USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > History of Piscataquis County, Maine : from its earliest settlement to 1880 > Part 17
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ELLIOTSVILLE.
After the annexation of the eastern part of Wilson, to El- liotsville, the depletion of its inhabitants went on. After the. timber was cut off, the wild lands would not sell, for enough even to pay the taxes. E. G. Vaughan and many others moved away, and, in 1858, the inhabitants petitioned for a repeal of the act of incorporation. This was granted, and it has not been organized into a plantation since. Vaughan's mill has gone to decay, but the Sawyers built a shingle mill upon the same dam, which is still operating.
In 1860, its population was 59, in 1870, it was 42, now, 1880, it is still less.
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CHAPTER XXV.
UNINCORPORATED SETTLEMENTS.
BOWERBANK, HOWARD, KATAHDIN IRON WORKS.
· BOWERBANK was Number Seven, Range Eighth, and lies directly north of Foxcroft, but separated from it by Sebec Lake. Its whole area is 26,880 acres, but a part of the lake is within its limits, and reduces its available contents. A small portion of Foxcroft adjoining it on the north side of the lake, was annexed to it. About one-third of its soil is good for tillage, and when cultivated has proved highly pro- ductive. Originally it was well timbered, and the lumber was easily run down Sebec Lake.
PROPRIETORS. According to M. Greenleaf Esq., Thomas Monkton was the first purchaser. It then passed to a Mr. Bowerbank, a London merchant. He employed Charles Vaughan Esq. as his agent, and also appointed R. C. Barth Esq. of New York as his attorney to make legal conveyances. During his ownership, and by his agents, the settlement was commenced. Its unsold portions eventually passed to Messrs. Parker, Lord and Smith of Bangor, and then to Sam- uel Mclellan Esq. of Dexter, and now they are owned by Edward C. Homans of Eaglewood, N. J.
Mr. Bowerbank at an early date explored this township in person and had it lotted into 200 acre lots by S. Hoyt jr .; afterward these lots were divided into equal parts by Capt. Eben Greenleaf.
FIRST SETTLEMENT. Charles Vaughan Esq. in 1821, had an opening of fifty acres felled, and the next spring a part of it was cleared and put into crops. Early in 1822, Mr. Edward Robinson, recently from England, was directed thither by
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Mr. Vaughan. He crossed the lake alone on a frail raft of his own construction, selected a lot of 200 acres, and hired a Mr. Crommet of Sebec to clear up and put into grass forty acres by the close of 1824. Mr. William Heskith, another Englishman, also had twelve acres of trees felled at the same time. A Mr. Page had been lumbering there in the previous winters, under Mr. Vaughan's direction. He had lost a son there by drowning. This young man was walking upon the ice, in the spring when it was growing soft, and carrying some heavy logging chains upon his shoulders. The ice broke beneath him, and the weight of the chains sunk him hopelessly to the bottom.
A Mr. Hodges was employed through the summer of 1822, in Mr. Vaughan's opening, camping there, and living alone. The first settlers paid one dollar per acre for their land.
In the summer of 1825, Mr. Robinson put up a framed house and barn, cut hay and grain, and prepared to make a permanent settlement. In March, 1826, he married and moved his wife into his new home. He was the first settler, William Newell a blacksmith from Hallowell, the next, Wil- liam Heskith, the third, and Dea. J. Brown, the fourth. Mr. Vaughan had secured the building of a saw-mill on Mill Brook, previous to this, and now a saw-mill and grist-mill are run there by R. Newell.
The early settlers soon took voluntary measures to build a school-house, and opened private schools for their children. Religious meetings were regularly held, and, in 1836, a small Baptist church was organized.
Sebec village was their most convenient business place, reached by water in summer, and upon the ice in winter. Foxcroft and Dover were also accessible when the lake was frozen. They still haul white birch for spool timber and other kinds of lumber in large quantities, across the lake from this town.
The early settlers were ambitious to enjoy the elective franchise. They could legally do so in any adjoining town, by giving in their names to the assessors and paying a poll-
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
tax. But they were prone to forget this essential prelimina- ry. So, when they went to Sebec to cast their votes, there were legal objections which their political opponents were not slow to make. This led to a premature incorporation of the town. In March, 1839, the act was passed, the name being taken from the English landlord, Bowerbank .. This imposed on the few, about thirty voters, the burdens of mu- nicipal regulations and high taxes. But it'allowed them to sell the public reserves, and secure a school fund of $580, which is still helping to sustain schools among them.
Mr. Robinson became interested in the woolen factory in Sebec village, and, in 1854, he removed thither. He then possessed a large and productive farm. In 1837, he harvest- ed 314 bushels of wheat and 1000 bushels of potatoes, beside other crops.
The population began to decrease. In 1850, it numbered 173, and showed a valuation of $17,376; in 1870, it was 83, with a valuation of $15,000.
In 1869, the inhabitants petitioned for a repeal of the act of incorporation, and on February 15, it was repealed, and its municipal burdens removed. It has not been organized as a plantation, but they have schools, sustained in part by private subscription.
HOWARD.
This is Number Eight, Range Eight, and still unincor- porated. It took the name of Howard, from Abijah Howard, once a large proprietor. It has an area of 23,040 acres, but a large portion of Sebec Lake, and a part of Ship Pond are within its boundaries, and reduce its amount of settling land.
NATURAL RESOURCES. The southern portion of it is mountainous, but it contains a large amount of good settling land. Quite a breadth of soil on the Wilson Stream is es- pecially inviting. It once had a large amount of pine tim- ber, and this is not entirely exhausted. Granite Mountain, rising from the western shore of Sebec Lake, and extending nearly to the mouth of Wilson Stream, contains an inexhaust-
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HOWARD.
ible amount of the finest granite found in the State. The best of underpinning has been taken from the foot of this mountain, to Guilford village, and also to Foxcroft and Do- ver. A slate quarry was once opened in another part, but it proved too hard to be worked profitably.
PROPRIETORS. Gen. A. Davis is the first that we have been able to ascertain. He owned a portion of it, possibly all of it, as early as 1825 or 1826. So also, Abijah Howard, J. S. Sayward and William S. Coggin, once were its owners. Abner Hallowell, before these, owned one sixth of it. Geo. M. Weston and Dudley F. Leavitt, more recently have owned a large part of it. At the present date, 1880, there is a small portion, one thousand acres, in the south west corner, near North Guilford mills, known as the Harris tract, adjoin- ing it there are 960 acres set off for the public reserves, there is the Osgood tract near the south east corner, and 4000 acres owned by the Howard Slate Co., in the north east corner, and several lots owned and occupied by settlers. The remainder of the township has been owned recently by J. S. Wheelwright and George Boynton of Bangor, but is now held by Messrs. Adams.
SETTLEMENT. This township has never been opened to settlers, but kept in the market for the sale of large tracts, and timber stumpage. Still, for more than fifty years, some persons and families have resided upon it,
In 1826, John Greeley was encouraged by Gen. Davis to erect mills on the lower falls of the Wilson Stream, near its mouth. He put in operation a saw-mill and clapboard ma- chine, and worked up a large amount of lumber.
Peter Brawn cleared up an opening on the shore of the lake and of the stream, and both removed their families thither. Mr. Greeley run these mills, about twenty years, and then consigned them to Caleb Prentiss, and moved to other parts. Mr Brawn, moved to Guilford, and died there at an advanced age. The mills were not kept in oper- ation, and went to decay. Now all traces of them and of the dwellings are blotted out. The land and privilege passed to several owners, and was finally bought by Mr. Wil- 15
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
liam Davis of Foxcroft. In 1866, Blethen & Gilman erect- ed a large hotel, the Lake House, on the lot cleared by Brawn, and it has become quite a resort for summer board- ers and tourists. It is now owned and kept by Capt. A. G. Crocket, who formerly run the steamboat on Sebec Lake, and who now does a large business in farming.
Some of its best settling land was easily reached from Monson. As early as 1826, James Johnson, already noticed in the Kidder swindle, pushed in from that direction, put up a camp, and began to clear an opening just below Green- wood's falls. There he lived, somewhat hermit-like, four miles from other inhabitants, occasionally visited by hunters, refugees and explorers, until he secured a lot by twenty years possession. He then sold out to Mr. Joseph Moulton of Foxcroft, and took up and cleared a new lot.
By 1850, about ten families had settled in that part of the township. Messrs. Jordan and Jennison of Foxcroft put up a saw-mill in the west part of the town, on a branch of the Wilson Stream, but this has run down. Some years since, Orin Brooks put a saw-mill and clapboard machine in operation on Greenwood's Falls, but in 1877, they were de- stroyed by fire. Mr. Harrison Welch has rebuilt them, and they are operating profitably.
Mr. Johnson again sold his possession, and began anew, near the north part of the town. He married late in life, and reared up a family. In his old age, a son upon whom he depended, by a serious accident, lost a leg, and he was compelled to call upon the town for support. The town of Dixfield assumed this, and he died in his native place, after a long life of peculiar hardships.
A few years since, a slate quarry toward the north-east corner of the township was thought to promise well, and a company of Bangoreans was formed to work it. They were incorporated in 1870 as the Howard Slate Co. They pur- chased 4000 acres of the soil and all other slate quarries that might be found in the township, erected large buildings for working out, slates, and laid a tram-way one and a half miles in length, to the shore of the lake, for transporting
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them to a steamboat landing. But the quarry did not prove softer as they worked into it, as they confidently expected, and the whole enterprise proved an entire failure.
SURVEY. As early as 1828, Maj. P. P. Furber run out three ranges of lots across the township, beginning at Greeley's mills, and marked the corners of each one hundred acre lot.
Recently William P. Oakes of Sangerville has completed the survey of Wheelwright & Boynton's tract, and it is of- fered for settlement.
About thirty families are now residing in the township. A county road has been opened through it, a school-house erected in the west part, and sometimes it is occupied for schools and meetings; a post-office is established, and the pros- pect of an increase of population is quite flattering.
Greenwood's Falls answer as a standing memorial of Mr. Greenwood's lamentable death, already given in the sketch of Monson. ..
Butler's Cove on the west shore of Sebec Lake records another fatal accident. A man named Butler attempted to swim across that cove, while his companions were making a raft, but his strength failed before he reached the shore, and he sank to rise no more.
In the summer of 1879, the Willimantic Thread Co. of · Connecticut purchased a lot at Greeley's Falls, and also all the white birch timber standing upon the proprietor's land in the township. They erected a mill upon the north bank of Wilson's Stream, for splitting out spool timber, and sheds, shops and dwelling-houses necessary for successful opera- tions. They also built a bridge across the stream. By the beginning of 1880, the mill was ready to operate, and, on Jan. 5th, the electric light shone upon a large company of invited guests there assembled,-its first introduction into the county. They are intending to have 2000 cords of white birch hauled and split out this winter, and next summer, to add a spool factory to the establishment, for making a sur- plus of spools over and above what they use in their own extensive manufactory.
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
KATAHDIN IRON WORKS.
These are situated in Number Six, Range Ninth, and were named from Mt. Katahdin. One-half of this township was granted to Warren Academy, in 1808. It was divided by an east and west line, and the north half belonged to the Acad- emy. The west branch of Pleasant River flows through the township, and upon its banks some excellent intervals were found. As early as 1814, Ichabod Thomas of Sidney bought one-half of this northern part containing these intervals, and Eber Davis of Fairfield, 1000 acres adjoining Mr. Thomas' purchase. Mr. Thomas and his sons and Joseph Davis com- menced clearing, and, in 1815, moved their families there. Their openings were three miles above the present furnace, and full ten miles above the nearest settler in Brownville, but they had a road from Sebec through Barnard to their homes. They remained there till 1821, there being twelve residents in 1820, and then exchanged their estates with Mo- ses Brown, for farms in Brownville. The hay has been cut year after year, but no families have dwelt there since those hardy occupants removed. At the present time, 1880, these farms are possessed by J. Herrick and sons, the hotel keepers at the Iron Works. In the year 1877, they harvested from them 80 tons of hay, 800 bushels of oats, 600, of potatoes, 50, of beans, 30, of wheat, and a large amount of garden vegetables.
Some time since, a mine of iron ore, known as "Bog ore," was found upon the northern half of this township. It is at the foot of Ore Mountain, near which the west branch of Pleasant River flows. In 1843, work was commenced to de- velop this mine, and to build these Iron works. Edward Smith of Bangor was the organizing and active agent. He and his brother Samuel had been previously known among the enter- prising business men of Bangor, during the period of its rap- id growth. In the spring of 1843,. Walter Smith of New- market, N. H., the father of the above named, bought the half township which contained this bed of ore, and Edward cut out roads, put up buildings and built a furnace.
Then Warren Academy had sold out nearly all of its land,
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and its several owners conveyed their respective tracts to Mr. Smith. The furnace was completed, the ore proved unex- pectedly good, losing only half of its weight in smelting. But the Smiths run it only for a short time. In January, 1845, they sold all the land they there owned, with the fur- nace and other buildings, to David Pingree of Salem.
Messrs. Pingree & Co. prosecuted the work with energy till 1856, and then let its furnace fires go out. A large amount of iron had been produced, 2350 tons the last year it was operated, but the hauling of it by teams to Bangor had been quite expensive.
Previous to this, a hotel and several houses had been built, to accommodate workmen. For six or eight years, all were left desolate, except one dwelling and the hotel, this was kept open to entertain lumbermen, explorers and visitors. The property then passed to the creditors of Pingree & Co. Hinkley & Edgerly of Bangor had large claims. They bought out the smaller owners, and put the furnace again in operation. War times were not favorable to such industries, and they also closed up. Other partners came in, and it was started again, O. B. Davis jr. being the treasurer and chief manager. It has once suspended both payment and business, but it is now in successful operation.
When running, it gives employment to a large number of workmen, in cutting and hauling wood to supply the fur- nace with charcoal, and in hauling the products to the rail- road, and in carrying back a species of limestone used in smelting.
Other valuable minerals,-paints and copperas-are ob- tained there in paying quantities, while the ore improves in quality, and gives no sign of exhaustion. In November, 1879, an explosion occurred in the upper room of the furnace, as they were drawing off the melted ore below, by which two of the hands were instantly killed, and serious injury done to the building. Work was suspended for a few weeks, un- til this could be repaired. It soon resumed business, and now it is in full blast in all its departments.
CHAPTER XXVI. STIRRING EVENTS. THE INDIAN SCARE.
IN June, 1812, war was declared against Great Britain, and the country was agitated with various fears, contests and startling commotions. In some of these, the new settlers of this county necessarily participated. The Penobscot tribe of Indians was to them the first source of dire anxiety and fear. Up to this time, these hardy sons of the forest had passed up and down the river in prosecuting their hunting operations, and had ever exhibited a friendly disposition toward the set- tlers. Both parties had been neighborly and fearless, noth- ing arising to disturb this mutual confidence. But now as the sound of war was in the land, the settlers recalled the former scenes of cruelty and blood, and feared that these savages would seize the tomahawk and scalping knife, and stealthily rush upon them in their defenceless state. The Indians manifested no change of feelings or intentions toward the whites, but if one or more of them were seen pad- dling their birches on the river, or threading their way through the forests, the suspicious observer would hurry away out of sight.
The keen-eyed Indian instinctively interpreted this, and felt that he might be treated as an enemy, and he too skulked away hastily. They threatened no violence, they did no injury, they showed no particular sympathy for the English, still an increasing jealousy and fear frowned be- tween them.
The settlers were so far from any available help, were so near the Indian hunting grounds, were so unsupplied with
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THE INDIAN SCARE.
means of defence, that they would fall an easy prey to the savage foe, if he should attempt a hostile invasion. The ex- citement became general, and increased as it spread, and soon the public felt that something must be done. So a mass meeting was called to concentrate the united wisdom, foresight and valor of the community, to deliberate pro- foundly upon the impending crisis, to devise ways and means for public safety. This meeting assembled in Fox- croft, in August, 1812, the first meeting of the kind ever held on the river. It was numerously attended, organized and conducted in an orderly and deliberate manner. Mr. T. Hutchings presided as moderator, R. Low was chosen clerk, and, according to the religious sentiment of those days, Dea. R. Herring was invited to seek the Divine blessing up- on their solemn deliberations. These preliminaries over, each person rose in turn and expressed his views upon the apprehended danger, and the best way of averting it. All thought that a garrison or some kind of fortifications should be immediately built, but not in the most disinterested spir- it, each one thought that his own opening was the best place for it. At length it became the turn of Phineas Ames, then known as King Ames, to speak, and he rose to a high pitch of rough-hewn eloquence, and made a decided impres- sion. He counseled delay and moderation, that they wait the movements of the national forces, for, if our army in- vaded Canada, these Indians would follow in the track of war, and let themselves to one or the other of the belligerent forces, and so leave these back settlements unmolested; but if they were not thus drawn away, we might have reason to fear a visit from them, but when the movements of the army were known, there would be time to take measures for general defence. Again it was proposed to send an agent to Boston, to solicit arms and ammunition from the State government for their defence. This was voted by a small majority, provided money enough should be contribu- ted voluntarily to defray his traveling expenses, and Mr. E. Bacon was chosen for that embassage. So the meeting dis-
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
solved. Mr. Bacon failed to receive the needed funds, and did not go. The excitement in some measure subsided, though some abandoned their exposed homes and went to safer locations, all barricaded their cabin doors so that a nightly assault, if attempted by a blood-thirsty savage, should give them time for alarm and resistance.
It is not known that the Indians at Oldtown ever heard of this meeting, nor how they would have treated it, if they had. But while the war lasted, they forbore to come into these regions, and left these trembling pioneers totally un- disturbed by them.
Two years later, when the British marched upon Bangor and took it, a new wave of fear passed over these settlements, but that will be treated of in connection with that event.
THE MARCH TO BANGOR.
Late in the summer of 1814, the British took Castine and kept quiet possession of it till the end of the war. The British officers hoping to attach that part of Maine to their own province, bought and sold merchandise freely, and treat- ed the people with an alluring lenience. But occasionally the British Lion must shake his mane. Detachments of troops would march out into the surrounding country, to re- connoitre its military condition, to forage among the inhabi- tants, to display their martial strength, and to awe the people into profound submission. In September of that year they made a serious raid upon Bangor, as there were some naval forces in the Penobscot River, and some merchant vessels afloat, and others on the stocks. British barges ascended the river, and a land force marched up on the west bank.
The militia was hastily called out by Gen. Blake of Brewer, but as there were but a few companies then organized, only a feeble force could be rallied for the combat. They met these invaders at Hampden, but as they had no fortification, and were raw recruits, they broke and fled at the approach of their trained and formidable enemy. The "John Adams," a sloop of war, lay at Hampden, and as her capture was in-
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THE MARCH TO BANGOR. 225
evitable, the marines abandoned her, and retreated toward Portland, one of them lingering behind to blow her up. So both river and country were now open to our haughty invad- ers. They pressed on, and Bangor fell into their hands with- out resistance. The citizens took the required oath, not to engage in hostilities against the British during the war; the soldiers committed acts of mercenary plunder unrestrained; the officers commanded some vessels on the stocks to be burnt, and released others, whose owners gave bonds to pay a large part of their value; but the close of the war soon coming, vitiated these bonds.
The report that the troops were advancing upon Bangor spread rapidly through all these new settlements, and aroused the patriotic spirits of those hardy and resolute backwoods- men. Though there was no roll of the stirring drum, nor thrill- ing blast of the bugle, many a brave heart beat to arms, and many a strong arm was nerved for action. The old musket was put in order, ammunition procured, the knapsack filled with bread and pork, and strapped upon their shoulders, the parting words tenderly, falteringly dropped, and with hur- ried step they started, on foot, and alone often, for the battle field. There was then no drafting nor warning to appear, but self-moved and self-called, they rushed to repel these raiders.
But in Foxcroft and vicinity things took a more orderly form. In the absence of military organization, fifty-six men residing in this vicinity assembled here, organized a volun- teer company, and adopted the rules and regulations of war. They next elected officers, and prepared for military disci- pline and action. Capt. Ezekiel Chase of Sebec, a Revolu- tionary veteran, and who had afterward commanded a rifle company on the Kennebec, was chosen captain, Nathaniel Chamberlain of Dover, lieutenant, and Abel Chase of Sebec, a brother of the captain, ensign. This company furnished its own arms and ammunition, procured its own supplies, sought no transportation, and expected only the reward of genuine patriotism for their pay. It marched at once toward
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
the seat of war, but, alas ! all this flaming valor was a little too late. Their commercial emporium had capitulated be- fore these approaching succorers could arrive. But the com- pany, by a forced march, had got over a large portion of the way before that humiliating report reached them. Capt. Chase advanced to Col. Whiting's abode, the old Jameson stand, and encamped to wait further developments. Mean- while those who remained at home sent them supplies of food, and gave substantial proof of a genuine sympathy. It soon became evident that no further hostilities were to be appre- hended, and the whole company returned safely to their waiting homes.
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