USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Gorham > History of Gorham, Me. > Part 28
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Dr. Enoch Cross, Dr. S. C. Strong and Dr. Baldwin succeeded each other.
Dr. William Wescott was a surgeon in the Civil War. He married Martha A. Libby of Gorham, and after practicing in Standish and Kennebunk, lived in the north part of the town.
Dr. E. F. Mitchell, Dr. Lewis W. Houghton, Dr. Phineas Ingalls and Dr. Anderson have resided and practiced in Gorham for a longer or shorter time. Dr. Houghton built the house on State St., where Henry W. Hale lately lived.
Dr. John Waterman came from Windham about 1839-40. He was a man of great discretion, and excellent judgment. He was for many years a member of the board of Trustees of the Academy and Semi- nary. He had a good practice until increasing years and feebleness compelled him to lay aside active work.
Dr. Seth C. Gordon, now in an extensive practice in Portland, was for some time at Little Falls.
Dr. John Sanborn lived near Gambo, and practiced medicine there for some years.
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Dr. James M. Buzzell practiced at West Gorham and Gorham village. He had much skill as a surgeon.
Dr. George Fabyan of Scarboro came to this town about 1844, and remained for several years. His home was the house now occupied by Hon. Isaac W. Dyer. He removed from Groham to Portland, and soon after to Boston.
Dr. Cheney, Dr. Vose (now of Calais), and Dr. Hitchcock have all practiced here.
Hon. Frederick Robie, a native of Gorham and a graduate of Bow- doin, came here from Waldoboro, where he had been in practice. He remained here till the breaking out of the Rebellion. After the war, having given up his medical pursuits, he returned to Gorham to reside. He still lives with us, an honored citizen, having received from his townsmen many honors, and from the people of Maine the highest gift in their power.
Henry H. Hunt, a native of Gorham, was a graduate of Bowdoin College, Class of '62. Soon after his graduation he enlisted in the 5th Maine Battery, and was appointed Hospital Steward. He partic- ipated in the battle of Gettysburg, and was with Gen. Grant in his campaign from the Rapidan to the James River. After the war he completed his medical course at Bowdoin Medical School, graduating in 1867, and having spent another year in study in Philadelphia settled in his native town, where he soon won the respect and confi- dence of all, and entered upon a large practice, which continued until about 1880, when on account of his health, he felt he must seek a different field of labor. At this time, to the great regret of our entire community, he removed to Portland, where he speedily took a place in the front rank of his professional brethren. He died in Portland in 1894.
Dr. A. P. Topliff, now of Deering, practiced here a few years.
After Dr. Hunt's removal, Dr. William H. Watson took his house, and was a physician in this place for some years. After he left town, Dr. Charles H. Ridlon succeeded him in 1887, and is now in suc- cessful practice here.
Mrs. Rebecca Buzzell had for many years an excellent practice, till failing health compelled her to lay it aside. She was of the homeopathic school.
Dr. O'Neil R. Straw was a successful physician here for some fifteen years, till in 1897 he removed to Portland. His place here was taken by Dr. Clinton Stacy, who after practicing for about a year and a half died Jan. 15, 1899.
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LAWYERS.
Dr. A. W. Lincoln, Dr. Chas. H. Ridlon, Dr. Philip P. Lewis and Dr. E. D. Chellis are the present physicians at Gorham village.
Dr. N. M. Marshall and Dr. B. F. Marshall were for some years at Little Falls. Dr. Hamlet and Dr. Woodman are now in practice at that place.
It was not until the year 1801 that a member of the legal fraternity, John Park Little, located here in town. At that time the town con- tained about twenty-five hundred inhabitants. Whatever occasions for legal advice or assistance might have arisen previous to this must have been settled without the intervention of a Gorham lawyer. Indeed the community seems to have been a remarkably peaceable one, for when it was known that a lawyer proposed to take up his abode here, there was strenuous objection made to his coming, on the ground that while nothing was known against Mr. Little person- ally, any lawyer must of necessity be a promoter of strife and division for the sake of furthering and promoting his own interests. Indeed the opposition was so strong that a meeting was held after service one Sabbath to discuss the matter, and to vote, almost unanimously that Mr. Little should not come to Gorham. Notwithstanding all this, however, he came, and proved a decided acquisition, and soon held a prominent position in town. Spite of his legal profession he made it his aim to promote peace and to lessen litigation. He was a graduate of Brown University in the class of 1794, and was admitted in 1799 to the bar in Massachusetts. He was tall and commanding in figure, dignified and courteous in his bearing. One who was a small child at the time of Mr. Little's death says " I well remember the stately walk of John P. Little as he passed between his splendid new house and his law office." Mr. Little built the large three story house on Main St., now the property of Hon. Frederick Robie. His office stood near the sidewalk, next west of the house of Mrs. Sawyer (then Nathaniel Gould's). Many years since it was moved on to what is now Green St., and used for a dwelling house. It has recently been moved again, in anticipation of the new Library building, and has been placed south of the depot, on Lincoln St. Mr. Little was a man of sterling integrity, and undoubted honor. He was also an earnest and consistent Christian, and in every respect proved himself a most valuable citizen. He was one of the original trustees of Gorham Academy, and was chosen secretary of the Board at its first meeting. He enjoyed the respect of the whole community, and attained to a large and increas- ing practice. He was the son of John and Margaret (Park) Little,
1
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HISTORY OF GORHAM.
and was born in Lunenburg, Mass., Nov. 17, 1772. He married, September, 1805, Mary Jackson, daughter of Hon. Oliver Prescott of Groton, Mass., and niece to Col. Wm. Prescott who commanded the American forces at the battle of Bunker Hill. Mr. Little died of quick consumption Mar. 26, 1809. His only child, John Oliver, born Mar. 17, 1808, died Sept. 18, 1809. Mrs. Little married Hon. Lothrop Lewis.
Peter Thacher, son of Hon. Judge Thacher, the former pastor of the First Parish Church, read law with Wm .. Symmes, Esq. of Portland who was one of the most able lawyers of his day. Mr. Thacher entered into practice in 1804 at Saccarappa. After remaining there about five years, he removed to his old home in Gorham, where he lived but a year or two, dying of consumption, Jan. 26, 1811.
In 1805 Barrett Potter came to this place and opened an office. He remained, however, only a year and removed to Portland, where he became distinguished in his profession, and received many honors in public life. He was, for about twenty-three years, Judge of Probate for Cumberland County.
Samuel Whitmore, Jr., son of Capt. Samuel Whitmore of Gorham, read law with Mr. Little, and opened an office for himself about 1806. He was a graduate of Dartmouth, class of 1802. He prac- ticed law here for only two years, dying Aug. 27, 1808, at the age of 28.
About this time Jacob Sheaff Smith, a native of Durham, N. H., opened an office in this place. He had the reputation of being an able lawyer, and was devoted to his profession during the more than twenty-five years that he practiced at the village. About 1833 he removed to the farm about two miles south of the village, lately occupied by Mr. Merritt. Here he lived until about 1867 when, after the death of his wife, he went to Brooklyn, N. Y. to reside with his son. He died in Brooklyn in 1880, at the age of 94.
Joseph Adams was born in 1779 in Wayland (Sudbury), Mass. He graduated from Harvard College in 1805, and having studied law with Hon. George Thacher of Biddeford, located for a short time, after his admission to the bar, in Buxton. He soon removed to Gorham, where he remained until 1821, in which year he removed to Portland. He was a man who commanded much respect and confidence. He was one of the delegates from this town to the Con- vention in Portland in 1819, at which the Constitution of the State was adopted. He was also for a term of years County Attorney.
Mr. Adams's successor was Josiah Pierce, who came to Gorham in
JOHN A. WATERMAN.
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LAWYERS.
1821. He was born in Baldwin, and was graduated from Bowdoin. He was a. man of rare intellectual gifts, and was remarkably interesting and brilliant in conversation. He possessed many and varied talents, and was an able and skillful lawyer. He was a member of the board of selectmen in 1837 and 1838, was repre- sentative to the State Legislature, State Senator three years, and President of the Senate in 1835 and 1836. He was for ten years Judge of Probate for Cumberland County. At the time of the Centennial Celebration of the town in 1836 he was chosen orator of the day and delivered an eloquent historical address. In 1861, at the request of the town, he prepared a History of Gorham. He continued in active practice in town till his death in 1866, at the age of 73.
About 1833 Elijah Hayes opened an office here. He was a native of Limerick. He soon obtained a good and rapidly increasing practice. His prospects were, however, cut short by his sudden death, Dec. 22, 1847. His wife, Eliza (Gilpatrick), died shortly after him, leaving two sons, George and Walter, and a daughter, Eliza.
Thomas H. Goodwin and John W. Dana had law offices in town for a short time, also Charles Danforth, the latter of whom has since been well known and honored as Judge of the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine. Alvah Black taught for a time in the Seminary, and afterwards practiced law here. Henry P. A. Smith, son of Mr. Isaac Smith of Portland, had an office here for a few years. He removed to Cherryfield, and afterwards went to California. He died in Helena, Montana, Nov. 20, 1870.
John A. Waterman, son of Dr. John Waterman, came here with his father's family from Windham when quite a lad. He took his pre- paratory studies at the Academy, and was graduated from Bowdoin in 1846. In 1850 he opened a law office in this village, and continued in practice here till his death. He was a man of rare good judgment, great prudence and discretion, and of singular affability and kindness of heart. He was Judge of Probate for Cumberland County for many years. He died, lamented by the community at large, Mar. 6, 1893. His son, John A. Waterman, Jr., also a graduate of Bowdoin, after practicing for a time in Brunswick, came to Gorham after the death of his father, and taking his father's office, is now in practice here.
George B. Emery, son of Capt. Daniel C. Emery, was a native of Gorham, a student at the Academy, and a graduate of Bowdoin, class of 1860. After his admission to the bar he opened an office at the village, where he continued in practice till his death, Aug. 11, 1898.
CHAPTER XV.
CONDITION OF THE ROADS IN AND ABOUT GORHAM IN EARLY TIMES.
BRANDYBROOK HILL - HORSE MEADOW ROAD - MAILS - RAILROADS.
Rev. Paul Coffin of Buxton married Miss Mary Gorham, daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Gorham of Charlestown, Mass. In July, 1777, Stephen Gorham, Esq. came with his wife in a chaise, to Buxton to visit his sister. When they got as far as Saco, they were advised not to attempt to proceed farther in the carriage, as none had ever passed the road. Mrs. Gorham, having never ridden on a pillion, did not wish to attempt the ride in that way, and they concluded to try the chaise. They got through in four hours, Mr. Gorham walking, and steadying the chaise to keep it from being overturned. While in Buxton they with Mr. Coffin wished to visit their relative the Hon. William Gorham, at Gorham. They had to make the journey on horseback, with the pillions for the ladies. The ride and visit were accomplished in two days, by the track through the woods, there being a carriage road scarcely any of the way, and the trip occasioned some amusement to the gentlemen, and much fear and trepidation to the ladies. At this time no carriage had ever passed the road from Gorham to Buxton.
In surveying the town of Gorham, and lotting the same, the first division of lots amongst the grantees were thirty acre lots, and a road was to run around every four lots, thus making a road on two sides of each thirty acre lot. A part of these roads were laid out four rods, and a part two rods wide. Such as were then thought would be the great thoroughfares through the town were four rods. Many of these roads have never been opened, and probably never will be. And in the second division the plan was general to have a road around every two hundred acres, thus bringing a road on three sides of every lot. In the original plan of the thirty acre lots the four-rod, or principal roads were named. The road running northerly, past Gorham village, over Fort Hill, was named "King Street." The next road westerly, parallel to this, running between the land lately owned by Joseph Harding, and Mr. Weston's land, thence between the land of the Alden heirs, and that recently owned by George
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Chadbourn (now Mr. Shorey's) was named "Queen Street." This street was never opened. The main street in Gorham village, running as far as Mark Mosher's, or near there, was named " Gorham Street." The old Buxton (Flaggy meadow) road was called " Ham- blen Street." The road between Archelaus Hamblen's and Samuel Roberts's, Moses Fogg's and Leonard Roberts's, since called "Queen Street " was named " Phinney Street." The road from Scarborough, running northerly past Alexander Allen's, past the schoolhouse, which lately stood on Main St., Daniel C. Libby's and Ezra Richard- son's and on north was named "Paine Street." It appears that previous to Nov. 24, 1743, the road was made as far easterly from Gorham village as where Merrill Mosher lately lived, which by the plan was the end of Gorham Street. And at a Proprietors' meeting, then held, it was " Voted, That Mr. William Pote, Jno. Phinney, and Daniel Mozier be chosen a Committee to Lay out a New Road through the woods from the end of Gorham Street, down to Saccarappa Mills, in the most Convenient Place. And twenty shillings on each right, in addition to the twenty shillings on each right previously raised, be raised to be expended in Cutting and Clearing Roads."
The same year a vote was passed "to raise sixpence on each share, to be paid to Daniel Mozier, provided he look out and spot a road direct to Black Point, in ye most convenient way from our lots laid out that way." Up to October, 1749, it does not appear that a road had been made to the Scarborough line, for at that time, the following vote was passed at a Proprietors' meeting : " Voted, that thirty pounds, old tenor, be paid to any person or persons, that appear, and clear a passable road from Gorham Corner to Scarborough line." At this time all the travel, southerly, did not take the planned road, called King Street, for the reason that there was a better road in the old Mast and Logging-road which entered the village near where State St. now enters School St., thence turning southerly near where J. C. Summersides' house now stands, ran across the lots, through what is now Mrs. Tolford's pasture, over the lot of Sammel Carruthers, and the Higgins lot, to the lot owned by Hugh D. Mclellan, through what is called the "Old Slough Road," over Woodchuck hill, past the spot where Simon Waterhouse formerly had a house, on to the Borough Mill, so called, on the brook, westerly of where William McLellan and Benjamin Waterhouse now live, then to the south part of the town to Bragdon's Mill, now owned by S. B. Knight.
By a vote passed in 1753, it appears that the principal roads in town at that time were as follows: from Saccarappa to Gorham
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HISTORY OF GORHAM.
Corner, on which they voted to expend 66-13-4; from Gorham to Narragansett, No. I (Buxton), as far as the thirty acre lots went (to the road by Samuel Cressey's), 66-13-4 ; from the Fort to the Mills, and as far as the town line, 613-6-8 ; from Gorham Corner to the Scarborough line, £6-13-4. The remainder of the money raised was to be laid out on the cross roads as the committee might think best.
At a Proprietors' meeting held July 26, 1762, it was " Voted, that Moses Pearson, Solomon Lombard, Esq., and Jacob Hamblen be a Committee to converse with the Committee of Marblehead (Windham) on the proposal of Building a Bridge over Presumpscott River at Horsebeef Falls, or else where it will be most convenient, and make a report next meeting."
There was no planned road located from the hundred acre lot, where Wilder Libby now lives, before Dec. 31, 1764, only a track running northerly.
It appears on record, that as early as the year 1804, efforts were made to shorten and improve the roads from Standish to Gorham. On or about that time petitions were presented to the Courts for a road from Capt. Shaw's, in Standish, to John Miller's, in Gorham, thus avoiding, if possible, Fort Hill, and the large sweep round by the Messrs. Johnson.
To offset this, at a town meeting held at the schoolhouse at Gorham Corner, it was " Voted, that Lothrop Lewis, Esq., Decker Phinney and Col. Nathaniel Frost be a committee to survey the old road above Timothy Hamblen's, and look out a new road from said Hamblen's to the main road between Samuel Moody's and Capt. Davis's, and to ascertain the saving that may be made by such alteration, and the difference of saving between said road and the one petitioned for from Standish to John Miller's, to enable the agent more effectively to oppose the laying out the last-mentioned road."
It appears that before April, 1805, the Court had located the Horse Meadow road, so called, from Timothy Hamblen's to the branch near Samuel Moody's, instead of the one petitioned for from Standish to Miller's, for at a town meeting held April 15, 1805, the town took measures to settle the damages awarded to land-owners, and to open and make the road, which is still known as the Horse Meadow road.
Before the year 1820, all the travel to Standish and the back country had to pass over Fort Hill, which was "a hard road to
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travel." A few years previous to this date the back country people got quite waked up on the subject that a new road must be had, but some wanted to keep down the old Standish road to the branch, so called, thence haul to the right, on such a course as would pass Lit- tle River half a mile west of the mills above Fort Hill, thence over Fort Hill, by the " apple-tree," (and this apple-tree was a noted point in town for several years,) thence by David Elder's to near Benjamin Mosher's, into the old Saccarappa road. Others thought a better and more direct route was by the way now travelled, by West Gorham. At last it came to a focus; the Court granted a road; a committee of three was appointed to examine the several routes, and locate the one they thought the best. The Fort Hill route was examined first. In the meantime, the people in the vil- lage, and at West Gorham, assembled at Brandybrook hill (then a hill without a name), with oxen, ploughs, shovels, and crow-bars, and soon made it look quite passable. A great amount of work was done in a short time. At last the day came for the examination. As may well be supposed all the village took an interest in the pro- ceedings. The chairman of the committee was Esq. B --- of Portland, who acted as surveyor. As the crowd was about to start for West Gorham to meet the committee, some one, knowing the man, suggested that a drop of good brandy (this was in the days, be it remembered, when almost all took their nipper) might possibly have a good effect on the committee, particularly on Esq. B -
especially as it was warm and fatiguing scrambling through bushes and over brooks. The hint was acted upon; the writer of this article was commissioned to fill a quart flask with the best the store contained, and to carry it to the scene of action. At the brook a consultation was held by the elders to determine the best place of crossing. At the point fixed upon, the bottle was taken and depos- ited in the brook under the bank in a cool place. Then the company passed on, met the committee at West Gorham, and commenced the return march. And it so came to pass that when Esq. B --- set his compass to make the necessary angle to pass up the hill, the course hit squarely the point where the brandy was deposited. At the brook a halt was made; some to rest, some to take a drink of water, and some to view the country over. Esq. B --- was a stout man, and the perspiration ran from him profusely. Some one remarked to him in a jocose way, that a little brandy would fit his case. "Nothing could be better," said he, "but where is the brandy coming from ? That's the question." An arm was run under the
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HISTORY OF GORHAM.
bank, and the bottle produced, all red and smiling. There was rejoicing in the camp. The liquor was drunk and much admired ; and the boy that produced it was patted and praised. When about to start, Esq. B-said "I want the name of this brook, and Providence has provided it. I will call it Brandybrook," and so entered it in his minutes of the survey, and the hill Brandy-brook hill. The road was located by West Gorham, and over the spot where the bottle was found in Brandybrook. Whether the bottle of brandy had anything to do with the location, remains to this day a mystery.
What is known as "the new road to Saccarappa " was also laid out and opened to travel at about this same time.
In the house owned and occupied by the Rev. Josiah Thacher, and which is now owned by Lewis Johnson, may be seen some heart- shaped holes cut in the window shutters. These owe their origin to the following fact : Mr. Thacher was expecting a very important letter. The mail came up from Portland that week so that the car- rier passed through Gorham after dark ; it was a cold evening, and the Thachers had all the shutters closed to help them to keep warm ; the postman, seeing no light in the house, passed on up country with the letter, and Mr. Thacher was obliged to wait until he came back, a week later. To prevent this ever happening again, Mr. Thacher had the holes cut so that the light might shine out and warn the postman that he was at home.
The first mail between Portland and Boston is said to have been carried by William Wescott, who during the Revolution was known to every man, woman and child on the road between Boston and Portland and over the entire region of the County of Cumberland, as " Post " Wescott. He was employed by Washington, during the war, in carrying dispatches, and in carrying letters to and from the soldiers in the army and their friends and families in New Hamp- shire and Maine. The writer of this has in his possession a letter written by his grandfather, while in the army at Cambridge, and brought home to Gorham by Post Wescott in 1775.
Parson Smith in his Journal, under date of Apr. 6, 1785, says, "The post at last got here, having been hindered near 5 weeks." And in a footnote to the above, Mr. Willis adds, "This was an unusual occurrence. From June, 1775 to January, 1789, the mail was sent once a week from Boston; but it was very irregular in its time of arrival ; it was brought sometimes by the postman on foot, but generally on horseback. From January to May, 1789, it was sent twice
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MAILS.
a week ; after May of that year it came three times a week. In those days of irregularity, a gentleman of Portland, having business in Boston, and tired of waiting for the mail to arrive, started on his journey. He met the mail carrier, Joseph Barnard, in Saco woods, and the gentleman expressing a great desire to have a letter which he had been expecting, the accomodating postman took off his saddle bags and deliberately opening the mail, delivered to his impatient enquirer the long expected communication. As late as 1790, a letter was sixteen days coming from Philadelphia, thirteen from New York, and three from Boston; they travelled about forty miles a day. Postage, in 1786, was charged by pennyweights and grains; two pennyweights to Portsmouth was twelve and a half cents, to Boston, a shilling, and to Baltimore, thirty-seven and a half cents."
The mails were carried on horseback for many years. The first of the mails carried through Gorham in carriages, was on the White Mountain route, in an old two wheeled chaise or sulkey. The first mail stage or coach was also on this route.
In the year 1811, and for some time after that date, there were but two mails per week up, and two down, passing through Gorham. Both went down on Monday, and up Tuesday; one up through Buxton, Limington, Alfred and the towns in York County; the other up through Standish, Baldwin and through the White Mountains.
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