History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 91

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

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with a very little one between it and the Mill Pond a half- mile distant, which reaches eastward nearly one and a half miles in a narrow sheet to Garland village, south- west of which is also a small pond. As the stream runs off hence to the southeast, there is a slight expansion of it half-way to Holt's Mills, but hardly enough to be called a lake or pond. From Holt's the stream makes a pretty straight dash for the corner of the town, where it goes into Exeter. It receives but two tributaries from the south in Garland, and they very small; but on the north eight affluents, all rising in the central belt of the town, and flowing altogether in Garland, enter it. The last of these on the eastward has a length of three miles, with a general north and south course. About a mile east of it flows another tributary, with two little branches in Garland, but which itself flows into Charleston.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Northwest of the central belt in which the Kenduskeag affluents rise are the headwaters of the main stream, which flows across the north of Dexter. The northernmost of the brooks makes a small lake about half a mile from the Piscataquis line. East of it are the beginning rivulets of several creeks that belong mainly to Piscataquis county. One tiny stream flows from Charleston for half a mile across the northeast angle of the town. Below the Ken- duskeag, a mile to a mile and a half south of Garland post-office, are the heads of a little stream that shortly flows into Exeter.

The central and southern belts of Garland town are well settled; the northern more sparsely. The three post-offices of the town are altogether in the southern third of the town. Garland post-office is about half-way across the town from east to west, on the stage road from Dexter to Exeter, and an east and west road that, with a little jog in the village, runs across the town. At Gar- land are Congregational and Free-will Baptist churches, the Town House, School No. 3, and several mills, fac- tories, and shops. Power is furnished by the Kendus- keag Stream, the village being at the eastern extremity of the long mill-pond. The village cemetery is a mile east, at the crossing of the north and south road. Nearly two miles westward, at the east end of Pleasant Pond, are the West Garland post-office and School No. 2. Holt's Mills post-office, with School No. 12, are in the southeast angle of the town, about a mile from the ex- treme corner, on the road southwest from Garland village into Corinth, and on to Bangor. School No. 7 is a mile west of Holt's Mills, with the Town Farm a little south of it. From them a road runs north five miles, intersect- ing near the county line a northwest and southeast road running from Charleston about five miles across the town to Dover. School No. 5, and the Methodist Episcopal church are on the former road, the latter at the crossing of an east and west road through the center of Garland, running clean across it to Dexter. Upon the eastern part of it are School No. 2 and a cemetery near it, School No. 8 exactly in the middle of the town, and an- other cemetery a little south of it on the westward. Passing this graveyard is a road through from Piscataquis to the mill pond a little west of Garland village, which forks a mile and a quarter below the county line, and runs southeastward into a north road leading to Garland post-office. Upon the cross-road is School No. 10, at the terminus of another highway going north and into Dover. The other north and south road passes straight through Garland post-office and southward and south- eastward by School No. 7 out into Exeter. Through West Garland another southeastward road courses down from the central road to Dexter, starting near the town line, and also goes into Exeter. At the south end of the vil- lage it sends a road straight across to School No. 3, at the south end of Garland post-office. The shorter neighborhood roads have been laid out in Garland with usual number and convenience.

The north part of this township is traversed by a range of high and rugged hills. Near the east line of the town they are intersected by a deep ravine, known as "the

Notch," which forms the most remarkable natural feature in the town. It is so conveniently situated as to seem, to piously inclined persons, to be specially designed by Providence as affording means of egress from that portion of Penobscnt into Piscataquis county. A county and stage road has passed through the Notch for many years ; and it was long expected that some railway line would find this most feasible route northward. That hope has probably become pretty nearly extinct by this time, as the Bangor & Piscataquis railway passes far to the eastward, and the extension of the Newport and Dexter iron road to Moosehead Lake will be laid to the westward.

LAND HISTORY.

The boundaries of the township which forms Garland were run as early as 1792, by Messrs. Ephraim Ballard and Samuel Weston. Six years thereafter-June 2, 1798 -the General Court of Massachusetts passed a resol- ution to grant to the trustees of Williams College, in that State, two townships of land in the District of Maine, to be selected from any tracts in the district not otherwise appropriated. This township, which had been designated as No. 3, in the fifth range, north of the Waldo Patent, was accordingly selected as part of the grant. The same year the trustees made a conveyance of the entire town- ship to a company, consisting of Levi Lincoln (from whom it took its first and plantation name of "Lincoln- town"), Seth Hastings, Samuel Sanger, Sr., Calvin Sanger, and Elias Grant. The lines of lots or subdivisions within the township were run in 1800 by the famous old surveyor, Moses Hodsdon, assisted by Daniel Wilkins, David A. Gove, and a Mr. Shores. The first two lots surveyed were selected for settlement by Mr. Gove and a Mr. Wheeler.

COLONIZATION.

Notwithstanding this selection, Messrs. Gove and Wheeler did not at once settle upon their tracts. The primeval forests of Garland, indeed, were not broken, except to the slight extent made necessary by the move- ments of the surveyors, for two years afterwards. Then the ground was prospected, lots selected, and openings made by sixteen or eighteen persons from the western part of Maine and from New Hampshire, most of whom became permanent settlers. The first family, however, was brought in June 22, 1802, by Joseph Garland, from his old home at Salisbury, New Hampshire. He may be considered as, in some sense, the father of the town, since he brought it the first family and gave it his name. His family consisted of his wife and three children.

Isaac. Wheeler and Josiah Bartlett were also among the earliest settlers.

By the year 1805 there were twelve families in the plantation, and about fifty voters were residents here when the town was incorporated six years later.

ORGANIZATION.

The original or plantation name of this town, as already stated, was Lincolntown, so called from the Hon. Levi Lincoln, one of the principal men among the co-pro- prietors.

On the 16th of February, 1811-the same day that

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Exeter and Charleston, in this county, were erected- Garland was incorporated as the one hundred and eighty- second town in the District, the name being changed in honor of the pioneer settler.

It is a fact of some interest that Eddington, Corinth, and Carmel-then of Hancock, but now of this county- were created the same year; and that, of the nine towns incorporated in the District during 1811, two-thirds now belong to Penobscot county. It seems to have been a good year for municipal organization in the south of this county.

NOTES OF PROGRESS.

Lincolntown had a population of 236 in 1810. Gar- land had 275 in 1820, 621 in 1830, 1,065 in 1840, 1,247 in 1850, 1,498 in 1860, 1,306 in 1870, and 1,211 in 1880.

The number of votes in the town was 60 in 1812, 54 in 1820, 327 in 1860, 316 in 1870, and 343 in 1880.

The valuations for these years were $1,373.32 (with a tax of 22 cents per $100), $24, 121, $212,531, $312,263, and $331,690.

SUNDRY HISTORIC NOTES.

The Rev. John Sawyer, who was an active and useful agent in the employ of the Maine Missionary Society from 18ro to 1850, in promotingeducation, morality, and religion throughout the State, made his home chiefly in this town. He died, however, in Bangor, on the 14th of October, 1858, at the remarkable age of one hundred and three years. His activity in good words and works had continued until he was past his ninetieth year.

A Congregational society, known by the name of the Garland church, but including members from Foxcroft, Sangerville, and Dexter, was gathered the Ist of March, 1810, by the Rev. Messrs. John Sawyer, Mighill Blood, and Hezekiah May. It has enjoyed the long pastorate of the Rev. Peter B. Thayer from 1847 to this time -- nearly thirty-five years.

The Free Baptists of Garland have the services of Elder C. C. Foster in their pulpit. The Methodist charge was temporarily vacant at last accounts. .

The town is well supplied with schools. The Gar- land High School was organized in 1848. The first school in the township was taught in 1806, at the house of the pioneer Joseph Garland, by William Mitchell.

The first saw-mill in the town was set going in the fall of 1802, the first year of settlement. There are now two saw and shingle mills, one saw, grist, and shingle mill, one saw and grist mill, one shingle machine, one ma- chinery and carding mill, one planing mill, and one planing and sawing mill in town. .

Frame buildings, as might reasonably be argued from the date of establishment of the saw-mill, began to appear in Garland as early as 1803, when several were erected. It is now one of the best built towns in the county.

Garland has nine merchants of different classes, one boot and shoe factory, one harness-maker, one carriage- maker, one cabinet-maker, one maker of egg-cases, and three smiths. There are two resident physicians, both allopathic. There is also one hotel, the Tremont House.

The societies of Garland, not religious, are the Gar- land Grange No. 26, Patrons of Husbandry, one of the earliest formed in the State; and the Garland Temper- ance Society.

OFFICERS IN 1881.

L. O. Oakes, Garland; West Garland, J. C. Lawrence; Holt's Mills, Rosilla Holt, Postmasters; A. M. Haskell, A. H. Hathaway, Henry Merrill, Selectmen; G. S. Clark, Town Clerk; F. J. Gerry, Treasurer ; F. J. Gerry, Con- stable and Collector ; Charles Whitting, E. S. Coan, Miss Matilda Haskell, School Committee; Samuel Skillin, Moses Page, Thomas K. Holt (Quorum); A. M. Has- ekll, Charles E. Merriam (Trial), Justices.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

The following two notices are from the Bowdoin Col- lege Roll of Honor, in the Adjutant-General's reports during the late war :

Class of 1861-William A. Hobbie, born in Garland, October, 1837; served in the Army of the Tennessee under General Sherman, in the Sixteenth Iowa.

Leander O. Merriam, born in Garland, May, 1843; left in his junior year; and returned to finish his course in the next class ; Sergeant Major . Thirty-First Maine; was wounded.

Peter Thayer was born in the town of Wrentham, Wor- cester county, Massachusetts, where he lived until he married and then moved to Alstead, New Hampshire. He lived there about twenty-five years and then moved to the town of Acworth, where he remained until about seventy years of age, when he went to Keysville, New York, where he died. His wife was Abigail Blake, born. in Wrentham, Worcester county, Massachusetts. The Rev. Peter Blake Thayer is the seventh child in the family, and was born in the town of Alstead, New Hampshire, February 29, 1816. While a youth he worked at farming, and when he became older pursued a course of studies for the purpose of becoming a clergy- man, and in the year 1848 he was ordained and has since that time been the pastor of the Conly Street church, of this place. He was a graduate from the sem- inary at Bangor in the year 1847. The names of the other children of Peter Thayer were: Lucy, deceased; Nancy, deceased; Fisher, Warren, Abigail, dead; Hulda, Belinda. Rev. Peter B. Thayer was married to Miss Mary F. Kent in the year 1847, and has one son, Harry B., married to Miss Eva Sawyer, and has one child, a daughter. Mr. Thayer's wife was a daughter of Amaria Kent and Lucy Phelps Kent.

Moses B. Foster was born in the town of Gray, Cum- berland county, Maine, October 17, 1812, where he has passed his life thus far. He was married in 1836 to Miss E. A. Benson, who was also born in Gray and still shares his life. Their eldest son, Rev. Caleb C. Foster, was born April 12, 1837, and during his early youth worked at masonry. As he attained towards his major- ity he evinced a desire to study with the object of becom- ing a minister in the Free-will Baptist church, which high calling he now follows. He finished his studies at the theological school at New Hampton, New Hamp-

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shire. Other children of Moses B. Foster were S. J., deceased; Samuel H .; Emma A .; Hannah E .; Dr. A. M .; Eliza E. Samuel.H. was a member of Company K, commanded by Captain Furbish, and served throughout the war, returning unharmed. Rev. Caleb C. Foster was married July 14, 1869, to Miss Annah Flanders, daughter of Ezekiel and Rosilla K. Glidden Flanders, by whom he has three children living, and three deceased: Charles E .; Frank W., deceased; Emma L., deceased; Frederick W., deceased; Laura A., and George A.

Samuel Coan was born in 1813, in Castine, Maine, and when six years of age accompanied his parents to Exeter, where he resided thirty-three years. He then re- moved to Garland, where he now lives. His wife was Hannah M. Skinner, who was born in Brewer. They were married in 1836, and she died in Garland in 1857, aged forty-two years. Mr. Coan married for a second wife Ann Sophia Skinner, who is now living, aged sixty- seven years. Elisha S. Coan was the third child in the family, and was born in Exeter in 1843. The remaining children of Samuel Coan were: Leander S., Adelaide, Fred C., Alfred S., Mary A., and Clara S. Elisha S. Coan worked at farming when a youth, and at the age of nineteen enlisted and served three years in the late war, returning unharmed. He then studied medicine and be- came a practicing physician. He was married in 1871 to Mary A. Swett, daughter of Noah and Nancy Wheeler Swett, by whom he has four children-Newton G., Ma- rion, Anna E., and an infant. Dr. Coan was Supervisor of Schools at Bradford one year, and is now a member of the School Committee of Garland the second year.

The father of Daniel E. Knight was born in Parsons- field in 1816, and when five years of age came with his parents to Garland, where he yet lives. His wife was Lydia A. Johnson, also born in Parsonsfield in the year 1824, to whom he was married in 1843. Daniel E. Knight, the only son, was born in Garland in 1864, and was married December 13, 1874, to Angie E. Page, of Charlestown, Maine, daughter of Calvin D. and Sarah E. Page. To Mr. and Mrs. Knight has been born one son, Harold E., now five years of age. Mr. Knight was brought up on a farm, but is now engaged in mercantile pursuits.

The father of George S. Clark was born in the town of Old Clinton, Kennebec county, Maine, in 1810. When about thirty-five years of age he removed to Co- rinna, and eight years later to Garland, where he died în 1866. He was by trade a boot and shoe-maker. His wife was Abigail Weeks, born in Old Clinton, and mar- ried to Mr. Clark in 1830; she died in 1835. George S. Clark was the oldest child in the family, and was born in 1832. The remaining children were: Mary Ann, James H., Sarah, Joseph, and Ellen. George S. was married September 20, 1860, to Susan H. Haskell, daughter of Bildad A. and Rebecca (Mayhew) Haskell. Mr. Clark is by trade a boot and shoe-maker. He is now Town Clerk, which office he has held for eighteen years. In 1877 he was a member of the State Legislature.

The father of Llewellyn O. Oaks was born in Sanger- ville in 1809, where he lived until a young man, when

he moved to Cambridge, and some ten years later to Parkman, where he remained but five years; he then re- moved to Garland, where he now resides. He was mar- ried in Wellington to Lucy Ann E. Follett, in 1829. Llewellyn was the third child, and was born in Cam- bridge in 1834. His business has been farming and merchandizing. Other children were: Melvina E. and Amelia A .. Llewellyn O. Oaks was married to Mary J. Adams, December 21, 1875, and has had three children -Maud B., Guy M. (deceased), and an infant, Claude. Mrs. Oaks is a daughter of Isaac and Lydia (Bryant) Adams.

Arthur B. Haskell was born in Garland, December 26, 1846, being the fourth child in the family. His brothers and sisters were Ellen M., Charles W., Woodbury T., Annie E., Samuel W., Sarah H., John, John (second), and Wilson. Arthur B. Haskell was married to Rachel D. Gregory, daughter of Edward H. and Elizabeth (Mayhew) Gregory, on the 5th day of June, 1876. They have one child. Mr. Haskell is engaged in the manu- facture of furniture, coffins, caskets, etc. His father was born in Garland in 1822, and still resides here. He is a carriage manufacturer. His wife was Mary B. Sargent, who was born in Searsport about the year 1822.

Lebbeus Oak was born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, December 13, 1821, and when five years of age was brought to Exeter, and after three years to Garland, where he yet resides, engaged in harness manufacturing. He was married to Sarah E. Merriam in 1844, and has four children: Henry I .. , unmarried; Ora, married to Miss Bertha Millett, and has no children; Addie S., un- married; Orinan, married to Belle Haskell, and has one child. Mrs. Oak's parents were Josiah and Sarah (Hill) Merriam, both deceased.

Abel Gould was born in Unity, Maine, in 1816. When sixteen years of age he removed to Corinth, and a few years later to Charlestown, where he was married, and where he died in 1869, March 16. His wife was Catharine Smith, born in Belmont, Maine, in 1822, and who survives her husband. Their children were Lorenzo, Gershom L., Albert S., Esther J., Daniel W., Abel W., Francis H., Freland W., Katie E., and Georgie A. Albert S. Gould, the third child, was born in Charlestown, May 5, 1846, and was married March I, 1871, to Sarah A. Gould, of Dixmont, daughter of Joshua and Sarah (Davis) Gould.

Elizur Burnham was born at Scarboro, Maine, Febru- ary 22, 1809. When about twenty years of age he moved to Garland, where he now resides. He married Matilda P. Buxton, of Albion, in 1832, and she died in thirteen months. In 1837 he married Mary Ann Ridout, who died in 1863, aged forty-seven years. Their children were Matilda P., deceased; Mary W., married Lyman E. Richardson, who enlisted under Colonel Charles Jame- son, in the Second Maine Regiment in the Rebellion; served as Second Lieutenant of Company E three months, was wounded at the first battle of Ball Run. and died from the effect of his wounds the 4th of August, 1861; his remains were brought home a year later and buried by the volunteer company of the town. The

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

third child of Elizur Burnham was Charles F .; then fol- lowed Mary W., who married Mr. Richardson, since de- ceased. His brothers were Stephen B., Chauncey S., and Christopher C. Mrs. Richardson is a member of the Freewill Baptist church, with which she has been connected for twenty-eight years. The father of Mr. Richardson, Daniel Richardson, was born at Rumford, Maine, May 13, 1797, and is still living. His wife was Lydia A. Tyler, who died at Augusta, Maine.

David Fogg was born in Deerfield, New Hampshire, in the year 1804, and moved from there when he was seventeen years of age and settled in the town of Gar- land, where he now resides, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife was Emeline H. Norcross, born in the town of Charlestown, Penobscot county, Maine, where she lived until nineteen years of age, and was married in the year 1832. After marriage they settled in Garland, where she lived until she died at the age of sixty-two years. Jason Thayer Fogg was born in Garland the 24th of August, 1847. While a youth he worked at farming, since his marriage at harness manufacturing, and for the last two or three years in manufacturing egg carriers. Their children were Martha Ann, Lydia N., Granville W., Jennette A., and Albert D. Jason T. Fogg was married the 24th day of April, 1871, to Rosa B. Young, and by this union has one child, a daughter, Gertrude E. His wife's father's name was Alvin P. Young ; her mother's maiden name Lydia N. Hanson.

John Jackman was born in Massachusetts in 1784, and in the year 1806 he moved to Garland, where he passed the rest of his life and died in 1868, at the age of eighty-four years. His wife was Sally Legrow, who was born in Bangor, and was there married. She died in the year 1839. Justus H. Jackman was the third child, and was born in Garland in the year 1826. He was raised on a farm, and wheu a young man learned the black- smith trade, at which he has since worked. Other chil- dren in the family were Patience, John, James, Sally, Joseph, Nancy, and Jacob. Justus H. was married in 1847 to Jane G. Field, daughter of William and Jane (Goodwin) Field, by whom he has had seven children, three of whom are now living.

Miss Susan Oak Curtis and Miss Sarah A. Curtis are contributors of some note to various papers and maga- zines. Their father is a native of Bristol, Maine, and was born in 1804. When about twenty-two years of age he moved to Garland, where he has since resided. He married Louisa S. Angove in February, 1831. She was. born in Bangor in 1831, and was married at Brownville. Their children were George, Jr., Charles, Julia H., Susan, Sarah A., and William A. Mr. Curtis was a member of the State Legislature in 1850; has never aspired to local office and has never been elected to such offices.

The father of Albert S. Bachelder was born in the town of Exeter, Maine, in the year 1789, and lived there some fifteen or twenty years, when he moved to Garland and lived there until his death, in the year 1868, at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife was Rebecca Hatch, who was born in the town of Cambridge, Maine, in

the year 1812. She died in Garland in the year 1850, aged about thirty-eight years. By this union they had four children, all of whom are living. Albert S. was born in the town of Garland in the year 1843. He was the second child in the family. The names of his brothers and sisters were: Edgar S. Bachelder ; Albert; Lonzo F .; Thomas G. Albert S. Bachelder was mar- ried the 30th of September, 1863, to Miss Mary Rand, and by this union has two children-Nellie L. and Annie S. His business through life has been that of a millman and farmer. At present he is Superintendent of the Town Farm, and has been for two years. His wife's father's name was John Rand; her mother's Laura Jumper.

The father of Horace Lester Gordon was born in the town of Garland in the year 1808, June 6, where he is still living at the age of seventy-three years. His wife was Abigail Card, born in the town of Bowdoinham, Maine, on the 9th of September, 1818, and is still living at the age of sixty-four years. They were married in the year 1835, and by this union have had three chil- dren, two of whom are now living. Horace, the oldest child, was born in Garland, June 28, 1837. His business is that of machinist, which he is now carrying on at this town in all its various branches. The remaining children are: Pearl B .; Etta. Horace Lester Gordon was mar- ried to Caroline Greeley, July 3, 1860, and by this union has had four children-May L., Walter L., Ralph P., Clifton F., who reside at home. His wife's father's name was Noah Greeley; mother, Eliza Robinson.

William Sloan Haskell was born in Garland Septem- ber 24, 1814, and has always lived here. He is the fifth child in his father's family, and was married to Ruth F. Lawerano in the year 1837. She died in the year 1844. By this union they had four children: Ruth Ellen (dead), married to Sanford R. Oaks; William H., died in the army; he enlisted in the year 1861 in the Fourth Wis- consin Regiment. and served about three years; he was wounded at the taking of Port Hudson, and died aged about twenty-three years. Augusta H., married to George W. Handy, and has two children-Una H., and Georgie Ellem; Bennett A., enlisted in the Second Maine Cavalry in the year 1863, died of disease at Pensacola, Florida, February, 1865. Mr. Haskell was married a second time-to Abby Folansburg Fales-October 25, 1855, and by this union they had four children, three of whom are now living: Mary A., died in infancy; Joseph A., May A., and Jennie A., all living at home. His wife's father's name was John Fales, her mother's name Sally Carlton. Mr. Haskell has held some of the town offices; was Selectman for two years-1854 and 1855.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 91

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