History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 215

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 215

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The Methodist church was erected in 1834, and con- tained fifty-two pews. In 1872 this church was remod- eled into modern style, at a cost of $4,000. It stands on Main street. The society is large and flourishing. Its present pastor is Rev. George R. Palmer. It has seats for four hundred.

In 1839 the Calvinist Baptists erected a church on Main street at a cost of $5,000. This has recently been repaired and refurnished at a cost of $2,000. The soci- ety is large. The pastor is Rev. E. Dewhurst. It can seat three hundred.

The Congregationalists in 1844 erected a small church on Spring street. The society has always been small, but what they lack in numbers they make up in zeal. This church in 1879 was moved back, converted into a vestry, and a new and beautiful edifice erected in its place. It is a beautiful building, and was mostly built by voluntary contributions from abroad. It will seat three hundred. The church has recently secured the services of Rev. T. M. Davies as pastor.

The Episcopal church was erected in 1869. It is of small size but very elaborately and beautifully finished in Gothic style at a cost of about $9,000. This is located on Spring street. The society is small. The resident rector is Rev. Thomas Marsden. The seating capacity is two hundred and twenty-five.

In 1874 the Free-will Baptists, who had before that occupied the Congregational church a part of the time, erected a church on Spring street at a cost of $4,500. It is of small size but neatly and handsomely finished, and will seat three hundred. It has at present no settled pastor.

The Catholics erected a church in 1876 on High street. The cost was probably not far from $3,000. It is plainly finished and will accommodate two hundred and fifty. They have regular monthly services.

Besides these the Second Advents have a hall, where they hold religious services, and the Spiritualists occa- sionally occupy the town hall, while some unbelievers stay at home. In fact, to the stranger sojourning in town over Sunday Dexter presents as great a variety of relig- ious entertainment as can be found in this county.

CEMETERIES.

On the 16th day of December, 1804, death visited for the first time the settlement of Elkinstown. Phebe

MILL NO.2

MILL No.3.

FUI

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Tucker died of canker rash. She was sixteen years of age. December 24th of the same year, Joseph and Daniel Small died of the same disease. They were buried on the farm of Mr. Tucker. Up to 1819 the town had no burial place. In that year the town by vote purchased a lot eastward of Deacon's Greene's inn. This was used until 1845, although it was totally unfit for such a purpose, the ground being low and wet.

The summer of 1828 was unusually sickly. More than fifty young children were carried off by dysentery. Among the aged was Samuel Copeland, who died at the age of ninety-two. The year was a season of mourn- ing to the whole town. No other general epidemic ever visited the town until 1876, when about seventy fell victims to diphtheria.

In 1845 the town purchased and lotted the cemetery, near the depot, and twenty years after laid out a ceme- tery on Bryant's hill. Very tasty and expensive monu- ments have been raised in both, and a tomb built by the town in the new one.

In the year 1828 Lysander Cutler, then a young man, ; came to Dexter from Royalston, Massachusetts. He was an active business man, possessing indomitable en- ergy, and to him more than any other man is due the present thrift and prosperity of the town. He soon be- came a partner in the firm of Amos Abbott & Co., and there continued until 1835, when he formed a partner- ship with Jonathan Farrar, and commenced the erection - of the woolen-mill below the grist-mill. This was a wooden structure seventy-five feet long, forty feet wide, and four stories high. It was completed and commenced operating in March, 1836. Besides this were built a wool house, cloth-dressing house, and board- ing houses. The whole cost was near $75,000. This mill was burned in December, 1845, but Messrs. Samuel Farrar & Cutler, not discouraged, immediately built upon the same place a stone mill two hundred feet long and two stories high, which they put into operation the fol- lowing year.

Two years later, 1848, Messrs. Foss, Conant & Co. erected on the lower privilege a brick mill, called the Union mill, and operated it until 1855, when they sold to Farrar & Cutler. Previous to this purchase they had built a third mill, called the White mill, on a dam below the stone mill. All three mills were thus united under one firm. The financial crisis of 1856 was too severe for them, and they were obliged to suspend. After fruitless attempts at a compromise with creditors, they both left the State and settled in Milwaukee.

In 1835 Mr. Cutler organized the Dexter Rifle Com- pany, a military corps quite celebrated in its time ; was chosen its first captain, and two years later was elected Colonel of the Ninth Regiment. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he went to the front as Colonel of the Sixth Wisconsin Regiment. During the war he was twice severely wounded, and had no less than seven horses shot under him. He rose to the rank of Brigadier- General. He died in Milwaukee in July, 1866.

The Dexter Mills passed into the hands of Messrs. Johnson, Sewall & Co., of Boston, who leased the prop-

erty in 1858 to R. W. Robinson, of Dorchester, Massa- chusetts, for the term of three years, and after that ex- pired continued two years longer under the same lease. In the meantime he had bought one-half of the property. October 1, 1863, Ebenezer Dale, R. W. Robinson, and Albert F. Bradbury, formed a copartnership, bought the mills, and operated under the name of the Dexter Mills until 1880. In the year 1865 two more stories were added to stone mill, making it four stories high and forty feet in length. The death of Dale obliged the firm to suspend operations in 1880, and during the year and while the census was being taken the mills were not running. This made a difference of four or five hundred in our population. During the last year a cor- poration has been formed under the laws of the State under the name and style of "The Dexter Woolen Mills." The capital stock is $200,000, and it employs about three hundred and fifty hands. The capacity of the mills is twenty sets of machinery. The President is J. G. Wright; R. S. Russell, Treasurer; Albert F. Bradbury, Superintendent ; Joseph C. Cutler, Paymaster, The monthly pay roll is $8,000.

In 1847 Calvin Copeland built a mill in the lower village for the manufacture of woolens, which was burned in 1868. It has never been rebuilt, although the privilege is owned by parties abundantly able.

In 1835 a new school-house with a town hall overhead was built, with two school-rooms below. This remained until 1856, when, during a town meeting, when the hall was packed, the floors gave away, above and below, and the people were all precipitated into the cellar. Strange to relate, although a large hot stove went with them, no lives were lost, and but one or two seriously injured. Our present Town Hall was then built, with school-rooms on the first floor, a lockup and furnace rooms in . the base- ment, and offices on the third floor. This cost about $10,000. It is well built, with slated roof, and is an ornament to the village and creditable to the town. Sub- sequently, in 1877, the hall was rearranged, beautifully frescoed, stage and scenery added at an expense of $1,400. It is now one of the finest halls in the State. With a gallery on three sides, it will accommodate about eight hundred.

When Jonathan Farrar bought the mills in 1817 he also bought a small tannery. This he continued to en- large until it came to do an extensive business, He afterward sold to Ebenezer Wyman, who in turn sold to Charles Shaw, the present proprietor. He has very much enlarged the buildings and tanning facilities, making this business one of the most important in Dexter. Mr. Shaw moved into Dexter from Cummington, Massachusetts, in 1851, and purchased the tannery for $3,000. He uses now two thousand cords of bark per year, and the stock in process of manufacture is $40,000. The plant is worth $12,000. Mr. Shaw is largely engaged in tanning operations in other places in this State, and in New York. The pay-roll is $650 per month.

When the Dexter mills were first opened in 1836, Na- thaniel Dustin came from Lowell, Massachusetts, to su- perintend the wool sorting. After some years he opened

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

a store and commenced business for himself. In 1859 he bought the foundry and machine shops, and, with his sons, has run them ever since. Two years ago they built new buildings, much enlarged and improved, added new and expensive machinery, and increased the value of the property from about $4,000 to $40,000. The firm is known as N. Dustin & Co., and their business is backed by all the capital that is wanted. Their pay-roll is $1,000.

In 1867 B. F. and Samuel Eldridge bought the work- shops of C. W. Curtis & Co. They have made exten- sive improvements and additions, and now manufacture almost everything in wood, making a specialty of the "World's Fair Prize Churn," of which they sell five hun- dred per year. Their buildings, machinery, and stock are worth $15,000. Their pay-roll is $400.

The marble works of Messrs. Morse & Bridges turn out some of the finest monuments in the country, and are well patronized. They carry in buildings and stock $4,000. Their pay-roll is $350.

The furniture factory of E. M. Tibbetts turns out yearly large quantities of furniture, caskets, and coffins. The plant and stock is not far from $8,000. His pay-roll is $250 per month.

The grist-mill, the property of Amos Abbott & Co., has grown from an insignificant affair in .1802, to one of the best in the country, with all modern improvements, being the first grist-mill adopting the patent process.

During the present year Moses Brothers purchased the cheese factory (which had ceased operations) and converted it into a factory for canning corn. They put up during the autumn ten thousand dozen cans, and pro- pose in future doing a much larger business. They are now making preparations for desiccating apples by steam. As about every farm in town has an orchard and every man in the village with a rod of ground owns apple trees, there is no reason why the enterprise should not be suc- cessful. The firm has disbursed during the season about $10,000.

Another enterprise commenced this year is the manu- facture of shovel handles from white ash, by N. B. Turner & Son. They have sent away about ten thousand dozens, and have paid out not far from $7,500. Their pay-roll is $250.

Two establishments for making clothing for Boston parties pay out monthly about $1,600; three-fourths of which goes to the wives and daughters of the farmers of this and neighboring towns.

In 1863 Rev. J. F. Witherell established the Dexter Gazette. . It was a small paper, being hardly a foot in length. He sold to Messrs. Gallison & Robbins in 1869, and in 1872 R. O. Robbins bought Gallison's interest in the paper, and in 1878 sold the establishment to M. F. Herring, who is now publisher and proprietor. The pa- per has grown in size as it has in age, and at present ranks with the best weekly papers in the State. The weekly issue is one thousand, and the advertising patron- age large. A great amount of job printing is done here.

In 1868 the Dexter & Newport Railroad was built, fourteen miles in length, at a cost of $300,000, Dexter providing about $225,000, The road pays the running

expenses and six per cent. on the stock. It had become a necessity, and was built none too soon. This road is leased to the Maine Central Railroad for thirty years from 1868, at a rental of $18,000 per year, paying the stockholders six per cent. on their investment.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The first engine, Eagle No. I, was purchased by the town in 1836. After that the Tiger No. 2. Two force- pumps were afterwards added, one at the grist-mill and the other at the Abbott mill, both with iron pipes run- ning to Main street. A hook and ladder company was organized in 1872. In 1875 two new engines were pur- chased, which took the place of the old ones. Two hose companies, with separate carriages, perform duty in con- nection with the hydrants. The old Eagle engine has been utilized by a company of boys, called Company No. 3. Another company formed at Spooner's mills has the old Tiger engine, and is called Company No. 4. The Dexter mills have built a large reservoir and con- nected it with pipes to all of their mills and boarding- houses, with hydrants at the crossings, having a hundred- foot head. There is also owned in town, and by the town, from six to eight thousand feet of rubber and other hose, making the facilities for extinguishing fires very great, and we challenge any town in New England of its size to show a fire department equal to our own.

BANKS.

The Dexter Savings Bank was incorporated in 1867, and did a successful business to 1878, when, owing to the depression in real estate and bonds, the trustees were compelled to ask for an extension under the laws of the State. Another cause was the sudden death of John W. Barron, the Treasurer. An examination of the bank books also showed considerable confusion in the affairs of the bank. All of its liabilities have since been paid, and the bank is now in good condition and public confi- dence is fully restored. It has a board of trustees, com- posed of careful business men, who have the confidence of the depositors. The present amount of deposits is $143,587. It divides five per cent. to its depositors. The President is Albert F. Bradbury; Treasurer, George Hamilton.

The First National Bank of Dexter was organized in 1875, with a capital of $100,000. It has all the business it can do. Charles Shaw is President; Charles W. Cur- tis, Cashier.

During the year 1875 the Savings Bank erected a sub- stantial and costly brick edifice for its own accommoda- tion and the National Bank. It is three stories, with mansard roof. The first story contains the post-office and the apothecary shop of Bridgham & Son. The second story contains the banking rooms. These are both provided with vaults built of brick and railroad iron, in which are enclosed their safes of the latest style, with chronometer locks added. All the finishings are rich and ornamental. The third story is occupied by the Masons, where they have one of the best finished and furnished halls in the State, with all the requisite ante- rooms. The fourth story is finished into a dining-hall

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

and kitchen. The whole expense of the building and different rooms was over $20,000. It was finished in 1876.

The progress in trade has been as marked as other enter- pries. The stores, from one in 1817 and two in 1830, have increased to over thirty-five of different kinds, supplying nearly all the merchandise required for over one hundred and fifty square miles of contiguous territory. There are nine grocery and provision stores ; three of dry goods ; three, drug and fancy goods ; two, ready-made clothing ; two, hardware ; two, stoves and tinware ; two, millinery ; two, boots and shoes ; two, merchant tailoring ; one, furniture ; two, jewelry, silver and plated ware ; three, saloons ; three, meat and provisions ; two harness and trimming stores. They carry a stock of not less than $150,000.

SOCIETIES.

Penobscot Lodge of Masons No. 39, was organized February 28, 1822. The charter members were eleven. In January, 1846, they moved into a new hall, which they finished and furnished in good style. This hall was de- stroyed by fire in 1850, with all the furniture, clothing, and jewels, only the records being saved. After this they leased a hall until 1876, when they dedicated their new hall in Bank Block. The number of members at pres- ent is 138. St. John's Royal Arch Chapter numbers 55.

Plymouth Lodge No. 65, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized in December, 1870, with five charter members. It has had a steady and healthy growth, and now numbers 198 members. In 1876 Messrs. Brown and Bridges, the Good Templars, and Odd Fellows, joined in building a large and commodious building. The lower story is used in the manufacture of marble, the second is the Good Templars' hall, and the third the Odd Fellows'.

Martha Washington Lodge, Daughters of Rebekah, No. 18, has a present membership of 61.

Silver Lake Encampment, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, numbers 30 members.

The Good Templars were organized into a lodge many years since, and at the present time it is a large and influ. ential organization. All of these lodges are free from debt.

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Dexter Grange No. 155, Patrons of Husbandry, or- ganized in 1877, and built and own the largest hall in town except the Town Hall. They have a large but not handsome building, the lower part of which they lease.

The Sovereigns of Industry also have an organization, and run a grocery and provision store, which is largely patronized.

Besides all of these halls, there are three or four others that are all ready for use when occasion requires.

H. F. Safford Post, Grand Army of the Republic, or- ganized several years since, has a membership of 40.

Dexter Light Infantry, Company C, Second Regiment . Maine Volunteers, was organized in 1878, and numbers at present 51 members. Officers : J. D. Maxfield, cap- tain ; N. L. McCrillis, first lieutenant ; Levi Bridgham, second lieutenant. At the recent State tournament held at Augusta, this company took the first prize for company

shooting, from seventeen competing companies. The first prize for team shooting was carried away by them. Corporal G. F. Johnson took the gold badge as the cham- pion shot of the State. Sergeant S. M. Leighton took the first money prize as champion shooter. In fact, after the Dexter boys had gathered their prizes, not much was left for the rest.

SCHOOLS.

Up to 1874 the town was divided into school districts as independent organizations. That year, by a vote of the town, these were discontinued. By this arrangement the smallest school in town can have the same length of term as the largest, and as ample provisions are made by the town for the support of schools, every scholar can have six months' schooling at least per year. The village schools are graded. Four school-houses in the village have two schools in each. They are all thoroughly built, two stories high. Ten other school-houses in town are nearly all new, and all in good repair. The property is worth not less than $15,000. In 1877 the town voted to supply the scholars with books. This has been found to be a benefit to the schools themselves, while to the poor man with an overabundance of that blessing pecul- iar to the poor, it brings relief to his purse and delight to his children. It costs the town about $350 to supply books to 757 scholars.

The Mercantile Library Association was organized sev- eral years since, and in 1880 owned about one thousand volumes. It was then voted to donate the library to the town, provided it was made free to the inhabitants, and $300 added yearly in books. This proposition was accept ed by the town, and the library has already increased to more than fifteen hundred volumes. For its size it must be about the best patronized library in the world, as about one-half of the books are in the hands of readers at all times.

Among the other industries of Dexter are the mills of Reuben Flanders, at North Dexter, on the stream called Main Stream-the west branch of the Sebasticook River. This stream runs through the northerly part of Dexter and furnishes several water-powers. At Flanders's mills are manufactured boards, shingles, orange boxes, mirror backs, etc. Mr. Flanders's operations are quite extensive, sometimes sending away boxes by the cargo. His monthly pay-roll is $400. Samuel C. Silver operates an- other saw-mill on the same stream, in the northeastern part of the town, doing a fair business. Hiram Spooner & Sons also have a saw- and shingle-mill on a water- power at the outlet of Puffer's Pond. At the south line of the town A. C. Libby has a saw- and shingle-mill, also one run of stones for grinding corn. This is the lowest water-power on the Dexter Stream in Dexter. A large quantity of lumber is manufactured there each year.

The old saw-mill that for eighty years wagged out its music to the north end, was crowded out, during the pres- ent year, by its neighbor, the woolen mill. Since its erec- into it had been renewed several times, and during the early years of its existence ran night and day. Its site is now occupied by the extension of the woolen mill of Amos Abbott & Co.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

The officiating clergy of Dexter have been already mentioned. Tradition is strangely silent in regard to the Christian pioneers of the town. Rev. John Sawyer, Gar- land, Congregationalist, was probably the first preacher. He preached here as late as 1820, and was then, as the writer distinctly recollects, an old white-headed man. He died in 1856 at the great age of one hundred and one years. Rev. James Hall, Baptist, and Rev. William Frost, Universalist, were among the early preachers of Dexter. Undoubtedly there were others before these, but their names are not given.

We have had occasion to speak of the early physicians. Others have come and gone, among which may be men- tioned Doctor Thomas C. Barker, who was the real founder of our present library. At present we have five allopathic, one homeopathic and two clairvoyant physi- cians. Their field of practice is large, extending into. all the surrounding towns.

As the spiritual and physical wants of the people have been well attended to, so also their rights and wrongs have not been allowed to languish for want of legal assistance. The earliest lawyer was Gustavus G. Cush- man, who settled in town in the year 1827. He re- mained here several years, and then removed to Bangor. Samuel McClellan, in 1835, opened an office in Dexter, coming from Bloomfield, He continued in active practice till his death, August 1, 1868. Charles C. Cushman and Abner Knowles practiced here for a time, but both removed to Bangor. At the present time five lawyers constitute the legal force of Dexter, being fully equal to the wants of the inhabitants.

NATURAL FEATURES.

Dexter village is in latitude 45° I' 43" north, and in longitude 69° 16' 32" west of Greenwich. It is the northwestern town of Penobscot county. It is forty-one miles from Bangor, and one hundred and twenty-three miles from Portland. Garland bounds it on the east, Corinna on the south, Sangerville in Piscataquis county on the north, and Ripley in Somerset county on the west.

The face of the country is broken into hills and valleys. There is not a level farm in town. The soil is generally rocky and hard to cultivate, and though there are many excellent farms, yet it will require some time to make it a first-class farming town, free from stones and stumps. There are two small lakes: one called Puffer's Pond that supplies water to a saw-mill, contains about a square mile of area. The other, Silver Lake, about four times as large, furnishes the water power of the village. The peculiarity of this lake is, that much water runs out, ap- parently but little runs in, it being mostly supplied from sub-surface springs. Another small pond, called the Meadow, in the eastern part of the town, was apparently formed by beavers, as there are to be seen the remains of an extensive colony of these industrious animals.

The Dexter Stream, being the east branch of the Se- basticook, takes its rise in Silver Lake, flows southerly through Corinna to Newport Pond, whence it joins the west branch at Pittsfield, in Somerset county, forming the Sebasticook River.

The water-power in the village is in the fall and not in the body of water. In three-fourths of a mile the fall is 142 feet. On this ten dams are built, which furnish the power to the machinery, and this machinery employs about six hundred persons, and the monthly pay-rolls of these establishments are estimated at more than $15,000.

A dam at the outlet of the lake is capable of raising it seven feet, and this spread over four miles of surface, en- tirely safe from spring freshets, adds greatly to the value of the water-power on the stream.

Along the northern part of the town extends a range of hills, the Sturdevant Hill being the highest in town ..

Dexter village is the present terminus of the Dexter & Newport Railroad. It is finely situated on the hillsides, with easy grades to the stream and lake. The streets are four rods wide, mostly supplied with sidewalks, those on the most busy part of Main street being composed of concrete. The roads are kept in excellent repair, and have the reputation of being the best of any town in the county. Shade trees of maple and elm abound, some having a growth of more than forty years, while from the fruit trees covering the hillsides are gathered large quan- tities of apples, pears, and cherries. An unusual number of neat and tasteful residences adorn the village, while many of the farmers have excellent and some costly buildings, one barn, built by A. L. Barton, costing $7,000. Strangers passing through the town and village cannot fail to be impressed with the prevalent appearance of prosperity.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 215

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