USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Wales > History of Monmouth and Wales, V. 1 > Part 33
USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Monmouth > History of Monmouth and Wales, V. 1 > Part 33
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH
years station agent of the Maine Central R. R. at Lewiston.
William Given cleared the farm which has in late years been the property of Orville S. Jones. Beginning, like all the other pioneers, with the log-cabin, he af- terward erected a large two story house, which sheltered a family of eleven children. William, jun., the third child, enlisted in the war of 1812, and, as he died early in the year 1813, probably lost his life in the service. Philip, another son, married a daughter of Capt. Lomi- bard, and reared a family of sons that inherited the pas- sion of their paternal grandsire. The oldest of them, Freeman, was master of a ship. Stanwood G., the young- est son of William, the pioneer, married Mary, daugh- ter of Joseph Maxwell. He was the father of Stan- wood Given, of Wales, and Joseph M. Given of Mon- mouth, the latter of whom was one of the selectmen of Wales in 1874. Dr. Frank I. Given, the only son of Joseph, has attained enviable success in the medical profession at Hillsboro', N. M.
It is not known that the year 1809 brought any new families to the slowly expanding settlement; but the opening of the new century was celebrated by a large in- flux of immigration, and a tremendous sweeping away of the forest. The sharp ring of axes in every direction, and clouds of smoke rising front a dozen new clearings, must have given those who had come into the woods to escape the enervating influences of busy scenes, occas- ion to fear they would suddenly find themselves in the heart of a city. The Witherells, the Maxwells, the Foggs, Dixons, Marrs, and Plumers were all immi- grants of this period.
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WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
The Marr brothers, Daniel and Rufus, came from Scarboro, Me. They were carpenters. Daniel settled on the farm now owned by William T. Dingley, and Rufus on the one now owned by his grandson, Henry S. Marr. The latter had seven children. His second son, Henry, inherited the homestead. He married Cath- erine Marr, of Webster and, had two children, Henry S. and Frank E., both of whom are honorable citizens of Wales. The sons and the father all have served on the board of selectmen.
About the time the Marrs began to clear their land in the settlement, James Maxwell took up a claim on the Jesse Austin farmn.
Joseph Maxwell came from Cape Elizabeth and set- tled on the farm now owned by his grandson, Daniel A. Maxwell. Mr. Maxwell built on a stream near his house the first grist-mill erected in Wales. He had four sons that settled on adjoining and adjacent farms. Joseph, the oldest son, married Mary G. An- drews. He was prominently connected with municipal affairs and was frequently elected to town offices. His only son, Edwin S., lived on the homestead. Samuel S., the second son, married Elmira Gray, of Litchfield, and located on the farm now owned by his son, Joseph Alex- ander Maxwell. Jesse married Harriet Gray, a sister of his brother Samuel's wife, and lived on the farin now occupied by his son-in-law, Augustus C. Frost.
William left home at an early age to learn the shoe- maker's trade. He served his apprenticeship at Augusta, Me., and remained there several years as journeyman. Thence he moved to Waterville and engaged in busi- ness for himself. He died in 1873.
494
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
Daniel, the youngest son, married Mary Jane Wey- mouth, of Webster, and settled on the homestead.
Benjamin Fogg came from Scarboro', in 1800, and settled on the farm now owned by his grandson, John C. Fogg, esq. William, the oldest of the three chil- dren, married Mary Cushing, daughter of John Cush- ing, of Durham, and remained on the home place. The other son, Moses, learned the blacksmith's trade, and settled near his brother. The latter had four chil- dren, all but one of whom died in early life. The young- est son, Orin S., is teller in the Cumberland Nation- al Bank, of Portland. William Fogg had four sons. Two of them died in childhood. The youngest of the family was Geo. W. He was married, first, to Laura A. Small, second, to Louisa J. Given, and, third, to Minerva E. McLane, of Temple, Me. He located near his birth- place, and lived a life that won him friends while liv- ing, and mourners at the hour of death. He was sever- al times called to serve the town in an official capacity. John C. Fogg, the oldest of William's sons, has been one of the most prominent and active citizens. The office of selectman, to which both his father and broth- er were elected, has been open to him, also, on several oc- casions; and at least ten times he has been elected town clerk. Not to mention the service he has rendered to the town as school committee, moderator, and in other subor- dinate relations, he has, in the double capacity of justice of the peace and land surveyor, been the recognized au- thority on real estate transfers since the decease of Esquire Small.
Mr. Fogg has taken a deep interest in the early events of his native town, and has twice written an his-
John le Fogy
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WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
torical chapter for publication; first, for the atlas of Androscoggin county, published by Sanford, Evarts & Co., in 1873, and, more recently, for the history of that county which was published by a Boston firm about two years ago. He has, with rare generosity, turned the result of his long research into the writer's hands; and to him, more than to any other individual, are the citizens of Wales indebted for the facts and traditions in this volume concerning their town and families. Although a considerable amount of matter from other sources has been added, the data furnished by him have, in all cases, been taken as a working basis.
Some years after Benjamin Fogg came to Wales, his brother Ephraim followed him and took up the farm now owned by Ira Alexander. He had four sons, all of whom were carpenters. William Fogg, a cousin of Benjamin and Ephraim, came with the former and assisted him in clearing his farm. He afterward moved to the farm lately occupied by Hugh Mottram. Here he reared a large family, none of the members of which left descendants in Wales. One of his grandchildren (Mrs. H. S. Bent, whose mother was his daughter) resides in Monmouth. Two of his children, Mary and Alvan, never married. Phebe married Daniel Small, a broth- er of Esquire Isaac Small, and Hannah, Otis Small, another brother. Ann became the wife of Caleb Humph- rey and lived in the eastern part of the state, and Benjamin was for many years a boot and shoe manu- facturer and dealer in Bath, Me. He subsequently removed to the old homestead in Wales where he died in 1887.
Sometime during the interim between the incorpora-
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH
tion of the town of Monmouth and that of the new plan- tation of Wales, Matthew Hagens settled on the farm at Wales Corner long known as the David Plumer place, now owned by Mr. Webster. He came, it is sup- posed, from Gorham, Me., of which place his wife, Dor- cas Plumer, was a native. In a short time after his set- tlement in Wales, Hagens died, leaving his wife to the far from tender mercies of a rough, thinly-settled, strange country. In 1800 Mrs. Hagen's brother Da- vid, accompanied by his wife and child, came down from Gorham to see the place, and perhaps to look after his sister's interest in the property.
They rode upon two horses, while the custom of the day placed the woman on a pillion behind her husband on the same overburdened beast. Crossing the An- droscoggin River at 'Little River, they struck into the line of spotted trees that led from that point to the set- tlement in Monmouth. When they reached Hagen's clearing, they found very little had been done to improve the place. The pioneer log-cabin was the only build- ing that had been erected; but they liked the location, and decided to make it their permanent home.
David Plumer was the son of Aaron and Lydia Plum- er of Gorham. He was born Oct. 4, 1776. About one year prior to his removal to Wales, he married Abigail Haskell. He had several brothers and sisters, two of whom (Dorcas, who has already been mentioned, and Sarah, the wife of Joshua Adams, who settled on the farın now owned by Mr. Luther D. Ricker) were res- idents of Wales.
That Mr. Plumer was a leading inan in the planta- tion of Wales, is evident from the numerous public re-
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WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
ords and documents bearing his signature. He was for many years a justice of the peace and trial justice, and was the first collector of the second plantation of Wales.
He was a tanner, currier and shoe-maker, or "cord- wainer", in the ancient nomenclature. That he was a good workman is evident from the fact that his books, now in the possession of his grandson, Mr. D. P. Boyn- ton, bear charges against men who must have traveled many miles to patronize him. He erected the house now occupied by Mr. Webster, and built the substantial walls that surround the farm. He was quite a student, firm and unswerving in his convictions, and unyielding in their defense. By giving some attention to the preparation and dispensation of botanical compounds, he earned the title of doctor. Mr. Plumer died Oct. 18, 1847, surviving his wife, who died July 31, 1846, by but little more than one year-
In April, 1803, the portion of the plantation of Wales which had been dropped when the town of Monmouth was established was incorporated under its old name, plantation of Wales. At the first plantation meeting Joseph Small, Enoch Strout, and John Andrews were chosen assessors, and Joseph Small, clerk. The rec- ords of this meeting are very meagre. We simply know that the sum of fifty dollars was appropriated for the defrayment of plantation expenses, exclusive of schools and highways. These were provided for in the sum of $150 each.
It is tantalizing not to be able to secure complete records of this meeting. The people of Wales have, from the days of the pioneers, borne the reputation of
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
being pre-eminently cautious and discreet. Evidence of the truth of their affirmation is found in their refu- sal to allow their territory to be incorporated with the town of Monmouth. But in the matter of records, the other extreme is reached. For a period of at least thir ty-five years after the act of incorporation which con- stituted it a plantation was granted, the records were kept on separate, loose sheets; and, as many of these have become scattered and lost, it is not only impossi- ble to furnish an epitome of each year's progressive work, but it is also impossible to determine as accu- rately as I have in the case of Monmouth, the dates when the early settlers of Wales took up their various lots. In relation to dates of settlement, the statements of Mr. Fogg have been taken as the most reliable data procurable, except in cases where private family papers and floating fragments of the town archives which had escaped his notice have fallen into my hands. But Mr. Fogg, in his research, labored under the same dis- advantage to which I have been subjected, and it would not be safe to claim that the exact order has been main- tained. David Plumer's tax-book for the year 1804, which, through the courtesy of Mr. D. P. Boynton, has been placed in my hands, throws some light on the matter. From it we may, at least, learn who had set- tled in Wales prior to that date. In this connection I would acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. J. C. An- drews for a large collection of valuable documents which have proved of inestimable service in supplying missing data. According to Mr. Plumer's list, the heads of families residing in Wales in 1804 were as follows:
Andrews, John Clark, James Ham, Jonathan
WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
499
Andrews, Stephen Fogg, William
Ham, Reuben, jun
Andrews. Reuben
Fogg, Benj
Ham, Samuel
Austin, William
Given, William
Ham, Clement
Adams, Joshua
Given, Arthur
Hubbs, Obe
Cobb, Ebenezer
Hodson. James
Hubbs, Obe, jun.
Chase, Nathanial
Ham, Reuben
Jackson, Samuel
Keenan, James
Roberts, Thomas
Witherell, John
Labree, ,
Remmack, Joseph
Weymouth, Walter
Larribee, John
Remmack, William, Hamilton, John
Lombard. Hd.
Strout, Enoch
Gray, Stephen
Lombard. Luthur
Small, Joseph
Gray, Thomas
Lombard, Wint
Small, Ebenezer
Gray, Samuel
Libby, Josiah
Sweate, Nathl.
Foss, Joseph
McManners. John Murch. Joseph
Stanwood, David
Will, John
Marr, Daniel
Thompson, Phineas
Sewell, Nathl.
Marr, Rufus
Thompson, James Plumer, David
Morton, Win.
Treet, Ezekiel
Small, Daniel
Niles, Jerimi
Tebets, Benj.
Ross, Robert
Woodside. Anto
Withere 1, lames
Ross, Iames
Watts, Samuel
On the third day of September, 1803, the assessors of the new plantation, with the assistance of William Sprague, surveyor, laid out three thoroughfares, each of which was to be four "poles" wide. One started on the north side of Lisbon, which then included the town of Webster, "about half mile easterly of the great pond & two Rods Easterly of Jeremiah niles house" to the Monmouth line. Another was a "cross road beginning on the road operset the road from Green to Willianm & Arthur Givens, thence across the E Road to Litch- field." The third was the "Wales middle Road-be ginuing on monmouth line buting monmouth Road- about 100 Rods northerly of Richard Thompson house to the westerly Road on the northerly line of David
Thompson, Richard
Sully, Wm.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
Stanwood lot. The original of this recor 1 was loaned by J. C. Andrews. It is a scrap of torn, yellowel paper covered with a scrawny hand in pale ink, and is just such a piece of paper as hundreds that have been carried away by the junk-dealer. If all these apparently worthless scraps could have been preserved, the history of Wales would read far differently. The Plumer tax-book fur- nishes, in the abstract, some interesting and valuable data. It has always been supposed, and never disput- ed, that Maj. Josiah Libby, John Hamilton, and James Hodsdon settled in Wales in 1807, 1810, and 1812 re- spectively; but Mr. Plumer's assessment lists demon - strate the fact that these men were all here prior to 1804.
James Hodsdon came from South Berwick and located on Sabattus mountain. He was a Revolutionary sol- dier. James, jun., his oldest son, enlisted in the war of 1812. The third son, Benjamin, who inherited the homestead, had two sons who were soldiers in the civil war. Both were wounded, and one died of small-Dox contracted while in the service. The farm is now owned by Oliver Hodsdon, the youngest son of Janiss.
John Hamilton selected the land now comprised in the farm of Davis Maxwell, near the Webster line, on the "pond road". He was a shoe-maker and tanner, and was a man of much spirit and enterprise. For many years the location which Mr. Maxwell has made conspicuous by his extensive farming operations, Mr. Hamilton made as noted by the manufacture of leather goods and supplies. Two of his sons were prominent- ly connected with the local militia, and one of them commanded a company in the Madawaska war.
Maj. Josiah Libby came from Scarboro', the former
·
Potter's Tavern, Wales.
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WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
home of the Foggs, and, in selecting a location for his new licme, le made choice of a section of land adjacent to that of his old neighbors, which, according to the statement of Mr. Fogg, was first settled by George Foss, another Scarboro' immigrant. The Libby stand in the vicinity of Wales Corner is too well known to require any description. A sketch of the large house erected by the Major, and for many years occupied as a tavern, appears in this volume. It represents the building as it is now seen, not as it was when the rut111- bling stages drawn by four spirited horses dashed under the creaking sign-board and halted while the fresli relay was being strapped to the pole and the male pas- sengers were depositing their loose coin at the Major's bar. It was in this bar-room that the town officers of Wales were elected before the voters went to the ballot- box; it was here that the Major was raised to the com- mand of a regiment by his admiring townsmen before he was commissioned by the governor, and it was here that all the affairs of the plantation, conimonwealthi and nation were discussed and settled long before they had passed under the deliberations of the proper authori- ties.
Few men ever lived in Wales who were more popular than Major Libby; and few there were who possessed greater natural qualifications for popularity than. lie.
He was widely known outside the plantation. As a tavern-keeper he was brought into constant contact with representatives, senators, governors and congressmen, who stopped at his house for something to relieve the monotony of the ride as they passed to and from the seat of government. He was a
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
veteran road builder, also, and frequently took large contracts from the government. It was his name that headed the petition for the, so called, "western county road." From 1811 to 1840 his name appeared at dif- ferent periods among the assessors of the plantation and selectmen of the town; but his election was a result of a desire to secure the benefit of his superior judgment rather than of a desire to honor a man who could not be reached by such honors. To the regret of all who were intimately or remotely associated with him dur- ing his residence in Wales, he left the town after the days of his active life were spent, and returned to the home of his youth.
Samuel Libby came from Scarboro' a little later than the Major, and settled on the farm now owned by his grandson, Llewellyn S. Libby. He, too, was a popular man in the plantation, and to him belongs the honor of being the first town treasurer.
Hugh Owen was one of the early settlers of the plan- tation, but in the absence of authentic records, it is im- possible to decide, approximately, when he became a resident. If he came in 1805, which is as early a date as either the records or tradition will allow us to use, he was a man of thirty-six years when he began to clear his farm. He selected the broad stretch of rolling land bordering on Sabbatus pond, and immediately north of the clearing of John Hamilton, the tanner. He came with a large family, for at least five, and per- haps all, of his eight children were born before he left Lisbon. He had four daughters-Jane who, mar- ried Hiram Foss; Hannah, who married Col. Joseph Foss; margaret, who married Rev. Otis Bridges and
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WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
Mary Ann, who married Cyrus Hanscom. Thomas, the oldest son, married Elizabeth Bates, of Leeds. He was the father of Levi B. Owen, of Monmouth, and grand- father of Rev. C. E. Owen, pastor of the Baptist church at Houlton, Me. The youngest son, William, settled in Bath, Me., where some of his descendants now live. His son, Roscce Ower, is a Boston attorney. James set- tled on the place now owned by Allen F. Strout. He purchased it of Enoch Gilbert Strout, who made the clearing. Mr. Owen afterward sold the place to Sher- burne Gove, and removed to Fairfield, Me. David Owen, the pioneer's second son, married Irene Libby, an adopted daughter of Major Josiah Libby. He lived with the Major, but after a time purchased the farm now owned by Mr. Webster, in the "New Boston" dis- trict, on which he erected, not far from 1825, the house that the latter occupies . Here he remained until fail- ing health caused him to abandon manual labor, when he removed to Monmouth Center to live with his son.
Cyrus L. Owen, the oldest son of David, was born in the Major Libby house, and after his father removed to the New Boston district, he continued to live a large portion of the time in the Major's family. His moth- er's health was precarious, and when he was ten years old she died. At the age of eighteen years, he learned the blacksmith's trade of Moses Fogg, of Wales. After serving a long apprenticeship, he worked in Sabattus and Durham, and went from the latter place to Win- throp, where he was employed in the machine shops of the Whitman Agricultural Works.
In 1848 he returned to Wales, and went into trade with William Small, in the brick store which had just
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
been built by the latter. Mr. Small had previously traded in a store which stood on the site now covered by the ell of the George W. Fogg house. The next year, at the age of twenty-six, he was married to Mary Augusta Tilton, daughter of Henry Tilton, of Mon- mouth, and, soon after, returned to Winthrop. In 1853 he removed to Fairfield, and went into business with his uncle, James Owen, and Cyrus K. Foss, under the style of Foss, Owen & Co., manufacturers of liorse-pow- ers, separators and agricultural tools. His health began to fail under this employment, and he abandoned it to accept, after a temporary rest, a clerkship in the store of C. S. Norris & Co., at Monmouth Center. While in the employ of this firm, he was appointed post- master. A short time after he received his commission, he rented a store, and stocked it with boots and shoes. In this business he continued about eleven years. He then sold his stock, resigned his commission, and pur- chased an interest in the moccasin manufactory with Wm. K. Dudley and Hiram G. Judkins, under the firm name of Judkins, Dudley and Owen. He continued in this connection until 1883, when he retired from active business life.
During the war, Mr. Owen served two years as town clerk of Monmouth. His wife died in 1854, and, four years later, he married Hannah E. Folsom, daughter of Jonathan Folsom, of Monmouth.
Josiah L. Owen, a younger son of David, is passenger conductor on the Maine Central railroad. He entered the employ of the corporation soon after the main line was established, and is the oldest conductor on the road. His courteous treatment of the public
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WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
during his long term of service has won him many friends. But he never knew the measure of the pub- iic appreciation until the twenty-third day of Decem- ber, 1890, when his acquaintances gathered, hundred strong, to present a tangible expression of their es- teem in the form of a beautiful gold conductor's lan- tern with his name blown in the globe. A special train was run by Superintendent Tucker, and the pre- sentation was made at the Dexter town hall, where an elaborate entertainment had been prepared for the oc- casion.
Abraham Jewell and his brothers, Nathaniel and Robert, came frem Fox Island, Me., to the now rapidly growing settlement. Nathaniel was a brick-mason. He settled on Thompson hill, near the place now owned by Mr. Wheeler. The house in which he lived stood opposite the Phineas Thompson place. He was a cap- tain in the war of 1812. Robert located on the pond road, and Abram, on the Dr. Daly place in Monmouth, now the property of Mr. Caswell. He remained on this farm a short time, then purchased of the descendants of Thomas Gray, the farm on which Nelson Jewell, his son lives. Abraham Jewell was elected selectman in 1821. James Jewell, his oldest son, was the father of Dr. Leslie Jewell, of Cape Elizabeth. He was a car- penter. Two other sons, Hiram and Nelson, remained permanently in Wales. Hiram married Mary Small, and Nelson, Dorcas A. Ham. The oldest son of the latter died in Libby prison, in 1864. His second son, Otis H., is a skillful mechanic, residing at South Monmouth.
Nathaniel Chase came to Wales as early as 1803 and located on the B. A. Fogg farm. He was from Bruns
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
wick. Anthony Woodside came from the same town about a year later, and took up the farm now owned by his grandson, George Woodside. Five of his six chil- dren were sons, two of whom were graduated from Bow- doin College in 1840. The older of these, B. F. Wood- side, studied law, and was engaged in the practice of his profession in Boston until his decease in 1890. Anthony, jun., elected the medical profession, but died soon after receiving his diploma. Calvin married, and settled on the homestead. One of his sons, Dr. Albert Woodside, has lately practiced his profession at Ten- ant's Harbor, Me. Edwin is a merchant at Sabattus and Elbridge is in business in Lewiston.
In 1805 three new roads were laid out by James Shurt- leff, the surveyor who made the first plan of the new plantation. The course of the first road was "From Benjamin Tibbets on the main Plantation Road between said Tibbet's & James Kennen's Lots of Land upon an East South east course 60 rods to Litchfield Wester- most Line." Next: "From said Plantation Road run West northwest 136 rods upon the line separating between Thomas and Stephen Grays Lots of Land to said Thomas Grays house." The third was the "Plan- tation main Road by Sebattases Pond upon an East southeast course from the school House upon the line separating between James Clarke's and Rufus Marr's Lots of Land 168 rods to James Hoddson's house nearly."
For his services in connection with these surveys Mr. Shurtleff presented the following modest bill: "The Plantation of Wales to James Shurtleff
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WALES PLANTATION, JUNIOR.
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