USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Garland > History of Garland, Maine > Part 11
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
There were two classes of harvesters, bipedal and quadrupedal. As soon as the kernels of corn began to take form on the cob, the bears and smaller quadrupeds began their harvesting. Various expedients were put in requisition to limit the depredation of these animals, but not with entire success.
But in spite of these drawbacks, the pioneer obtained a fair crop of corn, any surplus of which, above the needs of his family, entered into the currency of the period at prices fixed by common custom.
The next step in clearing land was to divest it of the trunks of the trees that were scattered over it. These were cut into sections, hauled together, placed in piles, and burned. The land was now ready for the crop of the second year.
The second crop, in the first ten years of the town- ship's history, was more often a crop of rye than any other, because there were early facilities to grind it. The soil was well adapted to the growth of wheat, but this crop was neglected on account of the lack of the more expensive machinery for reducing it to flour. Bread of rye meal, mixed with corn meal, was regarded as excellent food.
Grass seed was sown with the grain for the second crop, and the grass springing therefrom, became the crop of the third year. The pioneer enlarged his "opening" each year by the process that has been described, and the same alternation of crops followed in each triennial
151
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
period, until at midsummer, his eyes were greeted with waving crops of grass and grain, and in autumn, he received the cheerful salutations of his tasseled corn, and watched the gambols of his growing flocks.
He now enters a new decade. The township having assumed a corporate existence, had exchanged the elon- gated name of Lincolntown for the euphonic name of Garland. The first kiln of bricks having been made in 1812, upon the old homestead of the late William S. Haskell, the huge stone fire-places began to give way to brick fire-places and ovens.
Garland in 1813
The annual town meeting of 1813, was held at the house of Isaac Wheeler on the 5th day of April. Josiah Bartlett was chosen moderator, Jacob Garland, town clerk, Isaac Wheeler, William Blaisdell and Joseph Garland, selectmen and assessors. The Rev. John Sawyer, Isaac Wheeler and Joseph Garland were chosen superintending school committee.
It was voted to raise one hundred and fifty dollars for schools, six hundred dollars for highways, and one hundred dollars for town charges. It was voted to pay town charges and school money in corn, rye and wheat, at six, seven and nine shillings per bushel respectively.
Town meetings were not of so frequent occurrence in 1813 as in the two preceding years.
The second and last meeting for municipal purposes in 1813, was held on the 30th of October, at the house of Isaac Wheeler, Esq., and was devoted to the considera- tion of roads and bridges.
152
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
West Garland
A building was erected at West Garland about the year 1813, possibly a year earlier, by Stephen Kimball, a citizen of Bangor, and Abner Sanborn, who was after- wards for several years a prominent citizen of Garland, for the purpose of wool-carding and cloth dressing.
Messrs. Kimball and Sanborn put up a building, also, for the manufacture of potash from wood-ashes, of which the large quantities of hard-wood consumed in the capacious fire-places of the times, afforded an abundant supply.
Asa Soule, who afterwards made a beginning on the land adjoining the town farm, was given charge of the wool-carding and cloth dressing business. He was suc- ceeded by Benjamin Mayo, a brother of the late John G. Mayo, the well known manufacturer of Foxcroft.
About the same time Edward Fifield built a saw and grist-mill upon the site now occupied by the mills of Lewis Crowell. He also built a house which was his home for several years.
In the early efforts to utilize the water-power at the outlet of Pleasant Pond, the present village at West Garland had its origin. In later years, and farther down on the stream, Horace Gordon and his son, H. Lester Gordon, have used the water power at West Gar- land for manufacturing purposes. Still farther down Amos Gordon has a saw and shingle-mill.
153
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Garland in 1814
The annual meeting for town business was held at the house of Isaac Wheeler, Esq., on the 4th day of April. Josiah Bartlett was chosen moderator, and Jacob Gar- land, town clerk. Ezekiel Straw, Benjamin Gilpatrick Jr., and Isaac Copeland were chosen selectmen and assess- ors, and Isaac Wheeler, Esq., was chosen treasurer. Rev. John Sawyer, Isaac Wheeler, Esq., and Abner Sanborn were chosen superintending school committee.
The town voted to raise eight hundred dollars for highways, two hundred dollars for schools, seventy-five dollars to defray town charges and fifty dollars to buy powder and balls. The treasurer was voted a compen- sation of six dollars, and the collector was allowed five and three quarters per cent. for collecting taxes.
The election of state and county officers was held the same day.
For Governor.
William Dexter received twenty-four votes. Caleb Strong received twenty-two votes.
For Lieutenant Governor.
William Gray received twenty-four votes. William Phillips received twenty-four votes.
At a town meeting held on December 3d, 1814, one of the items in the warrant was to see if the town would vote to lay out a road from the Lake, so called, to Exe- ter line. The swampy land lying between the present residences of John Campbell and Henry M. Paine, south of Garland village, was for many years known as the Lake. The incidents that suggested this name have been narrated on a preceding page.
154
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
The War of 1812
To the inhabitants of the Penobscot Valley, the year 1814 was a year of excitement. The war with England had been in progress for two years, but hitherto it had been waged at a distance. Now it was nearing, and cit- izens of military age were in constant expectancy of being called into active service.
On the 17th of August, 1814, the United States ship of war, the Adams, carrying twenty-five guns, was driven by stress of weather upon rocks near the Isle au Haut, a small island near the southern limits of Penobscot Bay, and disabled. Her gallant commander, Captain Morris, immediately took her up the river to Hampden for repairs. The Adams had been preying upon English commerce, having captured several English vessels within the preceding three months. For these reasons she was to the English an ardently coveted prize. When the accident to the Adams, and its locality, had come to the ears of the enemy, its capture was immediately deter- mined upon. On the first day of September, 1814, Captain Morris of the Adams was waited on by a mes- senger who had come in hot haste to inform him that several English vessels were making their way up the river.
Captain Morris, well knowing that the coming of the enemy meant a desperate attempt to capture the Adams, hastened to establish a battery of fourteen guns upon the wharf, and another of nine guns on an elevation fifty rods down the river. While the mariners were placing the guns in position, Captain Morris, obtaining an interview with General Blake, who was in command of the land forces, assured him that if he could be protected from a flank movement by the enemy's forces, he could easily arrest the passage of his vessels up river. This inter-
155
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
view, at which some of the prominent citizens of Hamp- den and vicinity were present, disclosed a fatal lack of decision and unity of sentiment as to what should be done in the emergency that confronted them. Some of the citizens fearing that resistance would lead to the destruction of the town were in favor of throwing them- selves upon the magnanimity of the enemy.
Captain Morris declared in a few brief and burning words that nothing could be hoped from British mag- nanimity, and added-"Keep the enemy from outflank- ing me and I will arrest the passage of his vessels up the river. These are our respective duties, and we must dis- charge them."
At the close of the interview, Captain Morris returned to the wharf to complete arrangements there, and General Blake entered upon the work of making a dis- position of his forces which numbered about five hundred men. Early in the morning of September 3d the enemy began to move towards the American line of defense. A heavy fog resting upon the river and banks covered his incipient movements. Soon the British regulars emerged from the fog, and moved towards the position held by General Blake. Their firm and regular movement, confi- dent bearing, and imposing uniforms, carried terror to General Blake's undisciplined troops. After an exchange of a few rounds, General Blake's line gave way near the center, which was followed by a general and precipitate retreat.
Captain Morris, soon finding his position untenable, spiked his guns, set fire to his vessel, and with his men made his escape to Bangor.
It is not necessary to the purpose of this narrative to describe in detail the various acts of "magnanimity" toward those confiding citizens who exhibited such eager
156
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
readiness to throw themselves upon the mercy of an inso- lent and relentless foe.
Garland's First Military Company
At the beginning of the War of 1812, through the agency of Captain Isaac Hodsdon of Corinth, afterwards widely known as Major General Hodsdon, a company of militia was organized at Garland. Captain Hodsdon was a young man of great military enthusiasm and marked ability, and an ardent supporter of President Madison's administration.
The members of the company, over thirty in number, met at the barn of Isaac Wheeler, Esq., and organized by the election of Thomas S. Tyler, captain; Isaac Copeland, lieutenant, and William Blaisdell, ensign. Despite the apparent general acquiescence in the pro- priety of a military company, there was a secret and strong opposition to it that had been quieted by the tact of Captain Hodsdon, but not subdued. The reasons assigned by the opposition were that the isolated position of the town should exempt its citizens from military ser- vice, and that the cost to the members of the company for arms and equipments, added to other burdens of their condition, would be a great hardship.
There was, also, a political reason that was at the basis of opposition of some of the citizens. This was opposition to the existing national administration, and to the war then in progress.
From the considerations that have been named there resulted a tacit understanding that, at the expiration of the time allowed the officers-elect to decide whether they
157
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
would accept the commissions they had been offered, they would decline them. Such action would make it neces- sary to go over the ground again and involve delay.
In defiance of the expectations of the citizens, the officers-elect accepted the commissions tendered them, and the company became a verity.
The holding a military office in these days was a distinction that appealed to the pride of the ambitious, and some of the citizens of Garland were uncharitable enough to charge that the honor of military titles was the motive that led the officers-elect to accept commis- sions in violation of promises not to do so.
The organization of the company having been effected, its members were called together at regular intervals for inspection and drill.
A Midnight Summons
The night of September 2d, 1814, was dark and rainy. The citizens of Garland had retired to rest at the usual hour with no suspicion that their slumbers would be disturbed until the light of morning called them to the duties of a new day.
At the midnight hour the family of Moses Gordon was awakened by the galloping of a horse into their dooryard, quickly followed by a violent rapping at their door. Promptly presenting himself, Mr. Gordon was confronted by a well-known citizen of Exeter, Jonathan Palmer, whose nervous and excited bearing indicated startling news.
The British, he said, having captured Castine were on their way up the Penobscot to capture the frigate
158
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Adams, lying at the wharf at Hampden for repairs, and to make an attack on Bangor. The company in Gar- land must be ordered at once to report forthwith for service at Hampden. A few minutes later, Mr. Gordon was in the saddle riding at the top of the horse's speed to the residence of Captain Tyler, who lived where Thomas McComb now lives. The slumbers of Captain Tyler were as rudely interrupted as had been those of Mr. Gordon a half hour earlier.
Mr. Gordon was ordered to warn the company to appear at the residence of Isaac Wheeler forthwith with arms and equipments. Disregarding darkness, rain and rough roads, Mr. Gordon executed Captain Tyler's order with remarkable dispatch. Nearly all the men answered to the roll-call in the morning.
Early in the day of September 3d, the company was on its way towards Hampden. Most of the men had provided themselves with horses. The company moved on without special incident until they reached Levant, now Kenduskeag. Here a rumor reached their ears that the enemy had passed Hampden and was in possession of Bangor. But the company moved forward until it reached the foot of the long declivity, now known as the Jameson Hill, where they met a squad of marines from the Adams, who confirmed the rumor.
After abandoning the Adams, Captain Morris and his men proceeded directly to Bangor, with the purpose of getting to Portland by the way of the Kennebec. At Bangor, he divided his men into three squads, and as the country between the Penobscot and Kennebec was sparsely settled, he ordered the several squads to go from the one river to the other, by different routes, to insure adequate subsistence on the road. One of these squads came to Kenduskeag, and from this point took a westerly course to the Kennebec River.
159
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
It was this squad the Garland company met at the foot of the Jameson Hill, and which confirmed the rumor of the occupation of Hampden and Bangor by the British. As nothing was to be gained by continu- ing the march towards the place of the late conflict, the larger part of the Garland company turned their faces homeward.
Individuals of the company, however, pushed on to get a sight of the insolent and hated redcoats.
The movements of the marines having for many months been confined to the vessel's deck, some of them had become footsore and lame by their hurried march over the rough roads through the forest. Our men from Garland having heard of the exploits of these marines in the capture of British vessels, were filled with admira- tion for their bravery, and sympathy for their present hardships. It was, therefore, with patriotic satisfaction that they offered these tired marines the use of their horses to carry them to Kenduskeag, where they were to be served with a substantial dinner by Moses Hodsdon, and the horses were to be left for their owners.
But the Garland soldiers found to their sorrow that brave men were not always strictly honest. Several of the marines seemed to believe that an extension of their ride was of more consequence to themselves than a good dinner at Hodsdon's, or the fulfillment of their promises to their benefactors. They, therefore, skipped the din- ner and rode on. Moses Gordon was one of the victims of misplaced confidence, and in company with others, he borrowed a horse, and went in pursuit. Darkness soon enveloped the pursuing party, which coming to an old camp in the woods, within the limits of the present town of Stetson, turned in and spent the night.
Starting early in the morning, they reached the camp of the fugitives, in the same town, as they were about to
160
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
resume their day's march. Being sharply rebuked for their treachery, they declared with an expression of injured innocence, that they were then exactly where, as they understood it, the horses were to be left.
An incident occurred on the return march of the Gar- land company which greatly amused the rank and file. They were moving leisurely along, talking of the excit- ing events of the previous night, and of the morning's march, when suddenly there emerged from the shadows of the heavy forest growth a tall, lean, cadaverous speci- men of humanity, with a high forehead and elongated chin, who approached them, musket in hand, with long and rapid strides. The perspiration was running down his cheeks in streams, and he presented an aspect of fierce determination that boded peril to some invisible foe, whatever the form, or wherever the locality of that foe.
He was making his way with such impetuosity that he scarcely slackened his pace to notice the returning soldiers, much less to inquire into the logic of their movement from, instead of towards, his supposed theatre of conflict. But they challenged his attention so sharply that he lingered with ill concealed impatience to hear their explanations, then resuming his march with accel- erated movement, he exclaimed, "I don't care-I will have one shot at the redcoats anyway !"
During his parley with the soldiers, he was recognized as a prominent citizen of Exeter, and it should be said that when in normal condition, he was a man of good personal appearance.
161
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Enlistments
Not many of the citizens of Garland enlisted in the War of 1812. Simon French, the father of our citizen, the late Eben French, enlisted in one of the two com- panies detached from General Blake's brigade. John Jackman, father of our late citizens, Justus and James Jackman, enlisted in another company of the same brigade. These companies were stationed at Eastport. Mr. Jackman, afterwards known as Captain Jackman, was a man of great size and strength and abounding good nature. In his intercourse with others, he often carried a disputed point by jokes and pleasantries. On one occasion he went to the commissary department with a complaint of the bread ration, when the following colloquy occurred - "What's the matter with the bread?" the officer in charge asked. "It is so dry and hard the men are in danger of breaking their teeth," was the reply. "The men must have poor teeth, " said the officer, with an exasperating expression of incredulity. Nothing daunted, Mr. Jackman repeated the complaint in intensified form. "It's so hard," he said, "I can force fire from it with the back of my jack-knife." "I'd like to see you do it," replied the officer ; whereupon a messmate of Mr. Jackman stepped forward with a loaf of the discredited hard bread, and passed it to him. Pulling a huge jack-knife from his pocket, he examined the blade very carefully as well as the loaf, which was to be an important factor in the performance, as if to find whether the conditions were favorable to success.
He now commenced the effort to coax sparks from the loaf, but while crumbs rattled over the floor, there were no sparks of fire. The ludicrous performance drew peals of laughter from the waiting crowd. Presently the
162
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
promised sparks began to light up the scene. The laughter became more boisterous, but our Garland soldier was no longer its subject. The sparks that amused the crowd, came from the impingement of the knife upon a gun-flint concealed in the loaf. This was ยท before the invention of the percussion cap. The quality of the bread ration was improved by this incident.
Garland in 1815
Town meetings in Garland in 1815 were of frequent occurrence but, to a great extent, barren of results. The division of the town into school districts, the location of schoolhouses and roads, were subjects of perpetual discussion, both in and out of the municipal gatherings.
The annual meeting of 1815 was held at the resi- dence of Isaac Wheeler, Esq., on the 13th day of March. Ebenezer Greenleaf was chosen moderator, and Moses Gordon, clerk. The selectmen for the year were Isaac Wheeler, Esq., Benjamin Gilpatrick and Amos Gordon. The same persons were chosen assessors. The Rev. John Sawyer, Isaac Wheeler, Esq., and James Parker were elected superintending school committee. Moses Gordon was chosen collector, his compensation being fixed at five and three fourths per cent. The town voted to raise three hundred dollars for the support of schools ; one hundred and twenty-five dollars to defray town charges, and seven hundred dollars to build and repair roads, and to allow twelve and one half cents per hour for labor.
A town meeting was held at the house of Isaac Wheeler, Esq., on November 4th, 1815, "to see what
163
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
measure the town will adopt respecting the division of the county." Previous to this time, Garland had been a constituent part of the county of Hancock. A general movement had been inaugurated to secure the establishment of a new county.
Isaac Wheeler, Esq., Ebenezer Greenleaf and John S. Haskell were chosen a committee to petition the Legis- lature of Massachusetts for the proposed division. At this meeting, John S. Haskell, John Chandler, Cutteon Flanders and William Church were appointed tithing men. The appointment of such officials was of regular occurrence in the earlier years of the town's history. Their duty was to preserve good order during divine ser- vice. There being no schoolhouses in town at this date, and the persons named residing in different sections, would seem to indicate that religious meetings were held at private houses or in open air at different parts.
The sixth and last town meeting of 1815 was held on the 25th of November, at the residence of Isaac Wheeler, Esq. The inhabitants came together to make one more effort to harmonize differences respecting the location and building of schoolhouses, but without practical result.
Garland in 1816
PETITION FOR A NEW STATE
The sentiment in the Province of Maine in favor of receding from the Mother State had been gaining strength from the beginning of the War of 1812, and took the form of organized action in 1816. In his history of Maine, Mr. Williamson informs us that early
164
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
in the year of 1816, forty-nine towns in the District of Maine petitioned for separation in their corporate capaci- ties, and that there were petitions from individuals in about as many more towns for the same object.
On the 18th of January the legal voters of Garland in town meeting assembled, passed the following vote: "That the town petition the Legislature for a separation of the District of Maine from the State of Massachu- setts, and for its erection into an independent state." The selectmen and town clerk were instructed to sign the petition in behalf of the town. It may fairly be inferred that Garland was one of the forty-nine towns alluded to by Mr. Williamson as voting for separation.
Influenced by these petitions from nearly one half of the incorporated towns of the district, the Legislature of Massachusetts sought a fuller expression of sentiment upon the question of separation. In furtherance of this purpose, it directed that meetings be held in all the towns and plantations in the district, on the 20th of May, and that the voice of the legal voters should be taken on the following question : "Shall the Legislature be requested to give its consent to the separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts, and the erection of said district into a separate state?" On this question the legal voters of Garland voted as follows: For separation, twenty-six; against separation, five. While the general result in the district showed that a decisive majority of those who voted favored separation, only a minority of voters gave in their vote. This result dis- appointed the Separationists. Nevertheless, a law was passed by the Legislature, prescribing the conditions of separation, and directing that the legal voters of the towns and plantations should assemble on the first Mon- day in September and give their yeas and nays upon the following question : "Is it expedient that the District .
1
165
HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
of Maine be separated from Massachusetts and become an independents tate?" The result in Garland was : For separation, twenty-six ; against separation, eight.
The general result showed a majority in favor of separation, but this majority was much smaller than required by the law which governed the proceedings. Thus the measure was, for a time, defeated.
Change of Place
Until the year 1816, the meetings for town business had been held at private houses, generally at the house of Isaac Wheeler, Esq. Religious meetings had been held at private houses, or in the awe-inspiring shadows of the grand old forest.
In the year 1816, the town meeting was held in the schoolhouse, afterwards known as the Center schoolhouse in town. It emerged from clouds of opposition, dis- putation and declamation. It was the first schoolhouse in town, and having been built for certain special pur- poses, other than schools, it was larger than any house of the kind in town until the village schoolhouse was built thirty-seven years later.
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.