History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 135

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 135

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Towards the close of the century Messrs. Brewer and Fowler, who looked after the interests of the settlers of the 10,864 acres saved from Knapp and associates, made a list of those entitled to the several lots into which its river front was surveyed, beginning at the northerly ex- tremity and extending to the southern, prefacing it with the following remarks :-

It appears to us that the names in this column come sufficiently under the resolve of the General Court, passed the 25th of June, 1789, defin- ing the term settler; because their lands were taken up, housen built, and improvements made thereon, intending it for their abode, before the late war with England; but some were forced away by reason of the de- feat at Bigwaduce; some others enlisted and went into the Continental service, and before and since the first day of January, 1784, have re- turned themselves, or somebody under them, and have made large im- provements thereon, and still continue to live thereon.

[Signed] SIMEON FOWLER. JOHN BREWER.

June 3, 1796.

Peter Robeshaw, 100 acres; Samuel Turner, 100; John Mansel, Jr., 100; John Phillips, 200; Moses Knap, 125; Samuel Knap, 100; Emer- son Orcutt, 275; Thadeus Adams, 100; John Mansell, 100; Samuel Bayley, 100; Solo'n Harthorn, 200; Levi Bradley, 100; Elisha Crane, 100; Bryand Bradley, 75; Thomas Campbell, Jr., 100; Thomas Camp- bell, To0; James Campbell, 100; John Thorn, 100; Lott Rider, 100; John Rider, roo; Simeon Johnson, 100; John Rider, Jr., 100; Benjamin Perkins, 100; Andrew Mayhew, 100; John Holyoke, 200; Joseph Burr, 100; Elisha Skinner, 100; Daniel Skinner, 75; Charles Burr, 100; School and Ministerial Lot, 150; John Emery, 100; Henry Kenney, 200; Elias Dupee, 100; John Tibbitts, 100; Josiah Brewer, Jr., 100; Josiah Brewer, Esq., 100; John and Josiah Brewer, 100 ;* John Brewer, 100; James Guin, 200; David Wiswell, 100; Ephraim Doane, 100; Heman Smith, 100; Jona Haskins, 100; Robert McCurdy, 100; Amos Dole, 100; Thomas Brastow, 100; Joseph Baker, 100; Moses Baker, 100; Joseph Baker, Jr., 100; Benjamin Snow, 130; Solomon Swett, Hannah Arey, widow, Samuel Freeman, 200; Nath'l Pierce, 100; Jesse Rogers, 100; Joseph Rooks, 100; Simeon Fowler, 100; George Brooks, 100; Jesse Atwood, 150; Oliver Doane, 75; Thomas Deane, 75; Samuel Brown, 100; Daniel Nickerson, 100; Warren Nickerson, 100; Eliphalet Nicker- son, 100; Paul Nickerson, 100; Henry Cole, 100; Betsey Snow, widow, 100; Timothy Freeman, 100; Samuel Bartlett, 150; Jeremiah Holmes, 150; Moses Wentworth, 150; Timothy Nye, 50; Joseph and Jesse Smith, 100; Ebenezer Whelding, 100 ;- total, 3,360 acres.

1800 to 1804. We have now traced the history of the three towns of Bangor, Orrington, and Hampden, from

their primitive and plantation state-Bangor as Condes- keag and Sunbury, Orrington as New Worcester, and Hampden as Wheelerborough-and find them at the be- ginning of the nineteenth century well started in their career as corporate municipalities.

It will be recollected that at a town meeting on the 4th of April, 1796, there was appointed "a committee to hire a minister." It does not appear that a selection was made until the year 1800. Then Rev. James Boyd was ordained, but by whom the selection was made there is no record, which is well, perhaps, as both tradition and record give him no enviable reputation. But the town of Bangor and the Congregationalists of Orrington and Hampden united and gave Mr. Boyd a call. A council was convened, consisting of Rev. Mr. Coffin and Rev. Roswell Messenger, of York, and others, who organized a church made up of members belonging to the three towns. The ordination followed in the northerly of the two early meeting-houses erected in Orrington. After the ordination there was a feast at Madam Holyoke's, and as new rum and other liquors in that day were indis- pensable on such occasions, they flowed freely on this, and Rev. Mr. Boyd gave infallible evidence of their in- toxicating qualities. . At that time Rev. Enoch Mudge was preaching acceptably to the Methodists in the lower part of Orrington, and much denominational feeling ex- isted between the Methodists and Calvinists. Mr. Heber Eldridge, the poet of the river, who appears to have sympathized with the former, took advantage of Mr. Boyd's over-indulgence to fire a shot into the stronghold of the latter in this fashion:

A minister, a drunken cur As ever yet was seen, Came from the west, and built his nest Down by Condeskeag Stream.

'Till twenty-four, or something more, He served his master, Dagon, Then from Methodist to Calvinist He altered his persuasion.

Thankful and Jenny* were fierce as any For joining Parson Boyd. They gave their voice, it was their choice That Mudge should be destroyed.

Dr. George Shepard, in his sermon on the Early Re- ligious History of Bangor and Vicinity, said of the per- sons concerned in his ordination, "whether these men laid hands suddenly on Mr. Boyd we do not know-that they did it unfortunately we do know-for at the end of one year the town called a council to try him on six charges-some of them allegations of gross immorality."

The "wolf in sheep's clothing" clearly made his way to Condeskeag when Parson Boyd came. It was a wilderness region; such a place as wolves of that descrip- tion are accustomed to wander into. But the parson did not have all the business for which clergymen are consid- ered peculiarly fitted, or he would have enjoyed an ex- perience which fell to the lot of one of another profes- sion, settled near the Sowadabscook, and earned a dollar that he might have well laid away as a memento of a

* Built grist-mill on it in 1794.

* Thankful and Jenny Baker.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

very primitive feast and a very odd marriage, described in the following letter.

Any marriage, with its concomitants, in 1800 in the backwoods, would hardly compare with a backwoods marriage of this day ; but regard was paid to the legal re- quirements at whatever trouble, if not to the clerical.

The letter is from Daniel Livermore --- who was, per- haps, a physician and Justice of the Peace combined- dated Hampden, February 4, 1800, and directed to "Mr. Samuel E. Dutton, Hallowell."

A few days ago a young man came into my office, clad in a short blue coat, a pair of blue trowsers very much patched, a pair of woolen stockings so much patched and darned that I could not discover what their first color was ; a very wide ruffle to his shirt, exposed to view from his waistband to his handkerchief, which was tied in two large bows, extending from one shoulder to the other. His face, I suppose, had never been touched with a razor ; and there was a thick matted yel- low down growing around his mouth, about half an inch in length. He stood nearly half an hour before he broke silence (I being busy writing). At last, in a tone scarcely audible, he addressed me in the following manner :

"Do you marry young folks, sometimes?"

I told him "Yes." He then said :

" I want to be married."

I then asked him where he lived and the distance. He said he did not know the place nor the distance, but thought General Crosby knew. I asked him whether it was up or down the river. He said: "Up."

I asked him who his neighbors were, and found he lived two miles from the river, ten miles above Hampden. It was then just sundown. I mounted my horse and set out on a trot; kept the poor fellow upon the run, as he was on foot, for the most part of the way. The distance being about twelve miles, many curious thoughts ran through my head on the passage [to the effect that the candidate for matrimony was hav- ing a rather severe preparation]. At length (some time in the night) we arrived at a small log hut, about fifteen feet square, two miles distant from any other in the woods; tied my horse to a small stack of meadow- hay; crept into the camp, where was a man sitting on a bunch of straw in a kind of bunk, a woman sitting by a little fire in one corner of the hut, a little girl squatting at her side, with their stockings pulled off, their faces and legs very dirty, and dressed very meanly.

"Good heavens!" says I to myself, "is here a bride?"

I sat down by the fire, for it was very cold. They mustered and made some tea and fried some pork. We sat down and ate and drank without sugar, cream, knives, or forks, making use of our fingers to help ourselves, with no light but the fire, and that poor. I wished myself back to Hampden, but could not get there without riding twelve miles in the cold. However, as soon as we had supped, 1 told them we must do what we did quick, for I was in a hurry. The little dirty thing had taken a scrub-broom and was scratching the floor. The woman told her:

"Betty, you need not sweep any more."

Betty then stripped, in my presence; put on a calico gown and a wide, red sash (for I suppose she thought those little duds she had on would not answer to be married in); the groom seized her left hand with his left, and stood on the wrong side. I began to say; the woman of the house at the same time was placing herself for a bride-maid. Her hus- band did not take the opposite side; she ordered him to his stand, help- ing to place him at the side of the groom, while I was saying the cere- mony. I proceeded and did not mind the disturbance, and got through as quick as possible; put on my coat and hat; came off with all possible speed, and got home before morning-received one dollar for my night's work-Fees, $1.00.

Physicians at the present day cannot think that the charges at that period were exorbitant, if any opinion may be formed in regard to them by a memorandum of Dr. 'Squire Livermore's business for January, 1800, and three months previous, attached to this letter. "For that time," he says, "my charges are :

For physic .. .$35 33

In my office 26 87

$62 20

On April 22, 1801, the inhabitants of Bangor voted $100 as the salary of Rev. Mr. Boyd, and on the 26th, four days afterwards, they appointed James Drummond, Timothy Crosby, and Amos Patten to settle with him, and "obtain a discharge from him on the best terms pos- sible." His delinquencies would seem to have been a surprise upon the good people, from their impulsive action. They learned, however, that there must be some formality in disposing of a settled clergyman in that day, for at a meeting at Samuel Greenleaf's tavern-which stood on the easterly side of Newbury street, between State and York-on the 19th October, it was voted that the town, with the societies of Orrington and Hampden call a council of ministers to dismiss Rev. James. Boyd from the ministry over said town and societies, that Rev. Jona. Fisher, of Bluehill; Rev. Jona. Powers, of Penob- scot; Rev. Daniel Merrill, of Sedgwick; and Rev. Eben Rice, of Belfast, with their delegates, compose the coun- cil, and that Buckley Emerson be agent to provide accom- modations for them.

Accordingly those clergymen were invited, and with the delegates, Deacon Robert Wood and Eben Hinck- ley, of Bluehill; Deacon David Hawes, of Penobscot; David Thurston, of Sedgwick; and Deacon Tolford Thurston and I. Gillmore, of Belfast, on November 4, 1801, constituted an ecclesiastical council, at Greenleaf's tavern, to act upon the charges against Boyd. He was requested to accept the council as mutual "to which he did not accede."

Mr. Amos Patten, who was Town Clerk, made a rec- ord of the proceedings of the council. There were "six heavy charges," but these do not appear. The Clerk's delicacy was so great that, instead of recording them, he made this note, "Decency might blush at recording them."

After fully investigating the causes of complaint, the Council "unanimously agreed that, in consequence of what appears to have been Mr. Boyd's conduct as mani- fested by what is supported of the said charges, we con- sider his usefulness as a minister of the Gospel to be at an end, and our duty to take from him the charge of the church of the town of Bangor and of the Congregational societies of Orrington and Hampden."

Thus was the second minister of Bangor disposed of, and with him apparently all desire to have another. But the Methodists in the lower section of Orrington were more fortunate in their minister, Mr. Mudge. Professor Shepard says of him that "he came from Lynn to Orring- ton in the latter part of the century; he wrought through the week at his trade as a shoe-maker, and on the Sab- bath preached with great acceptance to the people, laying the foundations of the flourishing church or churches of that persuasion now existing there. That town owes a vast debt to that faithful Christian."

Although the people of Bangor were unfortunate in their religious enterprises, yet there was a desire to provide for the education of their children, and in 1800- OI they voted the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to James Drummond to build a school-house. The house was built near the bank of the Penobscot just

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

northerly of the first hill above Treat's Falls, on the right hand of the road, Drummond's house standing high above it on the opposite side of the road. It was one story, had a square or "hip" with pretty belfry in the centre. This was the first school-house in Bangor. There was a struggle, however, to get the appropriation of one hundred and fifty dollars. An attempt was made to have the vote reconsidered, but it did not succeed, and another project more important did not succeed, as appears by this record of a vote on April 22, 1801 : "Neg- atived a vote to raise a sum of money for the support of schools."

But the indications began to appear that Bangor was not to be forever shrouded in intellectual darkness. Prior to the year 1801, not a settler had a title to this land; that was in the Commonwealth, and he was at its mercy. But on March 5, 1801, the General Court passed a resolve authorizing a deed to be given to each settler before January 1, 1784, or his legal representative, of his lot of one hundred acres on his paying into the treasury eight dollars and seventy cents, and to each settler be- tween that date and February 23, 1793, a deed of his lot of one hundred acres on his paying one hundred dollars. The resolve provided for the appointment of a com- mittee to cause the lots to be surveyed and their bounds established. Accordingly the Committee employed Park Holland, Esq., a veteran surveyor, who had been a cap- tain in General Lincoln's army to put down Shay's Re- bellion in 1793, an assistant surveyor with General Rufus Putnam, in 1784, in Government service in what is now Washington county; and with Jonathan Maynard in 1794, in surveying the Indian reserved lands on the Pe- nobscot and lands in the northerly part of the State. He had in this year (1801) removed his family from Massachusetts to the "Bend" in Eddington, and his ap- pointment as surveyor of the settlers' lots in Bangor "was eminently fit to be made."

The following table contains the names of the settlers, or of their representatives, and the numbers of their lots as surveyed by Mr. Holland in 1801. The numbering commences at the line betwixt Bangor and Hampden, and extends northerly (with 19 interjected for Daniel Webster and 88 for Fessenden & Bussell; 99 for William Forbes, and 40 for Joseph Trott), to the Orono line, on the river until it reaches 40; 41 is in the rear of 3839, and 40, then there is a jump to the lot adjoining the Glenburn line on the westerly side of the Kenduskeag, which the numbering follows to 40 inclusive, when there is another jump to 47 on the Glenburn line on the easterly side of the Kenduskeag, which it follows down until it comes to 68, which extends somewhat below Kenduskeag Bridge and intersects in the stream with 70, which extends on the westerly side to the neighborhood of Lover's Leap. The other numbers are scattered irregularly over the town.

Timo. Crosby, I; heirs of Simon Crosby, 2; Theodore Frafton, 3; Peter Burgess, 4; Bulkeley Emerson, 5; Thomas and Charles Low, 6; William Hammond, 7; Jacob Dennet, 8; John Dennet, 9; heirs of James Dun- ning, 10; Robert Lapish, et al., 11; Haynes, 12; William Boyd, 13; heirs of John Kelsea, 14; Seth Noble, 15;

Thomas Howard, 16; Robert Treat, 17; Robert Hick- born, 18; Daniel Webster, 19; Robert Treat, 20; Robert Treat, 21; James Drummond, 22; Abraham Allen, 23; Evans & Hains, 24; Robert Treat, 25 ; Robert Treat, 26; Jona. Lowden, 27; Archibald McPhetres, 28; Robert Treat, 29; Robert Treat, 30; Robert Treat, 31 ; Robert Treat, 32; Robert Treat, 33; Robert Treat, 34; Bulke- ley Emerson, 35; Robert Treat, 36; Joseph Munsell, 37 ; Timo. Crosby, 38; Robert Treat, 39; Robert Treat, 40 ; Richard Webster, 41; John Crosby, 42; Godfrey & Web- ster, 43; Samuel Greenleaf, et al., 44; S. Greenleaf and others, 45; James Gardner, 46; Aaron Griffin, 47 ; Wil- liam Davis, 48; William Davis, 49; William Hasey, 50; William Hasey, 51 ; Robert Lapish and others, 52; Rob- ert Lapish and others, 53 ; Samuel Sherburn, 54; William Lancaster, 55; Aaron Clark, 56; George Fulman, 57; Robert Lapish and others, 58; Stinson Potter, 59; Robert Lapish and others, 60; Joseph Potter, 61 ; Rob- ert Lapish and others, 62 ; William Hammond, 63 ; Rob- ert Lapish and others, 64; Robert Lapish and others, 65 ; William Potter and others, 66; John Smart, 67; Nathan- iel Harlow, 68; William Hasey, 69; William Hammond, 70 .; heirs of James Dunning, 71; Daniel Campbell, 72; Daniel Campbell, 73; William Hammond, 74; William Hammond, 75; William Hammond, 76; William Ham- mond, 77; Amos Patten, 78; Robert Lapish and others, 79; Robert Lapish and others, 80; heirs of John Kelsea, 81; heirs of James Boyd, 82; heirs of Thomas Howard, 83; John Haynes, 84; Robert Lapish and others, 85; Robert Lapish and others, 86; Robert Lapish and others, 87 ;. Fessenden & Bussey, 88; Robert Lapish, 89; Wil- liam Boyd, 90; Daniel Webster, 91; Jona Morse, 92; Patrick Campbell, 93; Patrick Campbell, 94; James Drummond, 95; Daniel Neal, 96; John Harlow, 97; James Drummond, 98; William Forbes, 99; Joseph Treat, 100; heirs of Mclaughlin, 101; Hatch, Patten, and others, 102 ; Bulkeley Emerson, 103; Robert Treat, 104; Jona. Lowden, 105; William Hammond, 106; Ash -. bel Harthorn, 107; David Harthorn, 108; Silas Har- thorn, 109; Joseph Trott, 110; Patten and others, III; Benjamin Low, 112; John Hutchings, 113; Thomas and Charles Low, 114.

Bangor entered upon its thirty-second year and the nine- teenth century with a population of 277. It had been a town for nearly ten years. It was in the midst of a wil- derness, nearly at the extremity of the Republic, and far from the commercial centre. Still it began to attract attention because of its situation. The population of Massachusetts was rapidly increasing. The law of pri- mogeniture had been practically reversed in that com- monwealth; the youngest son instead of the eldest was made the heir of the homestead, and the eldest must seek his fortune elsewhere. The newly opened country in Maine was represented as having attractions. The Penobscot region was talked about. These provisions by the Legislature of farms for the asking had their effect upon the young men of enterprise, and the emigration in this direction increased yearly. The situation of Bangor at the head of navigation, and a point to which the busi- ness of two-thirds of Maine when settled evidently must

545

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

centre, had an influence, and soon after the opening of the century there were valuable accessions to its popula- tion. Among the new comers were Moses and Amos Patten, Abner Taylor, Luke Wilder, Allen Gilman, Fran- cis, Joseph, and James Carr, William Emerson, and Sam- uel E. Dutton, all men of enterprise, intelligence, and busi- ness capacity, which was almost immediately recognized, and they were in leading positions, some for a quarter of. a century and some longer. They gave an impulse to the prosperity of the town, and weight to its character.

The population began to centre near the mouth of the Condeskeag. It will be seen on referring to the table of Holland's survey, that No. 11, which was the Bridge Point lot, was assigned to Robert Lapish and others, and No. 70, which was that commencing a little below the Kenduskeag Bridge, and extending about a mile up on the westerly side of the stream, was assigned to William Hammond. The Dunning lot (10) adjoined 70, and embraced the westerly bank of the stream below it, and of the river to the Dennet lot (9), which embraced what is now the Central Railroad station property. The Har- low lot (68) intersected with 70 in the stream and ex- tended up on the easterly side. Upon these lots people began to make inroads. Lots were taken up for building purposes, and the "Point" was at first esteemed the most eligible locality for business.

In 1801 the number of voters had increased. For Elbridge Gerry, for Governor, 23 votes were cast; for Caleb Strong, 22. At this meeting Amos Patten was elected Town Clerk for the first time. Captain Budge had for some time been under a cloud, and William Boyd had become the favorite presiding officer. The house of Elisha Crane was the place of meeting.

In 1802 travel had so much increased that two taverns were found necessary to accommodate the public. Mr. Isaac Hatch, the year previous, had built a two-story frame house on Main street, which he occupied as an inn until he died. This was continued several years by his widow and his son Thomas F., and after them by Ezra Hutchins. The building was always occupied as a hotel, although in its later years it was so metamorphosed that neither Captain Hatch, his widow, nor their shrewd and shapely son, would have been able to recognize it. It bore the name of "Hatch House" for a long period, and finally, with its unpretending primitive features hidden under a showy aggregation of dry-goods shops, gothic arches, cornices, friezes, and battlements, gave up the ghost under the name of "Harriman House." Mr. Sam- uel Greenlief built a three-story frame house on New- bury street, upon the lot now owned by Colonel David Bugbee. The site was commanding, and the view em- braced the valley and river of the Penobscot for miles. It was not so convenient for visitors as Mr. Hatch's inn, but it was more spacious, and was for years used by the town for its meetings. After this it was abandoned as an inn for many years, and occupied by Philip Coombs, Esq., as a private residence. At length it became again a pub- lic hostelry under the style of "American House," and as such continued until it was razed a few years ago, to give place to the more elegant private mansion.

About this period William Grosby, who afterwards set- tled in Belfast and became one of the most prominent lawyers in Eastern Maine, and a judge, visited the re- gion, and in an interesting autobiography gave this ac- count of his visit to Bangor :--

I had heard much of Maine, and was charmed with the prospects which a new country presented to me. I examined the map and fixed on Bangor as a central point which would rise to eminence.

In the summer of 1801 I mounted my little horse Robin, and took the tour of Maine. On arriving at the Kennebec I visited the towns of Gardiner, Hallowell, Augusta, Norridgwock, and Waterville. From Waterville I crossed over to Hampden. I found the road from Albion to Hampden merely cross-tied and causewayed. At Hampden I put up at a Mr. Libbey's, who kept a public house there, and devoted two days to rest for myself and horse, preparatory to my visit to Bangor, the grand object of my visit. On the third day I went to Bangor, but, to my astonishment, I could see no village, now the city. I tied my horse to a bush fence, and descended the precipice just above the pres- ent Hatch House, which was then a mere frame, where I found one James Thomas. Mr. Thomas was kind enough to pull a paper out of his pocket, on which he shewed me the great to-be city of Bangor. I was so disappointed and mortified that I made up my mind to return home in the most direct way, immediately. I mounted my horse, re- turned to Hampden, dined, and started for Belfast.

The first town meeting held in Mr. Greenleaf's house was on September 6, 1801, to take measures for the deposition of Rev. James Boyd. The next meeting but one after that unfortunate matter was disposed of, was held in it on April 6, 1802. The list and quality of the officers elected at this meeting would lead to the belief that the town had realized a large addition to its popula- tion: Mr. Amos Patten was not only chosen but ele- vated from the office of Town Clerk to be the peer of Jeremiah Dudley and Robert Hickborn as Selectman; Samuel Call was made one of the Assessors; Daniel Webster and Joseph Potter, et al., were made Surveyors of Highways; Moses Patten, William Forbes, and Wil- liam Hasey, Surveyors of Wood and Bark ; Daniel Web- ster agreed to collect the taxes for six cents on the dol- lar, therefore he was made Collector, as he was the low- est bidder; Samuel E. Dutton was made Town Agent; James Thomas, Samuel E. Dutton, and Allen Gilman were chosen a committee to settle the accounts of the town.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 135

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