History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 160

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

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641

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

CHAPTER XXI.

Reception of Maine Agents in New Brunswick-Only Mail West-Sal- mon in January-Paid by Sympathy-Boundary Claim-Death of Oliver Leonard-Misapprehension relative to Northeast Boundary - Rev. S. Baker's School-Good Fruit-Timber Lands Advertised- Postages-Boundary Committee appointed-Town Meeting-Alms- house-By-laws-Town Pumps-Appointments by Governor-Acad- emy Discontinued-Mr. Quimby's School-First Baptist Meeting- house-Mechanics' Association-Penobscot Boom-Stillwater Canal -A Twenty-three pound Trout-Military Road-Troops ordered to Houlton-Oldtown Mail-Probite Notices-United States Officers Arrive - Trout Excitement - Bucksport Mail-Fire Wards-United States Troops arrive-Beef wanted for them-Newspapers in Maine- Supreme Judicial Court-Parris appointed Judge-Parties organized -Butman and Emerson nominated for Congress-Sabbath-Chick takes the "Exchange"-More United States Troops-Political Ex- citement-Indian Church -- Brewer's Estate sold-Theological Sem- inary Exhibition-Major T. Williams elected Brigadier-General- Annual State Election-Death of Simeon Gorton-Military trouble- Timber Land-Methodist Meeting-house completed-R. Woodhull takes the Classical School-Mrs. Pike's death by quackery-Political Alarm and Enthusiasm-Jackson elected President-Butman elected Representative-Garrison's First Paper-Daniel Wilkins appointed Sheriff-Literary Club-B. B. Thatcher and "Clarion"-"Merchant Row"-Elisha H. Allen opens a Law Office-Vote for President- Citizens' Watch-Liquor Dealers-River- Universalist Chapel at Hampden-Fire-Club.

1828. Mr. Davies, of Portland, who had been ap- pointed to visit New Brunswick in relation to the border difficulties, was hospitably but not officially received at Fredericton. The subject being national, it was for national agents to settle. Mr. Barrell, an agent of the United States, followed Mr. Davies, but the Governor of New Brunswick would not communicate with him in his official capacity. Both agents devoted themselves to ob- taining all the information upon the subject in their power. Mr. Barrell went to Madawaska for the purpose.

The mail was now conveyed by coaches every day be- tween Bangor and Augusta, through Hampden, Frank- fort, Prospect, Swanville, Belfast, Belmont, Palermo, China, and Vassalboro, under the direction of Benjamin Garland and J. B. Hanscomb.

Mr. Timothy Colby, the notable fisherman, while fish- ing for frost fish in the Kenduskeag, on the 3d of Janu- ary, caught a fine, fat salmon weighing five and a quarter pounds. This was the only salmon, probably, ever caught in that way through the ice in that river.

Mr. John Ham, an efficient fire ward, in the exercise of his duty at a fire, came in collision with some choleric individual, who put the law in motion against him; where- upon the Fire Club voted its disapprobation of the pros- ecution, and gave the persecuted brother the benefit of its sympathy.

Oliver Leonard, Esq., died in Bangor, in January, at the age of sixty-five.

There was some misapprehension in regard to the claim of the American Government in the boundary dis- pute. George Van Ness, one of the Commissioners under the Treaty of Ghent, stated that the angle of the American lines was about 144 miles north from the source of the river St. Croix, 66 miles north of the river St. John, and 104 miles from Mars Hill ; while the Brit- ish commissioner, Mr. Vaughan, claimed it was 40 miles north of the source of the St. Croix river, and 38 miles south of the river St. John.

On the 15th of January, the Republican members of the Legislature renominated Enoch Lincoln as candidate for Governor.

Rev. Samuel Baker, an eccentric preacher, had estab- lished a school in Dexter, which occasioned considerable animadversion among the citizens, whereupon a town meeting was called and some votes were passed unfavor- able to the school.

This naturally was not agreeable to Mr. Baker, and he, as "Overseer," deemed it proper to state in the Bangor Register that the school was "greatly encouraged by re- marks of all the virtuous;" that the "manners and tem- pers of the scholars had been improved;" that both sexes, from four to twenty-two, had attended "with remarkable health and content;" that the scholars were taught, both by precept and example, to attend "meetings of all or- ders;" that the "donors of the school and officers" were of different orders, and the constitution prohibited sec- tarianism; that the numerous applications for admission proved the "loud call" for it; and that the pecuniary saving to each scholar was $63 per year.

This statement of Mr. Baker was contradicted in some important particulars by Edward Jumper, John Bates, and Thomas R. Bicknell, the Selectmen. They said that the town meeting was called to remonstrate against the granting a petition by the Legislature for the incorporation of the school; that the school was secta- rian; that Mr. Baker had denounced the preaching of a Baptist minister in town as false; that scholars who at- tended that meeting were required to sign an acknowl- edgment that they had done wrong in attending it, or to be expelled from the school ; that Mr. Baker misrepre- sented ; that the school was taught by a female, who would have taught as well as other female teachers if not controlled by Mr. Baker ; that the meeting was well at- tended, and was almost unanimous in voting to remon- strate against the incorporation, as they were satisfied that sectarianism and many superstitious ideas, unprofitable to persons of any age, were taught and enforced in the school. Seba French, E. H. Burleigh, and other promi- nent citizens, signed the statement.

Mr. Baker felt still further aggrieved by this public demonstration against his school, and protested still that it was unsectarian, that he had required no written ac- knowledgment from scholars that they had done wrong because they attended a Baptist meeting, but that they had done wrong in leaving their own Methodist meeting, by which they had broken their "church covenant," and published certificates of members of the school in con- firmation of his statement. He thought this persecution grew out of jealousy, occasioned by "uncertain flying reports."

As a proof that in the Penobscot as good fruit could be raised as in the " Western country," the Register stated that Mr. Elias Blake had left at the office a New York pippin apple, raised on his farm, twelve and one-half inches in circumference, four inches in diameter, weigh- ing thirteen and one-half ounces. The tree that bore it was presented to Mr. Blake by Mr. Brimmer, of Boston.

The Theological Seminary gave notice that the Ac-

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

ademical Department would be open in March for the admission of students preparing for college or the count- ing-room, under a competent instructor-a college graduate.

Thirteen townships and half-townships of timber lands were advertised by Mr. Irish, Land Agent, to be sold by public auction in July.

The amount of postage which accrued in 1827 in towns in Maine, that exceeded $500 in each, was as fol- lows: Augusta, $540.24; Bangor, $1,032.30 ; Bath, $1,172.89; Belfast, $592.28; Brunswick, $781.19; Cas- tine, $509.26; Eastport, $774.10; Gardiner, $729.97; Hallowell, $1,061.33; Portland, $4,630.37; Saco, $980.40; Thomaston, $626.62 ; Wiscasset, $563.36.

The excitement upon the boundary question was in- creasing. The Legislature referred it to a committee consisting of John L. Megquire, Ruel Williams, Joshua W. Hathaway, John G. Deane, Henry W. Fuller, William Vance, Joshua Carpenter, Rufus Burnham, which made an able report, stating the position ofthe question, referring to the encroachments of the British, the action of the Execu- tive approving it, and suggesting the duty devolving upon the General Government to protect our citizens and our State rights. The newspapers in the Provinces were supercilious and taunting, and those of Maine in- dignant. A messenger from Houlton arrived in Bangor in March with a petition from some of the inhabitants of that region to the Executive for protection against the usurpations of the Government of New Brunswick.

Baker and six other Americans were indicted by the grand jury in New Brunswick, and arraigned for con- spiracy and seditious practices by hoisting the American colors in Madawaska, and refusing to pull them down . when requested, and for opposing a British constable in the performance of his duty. He declined at first to answer whether he were guilty or not guilty-claimed that the alleged offenses, if committed, were committed within the State of Maine, of which he was a citizen, and · that the court had no jurisdiction. The court insisted that he should plead. He then said if there was no al- ternative-he having no counsel-that he should say he was not guilty, protesting against the jurisdiction and asking for a continuance. This was granted, and he was released upon bail in £400.

Eight Americans living at Madawaska and eleven living on the Aroostook River were indicted, and a posse com- itatus was sent up to take those to Fredericton gaol who were concerned in the affray about Arnold's cow. On hearing this several made their way through the wilder- ness to Houlton.

The annual meeting for the choice of town officers was held on March Ioth. Amos Patten, James Crosby, and Daniel Pike were made Selectmen; S. L. Pomroy, J. P. Dickinson, George Starrett, Edwin Kent, John Godfrey, Superintending School Committee; Alexander Savage was elected Town Clerk; George Starrett, Treasurer ; Jacob McGaw, Town Agent; John Godfrey, Auditor of Accounts. The moneys raised were for town charges, $1,700; for highways, $4,000; for schools, $1,600; $50 for putting stone posts at the corner of the streets.

On the 24th March an adjourned meeting of the town was held, and William D. Williamson was chosen Mod- erator. The meeting was comparatively small. It refused to accept a report on the subject of the alms-house, made in accordance with the wishes of the town at the first session. A reconsideration of the first vote was moved, and objected to on the ground that no notice was given that such a motion was contemplated ; that the meeting was not as full as when the vote was taken ; that the mo- tion was not made by one who voted with the majority when the vote was taken. The objections were all over- ruled by the Moderator, who, it was alleged by the Reg- ister, knew little of parliamentary rules, although he had presided over the Senate of Maine ! The Register loved to criticise its opponents, right or wrong.

At this meeting John Godfrey, Samuel Call, and George Starrett were appointed a committee to draft a code of by-laws for the town.

At this time there were two town pumps, one in the centre of West Market Square and one in the Mercan- tile Square near the head of Mercantile Block, on Broad street. There was much complaint that they were not kept in repair. There was no want of water, however, in West Market Square, for there was a little pond of water in the centre of it nearly all the summer through, and there was not enterprise enough in the Selectmen to get rid of it for many years.

Among the appointments by the Governor this year was that of Samuel Lowder, Jr., of Bangor, as Public Administrator ; Joshua Carpenter, of Howland, Agent on the Mattanawcook road. .

The Bangor Young Ladies' Academy was discontinued about this time, and Abel M. Quimby, some time its pre- ceptor, opened a school for young ladies in the hall of the Franklin House, on the first Monday in May.

' On the 22d March James Tilton, Edward Sargent, and Jacob Garland gave notice of a meeting of the proprie- tors of the First Baptist meeting-house for the purchase of land.

John Williams gave notice that the Bangor Mechanic Association would organize on April 15th. There was much feeling at this time among the apprentices against the clerks in stores on account of their real or supposed assumption of superiority, and the older mechanics were determined to afford the apprentices such opportunities as it was in their power to provide, to become at least the equals, if not the superiors, of the clerks in intelli- gence and cultivation. This was one of the ends for which the association was organized, and it accomplished much good.

Rufus Dwinel gave notice that the Penobscot boom had been put in repair and would be ready to receive logs as soon as they commenced running, at thirty-five cents per thousand feet.

John Bennock, Daniel White, William Emerson, and Asa W. Babcock, gave notice of a meeting on the 21st of April, for the organization of the Stillwater Canal Corporation.

Mr. Timothy Colby and Mr. Albert Chick made them- selves temporarily famous by bringing to Bangor several

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

trout which they caught in the Schoodic Lake, above Sebec, the largest of which weighed twenty-three pounds. Mr. Chick was so highly elated by his success that, with others, he made another trip to the lake and returned with thirty, the largest weighing twelve pounds. They were called "salmon trout," and described "as hard and rich, with a fine flavor, and having the appearance of the salmon, though the belly was more yellow, and the back and sides thoroughly interspersed with small, bright yel- lowish spots."

The late events on the frontier, and the excitement occasioned thereby, had their effect in Washington. Congress appropriated a large sum for building a. Military Road from Mattawamkeag, where the State road termi- nated, to Houlton, the nearest settlement to Mars Hill within the acknowledged limits of the United States of any importance.

Government had also ordered four companies of in- fantry from different posts in the neighborhood of De- troit, Michigan, to be stationed at Houlton.

The correspondence between the Governor of Maine and the Department of State of the United States, and other functionaries, in relation to the boundary, became quite voluminous.

Messrs. Burley and Marshall now' carried the United States mail by coach on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sat- urdays, between Bangor and Oldtown,

Much complaint was made of the Judge of Probate because he required all the probate notices to be pub- lished in the Eastern Republican. This was attributed to his partisan feelings rather than to the convenience it was to have all the notices in one paper. To do away with all occasion of complaint on this account, the Leg- islature provided by law that probate notices should be published in whatever newspapers parties having the con- trol of them desired.

Many children were victims of a disease called the quinzy, and children and others were attacked by croup, which was often fatal, at this period, and much alarm prevailed in the community on account of these diseases.

On the 23d of April Major Clark and Lieutenant Rus- sell, of the United States Army, arrived in Bangor on their way to Houlton, to make arrangements for the ac- commodation of the troops which were to be stationed at that place.

The success of Messrs. Colby and Chick in taking what they called salmon trout occasioned some excitement among the anglers of Boston, and they wrote to the Ban- gor Register for information in regard to the place where and the manner in which those enormous trout were ob- tained. They had made frequent visits to Sebago Lake, where the trout did not weigh over two pounds at the most, were covered with black spots, had neither fat nor flavor, and afforded more pleasure in taking than eating.

The Register replied that the lake where the fish were taken was called Otter Lake on Hale's map, but not here. It was called Schoodic Lake, was situated partly in Brownville and partly in Township No. 4, Eighth Range. and that the outlet disembogued into the Piscataquis at Kilmarnock (Medford), and was called Schoodic Stream;

that Chick reported the distance from Bangor to the lake about forty-five miles ; that, not having success at the foot of the lake, his party went to the head, seven or eight miles ; that, after fishing about ten minutes, they caught a trout weighing nine and a half pounds, and be- tween 9 and 12 o'clock took twelve. After dinner they took three more. This was the 29th of March. On the 2d of April he was at the lake again, and in the day and night succeeding he and his companions caught twenty of the fish with about a dozen lines they let down through the ice.

A mail stage now ran between Bangor and Bucksport three times a week.

The Fire Wards, on the 15th of April, appointed Amos Patten to have the general direction of the engines at fires; John Ham and James B. Fiske, to have special charge of Engine No. 1; Samuel Lowder and John Wil- liams, of Washington Engine; Ezra Hutchins, to take charge of fire hooks and remove vessels ; John Barker, Jacob McGaw, Wiggins Hill, Edward Sargent, to form lines for Washington Engine; Edmund Dole, Abner Taylor, John M. Prince, Isaac Hodsdon, to form lines for Engine No. 1 ; George W. Brown, John Godfrey, George Savage, and George W. Pickering, to take charge of furniture and merchandise; David Hill and John Ham, to take charge of ladders.

On May Io a company of United States troops, under Lieutenant Gallagher, arrived in the schooner Eddington, Captain Lowder, from New York, en route for Houlton.

Messrs. Lander, Burley, and Saunders, on June 3, commenced carrying the United States mail to Houlton, under a contract to convey it once a week.

Lieutenant B. F. Russell caused some excitement among the cattle growers by advertising for thirty thou- sand pounds of beef (on hoof ), to be delivered at Houl- ton for the United States troops, by the Ist day of No- vember, 1828.

There were at this time published in Maine thirty- three papers-twenty-five political, six religious, two lite- rary, and one temperance. The Register, Eastern Re- publican, and Clarion were published in Bangor. Of the religious papers, two were Calvinist Baptist, one Or- thodox Congregationalist, one Universalist, one Free-will Baptist.

Mr. Chick's green peas did not appear upon his table this year until the 23d of June.

At the June term of the Supreme Judicial Court, Thornton McGaw, James S. Holmes, and George Star- rett, were admitted as counsellors, and Jonathan P. Rogers Charles Stetson, Nathaniel Hatch, William Good- enow, and George B. Moody, attorneys.

Albion K. Parris was appointed by the Governor a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, vice William Pitt Preble, who had been appointed one of the Commission- ers of the Northeastern boundary. Daniel Rose was ap- pointed Land Agent, vice James Irish, resigned, and Joel Miller Warden of the State Prison, vice Daniel Rose; Joshua Chamberlain, of Brewer, an Agent of the Penob- scot Indians; Alexander Savage, Register of Probate.

The Fourth of July was celebrated by the Bangor Ar-

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY MAINE.

tillery, Captain John A. Mayhew. An address was de- livered at the First Parish church by Mr. Richard Wood- hull.

The political parties had now distinctly defined their position. The Administration party had renominated John Quincy Adams for President, and the opposition had adopted Andrew Jackson as their candidate.

The Administration candidate for Representative to Congress from Penobscot was Samuel Butman ; for Sen- ator, Solomon Parsons. Opposition for Representative, William Emerson; for Senator, Daniel Emery, of Hamp- den.

The subject of the "better observance of the Sabbath" was agitated at this period in the county, and Jacob Mc- Gaw, Daniel Pike, Royal Clark, James B. Fiske, S. L. Pomroy, John Ham, Eliashib Adams, John Smith, James Crosby, John Pearson, Abner Taylor, and Caleb C. Billings, notified a meeting on the 6th of August to consider the subject.

July 21 Jacob Chick gave notice that the Penobscot Ex- change Coffee House was open for the accommodation of the public, under his charge; that it contained about seventy rooms, comprising halls, parlors, club-rooms, etc., and was furnished in a manner equal, if not superior, to any other public house in Maine.

Considerable interest was awakened in the town by the arrival, on the 28th, of three companies of United States troops, lately detached from the Second Regiment, at Green Bay, and on their way to Houlton. They were under the command of Captain Staniford. Lieutenants Morton and Bloodgood, and Surgeon Russell, were with them. They were pleasantly encamped on an open square between Penobscot, Somerset, and Park streets and Broad- way. At the request of many of the citizens they were paraded and performed various evolutions, and being accompanied by a fine band, afforded the people much entertainment. The military men of the town were highly pleased with the excellent appearance and perfect drill of the troops, and the lovers of music were delight- ed with the performances of the band, which played an hour or two every evening while it was in town. The encampment had many visitors of both sexes, and officers, privates, and visitors were mutually pleased with each other. They remained from Tuesday until Satur- day, when they took up their line of march for Houlton.

The political excitement increased, but, although there was much bitterness between the parties and their or- gans, yet there was not that indecent criticism of candi- dates that prevailed before the party lines were so clearly defined. The Register complained that the "Gemini," as it called the Eastern Republican, endeav- ored to excite the jealousies of the people of the country against the people of the town. Perhaps at this period commenced those jealousies which have to a greater or less extent been perpetuated by the reckless charges of politicians.

In this month permits were sold at Oldtown, for the purpose of raising twelve hundred dollars to build a church for the Indians, to cut timber on the townships of the Penobscot tribe.

On the 22d of August the real estate upon which John Brewer established himself near the Segeundedunk Stream nearly sixty years before, was sold at public auction by his executor, Allen Gilman.

The annual exhibition of the Theological Seminary took place on the 6th of August. Rev. George E. Adams delivered his inaugural address as professor, which was highly complimented.

Mr. Henry Nolen succeeded Mr. Chick in the Maine Coffee House.

On August 20 Major John Williams was elected Brig- adier-General of the First Brigade, Third Division, in place of General Joseph Treat, honorably discharged.

Mr. D. R. Newhall and several gentlemen and ladies from Boston, gave an exhibition of their abilities in a concert of sacred music at the First Parish church, on the evening of August 26.

Mr. Zadock Davis, who was a meek man in appear- ance, was always bold and outspoken towards the de- linquent debtors of Davis & Weed. He addressed them no longer in poetry, but in such emphatic prose as this: "Their notes and accounts are about to pass into the hands of the subscriber, and from there into the hands of an attorney to collect forthwith."

The annual meeting for the choice of Governor and other officers, was held on September 9th. Enoch Lin- coln received for Governor, 97 votes ; Solomon Parsons, for Senator, 141; Daniel Emery, 52; Edward Kent, for Representative to the Legislature, 131; Thomas A. Hill, 49; Charles Rice, for County Treasurer, 87; Samuel But- man, 129; William Emerson, 68.

Mr. Lincoln was elected Governor; Mr. Parsons, Senator; Mr. Rice, Treasurer; Mr. Kent, Representative to the Legislature ; Mr. Butman, Representative to Con- gress.

Mr. Simeon Gorton, who came from Connecticut and settled in Hampden in 1770, died in September, at the age of seventy-nine. Benjamin Orr, the eminent lawyer of Brunswick, died at the age of fifty-five. Gehudi Ash- mun, former Professor of the Theological Seminary, and late Governor of Liberia, died in New Haven, Connecti- cut, and was buried with every mark of respect.

The review of Colonel Rogers's Regiment of Militia took place on the 23d of September. The interest in the musters was waning. At Belfast there was mutinous conduct on the 16th, which occasioned a withdrawal of a part of the troops. There was an increasing feeling that these military gatherings were more injurious to the morals than they would be likely to be of benefit in case of any military contingency; then the tax upon the peo- ple was a matter worthy of consideration. Still they afforded relaxation to multitudes, whose occasions for amusement were few enough-but amusement was the last thing that was thought worthy of public recognition in a country where work was worshipped. It was to be many a year before the surplus means of Maine farmers and business men would authorize the expenditure of much time in recreation.

The trouble at Belfast grew out of an old dispute, a year or more old, in relation to the correctness of a certain

D. C. Beals

BANCOR HOUSE

BANCAR HOUSE

REAR VIEW OF HOUSE.

BANGOR HOUSE

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 160

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