USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > History of Piscataquis County, Maine : from its earliest settlement to 1880 > Part 7
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·A legal examination was had, and the old man was held to appear at the County Court. In the interim, the selectmen of Sangerville, who were the prosecuting party, published a full account of the lost child, and of the supposed recovery, in the Bangor Register. The public, therefore, prejudged
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the case, and became strongly set against the accused strag- gler. At length the court sat, Appleford was arraigned, a large number of witnesses appeared, among which Daniel Ames was chief. Mrs. Ames was in such a maternal state that she could not attend. Ames upon the stand was not very positive in the. decisive points of his testimony, still an intense excitement prevailed through the place. In all the stores, hotels, and streets of Bangor, this trial was the one subject of talk, and strong prejudices grew up against the drunken tramp. While his fate trembled in the balance, un- looked for witnesses providentially appeared, and delivered him. Two families from Wrentham, Mass., arrived in Ban- gor, on their way to Monson and Sangerville, and upon en- tering a hotel they heard the exciting conversation upon this trial. Upon inquiry they learned the particulars, and recol- lected that such a man with such a child, was at their home in Wrentham in the previous spring. He had stopped there a day or two, washed his clothes in their fulling-mill, and departed. These men sought out the old man in the prison, and identified him as the same person. Mrs. Whiting had noted the event in her diary, and the date fixed it in May, while Ruth did not disappear till June 6th, following. This testimony was decisive; the old man was acquitted, his child was restored to him, and he went on his way rejoicing.
The public now had to admit that this was not Ames' child, and the question opened anew: What had become of her? Her disappearance was so mysterious, so large a sacri- fice of time and labor had been made, and no trace of the missing one discovered, and no wild beast had ever been known to attack any person in those regions, the course of Mr. Ames and wife, in first disowning and then claiming the Appleford child, was so unaccountable, that the mystery be- came still deeper, yes, and darker too. "People will think, as well as talk," you know. Suspicions arose in some minds that the lost child had been disposed of in some tragical way, and arose with those who knew Mr. Ames best. No one thought that he would intentionally do such a deed, but in
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his paroxysms of anger he might deal out blows that would be fatal. Many were not slow to express such suspicions, and that the report of her being lost was a contrived blind, to ward off the effects of a fearful disclosure; Mr. Ames and wife little thinking how much interest that device would awaken. The public waited for disclosures, yet dreaded to have them made. When Mr. Ames and his sons were at court, his wife was in such a nervous and agitated condition, that some of her neighbors remained constantly with her. It was whispered that, to one of them, she had disclosed some- thing relating to this mystery. He, when asked, did not deny the fact, but ever refused to tell what it was, for it was committed to him under a solemn pledge of secrecy. But he did let certain pregnant hints leak out, that are still remem- bered. In burying it so deep, they made it more significant, more conclusive, that there was something to bury. This neighbor would ever after affirm, that " Appleford's child never ought to have been claimed as Ames'," and still he was the very man, that went and brought that child to San- gerville. It was also said that, under peculiar provocations, Mrs. Ames was overheard to threaten her husband that she would make exposures about that child. But she never made any. She died before her husband. Many thought that he would reveal a terrible secret, before the curtain dropped. But he "died and gave no sign.". It is said that one of their elder sons, as he drew near the close of life, made certain statements which did not convince any one that the missing child was ever lost in the woods. And here I leave this painful subject, which the lapse of fifty years has not stripped of its mysteries, and which each must treat, as this narrative may incline him.
Sangerville village was the business center of a large cir- cuit, until stores and mechanic shops were opened in Guil- ford. Then a portion of its business was diverted, and it has not recovered it. In 1824, D. R. Straw opened an office there, and in 1830, he removed to Guilford village. A store was opened at Lane's Corner, in 1825, and continued for
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many years. Another was started there, and kept a while, but both are now abandoned.
The town continued to increase in population. After the mills were built by Brockway and Cleaves, the land in the south part of the town was rapidly settled. Eventually a store was opened at Gilman's Corner, another at French's Mills, and mechanics settled there.
In the fall of 1829, the Baptists raised a meeting-house in the village. It was completed in 1833, as a Union house. By the donation of Mr. Cotton Brown, an old resident, and a wealthy farmer, a good bell has been recently placed in its tower. In 1844, a Union house was built at Lane's Corner, and has been used more or less by different denominations.
Hon. Stephen Lowell came into the village as a trader, in 1827, and continued in the business till his death. He was often in town office, and also elected to a seat in each branch of the Legislature.
Elder Atherton Clark, in 1835, purchased the stand and farm formerly owned by Col. Robert Carleton, and moved into the village. His son William G. went into trade, but was not successful. He then turned his attention to the law, had some success in practicing it, and also dove deeply into politics. He was once elected Clerk of the Senate, and held other offices at Augusta. He died rather early in life, leaving a large and enterprising family. Whiting S., his old- est son, graduated from Colby University, in 1862, entered the army as Captain, and was promoted to Colonel, before he left it. He is now a lawyer in Bangor. Three others, James W., Charles A. and Frank A. were officers in the army. Charles A. and George E. are now practicing law.
During the war, a building for a woolen factory was built at the village, and in 1869, it was put in operation. It has greatly increased the business of the place. It now contains three sets of machinery, and employs some fifty operatives, to which ten or twelve hundred dollars are paid monthly. D. Campbell & Co. have successfully run it for several years.
Col. Wm. Oakes stood high as a military officer, was often
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in town business, once sent to the Legislature, and was once High Sheriff. He sent four sons to Waterville College; two graduated there; one left and graduated from Dartmouth; the other left before completing the course. Three of these sons became lawyers ; Albion P. practiced in Waldoborough, was an able lawyer, a fluent speaker, and when rising rapidly in his profession, sunk by consumption to an early grave. Valentine B. entered the army, and never returned. .
Mr. Barnabas Bursely was another esteemed citizen. He came to town when a young man, and followed the business of house-joiner and carriage-maker. He preached for a sea- son as a Restorationist, and then voluntarily retired from the work. He held both town and county offices, and was once sent to the Legislature. He is a man of great moral worth, reliable in all respects, and universally respected.
Sangerville as a town, did not aid in constructing the Ban- gor & Piscataquis Railroad. At Low's Bridge and at San- gerville Village, it passes so near the river, that it accommo- dates the residents of Sangerville as much as it does the peo- ple of Guilford.
LAWYERS. Since William G. Clark's death, no lawyer has practiced there.
PHYSICIANS. Those earliest here, were Charles Stearns, Jeremiah Leach, Tolman Carey, Moses Ayer, Charles Proc- tor, Moses P. Hanson, and others for short periods. Either Sangerville or Guilford village has ever had a physician, sometimes both of them, one or more. Drs. A. C., Maxim and G. D. Demeritt are now at Sangerville village.
The valuation of this town in 1870, was $316,590; its pop- ulation 1,140.
CHAPTER XI.
ATKINSON.
ATKINSON was Number Two, Sixth Range. The soil is generally good; its poorer portions lying in a connected body along the banks of Alder Stream. It was first sold to E. Sigourney, but reverting to the State, was then sold to Vaughan and Merrick, with the Dover township, for twenty- five cents per acre. These men commenced selling lots in 1801 or 1802. Soon after this they disposed of the whole township, excepting its public reserves and the lots already sold, Judge Atkinson and Oliver Crosby of Dover, N. H., being the purchasers. They and their heirs continued its proprietors, until it was all sold. After selling a large part of it, the proprietors, divided the remainder between them. After Judge Atkinson's death, Asa Freeman, his son-in-law, became his successor, and, in 1839, sold twenty-five lots to Mr. Crosby, and wound up his interest in it.
It was lotted out by Andrew Strong, into one hundred acre lots, in 1807; and by his plan they have been sold and deeded.
The Water Power in this town is not very permanent. Alder Stream passes diagonally through the town, and af- fords a mill site, near the center, which was early improved. The Colcord brothers, from Bangor, in 1807, put in a saw- and grist-mill, and similar mills are still running there. Dead Stream rises in the south-west part, flows eastwardly into Orneville, and finally falls into the outlet of Pushaw Pond. In spring and autumn this stream affords sufficient water to drive a saw-mill and a shingle machine. These stand within the original limits of Orneville, but were an- nexed to Atkinson. Upon a branch of this stream a shingle mill has been put in operation recently.
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
FIRST SETTLEMENT. Bylie Lyford felled the first open- ing on the bank of Piscataquis River, above the bridge, in 1802. The next season he raised a crop, and built his cabin. In March, 1804, he brought in his family,-the first to make a permanent home in the present town. November 11, 1804, he had a son born, Thomas Lyford, the second child born in this county. He is still living, occupying, till recently, a part of the same lot on which his father broke into the solid wil- derness. Mr. Lyford built a framed house on the interval, but high freshets alarmed him. He took up a new lot in Sebec, and built a framed barn upon it. This was acciden- tally burnt, when filled with unthreshed wheat. He then sold out that possession to Mr. Silas Harriman, a brother-in- law, and built upon higher ground, on the south end of his first lot. Here he remained till his death, in 1865, and reared up a large and respectable family.
Other settlers soon came in. A passable way was early opened to Charleston and to Bangor. Through Garland and Dexter there was a road westward. In 1810, it had 169 in- habitants, the largest number of any township on the river. But during the next decade, owing probably to the unfavor- able seasons, the increase was small. In 1820, its census shows a total of 245, and its annual crop was 105 bushels of corn, 669 of wheat, and 222 tons of hay.
In 1818, Dr. E. W. Snow, from Plymouth, N. H., came to this town to establish himself as a physician. Three elder brothers had preceded him, and taken lots for farming. Dr. Snow was a graduate of Dartmouth College, and had taken his medical degree there. Finding sufficient encouragement to remain, he married, and resided for a season in Mr. Ly- ford's house, near the river. He afterward built near the present meeting-house, and finally exchanged, and settled down at Atkinson Corner. After the death of Dr. Boynton, he was frequently called into Sebec, Milo and Brownville. At the first town meeting he was elected town clerk, and was also sent as delegate to the Constitutional Convention. After the organization of Piscataquis County, he was appointed
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Judge of Probate, and held that office seven years. Dr. Snow was a very good physician, an esteemed and useful citizen, affable, kind and generous, a man of refined taste and culture, every way honest, upright and reliable. He remained in town until his death, in 1849, and departed sincerely lament- ed. One of his sons, Dr. E. P. Snow, succeeded him in his practice.
INCORPORATION. It was for a season Plantation Number Two, but in February, 1819, it was incorporated as the town of Atkinson. The name was chosen in honor of Judge At- kinson. He gracefully acknowledged the honor by present- ing the town with one hundred volumes for a public library.
In accordance with a warrant from N. R. Lowney, Bylie Lyford called the first town meeting, March 26, 1819.
The next year, 1820, Oliver Crosby, joint proprietor with Judge Atkinson, moved into town, and commenced farming on an extensive scale. He held for his own use, 700 acres, and soon had the largest farm in Penobscot County. He built large and elegant buildings, laid out his orchards and grounds in good taste, and prosecuted his agricultural pur- suits in a skillful and successful manner. Mr. Crosby was a native of Billerica, Mass., a graduate of Harvard University, and while in Dover, N. H., a member of the bar. But he laid aside his legal pursuits, when he settled in Atkinson. He reared up a large family, educating two of his sons for the legal profession,-the late William C. Crosby of Bangor, and Hon. Josiah Crosby of Dexter. He resided on his farm until his death, in 1851, dying at the age of eighty-three.
At an early date, a store was opened at the Mills, by Sam- uel C. Clark. He was succeeded by a Mr. Porter, and then the business passed to Mr. Walker. About 1830, J. C. Brown commenced trade at Atkinson Corner. After two years, E. L. Hammond bought out Brown, and continued in the business for nearly forty years. He was an active man in town affairs, was twice appointed County Commissioner, and was a highly respected and useful citizen. He remained
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in town till near his death, in 1873. J. H. Ramsdall suc- ceeded him in the store, and still continues it.
THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF ISAAC BLAKE. There lived in this town a Blake family, in which there were several sons. One of the older sons, Isaac, early went away, and followed the sea for a few years. He returned home, and then went to New Brunswick. There he worked at lumbering, trafficked in stock, and accumulated quite a sum of money for those times. In the fall of 1824, probably, he started from Merimachi for Atkinson, and was known then to have $1200 in gold. Maj. Isaac Blethen from Dover, knew him there, and knew that Blake started with that amount of hard money. This was before the Houlton road was opened, and the travel was by the way of Calais and Bangor. Blake arrived safely in Bangor, and was known to start homeward, toward the close of the day." He was met by an acquaintance, near sun-set, on the top of the Jameson hill. After that, no one could be found that could give any ac- count of him. His friends in Atkinson were looking for his arrival. But as he did not reach the paternal roof, painful anxieties were awakened. They made diligent inquiries, but got no account of him, after he was met on the hill beyond the Jameson tavern. Foul play was feared, and a strong ex- citement raised in Atkinson and vicinity. Dark suspicions turned toward that tavern, and scalding insinuations were thrown into the faces of its landlords. No very thorough in- vestigation was pressed, and his disappearance remained an unsolved mystery. A few years later, a disclosure was made, which gave to these suspicions a fresh impulse. A certain woman in the vicinity of this tavern was dangerously sick. She was thought to be past recovery. She felt that her end was at hand. Expecting soon to meet her dread account, in which there is no error nor possible concealment, her con- science awoke, and uncovered the buried past. She there- fore made the following disclosure: She was at that tavern when Blake stopped there for the night; in the room
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where he slept, in the still hours of night, she heard the foot- steps of men, and the running of some kind of liquid; she heard them go out from that room, into the open air, and saw them bearing away a heavy burden; afterward, they came and opened her door, but as she feigned herself asleep, they did not molest her; and she saw nothing of Blake afterward. These statements traveled speedily in every di- rection. They did not shrink by repetition. Again the community believed that the missing man had surely been murdered, and again the excitement boiled. It is an old say- ing, "that death is an honest hour." To some, we may fear, it is the only honest hour of their present life. Unexpectedly to herself and all others, this sick woman recovered. Some of the parties implicated were still living. One of these was her sister's husband. Death was not now staring her in the face. The pressure was from the other side; the living, the implicated parties were a terror to her; so she took it all back, and denied the truth of these statements. But this did not bedim the impressions they had made upon the com- munity. A few years later, and another significant disclos- ure came out. A newspaper from Ohio contained the state- ments that a certain man formerly known in these parts, had been executed there for murder; that he had confessed this and other crimes; especially, that he had taken part in the murder of a man in Maine. This also was referred to Blake's case, by those who formerly knew this guilty man. He was often at that tavern, and was afterward often seen in the large places of the Provinces, where he could change Doubloons for money that could be put in circulation in Maine, without exciting suspicion. This event, therefore, tended to deepen these suspicions. "Murder will out," says the proverb, and suspicions of it are not easily kept down. While I have been filling these pages, an aged man has died in Atkinson. He had been intemperate and dissolute from his youth. As he was drawing near his end, remorse of con- science preyed upon him. A Christian neighbor visited him, and urged him to prepare for death, and finally told him
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that, if he had done any great wickedness, he had better con- fess it and relieve his mind. He took that wholesome ad- vice. To another neighbor that watched with him the next night, he confessed numerous crimes that he had committed. Some of them were thefts, but the blackest of all, he said, was a deed down toward Bangor, at the foot of the Jameson hill; that two of his accomplices in that deed had gone to their punishment, and he expected soon to follow them to his. Soon after this, he became partially insensible. That neighbor spoke freely of these disclosures to others, but to surviving connections of the parties implicated, they were quite unpalatable. Statements were published in the news- papers, and others were made to invalidate them. Up to this time, this individual had not been suspected of any con- nection with the Blake murder. But he is known to have been in that vicinity, and might have been there at that date. And here we leave it, for fuller disclosures.
After the incorporation of the town, its population did not increase rapidly. In 1828, when political excitement ran high, it cast but fifty-five votes.
In 1831, a town meeting was called to see if the town would settle Elder Nathaniel Harvey as the minister of the town, and give him the reserved lot of land. It voted a de- cided negative. The proceeds of this and of the other public reserves eventually went into a school fund, which amounts to nearly $2000.
In the time of the Great Rebellion, this town contracted a debt of more than $20,000, in raising recruits for the army. Aided by State assumption, it has reduced it more than one-half. It did not aid the Bangor & Piscataquis Railroad, . by a public appropriation, though a town meeting was called for that purpose.
The population of Atkinson in 1870 was 810; its valua- tion $234,271.
CHAPTER XII.
GUILFORD.
GUILFORD was Number Six, Seventh Range. It originally was six miles square, but a small portion south of Piscata- quis River was annexed to Sangerville. Most of its soil is good, but a small mountain in the northern part reduces the amount of settling lands.
WATER POWER. It has two good mill sites on the Pis- cataquis, one of which, at Guilford village, is improved. This is wholly in Guilford, as on the western border it ad- joins Parkman. The other is near the Foxcroft line, and though there is a good fall, it has never been occupied. Upon Salmon Stream, there is a mill site, upon which the first saw-mill in town was built, and two shingle mills still run on that stream.
SALE OF LAND. Elder Robert Low, Dea. Robert Her- ring, and Michael Webber, of New Gloucester, purchased several rights of Bowdoin College, and in the summer of 1804, selected and lotted them. This done, the College sold single lots or more, to settlers. So it went on until the set- tling land was nearly all purchased. In the speculation of 1835, the remainder was sold at a good price, but it eventu- ally came back to the College. This has since been sold.
LOTTING. This was done by A. Greenwood. In 1813, he made an accurate re-survey of each two hundred acre lot, and made a plan by which the lots were sold and deeded.
FIRST SETTLERS. In June, 1804, while their fathers were selecting their tracts, Robert Low jr. and Robert Herring jr. came and took up the two lots on the river, westward of Low's Bridge, and there felled the first openings.
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In 1805, Low and Herring raised the first crop of corn and potatoes in town, and built their log-houses. This season, others selected lots, felled openings, and prepared them for a burn. Nathaniel, John, and Isaac Bennett and J. Everton were among these. In February, 1806, R. Low jr. moved in the first family, and R. Herring jr., about three weeks later, arrived with his. Three Bennett boys came at the same time, and during the next summer, Nathaniel and John Ben- nett, and I. B. Wharff, in the employ of Isaac Bennett, were busy upon their respective lots, raising corn and wheat, and preparing cabins for their families. Toward autumn, Capt. J. Bennett returned to New Gloucester, and drove down a loaded ox-cart, leading a young cow also. As the last part of the way then was, it seems hardly credible, but an eye witness affirmed it.
September 29, 1806, the first birth in town occurred. Esther Herring, daughter of Robert Herring jr. was then born. She eventually became the wife of Samuel Beal, and after his death, married Hiram Stacy. She is still living in Dover village. December 27th, Polly L. Low, daughter of R. Low jr. was also born, the second birth in town. She also grew up, and married Asa Harlow jr. and died in Guilford.
The Bennetts continued busy upon their lots till harvest was over. For the want of a threshing floor, they beat out their wheat upon a smooth, flat ledge. When winter came on, the men returned to New Gloucester, and left three of their sons, David, Joseph, and Isaac jr., to keep the house and attend the cow. The two oldest were thirteen, Isaac jr., eleven. Their abode was about a mile from either of the other dwellings. For food, they had the milk of the cow, hulled corn, boiled wheat, and roasted potatoes. During the winter, Mr. Herring carried one small grist of corn to Dex- ter, and got it ground for them. They wore away those long dreary months, until late in March, 1807, when, to their great joy, the three families arrived. It then required about a week, to come with teams from New Gloucester to Lowstown. The way then was through Harmony, Ripley and Dexter, thence
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to Center Pond and Mr. Ames'. The same winter, Mr. John Everton moved in his family. His wife was a very important accession. Skilled in obstetrics, her assistance was highly prized in all these new settlements. After about ten years of useful service, she was unfortunately thrown from a horse, and her hip, so fractured that she never recovered the use of it, but survived twenty years after the accident.
In the spring of 1808, Dea. R. Herring brought in his family. From this time religious meetings were held upon the Sabbath. The settlement now had a slow but steady growth. In 1810, the census shows sixty-five inhabitants. In 1808, the first framed building was raised by Capt. John Bennett. It was a barn, has been taken down and removed twice, but is still standing. In 1813, fourteen votes were cast for State officers, but by the next spring, there were twenty families in town. For the want of boards, all the early settlers built log-houses, covering the roofs and gables with long shingles easily rived from the cedar and pine. The chimneys, too, were built of rough stones, topped out with split sticks, called "cats," and plastered within and without, with clay mortar. For several years they were com- pelled to go to Foxcroft, to get lumber sawed or grinding done ; but as the dam was leaky, Spaulding's mills ran only when the water was high; so they often went to Dexter, which was still further, and by a more inconvenient route.
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