History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 124

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

USA > Maine > Penobscot County > History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 124

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Greenville J. Shaw was born in the State of Massachu- setts in 1843. When eight years of age he came to Penob- scot county and settled at Dexter, where he received a common school education. He also attended the Maine State Seminary, at Lewiston, three terms, and is a graduate of Eastman's Business College, of Poughkeepsie, New York. At the age of twenty he took charge of the tannery at Vernon, where he had charge of eighteen men, and in 1866 he purchased one- halt interest in the business. In 1867 he purchased the Hartland tannery in company with his father, and in the winter of 1868 and 1869, in company with his father, he purchased the tanneries at Detroit and Plymouth, which made four tanneries and eighty men under his immedi- ate charge at one time. In 1878, during the scarcity of bark, he was obliged to close three of his tanneries, and at present operates the one at Hartland, where he has fifteen men engaged. In 1864 he married Jennie M. Loose, a native of Dexter, and is the father of five chil- dren: Frank I., Rosa T., Alice J., Henry G., and Fred- die E. (died in Vernon).

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Cream Brook Farm was first owned by Major Stetson, the original proprietor of the town of Stetson. It con- tains 640 acres of good land, well watered, and is peculi- arly adapted to grazing. In 1826 the Major made a present of the whole tract of land to Amasa Stetson, who improved it and remained in possession of the farm until about 1860, when he sold out to M. L. Rice, of Bangor, who was the first to convert it into a dairy farm. Rice kept from fifty to seventy-five cows. He was the first to develop the farm into a butter producing farm; the butter manufactured by him gained the best reputation, perhaps, of any butter produced in the State. In 1870 Rice sold the farm to Charles Collins, of Aroostook county, who remained in possession of it until he sold out to the pres- ent owner, Greenville J. Shaw, who gave the farm its present appropriate name.

Rev. William E. Noyes was born in Abington,. Ply- mouth county, Massachusetts, in 1828, where he received a liberal education. He entered the ministry in 1859, and was ordained a minister in the Baptist church, at South Auburn, Maine, in August, 1861. He has had charge of the Baptist churches of Sabattus, Leeds, Milo, Guilford, Bradford, North Newport, Corinna, Hartland, Stetson, and Kenduskeag. In 1874 he purchased the | residence in which he now lives in Stetson, where he in- tends to remain the balance of his life. He was twice married, his first wife being Lottie A. Brown, a native of Abington, Massachusetts. She died January 28, 1859, and in 1860, October 23d, he married Alice J. Wood, a native of Stetson. He is the father of five children: Lottie A., who married C. R. Ireland, and lives in Stet- son; Lizzie S., lives at home; Lucia H .; Charlie W .; Willie B.

Thomas Clark was born in Gorham in 1807, and came to Penobscot with his father in 1815. They settled in Stetson. In 1832 he married Ruth Wentworth, a native of Kennebec county. He is the father of five children, three boys and two girls-Orelia H. W., who married Brooklin P. Hubbard, and lives in Stetson. Samuel C., married twice. His first wife was Ann Perkins, who died in Stetson. He afterwards married Ome Menifer in Cal- ifornia, where he now lives and is engaged as an engineer on the Union Pacific railroad. Lemuel S. lives in Ne- vada, and is also an engineer. He maried Emma Coats, a native of New York. Sarah J., married John A. Jor- don, and resides in Stetson. Fisher R., married May Cosson, and lives in Stockton, California, where he is Principal of the Commercial College located at that place. When Thomas R. Clark first came to Stetson there were but few families in the town.

Porter G. Wiggins was born in Wolfboro, New Hampshire, in 1814, and went from Wolfboro, when thirteen years of age, with his father to St. Albans. In 1841 he mar- ried Mary Dore, in the town of Harmony. In 1851 he came to Penobscot county, and settled on the farm on which he now lives in Stetson. He has repeatedly held the office of Selectman of his town, and has also held the office of Town Agent for many years, also the office of Road Commissioner. He is the father of six chil- dren-Emma C., who married William H. Hurd, lives in

Stetson ; Eldora A., married Samuel Demeritt, and re- sides in Winn; Newell J., lives in Wisconsin, and is engaged in the lumber business; Ferdinand E., lives· at home, and is engaged in farming; Georgia A., married Rev. F. W. C. Wiggin, and lives in Oldtown; Purditta A., lives at home.

Jeremiah Locke was born in Wakefield, N. H., in 1803. He married Elizabeth B. D. Seaver in Roxbury, Mas- sachusetts, and came to Penobscot county in 1834, settling on the farm now owned by C. H. Foster, in Stetson. His wife died in Stetson, at the age of sixty-nine years, and he died in Stetson in 1876, at the age of seventy- two. He was the father of two children-Adeline M., who married C. H. Foster, and lives in Stetson; George H., who died in Stetson, at the age of three years.

C. H. Foster was born in the county of Devonshire, England, in 1837, and came to America in 1849, in company with the Rev. C. L. Browning, of Dixmont, and remained in his family five years. At the age of seven- teen he started out to support himself. In 1861 he enlisted in company K., Eleventh Maine Regiment, served three years, and re-enlisted for the balance of the war; he enlisted as a private, but for meritorious con- duct was promoted from the ranks to Corporal and Ser- geant, and in 1863 was promoted to First Lieutenant. While in the service he was in all the engagements of the Army of the Potomac under McClellan, and also went with Hunter on his famous raid; also took part in the siege of Charleston, and was second in command of the old "Swamp Angel," and while there joined Gen- eral Butler's army, where he remained until he was wounded. On May 18, 1864, he was severely wounded while charging the rebel works in front of Petersburg, and was mustered out of service in November, 1864. In 1861 he married Caroline Daymon, who died in Stetson in 1867; then married Adeline M. Locke, and is the father of two children-George H. and Sarah L.

Hon. James Rogers was born in Wolfboro, New Hampshire, in 1798, where he married Clarissa H. Wig- gin. He came to Penobscot county in 1833, and settled on the farm now owned by the Rogers heirs in Stetson. He held the. post of Selectman of Stetson several years, and also represented his class in the State Legislature two terms. He died in Stetson in 1879; his wife survives him. He was the father of fourteen children, four of whom are living: John, married Francis A. Hawes, and lives in Stetson; Mary A., married W. B. Ireland, and lives in Stetson; Charles, lives in California; Carrie M., married O. H. Shepley, and lives in St Paul, Minnesota; James W., Amanda, Sarah, Amanda, second; Samuel, died in Stetson.

The Hon. John Rogers was born in Wolfboro, New Hampshire, in 1826; at the age of seven he came to Pe- nobscot county with his father, and settled in Stetson; where he had a common school education; he also at- tended the academies at Foxcroft and East Corinth for-a number of years, and followed school teaching for some time. In 1853 he married Francis H. Haws, a native of Corinna. He has held the office of Selectman, Clerk, Treasurer, and Trial Justice of the town of Stetson for many

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

years, and also represented his class in the State Legis- lature in 1858, and in 1878 and 1879 was elected State Senator from Penobscot county. He is the father of three children: Lyman E., died in Stetson ; Jessie H., lives at home; Seymore E., lives at home.

William H. Ireland was born in Bloomfield in 1798, and in 1807 came to Newport, where he received a com- mon school education, and also attended the academy at Bloomfield three years. When twenty-one years of age he purchased a farm in Corinth, and followed farm- ing and school-teaching; in the latter he was engaged nineteen years. He also preached the gospel for forty- three years in the Christian church, and helped organize many churches in Penobscot county. His death oc- curred in Exeter in 1866. He married Mary Bean, of Corinth, in 1821; she died in Stetson in 1870. He was the father of four children-Sabinia, May J., William B., and Martha R.

William B. Ireland was born in Corinth in 1826. When eleven years of age he moved to Newport, where he received a common school education; he also at- tended the Corinth Academy a short time. At the age of twenty-two he engaged in the mercantile business as clerk for E. G. Allen, and afterwards for Plaisted & Co. in Stetson. At the age of thirty-one he purchased a new

stock of goods and commenced business on his own account, in the room now occupied by his son, Charles R., in which business he was engaged twenty years. In 1877 he sold out his stock of goods to Charles R., and turned his attention to farming, in which business he is now engaged. He has held the office of Selectman of Stetson five years, and in 1877 represented his class in the State Legislature. In 1852 he married Mary A. Rogers, a native of Wolfboro, New Hampshire. He is the father of two children-Charles R., who married Lottie Noyes, a native of York, Maine, and lives in Stet- son; Edward B., lives at home; also has one adopted daughter, Addie M.

Charles R. Ireland was born in Stetson in 1854, where he received a common school education; he also attended the Maine Central Institute and Maine State Normal School at Castine, graduated at Eastman's Business College, in Poughkeepsie, New York, and in 1874 en- tered into a partnership with his father in the mercantile business in Stetson, which continued about two years, when he purchased his father's interest in the business. He was appointed Postmaster February 7, 1877, which office he now holds. He was also appointed Trial Jus- tice by Governor Connor, which office he now holds. In 1880 he married Lottie A. Noyes, a native of Maine.

VEAZIE.

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES.

Veazie enjoys the peculiar distinction of being by far the smallest town in the county. It was formerly but the Seventh Ward of the city of Bangor, and was known popularly as North Bangor. Its longest line of boundary, that on the west, is but two and a half miles long. The northwest line, upon which the road from Bangor to Upper Stillwater and Oldtown, and known here as Still- water Avenue, runs, is but half a mile long. The north- east limit-like the other two mentioned, a straight line- is one and three-fourth miles long. The east line, in the river Penobscot, is one and five-eighths miles; and the south line, also described by the river, about one and one-fourth miles. The greatest length of the town, from the north corner, upon the Orono line, to the end of Thompson's Point, in the big bend of the river, is three miles; its greatest width, from the east corner, also on the Penobscot, straight to the west line, is just one-half the length, or one and one-half miles. The total area enclosed by the confines of Veazie is but four square miles, or 2,560 acres. No part of it, except what may

lie in the Penobscot, is covered with lakes or ponds, or even by any stream more than two-thirds of a mile long. A petty tributary of the river just above the village, and another below Thompson's Point, are the sum-total of the internal waters of Veazie. At the village a dam has been thrown across the Penobscot, and is made to do ex- cellent service in supplying mills with power. This noble stream has an entire flow, past the east and south sides of the town, of about three miles.

Veazie is bounded on the west and northwest by Ban- gor; on the northeast by Orono; on the east by the Pe- nobscot, and Eddington beyond; and on the south also by the river, and beyond it Brewer. Just beyond the south part of the west line of the town, stretches the mile-length of the beautiful Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Veazie has very nearly the whole of the Shore Road within its limits-about two miles' length, entering at the southwest corner, and following the river pretty closely to the village, where it ends. It starts just outside the town line, at the southeast corner of Mt. Hope Ceme- tery, from the Orono Road, which enters the town from

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Bangor very near the Shore Road, and runs straight to the village, through the southwest part of that, and on to Orono and the river road below Oldtown. Somewhat more than two miles of this road are in Veazie. Near the extreme lower part of the village, below the dam one- fourth of a mile, the Chase Road branches off from the Shore road, crosses the Orono Road one-third of a mile distant, and runs northwest straight to the west line of the town, whence it goes half a mile to a junction in Bangor with the Stillwater Avenue. The length of the Chase highway in Veazie is not quite one and three- fourths miles. Stillwater Avenue, which has a length in, or rather upon, this town of just the northwest boundary line-that is, half a mile-is an important thoroughfare which makes pretty nearly a bee-line from the west side of the Park, in Bangor, across the country through Up- per Stillwater post-office to Oldtown, where it crosses in- to Milford, and joins the great highway on the east side of the Penobscot. The European & North American Railway has a length of two and one-eighth miles in this town, and makes but one station here-that at the village.

A REMARKABLE "HORSEBACK,"

or low, broad ridge, composed mainly of gravel, the re- sult of glacial action far back in the geologic ages, begins in the bend of the river in this town, on the higher ground near Thompson's Point, and runs north and west of it for many miles. It is the same which we have noticed in the account of Lagrange, as intersecting that town and used for the bed of a county road, as well as for some fine farms. Its composition may easily be seen on the west side of the railway track, just before entering the village from the direction of Bangor, where it has been cut down to obtain gravel for ballasting the track; and some outlying mounds of it, or moraines, may also be seen on the other side of the railway, as one enters or leaves the village on the other side.

THE SOIL OF VEAZIE

is a sandy loam, which is in high reputation as being excellently adapted to the cultivation of corn. Nearly a century and a quarter ago, when Governor Pownall, with General Waldo and their attendants, were visiting the country above the falls on the other side of the river, the Governor observed and noted in his journal the "clear land on the left for near four miles"-looking at the time, no doubt, across the territory of Veazie and be- yond.

THE INDIAN OCCUPANCY.

This tract, over which Governor Pownall cast his saga- cious eye in 1759, while his earthwork was constructing at Old Fort Point, down the river, was long known as "the Plains." It is believed to have been occupied and rudely cultivated by the Indians for their corn-lands from time immemorial. Here, very likely, was situated their ancient "Negas." Negas is an Indian town known near the close of the seventeenth century to have existed some- where in the dominions of Madockawando, then saga- more of the Tarratines. It was mentioned to the chief at Quebec in 1692, by John Nelson, Governor of Nova

Scotia, who was held a prisoner there, as somewhere "up the Penobscot," in connection with the establishment of a trading house; and it has been conjectured that it may have been the old village plainly indicated by remains on the west bank of the Penobscot, about three miles above the mouth of the Kenduskeag, at a place by the English called Fort Hill. Mr. Williamson says, but not correctly at all points :

Here are the cavities of several cellars, and the remains of two or three broken stone chimneys. The site is a flat of elevated ground, with a gradual slope to the water, formed by nature, an eligible place for a fortification. When it was destroyed or abandoned, no account, either historical or traditional, gives as entire satisfaction. According to some reports, it was burned by the Mohawks; but, with much more reason, it is supposed to have been laid in ruins by a party of North- east soldiery, about a century past. It was certainly inhabited since Europeans have visited the river; for in the tillage of the land the plough has turned out such things as the utensils of cookery, bullet- moulds, pincers, and other articles of hardware, which must have been the workmanship of modern artisans. The plains in the vicinity, ac- cording to the statements of the oldest settlers, originally exhibited all the appearances of having been, at some unknown time, the corn-fields of the natives.

THE EARLY HISTORY

of Veazie is altogether the history of part of Bangor, and will be found sufficiently detailed in Judge Godfrey's Annals. It was formerly, as already noted, the upper portion of the Seventh Ward of that city, being that part beyond Mount Hope. About 1852 the people residing there desired a municipal government more conveniently near, and more distinctly their own; and on the 26th of March, 1853, the town of Veazie was incorporated by the State Legislature: "It"took its name from the well-known old settler, General Samuel Veazie, whose descendants are prominent residents of Bangor. He was the builder

of the first railroad from Bangor to Oldtown-that which ran in the interior, back from the river, was laid with strap-rail, and had a station in Bangor, which still stands on the hill overlooking the Kenduskeag Valley, said by some to have been the first railway station-house built in New England. General Veazie built a fine residence at the village, and long continued to manifest a deep interest in the business and other affairs of the town.

POPULATION, ETC.

In 1860 the people in Veazie town numbered 893. They were 810 in 1870, and 622 in 1880.

The number of polls in these years, severally, was 146, 193, and 175.

Estates in the same years, $139,992, $168,432, and $121,439.

RELIGIOUS NOTES, ETC.

The Congregational church at this place was organized while it was "North Bangor," on the 18th of June, 1838. Its pastorate has of late been vacant.

The Methodists, Free Baptists, and Calvinistic Bap- tists also have societies here, but their pulpits are all vacant at present except that of the first-named, which was occupied in 1881 by the Rev. J. A. L. Rich, of Orono.

The other societies of the town are the Pine Tree, No. 1,326, Knights of Honor, and the Rural Grange, No. 207, Patrons of Husbandry. There was till lately also a Reform (temperance) club.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

At the village, besides a Union church, is the Town House.

THE BUSINESS

of the town is mainly comprised in two saw-mills, one millwright, three coopers, two carpenters, one smith, and one boot- and shoe-maker, three general stores, one hotel, the Everett House, kept by Asa B. Waters, and one physician.

PUBLIC OFFICERS IN 1881.

N. Warren, Postmaster; A. J. Spencer, J. B. Skinner, A. J. McPheters, Selectmen; F. L. Pratt, Town Clerk ; J. B. Skinner, Treasurer; J. Kent, John McCarthy, Con- stables; R. C. Smith, School Supervisor; Nahum Warren, Trial Justice.

Nahum Warren was born in North Yarmouth, Cum- berland county, Maine, January 9, 1806. His father, Samuel Warren, was a native of Somersworth, New Hampshire. He had eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom Nahum is the oldest son. Nahum Warren married for his first wife Sarah Warren, of Ellsworth, Maine. She died, and Mr. Warren married for a second wife Clara Pullen, daughter of Dexter Pullen, of Waterville, Maine, who has now been dead many years. Mr. Warren has six children living, viz : Granville, deceased; Selden, of California; Eugene, also of California; John, of Mt. Tom, Massachusetts; Clara, now Mrs. Sproul, of Veazie, and Eva M. Mr. Warren first settled in West Waterville, where he lived three years engaged in tanning and shoemaking. He lived a short time in Ellsworth, but moved to North Bangor, now Vea-

zie, in 1835, where he has ever since lived, being en- gaged in the lumber business and farming, principally the former. Mr. Warren has long been one of the lead- ing men in Veazie, serving the town as Selectman nine years in succession. He has been selected to represent his class for two terms in the Legislature, in 1863 and again in 1870. Has served as Postmaster seven years. He is now seventy-five years old.

William L. Clark is the son of John T. Clark, who moved to Veazie when William L. was nine years old, from Calais, Maine. He was born in Brunswick, and lived in Jay and Calais before coming here. John T. Clark was born April 26, 1826, and married Mary Tor- tolotte, of Eddington. They had twelve children, seven boys and five girls, of whom William is the second son and third child. William L. Clark married Olive Rob- inson, daughter of West Robinson, of Livermore, Maine. They have five children living, having lost two in infancy, viz: Charles H., now of Brompton Falls, Canada; Cyrus R., of Charlestown, Massachusetts; Clara, widow of Isaac B. Hutchins; Fanny, now Mr. Edward K. Valentine, of Wisconsin; Abbie, now Mrs. E. S. Austin, of Hersey, Wisconsin. Mr. Clark first settled in Livermore, Maine, where he lived about three years engaged in farming. He then moved to Lexington, Maine, where he lived about three years, also engaged in farming. He then moved to Veazie, where he has since lived, engaged most of the time in mill work. He bought the farm where he now lives in 1869, nd since that time has been engaged in farm- ing. He is now seventy-five years old.

WINN;

DESCRIPTION.

The town of Winn is forty and one-half miles north- east of Bangor, on the east side of the Penobscot. It is bounded on the north by Mattawamkeag, east by Web- ster Plantation, south by Lee, southwest by Lincoln, and northwest by the 'river, beyond which lies Chester. Springfield corners with it on the southeast, and Woodville Plantation on the northwest, in the Penobscot, The greatest length of the town is a little over eight miles, from the west corner, on the Penobscot, to the east line; the greatest width, five and three-eighths miles, on that lîne, which is very nearly maintained half-way across the town, to the breadth from the northwest corner, at the junction of the Mattawamkeag line with the river, to

the south line. From this it narrows steadily to a point at the west corner, at the junction of the river and the Lincoln line. The north or Mattawamkeag boundary has a length of four miles; the east line five and three- eighths ; the south or Lee boundary five and three-fourths; the southwest a little less than four; and the river flows past Winn on the northwest about five miles. The Five Isl- ands, which formerly gave the name to the town, are below Winn village, about one-third of the way down the river-front. Below them are Brown, Snow, Gordon, and other islands; and above the village, adjoining the north- west corner of the town, is another small islet. The area of Winn is 22,040 acres.

The track of the European & North American Rail-

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY MAINE.

road and the river road follow closely the bank of the river in this town, crossing and recrossing each other five times within its limits. Each has a length of more than five miles in the town. The railway makes stations at South Winn, near the west corner of the town, -which has School No. I, but no post-office or store,-and at the village. On the river road are School No. 1, abreast of the Five Islands, and a mile further Winn station and post-office, which has Catholic and Episcopal churches, a public school-house, the Katahdin House, a large tan- nery, and the usual number of stores and shops. From it a road runs south and southwest four and one-half miles to East Winn post-office, and one and one-half miles further out of Winn into the angle of Lee, and across that to Springfield and eastward. Stages on this road connect Springfield with the railroad three times a week.

East Winn has a post-office, a public school-house, saw- and shingle-mills, and a shop or two. Roads run from it southwest into Lee, joining a north and south highway one-half mile from the west line of that town; also south into the same town, to Lee post-office and beyond. These and the others before mentioned, with a neighborhood road coming southeast from the river in Lincoln, run- ning for about a mile near the southwest town line in Winn, comprise pretty nearly all the highways as yet used in this town.

Through East Winn passes the west branch of the Mat- takeunk Stream, which enters from Lee nearly two miles from the southeast corner of Winn, furnishes East Winn with a valuable power, and runs north and northeast about four miles further to a junction with the East Branch. Just below East Winn it has a small affluent from the south, and half a mile further, from the west, another, which heads in three little branches in the south centre of the town. The East Branch comes in from Spring- field, just where that town corners with Winn, Lee, and Webster Plantation, and has a northwesterly course of some four and one-half miles in this town before it reaches the point of union with the west branch, one and one-half miles below the north line of the town. About the same distance before reaching the junction it re- ceives from the east a small tributary coming from the border of Webster Plantation.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 124

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100