USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Garland > History of Garland, Maine > Part 18
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Garland in 1839
At the annual town meeting of 1839, held March 11, the officers chosen were Russell Murdock, moderator ; Charles Reynolds, town clerk ; Charles Reynolds, Samuel Skillin and Nehemiah Bartlett, selectmen; Joseph True Jr., treasurer; Nehemiah Bartlett, town agent; Asa Barton, Lyndon Oak and Rev. S. S. Drake, super- intending school committee, and James Greeley, collector of taxes, compensation three per cent.
The town appropriated five hundred dollars for schools, six hundred dollars for town charges, and two thousand dollars for roads. As usual the town was road ridden. Of the thirty-one articles in the warrant calling the annual meeting of 1839, six related to town officers, four to appropriations, five to incidental matters and the remaining sixteen articles related to roads. At a special meeting, held September 9, of the eight prop- ositions acted on, five related to roads.
The annual State election was held September 9. For governor, John Fairfield, Democrat, received one hundred and fourteen votes ; Edward Kent, Whig, received ninety- four votes.
For representative to the Legislature, Zebulon Bradley, Democrat, received one hundred and fourteen votes; Nathaniel Huckins, Whig, received ninety-three votes.
At a special meeting held on the day of the State election, the following question was submitted to the voters of the towns of the State: "Shall the constitu- tion of the State be so amended as to strike out the fourth section of the sixth article and substitute in the room thereof the words following, viz: Section fourth :
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All judicial officers now in office, or who may be ap- pointed hereafter, shall from, and after the first day of March in the year of our Lord 1840 hold their offices for the term of seven years from the time of their re- spective appointments (unless sooner removed by im- peachment, or by address of both branches of the Legis- lature to the Executive) and no longer unless re- appointed thereto." Upon this question the town gave one hundred and thirteen affirmative, and twenty-five negative votes.
At a special meeting, held December 9, 1839, Asa Barton, Samuel W. Knight, and James J. Chandler were appointed a committee to receive offers for the sale of a farm suitable for a home for the unfortunate poor, and were instructed to report to the town at the annual meeting of 1840. Upon the report of this committee, it was voted that Asa Barton, James J. Chandler, Enoch Huntington, Jeremiah Flanders and Daniel M. Haskell be a committee to purchase a farm whereon to support the poor. But this committee was hedged by limita- tions which frustrated the well-meant attempt to benefit an unfortunate class of our citizens.
Garland in the Aroostook War
To the inhabitants of Garland and other towns in eastern Maine, the exciting event of 1839 was the call for men to defend the territory contiguous to New Brunswick which was claimed by both that province and the State of Maine. The origin of the dispute between the two sections was the indefiniteness of the terms by which the dividing line had been described in the treaty
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of 1783, between the United States and Great Britain. The crisis came in 1839. Early in that year, the Governor of Maine, John Fairfield, was officially notified that citizens of New Brunswick were plundering the dis- puted territory of its best timber.
The Governor immediately dispatched the sheriff of Penobscot County, Hastings Strickland, with a posse numbering one hundred and fifty to two hundred men to drive the plunderers off. The sheriff started from Bangor with his posse on the 5th day of February.
The plunderers, three hundred in number, having been apprized of the sheriff's approach, broke into the arsenal at Woodstock, armed themselves with muskets and assumed a defensive attitude, but, hearing that the sheriff's posse had a six pounder cannon they prudently retired to a point within British territory.
At this juncture, a conference was held at the tavern of one Fitzherbert which was participated in by Land Agent McIntire and his friends, G. G. Cushman and Colonel Webster of Orono, on the one side, and a Mr. McLaughlin, British warden of the disputed territory, and a few friends on the other.
During the following night the land agent and his friends were seized by a party of forty armed men and carried on an ox-sled to Woodstock, where they were com- mitted to the Frederickton jail. On February 14th Sheriff Strickland suddenly reappeared in Bangor, having performed the journey from the "seat of war" by a wild ride of two days, which had been facilitated by relays of horses at regular intervals. His rapid and dramatic recital of the events had, together with the exciting news of the day following (Feb. 15th,) of the treacherous seizure of our land agent and his companions and the humiliating treatment they had received, raised
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the war spirit to a fever heat. Measures for the rescue of the prisoners were immediately adopted.
Two days later an event occurred which rendered the execution of these measures unnecessary. On Sunday, Feb. 17th, the Houlton stage brought in as prisoner the British land warden, Mclaughlin, who participated in the parley at Fitzherbert's. He was attended by a guard of stalwart men, one of whom was John Tarbox of Garland. The news of the arrival of Mclaughlin spread through the city like wildfire. In an incredibly short time the streets were filled with spectators eager to see the Britisher. The weather being cold the warden was protected by a large bearskin overcoat, which in the heated state of the popular sentiment, made it easy to transform the man into the animal whose skin he wore. With a vivid remembrance of the treatment awarded our land agent and his friends, Mr. Mclaughlin feared violence at the hands of the crowd. He was, however, provided with quarters at the Bangor House and kindly treated during his stay.
The events which have been narrated came upon the people of this section with startling suddenness. Less than two weeks had elapsed since they received the first intimation of the danger of a rupture between the United States and Great Britain in consequence of the northeastern boundary dispute. But it had assumed a serious aspect. Major General Hodsdon issued orders on February 17th for a draft of one thousand men from the eastern division of the Maine militia who were required to appear at Bangor on Tuesday, the 19th inst.
In this division were four companies of artillery,-one each at Bangor, Garland, Lincoln and Orland. The requisition upon this company at Garland was for thirty-two men. On Monday, February 18th, the artil- lery men were drawn up in line in the center of the village
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and a call was made for volunteers. A few young men, who had no families to leave behind, responded.
A draft was then resorted to to secure the full number required. The personnel of the quota was as follows: Daniel M. Haskell, Wm. Haskell, Gardiner Smith, Luther Rideout, Ezekiel Page, John P. Smith, Thos. B. Fifield, Daniel E. Fifield, Moody Bailey, John S. Runnals, Joseph Bartlett, Isaac Wheeler, Jr., Hiram F. Godwin, Stephen B. Dockham, Samuel Bridge, Micah C. Emerson, Charles Haskell, Andrew M. Haskell, J. B. Reed, Samuel Knight, Fifield Lyford, Artemas Merriam, Robt. P. Davis, Jedediah Kimball, Zenas Bartlett, Giles Straw, Samuel A. Hamilton, Albert Skinner, Mark Burnham, John Batchelder, Horace Batchelder and John C. Ladd,
Of the four companies the Garland company furnished the largest number, in which were many of the leading citizens of the town. Its present citizens may be pardoned, if while recounting these names, they indulge in a feeling of pride regarding the character of their quota.
The men were drafted on the afternoon of Monday and after spending a few hours in arranging their busi- ness affairs they took hasty leave of their families and presented themselves at Bangor on the following day. They were mustered into service Wednesday, February 20th.
The quotas of the four companies, numbering about eighty men, formed a battalion which went into quarters at City-Point Block. After a stop of two days for necessary preparations, they started on their long march to the frontier. The route determined on was up the Penobscot River to Moluncus, thence to the Aroostook River by way of Patten, and from there on the ice to Fort Fairfield. In the march to Patten the company
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was quartered at night at the following places : Milford, Lincoln and Moluncus, reaching Patten at the end of the fourth day. On the morning of the fifth day the march towards the Aroostook River was resumed, but it was arrested at an early hour by the appearance of a courier with the information that the ice on the Aroos- took had been submerged by a freshet, rendering travel on that river impracticable. The battalion was ordered to return to Moluncus. On the return march, it camped at night at Benedicta. Here some of the privates pur- chased a rooster for amusement. This bird, following the fortunes of the battalion in all its subsequent marches, may be regarded as a prototype of the war eagle, "Old Abe," which followed the fortunes of a ' Wisconsin regiment through the War of the Rebellion. He soon became familiar with military life and partici- pated in its excitements. When the big guns thundered he would instantly mount his perch, spread his wings and crow to the extent of his capacity, which was not small. He soon became the pet of the battalion.
From Moluncus to. Houlton the march was on the military road, the battalion encamping one night be- tween the two places, and Houlton was reached at the end of eight days' march from Bangor. It remained there about two weeks.
At Houlton an incident occurred which afforded much amusement. A ruse was planned by some of the officers to determine whether the night guard was attentive to its duties. A cannon had been placed in position just outside the barracks. On the night of the execution of the plan, our well known and honored townsman, Daniel M. Haskell, was officer of the guard. At an hour when sleep was supposed to have the fullest control of its subjects, the attention of the officer was called to a slight noise in the vicinity of the cannon. Rushing
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outside to find the cause, a man was seen retreating in great haste into the surrounding darkness. The officer stepped inside to await developments. The disturbance was soon repeated. Instantly stepping out he found himself in close proximity to a man, the shortness of whose limbs put him at disadvantage in the race. The pursuer came up with him as he was scaling a fence and grabbing him, soon brought him to bay, when he was surprised to find that he had captured the good-natured Major of the battalion. On their way together towards the barracks, they found the cannon moving away from its position. The officer soon overtook it and cutting the rope by which it was hauled, brought it to a dead stop. Another officer of the artillery, a man of gigan- tic size, tried to run the guard the same night and found himself in the clutches of two privates where he was held much against his will until the officer of the guard leisurely ordered his release. There is no account of attempts by the officers to further test the fidelity of the night guard.
The sudden death of a citizen of Garland, Calvin S. Wheeler, who was not connected with the battalion, occurred during the encampment at Houlton. His remains were attended home by his brother, Isaac Wheeler, and his cousin, Wm. S. Haskell.
After a stop at Houlton of about two weeks the battalion was ordered to Fort Fairfield which was reached by a march of three days. The first night's encampment was at Bridgewater and the second at Presque Isle. Quarters for the soldiers were in readi- ness.
While at this place the daily routine was much the same as at Houlton. Men were detailed to assist in the construction of a building for a storehouse and officers' quarters. Military drills and guard duties were of
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every-day occurrence. The monotony of camp life was mitigated by such amusements as could be devised.
Many of the superior officers were on terms of pleasant intimacy with the soldiery when off duty. Major General Hodsdon was accustomed to drop into the soldiers' quarters and chat familiarly with the men. Among the games prohibited was card playing.
On one evening when the interdicted game was briskly going on at several points, General Hodsdon made a sudden appearance at the entrance of the quarters. The cards were instantly brushed aside, and the players, with an air of great innocence, were zealously joining in a camp song which had been going on. After spending an hour in familiar conversation with officers and privates the General arose to retire. On reaching the door he turned and bidding them a pleasant good night, left with the admonition, "Don't sing too late boys."
Affairs at the Fort went on from day to day in even flow, but the flow of sleep was suddenly interrupted on one occasion. At midnight the faint report of a musket from the picket-guard down by the river was heard. Instantly crack, crack, crack, came from a dozen muskets in the hands of as many guards. The artillery men sprang from their beds into their clothing and formed in line on the parade-ground. The Dexter riflemen were in line in front of them. The night was intensely cold and the men impatiently awaited orders to move. Presently the riflemen started on a brisk march towards the river. 'Through a misapprehension of orders, the artillery followed. They had moved only a short dis- tance when they were confronted by General Hodsdon who sharply demanded their reason for moving without orders. Private Kimball of the Garland company instantly replied, "to gather up the riflemen's boots as fast as they are killed." As the movement was the
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result of a false alarm to test the mettle of the men, Private Kimball escaped the reprimand he might other- wise have received. Both companies were ordered back into line on the parade-ground, when, the roll being called, every man was found to be present. General Hodsdon briefly addressed them, telling them an amus- ing story to illustrate the contrast between their behavior, and that he had witnessed at another time and place, where men (?) upon a similar call had secreted them- selves in chimneys and ovens. He complimented them highly for their promptness in answering the call and bade them a kind good-night. The men fled to their berths with as much alacrity as they had manifested a little earlier in answering the call to arms.
The imbroglio engendered by the northeastern boundary dispute was now nearing its close. There had been proclamations and counter-proclamations by the parties to the dispute, and marchings and counter- marchings by the soldiery on both sides. Among civil- ians, the war spirit had ebbed and flowed at intervals.
Early in March, General Scott appeared on the scene in behalf of the United States government, and imme- diately commenced negotiations for the peaceable adjust- ment of the questions in dispute. He opened corres- pondence with Sir John Harvey, Governor of New Brunswick, from whom he obtained concessions which were accepted by our State authorities. This was fol- lowed in due time by a recall of the war forces at the front. The date of the recall was about the 10th of April. On the 17th of April the troops reentered Bangor.
The pet rooster, which had been purchased at Benedicta on the march to the front, still adhered to the fortunes of the artillery. On the march homeward he had been gaily decked in a scarlet uniform, and upon the entrance
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of the troops into the city he mounted his perch on the top of the ammunition carriage and defiantly turned his head towards the enemy's country amid the plaudits of the crowds on the streets.
The troops went into quarters on Thomas Hill. While awaiting payment and discharge the artillery occasionally marched down town in ranks. On one occa- sion by the invitation of the leading business men one of the field-pieces was taken down to the square at the foot of Hammond street to give an exhibition of one phase of artillery practice. The piece was loaded on Exchange street and drawn back by the horses at a vio- lent gait and discharged in the square. This was repeated several times ; but every discharge of the can- non brought down a shower of glass from the windows in the neighborhood. This kind of practice soon became distasteful even to its projectors, and was discontinued after a few sample rounds.
On the 23d day of April, the artillery men were paid off and discharged, having had sixty-three days' service.
Of the thirty-two men who went from the artillery company there was only one substitute. It was a body of men who would command the respect of any com- munity. One of them, a teacher in our schools, after- wards became a prominent citizen of Bangor and the editor of an influential newspaper. Many of them were afterwards prominent in town affairs, and four of them have represented the towns of their class in the lower branch of the Legislature.
Our well known townsman, Stephen D. Jennings, who has long been a resident of Garland, went to the front with that fine military organization, the Dexter Rifle Company, being at that time a citizen of Dexter.
In addition to the thirty-two men from the company of artillery, seven men were drafted from the militia for
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service in the Aroostook War. Among these were Aaron Hill, Amos Gordon, Nehemiah Bartlett 1st, Peter Pills- bury and William French. Of these, the first two were represented by substitutes. The others went to the Aroostook. Benjamin Garland, John Tarbox, and per- haps others went to the front in the sheriff's posse.
It was a dizzy whirl of events that intervened between the call for one thousand men and the date of the march for the front. The call was made on February 17th; the men of the company were notified to appear for draft on the morning of the 18th; the draft was made on the afternoon of the same day; the drafted men pre- sented themselves at Bangor on the 19th, were mustered into service on the 20th and started on the march to the front on the 21st. Happily they were not called on to do any fighting, but when fighting seemed inevitable there was no flinching.
Growth From 1830 to 1840
During the period intervening between 1830 and 1840, the town had been fairly prosperous. The popu- lation had increased from six hundred and thirty-one to one thousand and sixty-five, an increase of more than sixty-five per cent. The growth of the village during the same period had been slow. In 1840, there were only fifteen families within the present village. This slow growth was largely due to the fact that eligible building lots were held at a price, or hampered by con- ditions that repelled those who desired to make homes therein.
Among the events of this period, were the rebuilding of the long bridge in 1830, the rebuilding of the grist-
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mill by Reuben Bartlett, the designation of the month of March for holding future annual meetings for town business, the accident that terminated the life of Gar- land's most prominent citizen, the Hon. Reuben Bartlett, the division among the different religious soci- eties of the unappropriated ministerial fund, the build- ing of the Avenue road, the five trials to elect a rep- resentative to the Legislature, and the heavy fall of snow in November, 1836, the acquisition by the town of its share of the surplus revenue, the severe, and oft recurring burdens of road making, the hardships engen- dered by the dearth of money, the completion and dedi- cation of the Congregational meeting house, and the beginning of the pastorate of the Rev. Samuel S. Drake over the Congregational church in 1837, the organization of a company of artillery in 1838, and the call for men for the defense of our territory adjoining New Bruns- wick in 1839.
Garland in 1840
At the annual meeting of 1840, held March 9, Russell Murdock was chosen moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, Enoch Huntington and Ezekiel Page, selectmen and assessors, and Asa Barton, Rev. S. S. Drake and Lyndon Oak, superintending school committee.
David Skillin was chosen collector and treasurer, and was instructed to discount six per cent. upon all taxes paid on, or before, the first day of August, four per cent. on taxes paid on, or before, the first day of Novem- ber and two per cent. on taxes paid on, or before Febru-
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ary 1, 1841, and to collect forthwith all taxes unpaid at the last mentioned date, either by himself or deputy.
Appropriations in 1840
Appropriations for 1840 were six hundred dollars for schools, one thousand two hundred dollars for town charges, two hundred and fifty dollars to support the poor, two thousand dollars for making and repairing roads to be paid in labor, and a cash appropriation of one hundred and fifty dollars for same purpose. High taxes had become the cause of serious complaint. Almost every taxpayer seemed to believe that his taxes were relatively higher than those of his neighbor's. So general was the complaint that a citizen of waggish tendencies got an article inserted in the call for the annual meeting of 1840 "to see if the town will vote to let every man assess his own taxes."
Fall Elections, 1840
The annual State election was held September 14. For governor, John Fifield, Democrat, received one hundred and fifteen votes. Edward Kent, Whig, received ninety-nine votes.
For representative to Congress, Hannibal Hamlin, Democrat, received one hundred and fifteen votes. Elisha H. Allen, Whig, received ninety-nine votes.
For representative to the Legislature, Levi Bradley,
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Democrat, received one hundred and fifteen votes. E. T. Morrill, Whig, received ninety-nine votes.
There having been no election for representative to the Legislature at first trial, a second trial occurred October 5, when Levi Bradley received one hundred and nine votes. E. T. Morrill received ninety votes.
The presidential election of 1840 was held on Novem- ber 2. The candidates were William H. Harrison, Whig, and Martin Van Buren, Democrat. The Harrison electors received one hundred and one votes, and the Van Buren electors received one hundred and twenty-four votes. In the country at large there was a majority for William H. Harrison.
Garland in 1841
At the annual town meeting of 1841, held March 8, Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator ; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, Samuel W. Knight and Joseph True, selectmen and assessors ; Asa Barton, Joseph Bartlett and Rev. Samuel S. Drake, superintending school committee, and David Skillin, collector and treas- urer. The compensation for collecting and disbursing was fixed at two and one half per cent.
The appropriations were six hundred dollars for schools, two hundred dollars for the support of the poor, six hundred dollars to defray town charges, two thousand dollars to make and repair roads, to be paid in labor, also cash appropriations of two hundred dollars to be expended on the northwest county road, one hundred and twenty-five dollars for the Avenue road, two hundred dollars for the county road leading to Dover, and fifty
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dollars for a town road in the southeast part of the town.
At a special meeting held September 13, of the twelve items of business acted on, seven related to roads.
The Fall Election of 1841
The election for State and other officers was held Sep- tember 13. For governor, John Fairfield, Democrat, received one hundred and twenty-three votes; Edward Kent, Whig, received one hundred and four votes.
For representative to the Legislature, Charles Reynolds, Democrat, received one hundred and twenty- three votes; David Skillin, Whig, received one hundred and two votes; Josiah Bartlett, Anti-Slavery, received three votes.
It will be seen that in the year of grace, 1841, a new element appeared in the politics of Garland. It was significant that this element began to manifest itself, feebly, indeed, in nearly all the voting precincts of the free states. This class of voters, together with many others, who were not ready to sever the ties that bound them to old political parties, believed in their simplicity, that the asseverations embodied in the declaration of independence, "that all men are created free and equal, that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi- ness," were not simply rhetorical flourishes or glittering generalities as politicians would have them believe, but eternal verities.
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