History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 228

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 228

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On his return home he felt in excellent health, but so soon as the ex- citement of the campaign had subsided the intense strain of four months' constant labor on the stump, riding frequently nearly all night and speaking twice and even three times a day, began to show its effects in serious nervous prostration, accompanied by an exhausting carbuncle, that left him quite reduced. At this time his mother was seriously sick with erysipelas, and he was attacked by the same malady. His mother died April 4, 1881, while he was so sick that he was unable to see her, although they were in adjoining chambers. He passed the crisis safely, and late in April was able to ride out. From that time his recovery was rapid and thorough, a sound constitution proving able to repair even the effects of the immense overwork that had threatened it. In June, by the kindness of President Garfield, at the suggestion of Secre- tary Blaine, Captain Boutelle was appointed a member of the Board of Visitors to the Military Academy at West Point, and the trip and so- journ up the Hudson, followed by a pleasant visit to Chicago as a guest of the Society of the Sons of Maine, proved very beneficial to his convalescence. A judicious relaxing of the usual amount of editorial labor during the summer and fall of 188r has enabled him to regain health and strength, and the winter found him stouter than he had ever been before, and ready for yeoman's service again in behalf of the principles that he cherishes.

In addition to his editorial and other duties, Captain Boutelle has been successively chosen a member of the Republican State Committee for Penobscot county for 1875-76-77-78-79-80-81-82, a longer con- secutive term than any other member except Mr. Blaine, who retired from the Chairmanship in 1881, and the former is now also a member of the Republican State Executive Committee.

Captain Boutelle finds his chief antidote for the cares and weariness of his arduous journalistic and political labors in the delights of home and the companionship of the family circle. He has three children- Grace Hodsdon, born March 27, 1869; Lily, born December 20, 1875; and Annie Curtis, born July 17, 1877. He is also guardian of his brother, Mortimer H., and an adult brother, Edward P., is his assist- ant in the editorial staff.

COLONEL FRANCIS HILL.

Colonel Francis Hill was born in Oxford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, on March 4, 1790, and died at Exeter, Maine, in January, 1881. His father, Dr. Aaron Hill, was born in Kempton, Massachusetts, and was the only son of a clergyman. While a young man in college he met Miss Abigail Bell, of Boston, whom he sub- sequently married, and by whom he had thirteen children, twelve of whom lived to marry.

When Francis was ten years old Dr. Hill moved with his family from Oxford to Bucksport, Maine, and died soon after, leaving his large family in reduced circum- stances. The oldest son, Aaron, assumed charge of the family, and Francis went to work in Bucksport village. His mother made his clothes, and his wages, about six or eight dollars per month, went towards the support of the family. But here the poor, bare-footed boy began to lay the foundation of his future fortune. While other boys played at marbles, or spent their time in the stores, he took such evening jobs as he could find to earn a few cents to add to his monthly wages. He said that he could buy a candle for one cent, and if he

got only ten cents for chopping wood while it lasted, there were nine cents left to put in his pocket. From these small earnings from his evenings' work he soon had enough money to buy a sheep, which he hired some one to keep for him. From its increase he was soon able to sell enough to buy a heifer-the heifer soon became a cow, and from her offspring he obtained a pair of steers, so that when he became a farmer he had all the necessary stock to begin with. When he was twenty-one years of age the family moved to Castine (Cape Rosier), and Francis went to work for Colonel Samuel Wasson, whose daughter he afterwards married.

In the fall of 1813 he came to Exeter on foot by a spotted line from Bangor, as there was not even a bridle path through the forest-bought a little tract of land and built a log cabin; he then returned to Castine to spend the winter. In the spring of 1814 he returned to Exeter and cleared several acres of land, piling by day and sleeping among the burning piles by night in order to re-kindle the dying embers as often as became necessary; and he was rewarded for the summer's toil by a plentiful harvest in the autumn. On January 19, 1815, he mar- ried Elizabeth Wasson, of Castine, and brought his wife on horseback to their humble home in the woods; and Mrs. Hill has often been heard to say that the happiest hours of her life were spent in the little log-cabin. Her only homesick day was on Thanksgiving day-the first she had ever spent away from her father's house-and she shed many tears as she stood all day spinning at her busy wheel. Their Thanksgiving dinner was a bowl of bread and milk, for that year their crops had been almost an utter failure, the early frosts having killed nearly everything, and bitten the wheat just as it was going into the milk, rendering it very bitter and quite unfit for food. But "necessity is the mother of invention," and these early settlers found that by mixing mashed potatoes with the pounded wheat (for there were no mills to grind it) it would take out the bitter taste to a certain extent and make the bread more palatable. The next year Mrs. Hill visited Castine, making the journey to Bucksport on horseback in one day with a child in her arms-a dis- tance of forty miles.

During the cold seasons which followed many of the settlers became discouraged, sold or abandoned their farms and went to Ohio, while Mr. Hill, as his means in- creased, availed himself of the opportunity to buy a num- ber of the farms in his neighborhood.

Mr. and Mrs. Hill had seven children, four of whom are now living. The two oldest, Abigail and Francis, were born in the log cabin.

Abigail Bell married Nelson B. Wheeler, of Corinth, and resided in Exeter. She died in 1868.

Francis Wasson married Sarah Ann True, of Garland, and resides in Exeter.

Mary Walker died June 8, 1845, aged twenty-three years.

Elizabeth N. married Lewis Barker, of Stetson, now of Bangor.

Cordelia A. married Joseph B. Wheeler, of Corinth, where they now reside.

918

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

George Samuel died February 26, 1832, aged two years. George Samuel second, married Ella E. Raynes, of Bangor, and resides in Exeter.

The first frame house was built about 1820, directly opposite where the homestead now stands. We are sorry to say that nothing now remains of this house, although the grandchildren can remember playing "I Spy" among its ruins and the wild rose bushes which surrounded them not many years ago. In 1829 Mr. Hill bought ninety acres of land of Amos Fletcher, of Norridgewock, for $650, riding to Norridgewock and back on horse- back in one day to settle the business. On this farm he built the present large house and spacious barns, which were completed in 1834.

Colonel Hill was Second Lieutenant of the first mili- tary company ever organized in town, and finally rose to be Colonel. He was Chairman of the Board of Select- men for twelve or fifteen years, and was Deputy Sheriff for a number of years; and in his old age he liked to talk of the long fast rides, he had taken on horseback while holding that office, for he always made it a rule to sleep in his own house at night if possible. He was one of the directors of the Merchants' National bank in Ban- gor, from the time of its organization until his death, at which time the following resolutions were offered and unanimously adopted by the Board:

Resolved, That in the recent death of our associate, Francis Hill, Esq., of Exeter, the Merchants' Bank has lost the counsel and advice of an able man, a man whose large means and life long spared had given him deserved weight and authority upon all financial questions. Mr. Hill was director of the Merchants' Bank from the time it first went into operation under a State charter to the present time under its organization as a National Bank, and during this long time of almost half a century we are not aware that any advice or wish of his was ever disregarded by the Board of Directors, or that any advice of his was ever given that did not tend to the success of the institution. We have been learning from year to year more and more to appreciate his integ- rity, his judgment and his character, as we have more and more come in contact with his virtues. He was cautious rather than dar- ing in business ventures, and careful always in the performance of all trusts and engagements, but his shadow now only remains where his venerable presence was wont to inspire respect and confidence. To the community in which he lived he has left the example of a well spent life, and to his family the consolation of love and, more than all, the faith that like a star shall light the way in this night of their bereave- ment, to duty and to Heaven.

Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the family of the deceased in their sorrow, and ask leave to tender our affectionate condolence and our kindest regards.

Mrs. Hill died in 1870 at the age of eighty-one, after a most industrious life spent in the interests of her fam- ily. During the summer before her death in the autumn, she did all the dairy work from seven cows-making but- ter and cheese-and retained all of her faculties perfectly. Her eyesight, which for a number of years had been somewhat impaired, returned to her several years before her death so that she was enabled to read and write without the aid of glasses.

In the death of Colonel Hill Exeter lost one of her most highly esteemed citizens and her oldest settler-he having paid taxes in that town sixty-seven years. In re- ligion Colonel Hill was a Calvinist Baptist, and in poli- tics he never changed except as the old Whig party went out, after which time he voted with the Democratic party. He threw his first vote at the age of eighteen, in 1808,

and for seventy consecutive years never missed a State election, throwing his last vote for Governor Garcelon in 1878. He retained his faculties wonderfully for a man of his age, and his love for labor was as strong at ninety as at nineteen. In 1880 he husked three hundred bushels of corn, and the last work he did was to saw half a cord of wood on the day before he was taken with his last illness.

One of Colonel Hill's strongest peculiarities was his always being prepared for a "rainy day," and at the time of his death there were several cords of wood in his shed which were placed there twenty-five years before, for a "sick winter," and a band of hay in the barn which was cut thirty years before. Another band of the same crop was used during the "grasshopper year." Among his personal effects were found over $100 in Spanish coins, which he took in trading with the British soldiers at Cas- tine. He retained his mental faculties to a remarkable extent, and among his earliest recollections was that of having attended funeral services at Oxford, in 1799, in memory of General Washington, to whom he was second cousin.

Colonel Hill left a large farm of three hundred acres- one of the finest in this section of the State; and where seventy years ago he found a wilderness, he has left one hundred and fifty acres of land in a high state of cultiva- tion, upon which not a vestige of a tree and scarcely a rock remains. Well might he have been proud at this result of his own industry! But in addition to this he has left an estate of over $100,000 in cash assets, accumulated almost entirely as the result of practical industry and good judgment in farming, he never having indulged in speculations of any kind. Should not this be considered another proof that farming in Maine may be made a source of profit ?

SAMUEL BUTMAN .*

Colonel Samuel Butman was born in Worcester, Mas- sachusetts, April 30, 1788, and died in Plymouth, Maine, October 9, 1864. In April, 1804, his father, Benjamin Butman, a man of note, moved with his wife and seven children from Worcester to Dixmont, in Penobscot county.

Dixmont and the region about it was almost an un- broken wilderness, and this family was among the earliest settlers. In this town and the adjoining town-Ply- mouth-Colonel Butman spent his active and useful life. He was a man of great energy of character, good judg- ment, and strict integrity, genial in his manners, of com- manding personal appearance, and a true man in the strictest sense of the term. Few men have shared more largely than he in the confidence and esteem of his fel- low-citizens. In the War of 1812 he was a captain in ac- tive service, and later was Colonel of a regiment of in- fantry, a member of the convention that framed the Constitution of this State in 1820, a member of both branches of the State Legislature within the next few years. He was a Representative in Congress from his

* By C. P. Brown.

919

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

district four years, elected in 1827 and re-elected in 1829. While in Congress he was active and laborious, and did much to aid legislation to the benefit of this State and Nation.

The location and opening of the Military Road from Mattawamkeag to Houlton was due largely to his efforts. After he left Congress he was called to fill many offices and positions of trust and responsibility. He was a member of the State Senate and President of that body, a Presidential Elector, and was the first President of the Maine State Agricultural Society, besides holding many other official positions of importance in the State, county, and town, all of which were bestowed upon him un- sought, and filled by him with fidelity and marked ability.

During his long life he was largely identified with the development of the agricultural, manufacturing, and all other prominent interests of the county, State, and Nation. Education and religion had his fostering care. He mar- ried, in early manhood, Miss Apphia Blaisdell, who sur- vived him about ten years. She was the daughter of Dr. Blaisdell, an early settler of Dixmont. He was a man of skill in his profession, and of much prominence and influence in the early history of Dixmont. He was an original proprietor or owner of the town of Exeter, which was at one time called "Blaisdelltown."

Mrs. Colonel Butman was a woman of great nobility of character, with rare intelligence and culture, and active in missions of benevolence and kindness. She possessed in an eminent degree all the rich and noble qualities which so adorn the brightest Christian life. Her life was literally full of good works, and her memory is fondly cherished by a large circle of relatives and friends. She died at Plymouth, August 30, 1873, aged seventy-six years.

Of the brothers of Colonel Butman, Benjamin located in Worcester, the place of his birth, where he died at an advanced age. He was a prominent business man, and aided largely in the building up of that city. Charles died at Dixmont in early life. Frederick A., and Henry Butman passed the greater part of their lives in Dixmont, to whose enterprise and business energy it was largely indebted for its growth, prosperity, and high reputation as a town. Henry died at Jamaica Plains, Massachu- setts, in 1879, aged eighty-six. Frederick A. died at Plymouth in 1861, aged seventy-one, leaving a name for business energy and integrity rarely bequeathed to pos- terity.

Colonel Butman died, leaving one son, Samuel G. Butman, who resides on the old homestead in Plymouth, and one daughter, Mrs. Ellen A. Thayer, also residing in Plymouth. One other daughter, Lucretia L., died several years before her father. She married Charles P. Brown, Esq., of Bangor.

ERRATA.

Page 9-Last line of chapter index, for "Thorneau," read "Thor- eau"; second column, eighth line from the bottom, for "eight," read "seven."

Page 24-First column, twenty-fourth line from the bottom, for "at- titude," read "altitude."

Page 26-Twenty-eighth line, transfer "steel " to the other end of the line; thirtieth line, for "Chesuncork," read "Chesuncook."

Page 30-First column, third line from the bottom, for "dwell," read "dwelt."

Page 31-First column, twenty-eighth line from the bottom, for " Sycamores," read "Sagamores"; second column, twentieth line, for "Arbis," read "Orbis."

Page 34-Second column, fifth line from the bottom, for "present," read "former."

Page 37-Second column, twentieth line, for "Stachey," read "Strachey."

Page 38-Second column, twenty-second line, for "1875," read " 1785."

Page 40-Seventeenth line, for "Bason," read "Baron."

Page 41-First column, thirteenth line from the bottom, for "de- struction" read "distinction."

Page 43-Tenth line, for "decrease," read "decease"; seventeenth line, for "deceased," read "decease."

Page 44-First column, thirty-third line from the bottom, for "1795," read "1796."

Page 46-Second column, twenty-fifth line from the bottom, for "Mashland," read "Markland."

Page 51-Eleventh line, for " definitions," read "designations"; second column, fourth line, for "this," read "they"; twelfth line, for "Mavoshn," read "Mavoshen"; thirty-third line, for "east," read "west."

Page 52-Thirtieth line, for " Nerroe," read " Neuve."

Page 53-Second column, thirteenth line, from the bottom, strike out "and up the river."

Page 56-First column, twenty-fourth line from the bottom, for "and," read "an."

Page 57-Thirty-first line, for "1755," read "1655."

Page 59-Second column, thirty-second line from the bottom, for "county," read "country."

Page 61-First column, eighteenth line from the bottom, for "tract," read "grant"; second column, twenty-fifth line, for "1865," read "1665."

Page 62-First column, twenty-third line from the bottom, for "1789," read "1689"; nineteenth line from the bottom, for "16," read "6"; second column, thirtieth line from the bottom, for "a," read "at"; thirty-third line from the bottom, "16," read " 13."

Page 63-Second column, eleventh line from the bottom, for "Kit- lery," read "Kittery."

Page 66-Second column, thirteenth line from the bottom, for "1850," read "1650."

Page 67-Second column, fourth line, for "Falimouth," read "Fal- mouth."

Page 69-Twenty-seventh line, for "1792," read "1692."

Page 72 -- Second column, second line from the bottom, for "1762," read " 1792."

Page 75-Tenth line, for "ratio," read "tax " or "rate."

Page 76-Fifth line, for " and," read "as."

Page 84-Second column, twentieth line from the bottom, for " 1,00," read "' 1,000."

Page 88-Second column, third line from the bottom, for " his," read " their."

Page 89-Second column, thirty-second line from the bottom, for "affected, " read " effected."

Page 98-First column, for " Harmon," read " Hermon."

Page 99-First column, thirteenth line from bottom, for "Egtes," read "Estes" ; twelfth line, for "Chappin," read "Chaplin "; fifth line, for "Watcher, " read "Thatcher."

Page 100-Second column, thirteenth line from the bottom, for "Fort," read "Port."

Page 101- First column, twenty-ninth line, for "Flye," read "Frye."

Page 102-First column, fifth line from the bottom, for "Lebbens." read "Lebbeus" ; second column, tenth line, for "Portland," read "Garland."

Page 164-Judge Godfrey's Annals of Bangor shows that an agricul-

920

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

tural society was organized in this county before 1838. Our statement in the text was derived from an apparently authentic account in one of the Reports of the State Board of Agriculture. First column, ninth line from the bottom, for "Nourst," read "Nourse"; last line, for "Cloeston, " read "C. Weston."

Page 165-Second column, third line, for "help," read "held " ; third line from the bottom, for "become extinct," read " temporarily suspended "; second line, after " it," read " for some years."

Page 170-Second column, eighth line from the bottom, for "Wigin," read "Virgin."

Page 171-Second column, twenty-fifth line from the bottom, for

" were," read "was."

Page 175-Second column, sixth line from the .bottom, for "acfalty," read "faculty."

Page 176-Second column, third line, for "Clate" read "State."

Page 181-Foot-note, for "1880" read "1881."

Page 184-Second column, thirteenth line, strike out " late."

Page 185-First column, twenty-second line from bottom, for)" Eeds" read "Edes;" foot-note, read "'Joseph Griffin;" after "to_date" read "in the Appendix." It should be understood, while reading certain passages of this chapter, that it was published in 1875, and the major portion of it was written several years before.

Page 186-Second column, thirtieth line, for "Gamalid" read " Gam- aliel."

Page 187-First column, seventeenth line from bottom, for " Bon- telle" read "Boutelle."

Page 195-First line of chapter index, for "for" read "from;" sec- ond column, lines eighteen and nineteen, for "1829" read "1828;" thirty-third line, for "23" read "21;" thirty-fourth line, for "T" read "J;" last line, for "Howard " read "Wells."

Page 198-Eighth line, for "1831" read "1821;" second column, fourteenth line, before " 1844" read "For;" fifth line from bottom, for "court" read "courts."

Page 200-Strike out "d" before "Additon," and read "d" before "Hilliard" and "Hinckley." Strike out "r" before "Piper, Martin V. B.," and "Bangor" afterwards; and read "r" before "Allen," 'Bell," "Briggs," and "Hall." Read "d" for "a" before "Bond," and for "r" before "Field," "Le Breton," and "Dutton, Samuel E .; " and "r" for "d" before "Dutton, George P.," and "Haines." For "Benson, John L.," read " Benson, John, Jr." For "Brinley, Francis F.," read "Brinley, Francis, Jr." For "Bonine" read " Bourne." For "Clark, Whitney," read "Clark, Whiting." Before "Godfrey" read "Godfrey, James, Bangor." After "Hamlin, Hannibal," for "Hamp. den" read "Bangor." For "Fuller, Frederick K.," read "Fuller, Frederick A."

Page 203-Second column, fourteenth line from bottom, for "to' read "with."

Page 204-First column, twenty-fourth line from bottom, read "him'' at the beginning.

Page 205 - First column, eleventh and twelfth lines from bottom, for "a son" read " three sons."

Page 207-Second column, fifth line from bottom, for "I" read "J." Page 208-First column, fifteenth line trom bottom, for "victories" read " visitation."

Page 209-Second line, for " Wellsboro" read "Waldoboro;" second column, seventh line, after " Jane" read "S."

Page 210-First column, twenty-second line from bottom, for " Fifth" read "Fourth." Similarly in three places on page 211, first column.

Page 212-Second column, end of thirteenth line, read "d-d fool." Page 214 -- Second line, for "Fifth " read " Fourth."

Page 219-First column, sixth line from bottom, strike out the second "H."

Page 220-Thirty-fourth line, for "Brooklyn " read "Brookline."

Page 221-First column, before twentieth line from bottom, read " Died November 19, 1881."

Page 222-Second column, twenty-first line, for " H" read "A;", eighteenth line from bottom, for "," read " ;", and strike out "who."

Page 224-First column, twenty-third line from bottom, for "Mr." read "Hon."

Page 228-First column, thirteenth line from bottom, after "ways" read, "at one time represented the city in the Legislature;" second column, tenth line from bottom, for "S." read "B."

Page 229-Fourteenth line, for "Rev. B. B. Thatcher " read "B. B. Thatcher."

Page 231-Fourth line, for " to" read "at."

Page 232-Second column, fourteenth line from bottom, for "this" read "his."

Page 234-First column, tenth line from bottom, before "Historical" insert "Bangor."

Page 236-Twenty-seventh line, for "R." read "H."

Page 237-Twenty-sixth line, for "Sophie" read "Sophia;" twenty- ninth line, for "Harney" read "Harvey;" thirty-sixth line, strike out "[?]".

Page 238-Seventh line, for "Nealley. True," read "Nealley-True;" second column, twelfth and nineteenth lines from bottom, for "Mrs." read " Miss."

Page 239-First column, forty-second line, for "on" read "or."

Page 240 -- Second column, tenth line, strike out "Rev."

Page 241-Second column, eleventh line from bottom, for "Hord" read "Pond."

Page 242-Second column, twentieth line from bottom, for "Mine" read "Maine."

In Mr. Palmer's History of Corinth, description of Abner Tibbetts's land, strike out "westerly;" and subsequently, for "slope" on the east of the Kenduskeag, read "side."

Page 461-Twenty-first line, add "were burned for the third time in 1881, and rebuilt the same year;" second column, under "1837," re- move the Rufus Dwinel item to 1827.

In Mr. Fernald's History of Winn, a statement is made to the effect that Dr. Reynolds was reformed by the "Red Ribbon" movement; which is not literally correct, as he was himself the originator and long the chief promoter of that phase of the temperance reform.

Page 517-In Table of Contents for "Russell" read "Bussell;" in second paragraph for " 1794" read "1764;" second column, third line, for "feed " read "food."

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 228

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