marked, on the east- erly side of the Sandy River, and near the same, at the south-east corner of said Plantation, thence run- ning north eight miles and fifty-six rods to a bcech tree marked; thence west five miles and two hundred rods to a bass tree marked, thence south two miles, thence south thirteen degrees east three miles, thence south thirty-five degrees east two miles one hundred and fourteen rods to a hemlock tree marked, thence north sixty-seven degrees east one mile one hundred and ninety rods to the junction of the Little Norridge- wock with the Wilson Stream to a birch tree mark- ed K. 15 M. 1780, thence north forty-nine degrees east one mile and ninety rods to the Sandy River, thence down the Sandy River to the first mentioned bound-estimated to contain 27,000 acres."
The last course has been so altered as to make the Wilson Stream the line, which varies but little from the former course. The beech tree marked, first men- tioned, stands a few feet from the original corner made by North in 1780, for the corner of the Plym- outh Claim, marked K. 15 M. on a small birch tree, denoting 15 miles from the Kennebec River. Stone monuments have since been erected at the several corners and angles of the town, and in most cases on the roads.
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69 - Organization.
By the Act of Incorporation Wm. Reed Esq of Middle Town-now Strong-was authorized to call the first meeting of the inhabitants for the choice of such town officers as towns are required to choose in the month of March or April annually, by directing a warrant to some one of the principal inhabitants of the Plantation for that purpose. On the 15th of March a warrant was issued by Mr Reed to Moses Starling Esq., requiring him to notify the inhabitants to meet at the dwelling house of Thomas Flint-now Wm. Marvel's-in said town, on Monday the 7th day of April, 1794, at 10 o'clock, A. M., for the choice of Town, County, and State officers. The meeting was organized by the choice of Solomon Adams for Moderator, and Supply Belcher for Town Clerk. Pe- ter Corbett, Ezekiel Porter, and Enoch Craig were chosen Selectmen ; Moses Starling, Treasurer, and Benj. Whittier, Constable and Collector.
70- Representatives.
Farmington was represented in the General Court for the first time, in 1798, by Supply Belcher Esq. In 1799 the town was represented by Col. Ezekiel Porter, and in 1800 by Stephen Titcomb Esq. In 1809 the town being entitled to two Representatives, Supply Belcher Esq. and Nathan Cutler Esq. were elected. Joseph Fairbanks and Josiah Prescott rep- . resented the town in the Convention which met at Brunswick in 1816 for the purpose of forming a Con- stitution, had the requisite number of votes been giv- en in favor of separation from Massachusetts. Nathan Cutler and Jabez' Gay were elected delegates to the Convention which met in Portland on the 2nd Mon- day in Oct. 1819, for the purpose of forming a Con- stitution for the State of Maine. In 1820 Jabez Gay represented the town in the first Legislature of this State.
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
71 -Roads.
The first County Road was laid out from Hallow- ell, through Chesterville, to the Old Fordway, just above the Center Bridge, and afterwards continued on the west side of the river to Strong. The County Road was laid out on the east side of the river by Dr. Hubbard, and others, in 1793. It was located near the intervale and some parts of the location were altered by the town before it was opened. Subse- quently the town altered the location of other parts of the route, but, the whole has been since established by the County Commissioners, and the road has been continued across the Fairbanks Bridge. The principal Town Roads were laid out and established in 1794 and 1795 Others have since been laid out as occasion has required. The Temple Road was first laid out by the Town in 1802, and afterwards estab- lished as a County Road. Various alterations have been made in the old ones, and several new County Roads have been made from time to time as circum- stances seemed to require, the most of which have proved to be advantageous.
72-Mails.
The mail was first brought from Hallowell to Farm- ington about 1793, by Zacheus Mayhew. Moses Starling was appointed the first Postmaster. A Mr. Willis had brought newspapers, &c. a short time pre- 4
vious. The mail was carried on horseback till 1829, when the means of conveyance was increased by a contract with Moses Hanscom, to a two horse team. By this contract the mail was to be carried under cov- er, and continued twice a week till 1841. In 1841 the establishment was increased to a four horse team, with post coaches to Farmington, and from thence to Phillips with two horses. This line is now owned by F. V. Stewart, who employs some 24 horses, and it is one of the best managed routes in the State. The
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mail route from Farmington direct to Portland was established about 1830-was purchased in 1834 by.F. V. Stewart, and in 1838 passed into the hands of Thomas Beede, the present owner. This employs a two horse team to Minot where it connects with the Hallowell and Augusta line. This furnishes a quick and expedicious conveyance west, by land, and the route is well managed. Beside those already mention- ed there is a cross mail, carried by one horse, passing from Anson, through Farmington, to Wilton.
73-First Mills ; Starling's Mills.
The first mill in Farmington, as has been stated, was built by Colburn and Pullen, where the Titcomb Mills now stand. The Sawmill was set in operation in Nov. 1781, and the Gristmill in Aug. 1782. These mills were injured by the great freshet in 1785, on which account, and on account of the scarcity of wa- ter,-the dam being defective, as is common in new establisbments in new countries,-the inhabitants suf- fered greatly for the want of facilities for procuring grinding, and were compelled to go to Winthrop to mill, a part of the time, for some years, and frequently with handsleds. To remedy this hardship many of them prepared mortars with a spring-pole to raise the pestle, by the help of which they made tolerable meal. This was the only mill for something like seven or eight years. It was rebuilt by Jacob Eaton and Moses Starling in 1790, and some time after again rebuilt by Mr. Starling, and more recently by Capt. Davis, and again by Butterfield & Witham in 1836. The first run of stones that was put into this mill was hauled from Winthrop in the winter of 1781. It has now four runs of stones, one of them Burr stones, with a superior cleanser, and the mill does a good business. The Sawmill was rebuilt at the same time with the Gristmill, both being greatly improved. [Now Walton's Mills. ]
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74- Mills at Farmington Falls.
The next Mills were built by Francis Tufts, at the Falls, on the main river, at the lower end of the town, about 1788. About 1790 one half was sold to Ebenezer Jones, and the remaining half soon after to Jonathan Knowlton. Jonathan Russ purchased these mills in 1803. The dam having been carried away, he rebuilt it the same season, and rebuilt the mills in 1804. These mills were burned on the 29th of January, 1813, and rebuilt by John and Henry Russ immediately after. They were carried away by the great freshet in Oct. 1820, and again rebuilt by the same individuals. These mills once suffered some embarrasment for the want of water, occasioned by the owners not having the control of the opposite bank, which has been remedied by the erection of mills on the Chesterville side. This water privilege would be one of the best in the vicinity were it not for great risk in freshets, occasioned by the water being confined to a narrow channel. Ebenezer Jones built a Sawmill and a Gristmill at the foot of these Falls, about 1802. The Gristmill was carried away by the water in 1814, and the Sawmill in 1820. The mills were supplied with water by a canal from the dam at the head of the Fall. David Dwinnel erected a shop on the canal which conveyed the water to the lower mills, with a trip hammer, which was carried away at the same time with the mill. John Russ hav- ing purchased the site where the Fulling Mill and Carding Machine formerly stood, erected a Sawmill, which was burned soon after, and another put in op- eration by Thomas Chase.
75-Keith's Mills.
The mills commonly known as Morrison's or Keith's Mills were first built by Samuel Sewall, about 1792. They were sold by Mr. Sewall about 1796, and pas-
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sed into the hands of Edward Lock. Not much at-
The Sawmill on the Farmington side of the Wilson tention was bestowed upon them for some years after.
Stream was rebuilt by John Morrisan and others .- The Gristmill is now on the Chesterville side, the line
passing between that and the Sawmill. It is owned
by Mr. Davis, by whom it was rebuilt, and it has a liberal business. Here is also a Fulling Mill and
Carding Machine on the Chesterville side, owned by
Joseph Keith, which has been for many years one of the best establishments in this section of the State.
76- Fairbank's Mills.
The Mills at the upper end of Farmington, known as Fairbank's Mills, were first built by Jason D. Co- ny, in 1794, and were owned by him and Robert Jones, who owned the privilege. They were situated where Mr. Townsend's Bark Mill now stands, in connection with which a Sawmill was afterwards erected. They passed into the hands of Hartson Cony, about 1797 or 98, who commenced digging the canal where the Mills now stand. He put up a Sawmill frame, near the site of the present Sawmill, which was carried away by the freshet in June, 1799. He sold to John Patterson, who fitted them up. In the winter of 1801 they were burned. . The privilege and remains of the mills were. purchased by Joseph Fairbanks, and the
mills were rebuilt the same season. Col. Fairbanks completed the canal commenced by Mr. Cony, and built a Gristmill where the present one stands, in 1807; and afterwards the Sawmill at the same place. May 14, 1814, the dam was mostly carried away by the freshet, which was attended with considerable loss to the owner, in the mills as well as in his store, which was then connected with the mills. In 1820 the Mills were rebuilt by Col. Fairbanks, and greatly improved. At this time he introduced a cleanser.
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which was the first put in operation in the vicinity. These mills are now owned by Hiram Belcher and Lu- ther Townsend, who rebuilt them in 1841, with four runs of stones, one of which was shifted, the last sea- son. for a set of Burr stones, accompanied with a su- perior bolt. It will now rank with the first in this section of the State. Its superior location gives it an advantage over many others, and helps to compen- sate for a lack of water to which it is exposed in se- vere drouths. The Sawmill is now owned by Mr. Belcher and does a good business.
77-Russel's Mill; Lumber in Farmington.
In 1825 a Sawmill was put in operation by Na- thaniel Russell, in the westerly part of the town, on what is called the Starling, or Davis Mill Stream. At his death, in 1827, it passed into the hands of his son Isaac Russell, who has run it to good. advantage most of the time since. It is now owned by the Messrs. Butterfield. It was taken down the last sea- son, and the dam was carried away by the freshet in the fall of the same year. It is expected that it will be rebuilt, This mill can be well supplied with va- rious kinds of lumber, such as hemlock and spruce, and some pine, and with various kinds of hard wood, as is the case with other mills in the town. Pine tim- ber is scarce in every section, but the mills at the lower part of the town procure a considerable amount of pine timber from Chesterville, to which town we are mostly indebted for our pine lumber. Perhaps this deficiency is more than compensated by the su- perior quality of the soil which renders the inhabit- ants more independent than they could have been rendered by application to the lumbering business :- Perhaps it may be said with propriety that there is scarcely a lot of land in the town that will not admit
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
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of settlement, or on which a man, with industry and economy, might not maintain a family and lay up property.
78-Fulling Mills.
The first Fulling Mill was built by Wm. Allen in 1792, or 1793, on what is called the Allen Brook, in the north-east part of the town. The stream not being sufficient to answer his purpose he removed his works to the Falls, on the main river, where he fitted up a temporary mill in connection with one at that time owned by Jones and Knowlton. Mr. Knowlton soon after put up a Fulling Mill, which was carried on by Jeremiah Stinchfield and a Mr. Stanley, in 1797 and 8. In 1799 it was purchased by Mr. Stinchfield, and by him rebuilt. It was carried away by the great freshet of 1820, with the cloth and apparatus. It was again rebuilt by Mr. Stinchfield, and enlarged and finished in a superior style. This was the only es- tablishment of the kind on the Sandy River or any of its waters for many years, and it had an unusual run of business. After Mr. Stinchfield's death, in 1824, the business declined, other mills having been erect- ed. It was afterwards purchased by John Russ and used for the manufacture of hat bodies, and at length removed by him to give place to a Sawmill. The Carding Machine at the Falls was first built by Blake & Morrill, in about 1800. It was purchased by John Shaw, in 1804, and for some time owned by him and his brother Ebenezer Shaw, in whose hands it was once partly burned. It was afterwards purchased by David Morrill. It was carried away by the water in 1820, and again rebuilt by Mr. M. He afterwards removed the machinery to the Chesterville side of the river, where it continues to run. In 1810 a Fulling Mill was put in operation on the Fairbanks Mill Stream, by Enoch Wood and Luke Perkins of Win-
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throp, which was, in connection with a Carding Ma- chine, owned by John and Eben. Shaw of this town. They had a good run of business for some years, and passed through various hands, when the building be- came decayed. They were never rebuilt. Samuel Emery carried on the Fulling Mill, and Daniel Davis the Carding Machine most of the time.
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