History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 136

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 136

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The Selectmen had been authorized to divide the town into school districts, and at this meeting reported that No. I extend from the southerly town line to the stream ; No. 2 from the stream north to David Howard's north line, "including Wm. Potter up said stream;" No. 3 from said Howard's to the north line of the town, ar.d No. 4 from William Potter's to the town line west, at Six-Mile-Falls; and it was voted that the money assessed for schools be apportioned to the districts according to the number of children four years old to sixteen, and that there be a school committee consisting of three to a dis trict.

For District I, Timothy Crosby, Daniel Campbell, and Jeremiah Dudley were appointed; for District 2, Nathan- iel Harlow, William Boyd, and Allen Gilman ; for District 3, William Hasey, Joseph Potter, and Aaron Clark; for District 4, Daniel Evans, William Forbes, Robert Hick- born, and Timothy Crosby. Nathaniel Harlow, William Hasey, Daniel Evans, and Bulkely Emerson, were made a General School Committee.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

At this meeting Caleb Brooks Hall had eight votes for County Treasurer, and Simeon Fowler twenty-one.

A meeting had been held at Greenleaf's on the day be- fore to choose a committee to hire a "Gospel preacher," and to give in their ballots for Governor, Lieutenant- Governor, Senators, and Representatives to Congress.

The committee appointed to hire the preacher were William Boyd, Aaron Patten, and Daniel Evans.

The votes cast for Governor were 79, of which El- bridge Gerry had 57, Caleb Strong 20, scattering 2; for Lieu- tenant-Governor, William Heath had 53, Edward H. Rob- bins 17; for Senators, Nathaniel Dummer had 17, David Cobb 17, Martin Kinsley 2, John Chandler 43, Nathan Weston 45; for Representative to Congress, Martin Kins- ley 52, Nathaniel Dummer 9.

Nathaniel Harlow, on the 30th, was drawn to serve as grand juror, and James Drummond on the petit jury at the Supreme Court in Castine.

By the above report it will be perceived that with the aid of the new ability brought into the business of the town, it was now transacted systematically.

Among the new citizens was Dr. Horatio G. Balch. He was the first resident physician, "and practiced with good reputation and success until 1809,"* when he re- moved to Lubec. He afterwards was High Sheriff, and held several political positions in Washington county.

The subject of a bridge across the Condeskeag Stream had occupied the attention of the citizens for several years. The population was increasing, and the com- munication between the inhabitants on both sides of the stream constant, and Crane's ferry, which was about at the foot of Water street, was inconvenient. The project of building one by means of a lottery had fallen through, and in 1802 Robert Lapish and others made a petition to the General Court to build a toll-bridge across the stream. This plan did not meet with favor. A meeting was called on May II, and Samuel-E. Dutton, Samuel Call, James Thomas, Amos Patten, and Daniel Evans were appointed a committee to draw up an answer to the petition, setting forth that the town would build the bridge, and complete it in one year and six months from that date, provided "the privilege of the tide-waters might revert to the town," and Amos Patten was chosen to present the remonstrance to the Legislature. Mr. Patten declined, and Allen Gil- man was chosen.

On the petition of Robert Treat and others, another meeting was held on the 17th of July, to see if the town would raise money to build a bridge across the Condus- keag Stream, at its mouth ; if not, to see if they would consent that Robert Lapish and others would have "a toll of two cents a person, on condition that they should complete the bridge in eighteen months." This was evi- dently a device in the interest of the Lapish party, but the townspeople were too wary to be caught in this man- ner. They voted to "pass over" both the propositions. Another subject to which the citizens were required to give their attention was the balloting for a member of Congress for the First Eastern District, in place of Silas Lee, who had resigned his seat. But little interest was * McGaw's Sketch.

manifested. There were three several ballotings. At the first meeting Martin Kinsley had 3 votes; Samuel Thacher, 3. At the second, Nathaniel Dummer had I vote; Samuel Thacher, 7 ; Martin Kinsley, 5. At the third Phineas Bruce had 8 votes ; Martin Kinsley, II.

In March, 1803, the town chose Amos Patten, Town Clerk; Deacon William Boyd, Amos Patten, and Joseph Treat, Selectmen and Assessors; Samuel E. Dutton, William Boyd, William Hasey, and Robert Treat, School Committee ; and Samuel E. Dutton, Nathaniel Harlow, Horatio G. Balch, Robert Treat, and William Hasey, General School Committee.

In that day the School Committee employed the teachers, wood, and conveniences for the school. The General School Committee examined the teachers in re- gard to their educational qualifications, and examined the schools.

The town this year raised $400 for the support of schools, and passed over the article to raise money for the support of preaching, although those desirous of hav- ing it caused the subject to be brought before the town at two several meetings.

Deacon Eliashib Adams, a gentleman of strict Puritan- ical views, who became a valuable citizen of Bangor, made this note in his journal :

Soon after I came to Buckport, which was July 5, 1803, I walked to Bangor. From its being the head of navigation and safe for ships, I had no doubt it would be the most important place on the river. I should have remained here had it not been that there were no religious privileges. It was a mere Sodom, with Lot dwelling in it by the name of William Boyd, afterwards one of the first deacons of the First church. I was so disgusted with the character of the place, that, for several, years when my business made it necessary to remain over night, I used to cross the river to Orrington, now Brewer, and put up at Dr. Skinner's, who and his wife were both pious and intelligent.

This is pretty severe. The mass of the people were very poor, and perhaps not over-exemplary in their morals - rum being their chief drink - but it probably would not have been difficult to find ten righteous men in the town. It is probable that the second emphatic re- fusal of the town to raise money for preaching that year was the occasion of the harsh stricture of the good man.

Some building was contemplated this year for a town- house, for a committee was appointed "to provide and repair the town-house to meet in."

Main and Water streets were laid out, the former from Andrew Morse's house, at the intersection of Main and Union streets, to where the contemplated bridge was to cross the Conduskeag, and the latter from Jeremiah Dudley's house (where the Washington buildings are) to the stream near Isaac Hatch's store. Proposals made by Lapish, French, and Stetson, in regard to build- ing the bridge, were "passed over." Respect for the dead was manifested by a vote that the fences around the burial ground should be repaired. This was at the cor- ner of Oak and Washington streets, where Egery's Iron Works are.

Caleb Strong had 24 votes, and Elbridge Gerry 30, for Governor ; Edward H. Robbins 24, and James Bowdoin 27 for Lieutenant Governor; Martin Kinsley 34 votes for Senator; Simeon Fowler 43 votes for County Treas-

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

urer; and Bradshaw Hall had 34 votes at one meeting and 20 at another for Register of Deeds.

Some attention was this year paid to schools. It was at about this time that school houses in Districts I and 2 were built. The former was a one-story frame building with a hip roof, and stood upon the lot of the city at the corner of Union and First streets.

The money raised this year for schools by a vote of the town was to be appropriated by such districts as saw fit, to the building and repairing school-houses. District No. 2 was extended north to Penjejawock Stream, and Joseph Mansell was chosen Committee for the Third District.

By a vote of the town the time of the annual meet- ings was changed from March to April, and on April 2, 1804, there was a change in some of the officers. Amos Patten appears to have withdrawn himself entirely from town business. Horatio G. Balch was elected Town Clerk. James Thomas, Daniel Campbell, and Robert Hickborn were made Selectman and Assessors; William Forbes, Treasurer; Samuel E. Dutton, Allen Gilman, Horatio G. Balch, Superintending School Committee; Allen Gilman, Town Agent. Five hundred dollars were raised for schools, $75 for preaching, $1,600 for high- ways. Seventy-one votes were cast for Governor: for James Sullivan, 44; for Caleb Strong, 26. The meeting for the first time was held in a house belonging to the town- the school-house in the First District.

This year the town made some new provisions in re- gard to school committees. The Superintending School Committee was to consist of three persons, whose duty it should be to examine teachers for the several districts at such times and seasons as they should think proper, and direct them to their districts; that they should fre- quently visit the schools and generally superintend and direct them. The District Committeeman was re- quired to hire the teachers directed to him by the Super- intending School Committee, to provide a commodious house for the school and firewood, and the teacher with convenient "boarding and lodging, etc.," and to advise with the Superintending School Committee respecting any difficulties "appertaining to the school." No one individual should be a member of both committees.

Mr. Thomas Bradbury, who was honored this year by being elected to the several positions of Constable, Tythingman, and Hog-reeve, was the constable commis- sioned to notify the inhabitants of the meetings for choice of Elector, etc., in 1804, Samuel Greenleaf, who had peformed the service before, having disappeared from the list of constables. The number of voters pres- ent at the meeting for choosing Electors was forty-eight. The town voted to sell the school-house in the Second District.

This year a party, consisting of William Howe, Amos Patten, Joseph Treat, Samuel Call, William Rice, Richard Winslow, and Charles Turner, Jr., made an ex- cursion to Mt. Katahdin. They took with them two In- dians as guides, whose superstitions about the mountain created some difficulty in regard to proceeding, when they had accomplished the larger portion of the ascent,

They had a tradition that no person who had ascended the mountain lived to return, and averred that some time before seven Indians had resolutely made the as- cent, but never returned, having, undoubtedly, become the victims of Pomola, the evil spirit who ruled there. The guides refused to proceed, but when they found that the party was determined to go on without them, they became courageous and made an effort to be the first on the summit.

The party was impressed with the extensive and mag- nificent views from this isolated mountain, which is nearly six thousand feet in altitude. They counted sixty- three lakes of different dimensions, which discharge their waters by the Penobscot. Mt. Desert was distinctly in view and the highlands extending westerly from the Bay of Chaleur, which were then the boundary between the northeast territory of the United States and the British possessions, but which since, by unfortunate diplomacy, have been, together with a breadth of nearly seventy miles of good Maine territory, surrendered to Great Britain.

Their view was from the highest point towards the east end, and "was enchanting." Upon the top of the moun- tain they found a plain nearly a mile and a half in length. After feasting themselves with a survey of the greater portion of Maine for several hours, they deposited a sheet of lead, with the initials of their names cut upon it, and a bottle of rum corked and leaded, upon the highest part of the mountain, and commenced their de- scent. Whether the precious deposits have since been discovered is not known to the public. It would be strange, however, if some old bacchanalian, in a stringent period of the Maine law, had not made a successful effort to discover them.

CHAPTER VI.

Subject of Bridge Over the Kenduskeag Agitated-Town Officers in 1805 and Appropriations-Fishing Privileges-Alexander Savage- Town Clerk-Officers and Appropriations in 1806-Schools-First Report of School Committee-Vote for Governor-Horatio G. Balch Chosen Representative to General Court-Project for Bridge at Crane's Ferry-Remonstrance-1807-Bridge Question Concluded, and Proposals Received for Building are Accepted-School-house in Second District-Town Meeting There-Bridge at Meadow Brook -Vote to have Town Meetings in March-Votes for Governor-Vote to Make Maine a State-Breakwater-Embargo Effect in Bangor- Toll Bridge Over Kenduskeag River Completed in 1808-Rev. John Sawyer-His Work-His Treatment by the People-Second District School-house-Deacon Boyd's Claim-Movement for New Burial- ground-Proposition to Suspend Embargo-Black Death-William D. Williamson as Town Clerk-Arrival of Joseph Leavitt-His Notes on Bangor-His Contracts for Building a Ship.

1805 to 1811. The first business of the town in 1805 was to consider the subject of a bridge across the "Con- duskeeg " Stream, At a meeting in the school-house in

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

the First District, on February 7th, Samuel E. Dutton, Samuel W. Hayes, Amos Patten, John Weeks, and Luke Wilder were appointed a committee to receive "com- munications from Mr. Little upon the subject of erecting a bridge;" to draw a plan, make an estimate, and "devise the best scheme or schemes," and report at the next an- nual meeting. At that meeting the subject was post- poned until the 22d April; then to the 12th September, when the town assembled and "voted to dissolve the meeting."

At the town meeting, April Ist, Horatio G. Balch was again elected Town Clerk; William Forbes, Treasurer: Moses Patten, Timothy Crosby, Luke Wilder, Selectmen and Assessors; Samuel E. Dutton, Allen Gilman, H. G. Balch, Superintending School Committee; and Allen Gilman, Town Agent. Appropriations were made : For Schools, $500 ; for "the support of the Gospel," $100 ; for highways, $1,400; and this vote extraordinary was passed : "Voted, the thanks of this town to Mr. John Minot and Joseph Cleavland for their faithful and extra- ordinary services as schoolmasters for the past year."

Allen Gilman, Samuel Call, and Amos Patten were appointed a committee to ascertain if the town had the right to use the fishing privileges in town, or receive the profits of them. Middle and Fore streets were accepted.

James Thomas received thirty-three votes, and Robert Treat six, for Representative to the General Court.

The closing business of the year related to the bridge across "Conduskeag" Stream. On the 21st of Decem- ber the town voted not to build a free bridge, but to petition the General Court for liberty to build a toll bridge the ensuing year.

Alexander Savage had now become a resident of Ban- gor, and being a better penman than those who had be- fore kept the records, the town selected him for Town Clerk at the annual meeting in 1806, and retained him in that capacity for two years. Moses Patten, Nathaniel Harlow, and Timothy Crosby were Selectmen and As- sessors; Samuel E. Dutton, Treasurer; Allen Gilman, Town Agent: and Samuel Call, Samuel E. Dutton; and Samuel Call, Samuel E. Dutton, and Jacob McGaw, Superintending School Committee for 1806.

The town appropriated this year $600 for schools, $150 for preaching, and $1,600 for highways, and voted to build two pounds.

The interest in the schools was increasing, and the Superintending School Committee of the last year made some propositions to the town for their improvement- among others, that the Superintending School Committee should .visit the schools immediately after their com- mencement and immediately before their close, and en- deavor to form the best possible opinion of their prog- ress in literature, and report the same and such other things as they should deem necessary, that the town might "know to what advantage the money raised for the support of schools is disposed of;" that they should ex- amine teachers and recommend to the district commit- tees in writing those suitably qualified, and dismiss teachers who did not properly perform their duties as instructors, and have charge of all school concerns of

the first and second districts; that there should be a com- mittee for each of the third, fourth, and fifth districts, who, among other things, should notify the Superintend- ing School Committee seasonably when the schools com- menced and when they were to close.

The propositions were adopted and regulations accord- ing with them were established.

The committee for the first time made a report, by , which it appeared that Mr. Sumner taught the school in the first district, but owing to want of information when it was to close, they could form no opinion in regard to its progress. The case was the same in the second dis- trict when under Mr. Minot, but after Mr. Foster took the school in the winter, they visited it at its commence- ment and at its close, and were "happy to state that dur- ing its six weeks' tuition under Mr. Foster, the scholars made handsome progress; particularly in writing." They further reported that in the third district there had been no school during the year except for a very short time; that in the fourth district the inhabitants had saved their money for a school-house and had only a private school, and that they had not understood that any attention had been paid to schools in the fifth district during the year. [This district was probably on the west side of the stream and north of the first district].

The votes this year were for James Sullivan for Gov- ernor, 65; Caleb Strong, 27; William Heath, I. At least 103 votes were cast in town meeting, showing that the population exceeded 500.

The inhabitants were exercised upon the subject of pounds. There had been two, but they were not equal to the needs of the town in location or quality; therefore they wisely determined to have two that would be, and appointed a committee upon the subject, who, at an adjourned meeting, reported one on the southerly side of the Condeskeag Stream, easterly side of the bridge over the brook, below the corner of Main and Emerson streets [running under Eastern Railroad Station]; and one on the north side of the Condeskeag Stream, four feet from the easterly side of the Howard Brook on the north side of the road. The report was accepted, and $160 appropriated for building the pounds.

Horatio Gates Balch was chosen Representative to the General Court.

The question of the bridge was again sprung upon the town by a notice that John Barker and others had peti- tioned the General Court for liberty to build one at Crane's Ferry, which was not far from the foot of Water street. James Thomas, Nathaniel Harlow, and William Hammond were appointed to draw up a remonstrance against the petition, and the Representative to the Gen- eral Court was instructed to advocate the petition of the town for leave to build a bridge across Conduskeag River at the county road (Main street).

At an adjourned meeting on May 15th the remon- strance was presented to the town and approved. It set forth "that the Conduskeag River, so called, empties into the river Penobscot, the confluence of which forms the harbor of Bangor; that from the mouth of said harbor, seventy-five rods or thereabouts, up said Conduskeag,

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

holding and continuing the width from the mouth of said river of from eight hundred to four hundred and fifty feet, with the depth of water in said river of from twenty- four to sixteen feet, and is sufficiently navigable for ves- sels of any burthen ;" . . " that on each side of said Conduskeag River there are a number of wharves, stores, and ware-houses, handsomely situated, with many lots and privileges, regularly laid out, on the banks of the river, where much business is done, and much more may be done if our navigable waters are not obstructed;" "that Crane's Ferry crosses at the mouth of said Conduskeag River (the place prayed for by the said John Barker and others); that a bridge extended across the Conduskeag River agreeably to the prayer of their peti- tion would not only materially injure and sacrifice the property of individuals by abridging their rights and priv- ileges, but would destroy the harbor of Bangor without benefiting the public good."

The people were now fully awake upon the subject, and on March 16, 1807, appointed a committee, consist- ing of Luke Wilder, Joseph Treat, Andrew Morse, Wil- liam Boyd, and Horatio G. Balch, to make a plan and es- timate of the cost of the bridge, and to "devise the most proper means to raise " the same.

At a meeting on the 23d, Jeremiah Dudley, Joseph Treat, Luke Wilder, James Thomas, and Allen Gilman, were appointed a committee to receive proposals for erecting a bridge. On the 30th the committee reported a proposition, signed by Moses and A. Patten, Perkins & Parker, Joseph Whipple, Ebenezer Webster, Isaac Hatch, Samuel E. Dutton, and Jacob McGaw, that, with others, they would be incorporated at the next session of the Legislature, with the privilege of a toll for twenty years, to build a handsome bridge across the " Kendus- keag,"* this season, thirty-two feet in width, with side- walks, and they would enter into a contract with the town to relinquish the toll to the inhabitants, if the town would pay them annually, for the first five years, $200; for the second five years, $250 annually; for the third, $400 annually; and for the fourth five years, $600 per year, and at the expiration of twenty years convey and deliver the bridge to the town in good repair; but the contractors were to have toll in the meantime from persons not taxed in the town. The proposition was ac- cepted, and Jacob McGaw, James Thomas, and Allen Gilman, were appointed a committee to draft a petition to the Legislature to "transfer the right of the town to a toll, and for a further time of ten years." The contract was completed April 13.

Thomas Bradbury, who it will be recollected was in 1803 elected constable, tythingman, and hog-reeve, was this year raised to the important position of Town Clerk, vice Savage. His handwriting was not so good as Mr. Savage's, but he evidently took pains to make it read- able.

A new school-house had been built in the second dis- trict of a somewhat pretentious appearance. It had a tower, belfry, and. bell. It stood on the lot of the city where the brick house now stands, at the corner of State

and Pine streets. Its tower projected from the end on the street all the way from the foundation. All about it was an open field, but at a little distance from the north- erly corner was a fine grove of white oaks. Like the school-house in the first district, it never experienced the adornment of paint. In this house, in 1807, the annual town meeting was held. Horatio G. Balch, Andrew Morse, and David W. Haynes were elected Selectmen; William Forbes, Treasurer; Jacob McGaw, Town Agent; Jacob McGaw, Samuel E. Dutton, Horatio G. Balch, Superintending School Committee; and Thomas Brad- bury, Tythingman. For schools $600 were appropriated; for the ministry $300; and $1,400 for highways. A bridge had been built over Meadow Brook on Harlow street, and John Weeks was allowed this year $18 for his services upon it in 1805. Mr. Weeks built and lived in a little cottage on the hill north of the brook.

The town voted that their annual meeting for the election of town officers should be held in March in future; also that the Selectmen should petition the Legis- lature to incorporate the Bridge Company.

James Sullivan had 80 votes for Governor; Caleb Strong 26; Levi Lincoln had 80 votes for Lieutenant Governor, Edward Robbins 26; George Ulmer and Wil- liam King had 80 votes for Senators, Samuel Thatcher and John Crosby 26.

The town voted 68 to 19 in favor of a separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts, in order to be- ing created into a State.

Caleb Strong, Federalist, was elected Governor in 1806, though Lieutenant Governor Heath and both Houses of the Legislature were of opposite politics.

It was by this Legislature that Orono was incorporated, embracing Marsh Island within its limits. It was settled originally by Jeremiah Colburn, Joshua Eayres, and John Marsh. Eayres and Colburn came first and settled southerly of the Island; Marsh settled upon the Island and it was named for him. That part of it which was connected with Condeskeag at first, was called Dead- water. Afterward one Owen Madden, who had been with Burgoyne's army, and stationed at Stillwater, New York, suggested that Stillwater would be a more agreeable name than Deadwater, and it was adopted. He was an ambulatory schoolmaster between Stillwater and Condus- keag, but he had army habits, like Parson Noble, and his brain was often obfuscated. His education and disposi- tion, however, were both good.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 136

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