History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 151

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 151

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The Young Ladies' Academy, since Mr. Baldwin left it, had been under the charge of Mr. Willard until the summer of this year. Mr. Josiah Brewer became the Pre- ceptor of the school, and commenced the fall term on the 5th of September.

The annual exhibition of the Theological Seminary oc- curred on the 28th of August, in the First Parish house of worship. The attendance was large, and the perform- ances were very satisfactory. The candidates for the min- istry were Ingalls, Merrill, Shelden, Wilcox, and Chapin. Their orations were sensible and entertaining. These gentlemen obtained settlements and were useful ministers.

On. September 9th occurred the annual election of State officers. The vote of Bangor was for Albion K. Parris for Governor, 77; Ezekiel Whitman, 31; Joshua Wingate, 9.

For Senator, Isaac Case received 62 votes; Benjamin Nourse, 55.

For Representative to the Legislature, Samuel Call re- ceived 73 votes; Joseph Treat, 45.

John Wilkins received 60 votes for County Treasurer.

Governor Parris was re-elected. Messrs. Case, Call, and Wilkins were elected to the offices for which they were candidates.

The Supreme Court commenced its fall session on the first Tuesday of October, with Chief Justice Mellen and Justice Weston upon the Bench. At this session a case was tried which attracted unusual attention.

Stephen Appleford was indicted for assault and bat- tery, the abduction and false imprisonment of a child al-

leged to be. Ruth Ames, the daughter of Daniel and Mary Ames, of the age of three years and ten months. Attorney-General Foote conducted the case in behalf of the Government, and the celebrated Benjamin Orr, of Brunswick, was assigned as the counsel of Appleford. The Court-house was thronged during the trial-the galleries being filled with ladies.

The facts proved to the court were, that on the 6th day of June Mrs. Ames sent the child to a neighbor's, who lived about half a mile distant, to carry a towel. On the road was a small wood through which the child passed, and the mother watched her until she had gone through and nearly reached the house to which she was sent. From this time nothing more was seen or heard of the child. Alarmed at her not returning, the mother went in pursuit of her, and found that she had not been to the house, whereupon the neighborhood was aroused, and a search was instituted. The people of seven or eight of the neighboring towns, hearing of the loss, and full of sympathy for the distracted parents, united in the search. The woods, the streams, aud every place were examined, but without success. As many as three hun- dred persons were engaged in the search for two days, when they gave it up in despair, believing the child had become the food of the wolf or some other ferocious an- imal of the woods.

After the lapse of eleven weeks a report reached the parents in Sangerville that a man by the name of Apple- ford-a sort of vagabond-had appeared in Hallowell with a child answering to the description of that they had lost. The father immediately went to Hallowell to ascer- tain whether it was indeed his. He did not recognize it. Its hair was short, while Ruth's was long; and he found no scar upon her hand, such as his daughter had; and he immediately went home. But the mother had made up her mind that it could be none other than her child. She clung to this last hope, and would not relinquish it. She insisted that the child at Hallowell should be sent for and brought to Sangerville. A man by the name of Oaks was despatched to Hallowell to bring the child, armed with this description of her person: "Description of Ruth Ames, who was lost on the 6th of June, 1822, aged three years and ten months when lost. Middling as to size; rather clumsy in body and limbs; very light hair; light blue eyes; had scars on its right hand, the forefinger, little finger, and thumb; the thumb shorter than the other, scarred by burning; was scarred on its belly; reels when it walks; could not talk distinctly. Taken as Mr. and Mrs. Ames gave in. Guy Carlton."

The parents told Mr. Carlton they could recollect no other mark. Oaks brought the child to Sangerville at the instance of the Selectmen, notwithstanding difference was found in the length of the thumb, and no distinct marks could be found upon it corresponding to those in the de- scription, though some thought there was a slight scar on the hand and some marks upon the body. But there was a wart, a scar of a boil on the left hip, and a scar of vaccination on this child. Oaks testified that, in reply to his questions, the child sometimes called her name Mary Clifford, sometimes Mary Stafford, and sometimes

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Ruth Ames; that she named the house to which she was sent on the 6th of June; that she said that Appleford was not her father; that when brought to Sangerville, Mr. and Mrs. Ames, with a crowd of other people, met her at a house about a mile distant from their own; that a ring was formed about her by persons of both sexes, and when she was asked which was her mother she stretched her hands towards Mrs. Ames and wished to go to her. On the road she had called several middle-aged women mother, and one or two old ladies grandmother. Oaks said that Appleford claimed that the name of the child was Sally Appleford. He followed the child to Sanger- ville, and was in the room when the child appeared to recognize Mrs. Ames as its mother.

Mrs. Ames testified that at first she had painful mis- givings as to whether it was her child. Her doubts con- tinued for several days. But she identified it by its age, size, expression of countenance, color of the hair and eyes and complexion, by a wart on the left hand, by a small scar of vaccination on the left arm, by a scar of a boil on the left hip, by slight scars of a scald on the breast and abdomen, and by some faint traces of a burn on the left hand; that soon after her return the child recognized her clothing and toys, among which were some bits of calico that she accurately drew from a par- cel, leaving the rest as not her own, that she asked for calico which was formerly in a basket that she recognized, that she gave a correct account of the breaking one of her toys, for which she had been chastised, that there were instances of her recollecting places, persons, and events, although in this she did not manifest any extraordinary quickness or excitement, that she was a lively, playful child, and would readily go to any one who showed her a kindness, but did not give a clear account of where she had been, that she-the mother-now felt confident that the child was her own, and had as much affection for her as she had for any other of her children.

It was proved in defense that on the 8th and 9th of June, four days after the child was lost, Appleford was in Wrentham, Massachusetts, nearly three hundred miles from Sangerville, with a child of the apparent size, age, and appearance of that taken from him at Hallowell, that when she was taken from him he insisted that she was his own flesh and blood, but gave his consent that she might be taken to Mrs. Ames to satisfy her that it was not the child she had lost.

He represented himself to be an Englishman by birth, that his wife had recently died in the State of New York, that he had formerly worked for Dr. Vaughan in Hallo- well, that he had lived in Buffalo and in Lewiston, near Lake Ontario; that he had left there in the spring with the child to come to Hallowell, and that he came by way of Albany and received assistance on the way.

Three or four witnesses testified that he was in Wren- tham as early as the roth of June with a child resembling this. It was proved that he manifested great affection for the child, and that he was anxious in regard to it; that he reached Sangerville in advance of her.

The evidence was such that Mr. Orr was willing to submit the case to the jury without remarks. He, as

well as many others, were satisfied that a case had not been made out, but the jury were not able to agree.

Appleford was a very ignorant and somewhat simple man. He had been confined in jail for his alleged of- fence; he had no money; no friends. When the case was understood, the sympathies of many went out to him; they could not believe that he was other than the father of the child, and that the yearning of Mrs. Ames for her lost one had led her to the conclusion that this was her child against the first evidence of her senses.

The interest in the trial was enhanced by the manner in which it was tried. The Attorney-General, a con- ceited man, with a piping voice, but of much ability, suc- ceeded in so shaping the evidence as to obfuscate some members of the jury, notwithstanding the efforts of Mr. Orr to have it receive its natural construction. The sharp repartees and sarcasm of this gentleman would have sorely disturbed most men, but the conceit of the attorney was proof against all.

Appleford was ordered to recognize for his appearance at the next term of the court. Some gentlemen became his bail, and it was 'not long after the case was reported in the newspapers before evidence came from abroad sus- taining Appleford's statements conclusively. Rev. John Marsh, minister of Haddam, Connecticut, testified that he saw Appleford with his child in Attleborough, Massa- chusetts, on the 5th of June, and that he said that he had buried his wife on the banks of Ontario, and had brought Sally in his arms and on his back to that place. Robert Anderson, Supervisor of Gaines, New York, cer- tified that Stephen Appleford's wife Betsey died there in February, 1822, and that Appleford, with his child Sally, left and went to parts unknown. A letter from Fitch Chamberlain, of Gaines, to a gentleman in Bangor, gave the history of Appleford, described the child, stated that the parents had been in his employ in harvesting, and that he left in March, 1822. Affidavits of Oliver Booth, Overseer of the Poor of Gaines, and others, said that the family were foreigners and paupers; that the wife died as above stated, and the father and child left for Canada, but had been heard from traveling East, and fully de- scribing the child.

The evidence received was so conclusive that the At- torney-General signified his intention of entering a nolle prosequi at the next term of the court, and an application was made to Judge Weston at Augusta for a writ of habeas corpus. It was granted, and Daniel Ames himself came to the conclusion that, although it was a very mys- terious affair, the child could not be that which he lost. He therefore surrendered her with this note:

To Mr. Stephen Appleford : This may signify to you that I volun- tarily give up to you SALLY APPLEFORD, as she is called, whom you claim to be your daughter, and whoin I have been required by a writ of Habeas Corpus, issued by Judge Weston, to bring before him immedi- ately-And I do hereby relinquish all claim to said child, and engage never more to reclaim her, nor to require any compensation for her board or damages of you for any supposed caption of her, the said S. Appleford.

Sangerville, Feb., 1823.

DAVID AMES.

On the 4th of October John Emerson, a merchant of the firm of John & William Emerson, died. He was a

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man of position in the community, and his loss was deeply lamented. His age was forty-five.

In the next week, October 9, occurred the death of Hon. Lothrop Lewis, in this town, at the age of fifty- eight. He had the confidence of the governments of Maine and Massachusetts, and had held several respon- sible positions under both. At the time of his death he was serving as Commissioner under the act of separation, on the part of Maine, in surveying lands, preparatory to setting off to Maine those of the value of $30,000 as an indemnity for the assumption of payment of the annuities to the Penobscot Indians. General Holman was the Commissioner on the part of Massachusetts. The resi- dence of Colonel Lewis was Gorham. His death was sudden and unexpected. In his death the State lost a valuable servant.

In October Messrs. Lincoln, Bliss, and Holman, of Massachusetts, Messrs. Bridge and Porter of Maine, Commissioners under the act of separation, with James L. Child, Secretary of the Board, made a three days' in- spection of the public lands as far as Passadumkeag.

Major Royal Clark, Sheriff of the county, assumed the duties of jailer. But the dignity of the former office brought no additional strength to the latter in securing prisoners. The Major arose on the morning of October 12th to find that a forger, a fighter, and a thief had each walked through the wooden walls of the jail, and left nothing for him to do but offer a reward of $40 for their return to his keeping.

John Godfrey was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Sessions, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the res- ignation of Enoch Brown.

On the 17th October the annual cattle show of the Penobscot Agricultural Society was held in town. Much interest was taken in the exhibition. The committee were of opinion that in the eighteen months of its exist- ence, the condition of the society was better than that of any "of the older and wealthier counties of the State." Benjamin Bussey, of Roxbury, and Amasa Stetson, of Dorchester, each gave the society $50. The gift of the latter was to be expended in premiums for the best essays on clearing new lands, with particular reference to avoid- ing injury by fires to lands not intended to be cleared.

Major Clark was again astonished on the morning of the 6th of November to find that a counterfeiter and two thieves had manifested their dissatisfaction with their quarters and his strict surveillance, by leaving the gaol on the night before, and giving him an opportunity to offer $100 for their return. At the rate the offers were accumulating, it would not be long before they would amount to a sum large enough to build a gaol from which no prisoner could escape-that is, if the prisoners should not be captured.

It was customary in these years for the Selectmen of towns to caution retailers of liquor against supplying per- sons addicted to excessive drinking, whom they named, without regard to the feelings of their families; as if the exposure of a person lost to all sense of shame or the community would be benefited by it. It would have been sufficient to publicly caution the sellers of liquor by

the glass, not to sell to any such; and avoided subjecting their friends to mortification by publishing their names. .

Mr. John Brewster, a portrait painter, deaf and dumb, and a gentlemanly person, appeared in town in Novem- ber, and gave notice that if any would please to call, they would " be pleased with the striking likenesses of his, and with the reasonableness of his prices," and if there was "no application made to him within ten days, he would leave the town." Applications were made and the prices suited.

A young lady was informed that she was no favorite of the muses, when in good faith she wrote the following lines, and many more like them, On the Approach of Winter:

Winter ! stern winter comes in advance A month or more 'fore nom'nal time, And forces the mind's eye to a glance Centripetal, to more Southern clime.

But, then ! the thoughts on health are cast, Nay life-chief good to man-of course. And bids avoid th' pestiferous blast, With more than centrifugal force.

CHAPTER XVI.

Mr. Williamson in Congress-Movement for Fortifying Penobscot River-Agents for Settlement of Massachusetts's Claim on Account of War of 1812-Annual Town Meeting-Gun-house-Crow Bounty -Republican (Democratic) Controversy about Representative to Congress-Emerson and Kidder Nominated-Williamson Withdraws in Favor of Somerset-Kidder Elected-Bovee Dods opens a School -John C. Mayhew Elected Lieutenant of Artillery-Gaol Limits ... A Carper-Earthquake-Fourth of July -- "Independent Volunteers" -Standard Presented-Northwest Avenue-School Among the Pen- obscot Indians-Singular Confession and Retraction-Unitarian So- ciety-Baptist Society-Levi Cram Elected Captain of Artillery- Davis & Weed-General Trafton's Sword-Senatorial and Represen- tative Divisions-State Election-Hammond Street Cemetery Dis- continued-Death of John Giddings-Singular Case of Mr. Gotobed et al .- Death of Nathan Parsons-Agricultural Society Exhibition- Bangor Bank-Daniel Cole Elected Captain of Artillery -- Mr. Coburn and Bangor Academy Exhibition-William Hammatt- Gilman Harriman -- John Reynolds-Complaint of the Land Agent -Loafers-Jealousy-Indians-Candidates for Representative and Electors-General Treat Elected to the Legislature-Adams Elec- tors Chosen in the County-Brewer Congregational Meeting-house Built-Newell Bean, Gaoler-Abel M. Quimby, Preceptor-Davis & Weed-Lumber Business-Good Season.

1823. Mr. Williamson called the attention of Con- gress to the defenseless situation of the people upon the Penobscot River in the time of war, and obtained the passage of a resolve in the House that the President be required to cause. a survey to be made of the Bay and river, and to determine in regard to the expediency of constructing a battery or other fortification in or near Prospect, on the west side of the river.

This was the inception of the measures that resulted in the erection of Fort Knox, a work that is much neg- lected, while by this time it should be near completion.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Mr. Zadock Davis, shoe-dealer, published his pro- nunciamento to his debtors in January, 1823. His al- lusions to lawyers and deputy sheriffs contained much that was alluring to those useful members of society, while they had a stimulating effect upon many delinquent men of business, who were standing upon foundations made by him and his partner-Weed-and which only lawyers and deputy sheriffs could shake.

The Governor and Council appointed William King agent on the subject of claims for reimbursement to Massachusetts of expenses incurred in the War of 1812, and John Godfrey and Isaac Hodsdon to settle the claims assigned by Massachusetts to this State for Penobscot county.

At the annual town meeting Wiggins Hill, James Tilton, and Isaac Hodsdon were elected Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor; Alexander Savage was elected Town Clerk; Amos Patten, Treasurer; John Godfrey, Town Agent; Harvey Loomis, William D. Williamson, and Hosea Rich, Superintending School Committee. The number of Tythingmen had now become reduced to three. These were Eliashib Adams, Royal Clark, William Lowder. Moneys were appropriated for schools, $1,200; for highways, $2,000; for town charges, $600; for repair of bridge over brook above Lover's Leap, $25.

The gun-house stood on land at the intersection of Hammond and High streets. A committee was raised to ascertain what title could be obtained to that land.

On the same day the town voted to pay a bounty of twenty-five cents for each crow killed in town.

A difficulty arose between the Republican electors of Somerset and Penobscot in regard to a candidate for · Representative to Congress from this District. A con- vention at Dexter, on March 6th, nominated William Emerson, of Bangor; another convention at Norridge- wock, on March 12th, nominated David Kidder, of Nor- ridgewock.

The reasons given for this last nomination were that Somerset was the elder and larger county of the two, and entitled to the first Representative; that the representa- tives of the two counties at Portland, when it was ar- ranged to have the convention at Dexter, so understood it; that on the day of the convention there was a violent storm of rain, and "the delegates from the county of Penobscot, taking advantage of their local situation and the inclemency of the weather, were, in the midst of power, disposed to forget right; and that then, after several trials, Mr. Emerson was nominated by a majority of but one.

By no less than five friends of Mr. Emerson were most of these statements denied; it was said that his nomin- ation was perfectly fair ; that he "was honest, capable, had ever been the friend of the people, and done more for the section of the country where he lived than any other man." But a friend of Mr. Williamson did not ap- prove the nomination of a supporter of a duellist-Mr. Crawford-for the Presidency, as Mr. Emerson was, when Mr. Williamson, "a man of moral and religious prin- ciple," who from principle would support the best man for President, had "represented Penobscot in the last Con-

gress to the entire satisfaction of all his constituents." But Mr. Williamson withdrew his name in favor of Somerset.

On March 17th, Gorham Parks gave notice that he had established himself in Bangor as an attorney at law.

In the course of the canvass for Representative to Con- gress, Mr. Kidder, or some other person, was charged with ransacking the purlieus of the Court-house in Nor- ridgewock, and assembling twenty-four men from differ- ent towns, who voted unanimously as a convention to support David Kidder for Congress. Mr. Kidder took fire at this as "slander and billingsgate abuse heaped upon him personally," and pronounced the charge, so far as it respected himself, "an absolute falsehood; and the writer, whoever he might be, a liar and calumniator." Mr. Kidder had not probably been long in the political arena, or he would have saved his dignity by permitting his friends to take care that their candidate stood right before the public, and kept himself to himself.

The day fixed for the voting for Representatives was the 7th of April. Mr. Emerson received in Bangor, 99 votes; Mr. Kidder, 68; there were 3 scattering. Mr. Kidder was elected in the district.

The famous John Bovee Dods-John Dods Bovee- opened a school in April, to teach " the English grammar on an improved plan," by which he alleged that as much knowledge could be communicated in twelve lessons as was usually taught in several months by the common mode. Conditions, $3 for ladies, and $5 for gentlemen. It did not come to light that Bangor contained, after the labors of Mr. Dods were completed, any better or larger number of grammarians than other towns of the same size.

Mr. Zadock Davis gave notice that those notes and accounts that had not been attended to were at the office of Mr. Williamson.

John A. Mayhew was elected lieutenant of the Bangor Artillery, vice John Sargent, resigned.

On the question of extending the gaol limits to the exterior boundary of the county, on the petition of a large number of respectable inhabitants, the laws relating to the jurisdiction of the Court of Sessions in the matter were examined, and that court "reluctantly came to the conclusion that they had not the power to grant the prayer of the petitioners."

Some carper was disturbed by the activity of Bangor at this period, and published a letter upon the subject which he professed to have found in the street, in which the writer says: "Bangor is certainly the busiest town I ever was in; there is no cessation to motion except for a few hours in the dead of night. Sunday, which in other places is a day of rest, is here the business day of the week. To give you a specimen-last Sunday, the first thing in the morning the bell rang for the Sunday school, next the forenoon meeting, then a prayer-meeting, then the afternoon meeting, then a meeting for sailors on board a vessel (Bethel I think they call it), then an even- ing lecture at the meeting-house, and finally a church meeting at the academy. Religion, or at least meetings, are much in vogue here. I am told they have several

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meetings in the course of the week, besides those on Sunday. On. Monday evening they have an enquiry meeting, Tuesday I do not know that they have any, on Wednesday a conference meeting, on Thursday preach- ing by the students of the Theological Institution, on Friday the female prayer meeting; I have not learned the particular business of Saturday. Besides the above they have monthly prayer meetings, and I do not know how many other meetings.

"The different doctrines and tenets of the different orders of Christians are common subjects of conversa- tion."

On June roth the shock of an earthquake was felt about ten minutes before 12 o'clock M. Its duration was estimated by various persons at from twenty seconds to a minute. Its course was southerly --- the earth trem- bled, and the sound was like that of thunder. A vessel in the harbor appeared to the master to be sailing at the rate of five knots, and rubbing over a pebbly bottom, and the water arose eight inches by the wharves and subsided immediately. It occasioned a very general terror, and some persons suffered from a disagreeable sensation in the head.

On Sunday, 15th, Rev. Mr. Storer, of Cambridge, of the Unitarian denomination, preached in the town.

The Fourth of July was celebrated this year by the usual matutinal uproar of the boys, the clanging of bells, and the thunder of guns, the parading of Captain Wil- liams and his company of artillery, and several public dinners, including that of Mr. Chick, with the green peas, of which the young men partook with patriotic and gustatory ardor.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 151

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