History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 212

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 212

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Whether both or either of the papers are to be perma- nently established, and endeavor to build up a higher or different grade of political morality than has existed, will depend somewhat upon the support extended to them.

The Messenger has recently been enlarged from a five- column to a six-column paper, and is well printed. It is published by the Messenger Company, and edited by E. D. Pratt, Esq.

The latest issue contains the following fundamental doctrine of Greenbackism :

A dollar has no existence except as a denomination of the money of account. It is a thing ideal, not real as a bushel of wheat. When the Government says that a piece of gold, silver, or paper shall be known as a dollar, and a legal tender for one dollar, it simply appoints that article, made and prepared in a regular and prescribed form, to corres- pond in debt-paying power or purchasing equivalency (which is always controlled by the debt-paying power) to the money of account, which in this country has for its unit the dollar.

It contains also this suggestion :

Not only is the silver dollar a fiat dollar, for a part of its value at east, but the hole which may be made in it has a fiat value it seems.

A standard silver dollar with a hole punched in it is worth only sixty- five cents; there the hole has a value of thirty-five cents. Make five holes and at that rate the holes would be worth more than the original dollar. There is "fiat" with a vengeance .- [November 16, 1881.]

THE PARLOR TABLE.

This is the latest and newest journal that has come from the press in Penobscot county. It is new in man- ner and new in matter. It is a quarto sheet of three columns to the page, is daintily printed, and is appro- priate for the repository whose name it has assumed. It is designed for "the society of the Queen City of the East, long famous for intellectual brilliancy and social charm," and promises to "chronicle [for it], with taste and accuracy, the events in the social world, besides fur- nishing, in its advertising columns, a trustworthy and in- teresting guide to our emporiums of commerce."

The contents are from the pens of Bangor writers, and relate to matters of interest to the tenants of the parlor, a portion being advertisements designed to attract their attention. Its imprint announces it to be "a social and literary journal; published monthly, at Bangor, Maine; terms, 50 cents a year; John H. Bacon, publisher."

The editor is understood to be the son of the cele- brated author, and compiler of the Poets and Poetry of America, a young man of rare abilities-the author of the "P. Q. Indexor."

The first number was issued in November, 1881, and has enough of interest to justify the publisher in the be- lief that there will be a good demand for succeeding numbers.

THE DEXTER GAZETTE.

This journal was established in 1862 by Rev: J. F. Witherell, a Universalist clergyman. In August, 1869, the establishment was bought by Messrs. Robbins & Gal- lison. Mr. Gallison continued in the firm something more than two years; he then sold out his interest to Mr. Robbins, who carried on the establishment alone for sev- eral years. In 1878 Mr. Robbins formed a business con- nection with Mr. M. F. Herring, and they published the paper as copartners until 1880, when Mr. Herring pur- chased Mr. Robbins's interest and became and continues to be the sole proprietor.

The Gazette is a large sheet of twenty-seven by forty- one inches, and eight columns to the page. With the growth of the town it has greatly enlarged its proportions. It was originally a "seven by nine" sheet. It is a valu- able local journal, and the enterprising people of Dexter manifest their appreciation of it by giving it a substantial subscription list of at least 1,000, and a handsome ad- vertising support. The subscription price is $2 a year.

THE PATTEN VOICE

was a small 6 x 8-inch two-column local paper,· pab- lished in Patten by William Sleeper in 1866-67. It was the enterprise of an ambitious lad, who wanted oc- cupation and amusement. It obtained a circulation of three thousand copies at 25 cents a year.

After being published in Patten about a year, it was removed to Sherman, in Aroostook county, where it was published under the name of

852

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

THE VOICE.

In 1871 it was sold to L. H. Caldwell, who enlarged it to a six-column folio. In 1873 it was sold to E. D. Pratt, who removed it to Patten in 1874 and changed the name to

THE PATTEN TRIBUNE,

and enlarged it to a seven-column folio. It was pub- lished until September, 1875, when it was suspended, and the subscription list was transferred to the Katah- din Kalendar, a weekly sheet published in Sherman by Dr. D. H. Owens.

The community in which the Voice and Tribune were published is an intelligent and thriving, but somewhat isolated one, in almost the extreme north of the county, and a local paper there is a desideratum and conveni- ence.

THE NEWPORT NEWS.

This was a sprightly weekly folio, published in the ex- treme westerly part of the county, more than a hundred miles from Patten-as the road runs-in 1876, by Mr. Stevens. It was the news medium of Newport and neighboring towns, non-partisan, wide awake, and quite popular; but there was not patronage by subscriptions and advertisements adequate to its support, and in a year or so it went to its bourne. Its publisher could not live on air simply, even when freighted with sweet promises from human lips. It was succeeded late in the year 1878 by a paper called

THE EAGLE,

which was published a few months by Mr. Marchant, and then discontinued. It was a six-column folio. Want of support was the complaint of which it died. It was suc- ceeded, in 1879, by

THE NEWPORT TIMES,

a bright, spicy, Republican newspaper. This was pub- lished every Saturday by R. O. Robbins, editor and pro- prietor, at $1.50 a year. It supplied its readers with the news of the neighboring towns, as its predecessor, the News, had done. It was a four-column quarto, well printed, fairly edited, and as unobjectionable as a partisan journal could well be, but it did not survive its second year. It was hinted by some invidious person that it died of "chronicles," but the truth is it died of that air which was so fatal to the News.

The town of Newport has many intelligent and enter- prising citizens. It is surrounded by thriving towns, with intelligent people. It is a good location for a newspaper, and ought to have one, but it cannot unless its people will make up their minds to sustain it after the novelty of its first appearance has worn off, and to overlook an occasional mistake, to which all newspapers are liable in some form or other.

COLLEGE REPORTER,

was the title of a journal published monthly at the State College in Orono, under the auspices of the students, from 1874 to 1879. It was devoted to the interests of the college and students. It was succeeded by

THE PENDULUM,

which is published annually at the college, and is some-

what original. It has numerous illustrations, which, if preserved, will perpetuate the wit and wisdom of the graduating classes, and peradventure of others connected with the college.

The publications of the college, as yet, are only the annual reports and catalogues.

THE WEEKLY HERALD,

This was a small four-page paper established in Co- rinna in March, 1879, by Fred. J. Whiting, and pub- lished at seventy-five cents a year. It was devoted to local interests.

In 1880 Mr. Whiting removed his office into Eagle block on Dexter street, and formed a copartnership with Mr. A. Phinney, and enlarged the paper from a four- column to a six-column folio, and changed its name to

THE CORINNA HERALD,

increased the subscription price to $1.25 per year, and gave its subscribers more reading matter than the Weekly Herald contained.

Messrs. Whiting & Phinney continued to publish the paper in Corinna until July or August, 1881, when it was removed to Pittsfield, in Somerset county, and the origi- nal name, "Weekly Herald," was restored.

So far as the writer has had an opportunity to judge, the living press of Penobscot county is generally ably managed. Individuals will criticise, some this thing, some that; but intelligent readers are quite united in their condemnation of personal bickering, blackguard- ism, vituperation, or passionate denunciation of oppo- nents in newspapers as not within the scope of their intended patronage, and as not a perquisite of dignified editors.

CHAPTER XV.

The Newport & Dexter Branch of the Maine Central Railroad, under the auspices of the latter company, is to be extended northeasterly into Aroostook county. The following notice was given the surveying parties about the Ist of December, 1881, by the Aroostook Pioneer :

The Presque Isle party have reached Masardis, having covered forty miles. They found an easy route from Presque Isle to Ashland with one exception-five miles below the latter town-where there will be some heavy work required. From Masardis they will follow the Aroos- took valley to Oxbow, eight miles, thence south in the direction of Pat- ten, a town of considerable importance, lying upon the east line of Penobscot county, thirty-five miles west of Houlton. The Dexter party are working their way toward Patten, which they will reach in two or three weeks. The weather has been very favorable, and no seri- ous obstacles have been encountered.

CHAPTER XVI.

Aaron Littlefield Simpson, son of David and Relief Simpson, was born in Dixmont. His father David was born in New Hampshire, and came when a young man to what was then Frankfort-now Winterport. He was married to Relief Littlefield just before the War of 1812. Enlisting in that war, he served one year under General Hampton, and was in the battles of Shadagee and Stone Mill. After his return from the army he moved into what is now the town of Dixmont. It was then a wilderness, and was owned by proprietors who held the land very

853

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

high. He paid $5 an acre for his farm. Frankfort, a distance of fifteen miles, was the nearest market, and life was a struggle, the seasons being cold and crops poor. David and Relief Simpson had nine children, one daugh- ter and eight sons. Aaron L. was the fourth child. He spent his boyhood days in aiding to clear and cultivate the farm. He was enabled to get only about three months' schooling at a distant district school in a year ; but to make more rapid progress during those few months, besides the few branches then taught he took extra studies, carrying home his books, and by the open fire- light in the evening he tried to get an education. Even dipped tallow candles were too expensive to be used for such an occasion. After leaving the district schools he acquired an academic education, earning the money to pay his expenses by teaching schools during the winter months and farming during the summer vacations. After finishing his academic course he entered the law office of John H. Norris, Esq., of Newport, and read law with him two years, teaching during the winter months. He then came to Bangor and entered the office of Albert W. Paine, where he read law one year. He was then admit- ted to the Bar in June, 1848, at Bangor. The same year he opened a law office in Bangor, where he has remained in successful practice ever since. He has been married twice, the first time in 1855, by which marriage one daughter was born to him. In 1865 he was married in Taunton, Massachusetts, to Miss Corelli C. Williams, by whom he has had a daughter and a son. All of his children are now living. Having been nurtured upon a farm, he has never lost his interest in farming, and has given much attention to horticulture. He was in the civil posse in the Aroostook war. He served three years as a member of the State Board of Agriculture, and has held many other offices of trust-six years as City Solici- tor of Bangor, two years as Chairman of Superintending School Committee, and four years as member of the city government (one year as President of the Council.) He has always manifested a public spirit, taking a great in- terest in the affairs of the city, especially her public schools. He has always taken a great interest in politics. Before the war he was a Democrat. In 1860 he voted for Stephen A. Douglas for President and acted during the first year of the war with the Douglas Democrats, and was among the first of them to join the Administra- tion party and aided in sustaining the war, taking the stump in its support.

CHAPTER XVII.

Add the following notices to the bibliography :

PALMER, MASON S. (Corinth). History of Corinth in this History of Penobscot County .... A paper on a Better Representation of a Pine Tree in the Seal of the State of Maine, 1879, .. .. The Origin and Design of Picnics; 8 pp; Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 1850 .. .. The Robin, Thrush, and Wren, a poem, 1878 .... Sever- al addresses .... Communications to Bangor Whig and Courier, and Piscataquis Observer, Maine; St. Alban's Journal, Vermont; Berkshire Eagle, Massachusetts, and other newspapers and magazines.

HATCH, Mrs. ELIZABETH P. (Bangor). Single and Married, 1845 . . .. The Old Elm, 1847. . . . Household Queries .. ... A Home Phase of Slavery; the Despotism of Fashion. ... How Shall we Amuse Ourselves .... New Year's Eve .... The Two Homes, with others which have appeared in book form.

[Add GUERNSEY, FREDERICK R. (Bangor).] Contribu- tor to magazines and newspapers .... " The Exodus " was widely known .. . . On the staff of the Bangor Com- mercial, and for a longer period the Boston Herald.

EMORY Mrs. ADA WISWALL (Bangor). Sea sketches, correspondence, etc., for Portland Transcript, and other papers and magazines.

KALER, JAMES (Bangor). A contributor to magazines and literary papers.

McGAW, THORNTON (Bangor). A contributor to the Knickerbocker Magazine, etc.

[Add to notice of Rev. CHARLES CARROLL EVERETT, D. D.] A discourse on Rev. Leonard Woods, D. D., LL. D., delivered before Bowdoin College and the Maine Historical Society, 1879, in volume 8 Maine Historical Collections, 1881 ; pp. 31.

[Add to notice of Rev. Dr. Mason, p. 237]. A Com- pleted Life .... In memory of Rev. Richard Woodhall, Bangor; 15 pp; Rockland, 1873.

TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

[BREWER ]. The following addition should be made to the biographical sketch of Mr. William P. Burr: He was one of the charter members of the Brewer Savings Bank in 1869, and was chosen one of the Trustees, which office he has held, with that of President for the past two years, since its organization to the present time.

[CARMEL]. Dr. J. P. Benjamin, one of the oldest settlers of Carmel, is the son of John Benjamin, of Livermore, Maine. He came here about 1807 or 1808. He married Rebecca, daughter of Samuel Benson, of Plymouth, Mas- sachusetts. They had six children-five girls and one boy, viz: Lucette, now Mrs. Cobb, of Bangor; Rebecca, now Mrs. Levi Cobb, of Bangor; Esther, wife of Colonel Avery, of Exeter, now deceased ; Sarah, now Mrs. Willey, of this town; Susan, now living in Bangor, and J. P., the subject of this sketch. Dr. Benjamin was born in 1822, and after receiving the education obtained in the common schools he attended the academy at China, and also the Newport Academy. After leaving these schools he studied medicine with John Benson, of Waterville, for four years. He attended lectures in Brunswick, Maine, at Medical College there; graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1853. He then came back here to his native town and began the practice of medicine, where he has ever since lived. In 1855 he married Mary A. Hopkins, daughter of Elisha Hopkins, who came here from Hampden. He followed the sea before coming here. He opened the second store in this town, the first store then being kept by John Fuller, who was the first trader here. To this union there have been born three children, viz : John F., Elmer H., and Linnie, all of whom are now living. Dr.

854

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Benjamin has not held public office, always preferring to give his entire attention to his profession.

[CORINTH. ]-Charles H. Bean is the son of Reuben Bean, who came here from New Hampshire about 1830. His wife's name was Mary Smith, of New Hampshire. They had twelve children-eight boys and four girls, viz: Clara, now Mrs. Cheeney; Diana, now Mrs. Mar- rows; Diantha, now Mrs. Blake; Mariette, now Mrs. Fairbanks ; Augustus, Albert, Sumner, Charles, Reuben, Edward and Edwin (twins), and Hobart. Charles H., the subject of this sketch, was born in 1835. He married Sarah Jane Libby, daughter of Alfred Libby, of Charleston. They have two children, having lost two, viz : Charles, Medora, Unie, Josie. The two first they have buried. Mr. Bean first settled in Corinth, where he has since lived. He is a farmer, and has a fine farm of one hundred and fifteen acres in the south part of Corinth. He is a progressive and successful farmer.

[EDDINGTON] .- The year of birth of Colonel Eddy was 1726. He was son of Eleazer and Elizabeth (Cobb) Eddy. In April, 1759, he started for Fort Cumberland in Nova Scotia, with a company of soldiers he had re- cruited, and not as an emigrant. He was on duty as Captain of the company until it was discharged Septem- ber 30, 1760, after which he bought lands at Fort Cum- berland, some of which were owned by his descendants as late as 1876.

It seems that Mr. Williamson, the historian, is in error in saying that Colonel Eddy "received no aid nor direct encouragement" from the General Court of Massachu- setts, in 1776, for his projected expedition against Fort Cumberland. On the contrary, he was granted supplies of ordnance and commissary stores.

For much other valuable matter, see the Memoir of Colonel Eddy, published in 1877 by Colonel Joseph W. Porter, now of Bangor.

[GARLAND.]-Calvin P. Berry, of Garland, is a son of Stephen A. Berry, who came to Penobscot county with his parents in 1824. His grandfather, Stephen Berry, was a native of New Hampshire. He was born in Rochester, New Hampshire, in 1771, and died in Exeter in 1836. His wife was Alice Chamberlain, born in 1780, and died in 1851. Stephen Berry was a Colonel of the New Hampshire militia. After coming to Maine, he was for

many years a surveyor. Of his family Ira now lives in Portland; Clementina (Mrs. Harvey) lives in Maxfield, and Stephen A., in Garland. Stephen A. Berry was born in New Durham, New Hampshire, in 1806, and came to this county in 1824, with his parents. He married Mary L. Pratt in 1834. The surviving members of their family are Calvin P., of Garland; Mary C., now Mrs. O. W. Twitchell, of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts ; Thomas L., of Garland, and Frank S., of Reno, Nevada. Two sons, Arthur A. and Stephen G., died in the service of their country in the late war. Mrs. Berry died in 1863 at the age of fifty-six. Calvin P. Berry was born at Garland in 1835. Mr. Berry has been engaged in farm- ing, and at the carpenter business. He has served as school committee of his town, and was elected to the Legislature in 1881 on the Republican ticket.

[ORONO.]-Mr. A. G. Ring, of Orono, is a son of George Ring, Jr., and a grandson of George Ring, who was a native of Georgetown, Maine. He was born in 1759, and settled in Orono in 1799. He married Mar- garet Foster, who was born in 1763 in Bath. Mr. Ring was one of the pioneer lumbermen on the Penobscot. He died in Orono in 1812; Mrs. Ring died in 1813. George Ring, Jr., father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Georgetown, Maine, March 2, 1795, and came to Orono in 1799 with his father, when but four years old. He married Mary Lancaster June 29, 1820. She was born in Bangor May 19, 1795. They had eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom four are now living in Orono, viz : A. G., E. T., C. B., and Mrs. M. J. Parker. Mr. Ring followed the business of his father, and was widely known as a lumberman. He died October 6, 1878. Mrs. Ring is still living, being now eighty-five years old. A. G. Ring was born in Orono June 29, 1821. He married Miss Ann R. Frost Febru- ary II, 1849. She was born in Gorham, Maine, May 16, 1827. This couple have had five children, vız: Mrs. Anna H. Hamilton, of Orono; Miss M. F. Ring, in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Nellie E., Grace P., and Na- than A., at home. At the age of sixteen Mr. Ring com- menced in the lumber business, working in the mills in Orono. He has followed the business in some capacity ever since. From 1869 to 1875, he was one of the Se- lectmen of his town.

BRADLEY.

[The following addition to the History of Bradley, by Mr. A. M. Austin, of Milford, has been received since the preceding sketch was printed. ]

Bradley village is situated on the Penobscot River, eleven miles from Bangor. The village is in the extreme northern part of the town, on the river. The town of Brad- ley is on the Penobscot River, a few miles above Bangor, between Milford on the north and Eddington on the south. It is a little irregular in its form and somewhat larger in area than most New England towns. The sur- face is not very uneven in its character, though some of it is rocky, and ledges are quite numerous. Its soil is not all of the best quality, but there are a number of good farms. It is pretty well watered; two streams, Great Works and Blackman or Nichols Streams, rise not far from the southeast corner of the town and cross it diagonally, nearly parallel with each other. These streams afford numerous sites for manufacturing purposes; there being no less than eighteen water-powers on them, of which eleven are on Great Works Stream and seven on the Blackman Stream. These, with three powers on the Penobscot, afford opportunities for manufacturing pur- poses of the highest order ; and if they were improved to their fullest capacity they would make Bradley one of the important manufacturing centers of the country. Water- power is the one thing for which Maine is pre-eminent above all other States. It is so abundant, in fact, that only the most important and accessible are of much value. This is especially the case in Bradley. Of the twenty-one powers in the town, but five or six have ever been improved.

The most important and valuable of the water-powers of Bradley is the Great Works power so called, on the Penobscot between Bradley village and West Great Works village in Oldtown. This is one of the best of the very valuable powers on that river, and it is the seat of a very important manufacturing business. It is in the hands of the Great Works Milling and Manufacturing Company, one of the most active and enterprising con- cerns on the rivers. They have erected and maintain in the best possible condition two blocks of saw-mills and one clapboard- and shingle-mill. In said blocks are three gang-mills, one circular saw-mill, and several muley and single saw-mills for the manufacture of long lumber, with a capacity for twenty-five millions of long lumber, besides shingle-, clapboard-, lath-, and stave-mills suffi- cient to produce thirty millions in the season of seven months-day runs only. These mills are operated by two Bangor concerns, Messrs. Cutter & Eddy, and Messrs. L. & F. N. Strickland, whose business capacity is shown in the fact that these mills, though less favor- ably situated, as far as railroad facilities are concerned,

have been kept in operation through all the hard times, when nearly all other mills on the river were obliged to suspend operations. This power, valuable as it is, might be greatly improved by extending the dam down the river a quarter of a mile below the mills to a point just below the mouth of Great Works Stream. This would increase the head and fall two feet, making a total head of thirteen feet. It would greatly augment the capacity of mill-ponds for storing logs, and perhaps make this the most valuable and convenient power for lumber manufac- turing purposes on the Penobscot.

A flourishing village has grown up about these mills. It has a population of about seven hundred inhabitants, who are mainly dependent on the business furnished by the development of this power.

The only other approach to a village is two miles below, at the Blackman mills. There is a store and saw- mill that once did a flourishing business, but the cutting of the timber in the basin of that stream, and the ten- dency of the lumber business at this time to seek the rail- road, have seriously diminished the importance of these mills.

The principal farming section of the town is on the road running parallel with the Penobscot, in the western part of the town. This is the seat of the earliest settle- ment of the town, and contains the oldest and most val- uable farms. The section of the town away from the Penobscot is mostly forest, it being estimated that four- fifths of the town is in an unimproved state. The original growth has been cut off, but the second growth has be- come available to some extent, and Great Works Stream is still the seat of lumbering operations.

Who was the first pastor to settle within the limits of what is now the town of Bradley is a debatable question. There has been no record made that is reliable, and the memory of the oldest inhabitant does not reach back far enough to settle it. It rests only on tradition, and traditions are not considered so thoroughly reliable as entirely to satisfy the impartial historian. But it is cer- tain that the first settlement was made in Bradley while the Revolutionary war was being waged. At this time Bradley was a part of the territory belonging to the Pe- nobscot Indians, and it is probable that the very few set- tlers who took possession of portions of the town, if they had any recognized rights to the soil they occupied, ac- quired it directly from the chief men of the Penobscot tribe.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 212

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