USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Garland > History of Garland, Maine > Part 17
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The dedication of the house, which was the occasion of great interest, occurred early in the season of 1837. The bell of the meeting house was purchased and placed in position in the year 1857. Many citizens outside the Congregational parish contributed to the purchasing fund. It was made by Meneely & Sons, who had the reputation of being the best manufacturers of bells in America.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Garland in 1836
At the annual town meeting of 1836, held March 14. Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator; Stephen Smith, town clerk ; Daniel M. Haskell, Enoch Huntington and Joseph Prescott, selectmen; Benjamin H. Oak, treas- urer ; James J. Chandler, collector, and Daniel M. Haskell, Alphonzo Adams and Ezekiel Page, superin- tending school committee.
The town voted to raise two thousand five hundred dollars for the roads, three hundred and fifty dollars for schools and two hundred dollars to defray town charges. Benjamin H. Oak, Ezekiel Page, Enoch Huntington, Moses Gordon and Ezekiel Straw, were appointed to redistrict the town in the interest of the public schools and were instructed to report at the September meeting.
The support of a female pauper was determined by auction, and she became an inmate of the family of the lowest bidder for the term of one year. The com- pensation for her support was eighteen dollars and fifty cents, and such assistance as she could give in the house- work of the family. This method of providing for the support of the poor soon became offensive to the moral sentiment of the people, and was early abandoned.
A special meeting for town business was held Septem- ber 12, 1836. At this meeting, the committee appointed at the annual town meeting to redistrict the town in the interest of the public schools, reported in favor of some changes in existing districts, and the establishment of one or more new districts. The report of this committee was accepted. By virtue of this action, the town embraced eight school districts in 1836.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Bears
In the autumn of 1836, bears became more numerous and bold in their assaults upon growing crops. They seemed almost human in their partiality for green corn and, like humans of the baser sort, they committed their depredations under the cover of darkness. Influenced by the general badness of the bear, the town voted "that a premium of three dollars be awarded to any person residing in this town who shall kill a bear, and produce sufficient testimony of the fact to the treasurer of the town."
Fall Elections of 1836
The balloting for State and other officers occurred September 12, when Robert P. Dunlap, Democrat, received seventy-six votes for governor. Edward Kent, Whig, received thirty-eight votes for governor.
'There were five trials to elect a representative to the State Legislature in the class which embraced Garland, and five failures to elect. Balloting for presidential electors occurred November 7, when the Democratic candidates received forty-nine votes each. Whig candi- dates received twenty-nine votes each.
The candidates for President were Martin Van Buren, Democrat, and William K. Harrison, Whig.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Garland in 1837
At the annual town meeting of 1837, held on March 18, Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk ; Enoch Huntington, Ezekiel Straw and Luther Rideout, selectmen; Benjamin H. Oak, treasurer ; Samuel W. Knight, collector, and Daniel M. Haskell, E. L. Norcross and Samuel Skillin, superintend- ing school committee.
The town voted to raise four hundred and fifty dollars for schools, three thousand five hundred dollars for roads, three hundred and fifty dollars for town charges and sup- port of the poor. The premium of three dollars per head for the destruction of bears was continued. The care of the poor was delegated to the selectmen.
The cemetery at West Garland was established in 1837, by vote of the town, and the land therefor was purchased of Mr. Lawrence and Russell Murdock. The ground was graded by the voluntary labor of the public spirited citizens of West Garland.
Fall Elections
The legal voters of the town balloted for State and other officers on the second Monday of September.
For governor, Edward Kent, Whig, received eighty- six votes ; Gorham Parks, Democrat, received eighty-five votes.
For representative to the Legislature, David Harvey, Democrat, received eighty-nine votes; Eleazer W. Snow, Whig, received eighty-five votes.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
At a special meeting of the town held on the day of the fall elections, it was voted to petition the Legislature for the passage of a law to require each county in the State to make and repair all the roads within its limits.
Also to "authorize the selectmen to petition the Legislature to amend the constitution (of the State) so that the compensation of all judicial officers, and their time of service, shall be placed within the reach of the people and subject to be altered at the pleasure of the Legislature."
The legal voters balloted a second time on October 2 for representative to the Legislature, when Daniel Chase, Democrat, received eighty votes; Eleazer W. Snow, Whig, received eighty-four votes.
On a third trial to elect a representative, Garland gave Daniel Chase, eighty-three votes; Eleazer W. Snow, seventy-five votes.
A movement was made this year (1837) to divide Penobscot County, and to establish a new county to be known as Piscataquis County. The original purpose was to embody the tier of towns that embraced the town of Garland in the new county. As the business relations of this tier of towns were almost solely with Bangor, its , citizens were strongly opposed to incorporation with the proposed new county.
At a special meeting held October 2, 1837, the town voted to remonstrate against division, and in case of division, to petition the Legislature to be left in the old county. The desire expressed in the petition was real- ized, and Garland still remains in the old county.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Hard Times
The year 1837 was, to many citizens of Maine, a period of disappointment and hardship, engendered by wild speculation in Eastern lands. Some men had sud- denly become rich, but many more had lost the slowly acquired accumulations of years. The sufferers were mainly residents of cities and larger towns. Residents in the country towns had nothing to invest in speculative ventures and therefore lost nothing directly.
As in other years, the farms that had been brought into a productive condition afforded the families of their owners a livelihood and means to pay current expenses. But there was a class of farmers who were beginning on new farms that were more seriously affected by the pre- vailing financial conditions. Mr. A. W. Straw, a well- known citizen of Bangor, who then was a boy in his father's home at Garland, gives the following narration.
His father, Mr. James Straw, had purchased a new farm where he was struggling to support a large family. At the close of the spring's work he found that the family supplies were running short. He had no money. As in the case of his independent neighbors, credit would not avail for the purchase of food supplies. As the only resort, he took his two older boys, A. W. and James M., into the cedar growth where the three, by several days of severe labor, made shingles enough to load a yoke of oxen.
The shingles were loaded upon a wagon and the father, taking rations for himself and oxen from the scanty supply at home, started on his toilsome journey to Ban- gor, traveling by day, and sleeping under his wagon at night.
The shingles were sold to Abner Taylor at one dollar
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
and fifty cents per thousand and, with the proceeds, he purchased supplies for his family, and returned home, having been absent four days and three nights. By industry and economy, the Straw family soon came into line with their more independent neighbors.
Surplus Revenue
For several years anterior to the year 1837, the reve- nues of the United States government were in excess of its expenditures. By an act of Congress this surplus was distributed to the several states, and by them, to the towns within their respective limits. The town of Gar- land promptly indicated its acceptance of the proffered gift. Charles Reynolds was appointed an agent by the town "to demand and receive from the State treasury the portion of said money belonging to the town of Garland," and was authorized to receipt therefor. In pursuance of instructions, Mr. Reynolds transferred this money, amounting to about two thousand dollars, from the State treasury to the town treasury.
1
An Elephant
Now that the money was in the hands of the town, the question that confronted its citizens was - What shall we do with it? Men who had been blessed with large families, favored a per capita distribution. Men whose action was controlled by their sympathy for the
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
poor, favored the purchase of a home for that unfor- tunate class.
Another class thought that it should constitute a fund, the interest of which should be used from year to year, for the benefit of the public schools. There were others who were in favor of loaning it in small sums to inhabi- tants of the town who desired to hire it. The last named proposition was adopted by a vote of the town.
At a special meeting held March 11, 1837, Ezekiel Straw, Enoch Huntington and Jeremiah Flanders, were appointed a committee to invest Garland's share of the fund. This committee was instructed to lend it to inhabitants of Garland only, in sums ranging from fifty to one hundred dollars, on demand notes, drawing inter- est, each note to be indorsed by two responsible parties, freeholders, residing in the town, who were to be jointly and severally held with the principal for the payment of the notes, which were to run until the annual meeting of 1838. No person would be accepted as surety for more than $100.
Borrowers were plenty, and the surplus fund soon dis- appeared from the treasury, notes payable on demand taking its place, with the understanding that demand for payment would be made on, or before, the date of the annual town meeting of 1838. As in the case of all promises to pay, the date for the payment of these notes came round with relentless punctuality to find a majority of the promisers were not ready to pay. At the annual town meeting of 1838, the men of large families came to the front and demanded that the fund should be dis- tributed to the inhabitants of the town per capita. This demand was carried by a vote of the town. The treasurer of the fund was directed to collect forthwith all that was still out on loan, and deposit it in the treasury.
Herald-Portland, Maine-October 14, 1953
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built-in furnishings in the home Grandmother had a pantry and cupboard and that was all. She didn't think of built-in beds, built-in elec- tric stoves and any of the one hun- dred and one built-in fitments that the modern women have to save time, space and money.
Under provisions of the National Housing Act. the first section of which
252
Portland Sunday Telegram A
poor, favor tunate clas Another the interes for the ber who were tants of 1 named pro
At a sẽ Straw, En appointed fund. Th inhabitant to one hur est, each n freeholders and severa the notes, 1838. N than $100 Borrow appeared taking its for paym the annua promises 1 came rour of the pre town mee to the frc tributed This den treasurer; all that treasury.
Presentation Of Oak Port
Scene at the presentation of portraits of Lynd Oak of Bangor, to the University of Maine at a fact Left to right are Mrs. Jennie F. Oak of Bang which she presented; Dr. Arthur A. Hauck, presiden portraits; portrait of Lyndon Oak, and his daughter who gave the portrait. The presentation was made graduate of the University of Maine in 1924.
Lyndon Oak was active in obtaining the locat member of the first board of trustees and served for and never missed a board meeting. John M. Oak was and was postmaster of Bangor for 17 years. He was Alumni Association and trustee for seven years.
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Inday Press Herald, October 14, 1934
To U. Of M.
of Garland and his son, John M. ting Tuesday.
the portrait of John M. Oak e university, who accepted the Grace Oak Parker of Portland, ip T. Oak of Whiting, Ind., a
the university at Orono, was a rs, the last seven as president, ted from the university in 1873 retary, president of the General
covered that it had been easier to han to collect it in 1838. The surer to collect proved unavailing. eld May 5, 1838, the town voted ars and seven cents of the surplus [ enumerated in the census for the I fund. This action involved the enumeration of the inhabitants of is of distribution.
had voted to pay each inhabitant cents, it had made no provision to ssary to carry out the purposes of ect was followed by much excite- ¿ special meeting of the voters was July, 1838, "To see if the town ad dollars, or any other sum, and on account of the surplus fund or i thought best when met."
hire one thousand dollars to pay e fund indicated approximately the ed uncollected. Upon the article, will hire one thousand dollars, or ttle with individuals on account of was voted at the meeting of July treasurer is hereby empowered to he town a sufficient sum of money fund debt before the annual meet- .t." But the treasurer failed to e of this vote.
252
Sunday Telegram And Sunday Pre
Presenta
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DEL ANI THE NATIO
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Scene at the pre. Oak of Bangor, to the- Left to right aree which she presented; I_ portraits; portrait of :- who gave the portrait. graduate of the Univete Lyndon Oak wae member of the first bog and never missed a boal- and was postmaster ofst Alumni Association at;e
poor, favor tunate clas: Another the interes for the ber. who were tants of 1 named pro At a sĩ Straw, En appointed fund. TH inhabitant to one hur est, each I freeholders and severa the notes, 1838. N than $10( Borrow appeared taking it for paym the annua promises came rou: of the pr town me to the fr tributed This der treasurer. all that treasury.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
But it was soon discovered that it had been easier to lend money in 1837 than to collect it in 1838. The best efforts of the treasurer to collect proved unavailing. At a special meeting held May 5, 1838, the town voted to distribute two dollars and seven cents of the surplus fund to each individual enumerated in the census for the distribution of the said fund. This action involved the necessity of a special enumeration of the inhabitants of the town to fix the basis of distribution.
Although the town had voted to pay each inhabitant two dollars and seven cents, it had made no provision to obtain the funds necessary to carry out the purposes of this vote. This neglect was followed by much excite- ment, to allay which a special meeting of the voters was held on the 14th of July, 1838, "To see if the town will hire one thousand dollars, or any other sum, and settle with individuals on account of the surplus fund or take any other method thought best when met."
This proposition to hire one thousand dollars to pay the beneficiaries of the fund indicated approximately the sum that still remained uncollected. Upon the article, "To see if the town will hire one thousand dollars, or any other sum, and settle with individuals on account of the surplus fund," it was voted at the meeting of July 14, 1838, "That the treasurer is hereby empowered to hire on the credit of the town a sufficient sum of money to pay off the surplus fund debt before the annual meet- ing in September next." But the treasurer failed to accomplish the purpose of this vote.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
Garland in 1838
Meetings for town business were of frequent occurrence in 1838, some of which were barren of results. The officers of the town were Russell Murdock, moderator; Nehemiah Bartlett, town clerk; Enoch Huntington, Charles Reynolds and Samuel Skillin, selectmen ; Joseph True, Jr., treasurer ; Samuel W. Knight, collector ; and Daniel M. Haskell, Lyndon Oak and Asa Barton, super- intending school committee.
The town appropriated five hundred dollars for schools, four hundred dollars for town charges, and two thousand dollars for highways. One hundred dollars, cash, was voted for the northwest county road.
A special meeting was held on May 5, at which appli- cations of two new citizens, Solomon and Phineas Gee, emigrants from England, for a pro rata share of the surplus revenue fund were considered. These citizens, not having been naturalized, the applications were not granted. Various propositions for the location, repair and building of roads were acted upon adversely.
Another special meeting was held on July 14, which was devoted mainly to considerations relating to roads. A road craze seemed to have settled upon the inhabitants of the town. At a special meeting held September 10, Samuel Skillin, Nehemiah Bartlett and Edward B. Holt were appointed to prepare plans, and to contract for the building of a bridge across the Kenduskeag Stream at Holt's Mills. The selectmen were again instructed to remonstrate against the annexation of Garland to the new county of Piscataquis, also to petition the Legisla- ture for a law requiring each county to build and keep in repair the county roads within its own limits.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
The annual State election of 1838 was held on Sep- tember 10.
John Fairfield, Democratic candidate for governor, received one hundred and thirty votes ; Edward Kent, Whig, received ninety votes.
For representative to Congress, Thomas Davee, Democrat, received one hundred and thirty votes; John S. Tenney, Whig, received ninety votes.
For representative to the Legislature, Joseph 'True, Democrat, received one hundred and twenty-nine votes ; Asa Barton, Whig, received ninety votes.
The first movement for the building of a town hall was made in 1838. Under the lead of Joseph Bartlett, afterwards a prominent citizen of Bangor, and editor of The Jeffersonian, (newspaper) individuals offered to supply gratuitously a considerable amount of lumber for the construction of a building, whose roof should cover a room for a high school, and a hall for town business and public gatherings. But the plan was in advance of public sentiment and failed of realization.
Garland's Artillery Company
A company of artillery was organized in 1838 through the influence and active exertions of Col. John S. Kimball of Bangor, who at that time resided at Garland. Col. Kimball possessed an ardent military temperament, and much experience in military matters. He drew into the organization many of the most respectable inhabi- tants of the town of military age. He was the first captain of the company, and he succeeded in investing its members with a good degree of military pride.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
He was succeeded in the captaincy of the company by Fifield Lyford, who in turn was followed by John S. Runnals. Some of its lieutenants were, A. M. Haskell, Isaac Fall and Ezekiel Page.
A substantial building of ample dimensions was con- structed for an armory and drill hall. The State fur- nished two brass field-pieces whose deep intonations resounded through the town on public occasions, some- times awaking the sleepy inhabitants at unseasonable hours. The company was regarded with pride by the citizens of the town. It is regretted that the company rolls have not been saved so that a full list of its mem- bers could be given. A partial list embraces the follow- ing names :
John S. Kimball,
Leonard Skillin,
Fifield Lyford,
Noah Burnham,
Ezekiel Page,
Mark Burnham,
M. C. Emerson,
Luther Rideout,
John P. Smith,
Richmond Osgood,
Thomas Fifield, Moody Bailey,
A. M. Haskell,
Lebbeus Oak,
John S. Runnals, Samuel Skillin, Josiah Skillin,
Stephen B. Dockham,
Albert Skinner.
A Foreign Venture
In the year 1838, Capt. Fifield Lyford, who owned the village mill property at Garland, conceived the plan of shipping to London a cargo of lumber of the descrip- tions known as bird's-eye maple and curly birch, which were sometimes used in the manufacture of furniture.
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
The lumber was sawed at his mill, hauled to Bangor by team, and shipped to London. Capt. Lyford took passage in the same vessel to attend to the sale of the lumber.
In due time the cargo arrived at London in good con- dition and was readily sold at good prices. Elated at his good fortune in the disposition of his cargo and the attentions of its generous purchaser, who showed him some of the sights of London, and possibly excited by a favorite beverage in which he sometimes indulged, he soared to the realm of a lofty idealism from which he disclosed to his new friend, areas of land of almost limit- less extent which were covered with magnificent forest growths. So realistic were his descriptions, that one could almost hear the cheery voices of his workmen, the ringing blows of their axes. Before leaving London, he ordered made and sent to him some costly articles for his personal use, one of which was a gun to cost one hundred dollars.
On his return home, he gradually came from his dizzy height to a level with his neighbors. The one hundred dollar gun was received in due time, but finding that his pocketbook had collapsed, and that he could put it to no use commensurate with its cost, he returned it to the manufacturers.
The Advent of the Martin Family
On a pleasant spring morning of 1839, a procession of horse-carts of the Canadian pattern entered the vil- lage and moved slowly up the principal street. In the forward cart were a man, woman and two boys of tender age. The other carts contained furniture of humble
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE.
descriptions. A sight so unusual and, withal, so novel, in the quiet village of Garland, aroused the curiosity of the women, who were engaged in their spring 'house- cleaning, and of the girls and boys who were at their sports on the street. It must also be confessed that the more phlegmatic citizens of the male gender, though not so conspicuous on the street, were peering from win- dows of shop and store with unusual curiosity.
In human affairs, each event can be traced to some antecedent cause of which it is the consequent; so the cause of the sudden appearance of the strangers in our village was soon developed. The procession halted in the center of the village, when the man inquired for Capt. Lyford, the great land owner. A troop of small boys rushed forth at the top of their speed in search of the doughty captain, who soon put in an appearance. Both men disclosed a large degree of surprise at the close of a brief conversation, and it will never be known which one was the more surprised.
While in a state of high exaltation in London a year earlier, the Captain was introduced to a Mr. Martin, an accomplished bookkeeper, to whom he promised em- ployment if he would come to America. Now Mr. Martin, although an expert accountant and bookkeeper, could earn enough in his profession by close application to support his family, yet like other men of his class, his prospect for doing more than this in London at that time, was dubious. He soon became conscious of a purpose to emigrate to America, which, although weak at first gathered strength as the weeks rolled on, and ripened into determination.
Early in the spring of 1839, he had saved enough to pay for the passage of himself and family to Canada, and thence to Maine. Mr. Martin was soon forced to
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HISTORY OF GARLAND, MAINE
the painful consciousness that the great land owner was a myth.
HIe had spent his little all in getting here to find him- self among strangers, out of money, and destitute of employment. He was unfitted for any out of door labor. Fortunately he found shelter in the village for his family and furniture, but was soon destitute of food. Kind neighbors provided for their immediate wants. The attention of the town authorities was soon called to their condition and their needs were supplied by public, instead of private charity, for a brief time.
"All is Well That Ends Well"
Col. John S. Kimball, a former citizen of Bangor, was a resident of Garland at the date of the arrival of the Martin family. The condition of the family appealed to his sympathies and, with characteristic generosity, he obtained for him a situation as bookkeeper for Gen. Veazie of Bangor. The value of his services soon became known to the business men of that place, and he had no difficulty in finding employment as long as he remained there. A few years later, Gen. Veazie employed him as manager and salesman of a shipload of merchandise bound to California. Finding a demand for his services there, he sent for his family and became a resident of California.
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