USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > History of Piscataquis County, Maine : from its earliest settlement to 1880 > Part 8
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And when loving couples wished to be joined in marriage, they encountered difficulties. Harmony, twenty-five miles away, was the nearest place where they could be legally pub- lished. This accomplished, no clergyman, or county squire even, was near. In 1810, three couples in Lowstown and one in Amestown were ripe for taking on the yoke matri- monial. So they sent to Athens for a Justice of the Peace to come in and "pronounce the banns." As Lowstown was then in Somerset County, the couple from Amestown came over into Lowstown, and thus on one occasion, they were all made happy.
ORGANIZATION AND INCORPORATION. Lowstown boasts
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one peculiar institution. When only eight or ten men had -
settled there, they held a voluntary town meeting. In this they chose such officers, and passed such rules and regula- tions, as good order and good feeling in the settlement re- quired. Though no pains and penalties followed the viola- tion of these laws, their pride and honor were so much in- volved in observing them, that they were obeyed far better than many legal statutes of the present day. In this move- ment, it should be said, R. Low was the leader. At length, this competent and quiet little borough of Lowstown was arbitrarily superseded "by authority." Oct. 8, 1812, Caleb Leavitt came in from Athens, and by virtue of a legal war- rant, organized the inhabitants into Plantation Number Six, Seventh Range. For three years they remained in that condi- tion. In 1816, they petitioned the General Court to be in- corporated as the town of Fluvanna. The Legislature did not like the name, and changing it to Guilford, passed the act Feb. 8, 1816. In this act the whole township of six miles square was included, overlooking the fact that all the land on the south side of the river was, by an act already passed, included in Sangerville. The river being the town line, the expense of bridges across it, would fall equally upon both towns. By common consent, the two towns thus pro- ceeded; but a few years since, Guilford, by an ill-advised lawsuit, undertook to restore the old range line. It resulted in establishing the river as the legal boundary.
Pursuant to a warrant from Samuel Pingree, Joseph Kel- sey called the first town meeting. It was held March 1, 1816. After sixty-two years have run their course, only three who voted in that meeting, still survive in town, Elias Davis, Zebulon P. Grover and Isaac B. Wharff; the rest "have fallen asleep." But in July, 1878, Mr. Wharff closed his long and laborious life, and only two now survive.
Near the same date, Penobscot County was incorporated, having Bangor for its shire town. In 1817, the inhabitants of Guilford petitioned to be annexed to Penobscot County, and it was done. For some time improvements had been
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going on. Carleton and Dudley's mills accommodated the people of Guilford. In 1815, R. Herring jr., Capt. J. Bennett, and J. Kelsey built a saw-mill on the Salmon Stream, in Guilford; but the master-builder was unskillful, and the water power insufficient, and it was of but little profit. Af- ter ten years it was given up, and is now succeeded by a shingle machine. Framed buildings then began to be com- mon, but they did not hastily demolish their log-houses, for new comers kept them in brisk requisition. A spirit of ac- commodation in those times was fully developed. Often a newly arrived family of eight or ten persons would crowd into a one or two-roomed house already containing a large family, and remain till they could prepare a covert of their own. About this time,' brick-making was commenced by Dea. Herring and Capt. Bennett. Then brick chimneys be- gan to supersede those unsightly, smoking stone chimneys, which had been the pioneer's hearthstone. Then, too, the brick oven, a great institution in the cooking department, enabled our mothers to lay aside the old Dutch-oven, and to feel that they had got home again. Then, too, a cooking- stove was unheard of, the tin baker had not been invented, and the mothers of large families were compelled to keep their scanty way-and-means of baking in very brisk employ- ment.
SCHOOLS. While a plantation, no public school was taught there, but private schools, both summer and winter, were kept. Miss Betsey Moor taught a summer private school, at Capt. Bennett's, and Mr. R. Low, another, in the winter. In 1817, the first public school was opened. For the want of better accommodations, the loft of Capt. Bennett's open shed was used for a "hall of science." Into this a goodly number of bashful children and youth gathered, generally bare-footed, dressed in a style, and with fabrics, of old-time plainness. To a large part of them, it was the first school they entered. Measures were also taken to build a school- house. The next year it was occupied, for both the summer and winter schools, and for several years, for both town and
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religious meetings. R. Low, for a few winters, was our teacher, but a growing deafness disqualified him for it. Above all, John Mclaughlin did much to improve the schools, in the books used, in the branches introduced, and in the mode of teaching. He was a superior scholar, had been trained in Bloomfield Academy, and many received the benefit of his thorough qualifications.
SETTLEMENT OF A MINISTER. A lot of land was re- served for the first settled minister. As the majority of the early settlers were Baptists, the settlement was early visited by Baptist preachers. In 1813, a church of that order was formed, and in 1815, the plantation voted to invite Elder Thomas Macomber of Sumner to settle with them, and to receive the lot of land as a settlement. He accepted the in- vitation, and moved in, about the time the town was incorpo- rated. To make the contract more sure, a town meeting was called to confirm it. The town, by a nearly unanimous vote, sanctioned these proceedings of the plantation, attach- ing to them the following conditions : to wit, "That Elder Macomber should receive said lot, provided he served them in the ministry for the term of ten years, but should he leave before that time expired, or should he not be satisfac- tory to a majority of the people, he should relinquish a part of the land proportioned to the time not already spent. This too, was accepted on his part, and he served them ac- ceptably for the next twenty years.
ORCHARDS. Orchards, always desired in a new settle- ment, were not easily started in Guilford, though the soil was adapted to them. As nursery trees could not be ob- tained nearer than Garland, and as there was no summer road thither, Dea. Herring, Capt. Bennett and Nathaniel Herring brought young apple trees from that place, upon their shoulders, fully sixteen miles, and set out the first three orchards in town. In about eight years they ate the fruit of them. Nurseries were soon sowed, and orchards increased as the fields became cultivated.
DISCOUNT TO SETTLERS. Embarrassed by the failure of
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crops in the cold seasons, many were retarded in paying for their land. It had been bought at $2.50 per acre, and inter- est was required annually. In 1821, the board of trustees voted, that forty per cent discount should be made to all the settlers who would pay up in full by the next September. This awoke the energies of several, and by the time appoint- ed, they were there, cash in hand, and came away with their deeds in their pockets. As the unsold land of the College was exempt from all taxes, the inhabitants of this town were compelled to meet the state, county and town taxes, which were annually levied upon it.
The two most prominent leaders of the dominant party were R. Low and Capt. Joseph Kelsey. Mr. Low was the first settler. He was a man of good native endowments, ed- ucated better than many school teachers of that day, a lover of good order and public improvement, of unflinching integ- rity and of stern morality, one that never disgraced his min- isterial parentage. At the first celebration of the Fourth of July, in town, in which Sangerville also joined, he was the "orator of the day," and acquitted himself commendably. He was town clerk, selectman, and on the S. S. committee, for many years. An early deafness and other infirmities em- barrassed his efforts in public, or he undoubtedly would have received the highest honors which his appreciative townsmen could have bestowed. But these, not without adroit manage- ment, however, were borne off by his fellow partisan and friend, Capt. Kelsey. Mr. Kelsey was the delegate to the Convention to frame the Constitution. He was sent Repre- sentative to the first Legislature that met in Maine, although Mr. Low was nominated in the first caucus. Opposition to this was so openly expressed before the town meeting was held, that another caucus was called, Kelsey nominated, and in due time elected. He was several times re-elected, and was twice a senator, twice a county commissioner, also In- dian agent, and postmaster. He also held many town offices. He took an interest in the education of the young, and was ever a firm friend and trustee of Foxcroft Academy.
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
He was affable, generous and public-spirited, an obliging and highly esteemed neighbor. Toward the close of life, he removed to Foxcroft village, and died there, July 16, 1861. He raised up a large and enterprising family. His oldest son, Joseph L., engaged in surveying the public lands, and in 1835, went out West, and invested fortunately in the timber lands of Michigan. In the sale of their prod- ucts, his brother, Joel W., became a partner with him, and gained capital for a successful business career. Joel be- came an extensive pork-packer in Toledo, Ohio, and accu- mulated a large estate. Probably Joseph and Joel became the wealthiest men of any of our Piscataquis boys.
It should be added that Mr. Low resided in Guilford, upon the farm he cleared up, till his sudden death, July 6, 1869, aged 88. He was twice treasurer of Piscataquis County.
Seth Nelson, Charles Loring, George H. Douglass, and William G. Thompson have held office in town for many successive years.
GUILFORD VILLAGE. Guilford is largely indebted to its village for its increase of population, business and valuation. For about twenty years from its first settlement, there was no store, no mill worth naming, nor physician, in town.
In 1824, R. Herring jr. and S. and J. Morgan built a dam across the Piscataquis, and in the fall put a saw-mill in oper- ation. E. Mitchell put a clapboard machine into the same building. At this time there was only one small house near. The land site, too, was exceedingly rough and swampy. In the fall of 1825, the late A. Martin opened the first store, and he or his sons have continued one ever since. In the spring of 1828, Aldrich and Monroe, two enterprising young men from Livermore, also opened a store, and put a clap- board machine in operation. Pine timber from up-river then came down plentifully, and they drove a smart business. Monroe soon sold out to S. L. Brettun. This firm continued in business about four years, and then sold out to others. The same summer, J. H. Loring started the carding business, removing hither machines from Sangerville, and in the fall
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of 1829, also commenced cloth-dressing. A tannery was also built, mechanical business started there, so that this village rapidly became a thriving business place.
BRAINERD'S MILLS. Near the north-west corner of Guil- ford, on the outlet of Davis' Pond, Allen and James Brain- erd built a saw-mill in 1828. This was the commencement of North Guilford. It has a good water privilege, and large supplies of timber from Number Eight. The Brainerds sold out to John Morgan, in 1834, and went to Orono. Al- len Brainerd came to a tragical end. Returning from a tour in New Brunswick, in 1835, he stopped at a hotel at Matta- wamkeag Point. In the course of the evening he was called out by unknown parties. He did not return. The next morning his body was found in the river, leaving no. doubt that he was foully murdered. He started with quite a sum of money, and this was the obvious inducement.
These mills have passed to several owners. They were once burnt, with a large amount of sawed lumber, but were rebuilt by Robert Herring jr., who owned them at the time of his death, 1847. They still do a good business, and are owned by Mr. Witherly of Bangor.
BRIDGES. These have been an expensive item, though one-half of two, across the Piscataquis, are maintained by Sangerville. For several years, much of the business of Guilford went across the river to Sangerville village. At certain periods, the crossing would be impossible for teams, and difficult to footmen. A bridge was necessary, but the towns would not build one. So persons in both towns at- tempted to build by a volunteer effort. A plan was adopt- ed, materials gathered, long hemlock stringers hewed out, and in due time, a bridge spanned the river from shore to shore. The stringers were so interlocked at their ends as to be self-supporting, but they proved of unequal stiffness, and the bridge leaned. It was deemed unsafe, and never finished. A new plan was adopted, and the work persevered in. A single strongly braced trestle was placed in the middle of the stream, and stringers reached from this to either shore.
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY:
This was made passable in 1821, and both towns accepted one-half of it. In the spring of 1824, the freshet carried it away, and the same summer the two towns rebuilt it. This was on nearly the same plan, but the trestle was supported by a heavily laden heater. This stood several years, and did good service.
As Guilford village grew up, a bridge was needed there also. But the whole expense of building and maintaining it would fall upon Guilford. Here, too, one was commenced in 1828, by subscription, persons in Abbot and Parkman aid- ing. The next fall, the town raised $200, and chose Isaac Smith agent, to complete it. When it was completed so as to be passable for footmen, a high freshet swept it away. In Nov., 1830, the town voted to rebuild this, and also one-half of another, near R. Low's. It raised $600 to be paid in labor and materials, for each. Richmond Loring was chosen agent for the village bridge. This was substantially built, and with some repairs, stood about twenty-five years. The Low bridge was hardly completed, before a very high freshet in 1832, swept it away, and also the one near Sangerville village. Many people in Guilford, as there was then a bridge only one mile above, strove to have a new road opened on the south side of the river, and supersede the building of another bridge. Sangerville was opposed to this. The county com- missioners were petitioned to discontinue the road where the old bridge stood. They declined to do it, so the bridge had to be built. The people contended no further, and took meas- ures jointly with Sangerville to build a good substantial bridge. Solid stone abutments were built on either shore, and an X-work bridge stretched across. This was completed in the fall of 1835, and, by recent repairs, it stands firm to this present hour. In the fall of 1855, the bridge at Guilford village was succeeded by the present substantial covered bridge.
The Low bridge was rebuilt, after its destruction in 1832, and this was swept away again in the spring of 1856. The next year, the present covered bridge was placed there,
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Sangerville doing one half of it. Summing up the whole matter, nine bridges have been built across the Piscataquis River, three of which Guilford bore the whole expense, and one-half of the other six. And, except the brief opposi- tion to rebuilding the Sangerville village bridge, this enor- mous expense has never enkindled heated animosities, never provoked sectional strife, never carried any one into bank- ruptcy.
In the great fire of 1825, Isaac Herring, Steadman Davis, Capt. William Stevens and Chandler G. Robbins lost all their buildings, with all their contents, and great injury was done to fences and standing timber.
FATAL ACCIDENTS. Several of these have occurred in this town. In the summer of 1824, Eliphalet W. Bennett, while at work upon a new road, was struck by a falling stub, and so severely injured that he lingered about eight days, and expired. He was an athletic, industrious young man, and died greatly lamented.
Eliab Latham, a youth of sixteen, was instantly killed in the winter of 1837, by the fall of a tree, while cutting fire- wood, near the village.
On the fifth of July, 1842, Mrs. Lydia Martin, the wife of Addison Martin, was instantly killed by a stroke of light- ning. A heavy thunder shower was passing. Mrs. Martin and some of her neighbors were in a chamber of their dwell- ing. She rose up to put down a window, just as the electric fluid was passing down upon it, and fell to the floor and ex- pired. An active and educated Christian, an affectionate and efficient wife and mother, a kind and genial neighbor, she passed away, deeply and widely lamented.
On Jan. 29, 1847, Alvin Herring, youngest son of Robert Herring jr., while engaged in cutting timber, was struck on the head by a heavy limb hurled back as a large tree was falling, and instantly killed, near North Guilford. His brother William was standing near him, and was slightly wounded. Their father, distressed by this sore bereave- ment, was soon taken sick, and died March 17th, following.
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HISTORY OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY.
But the direst catastrophe of all remains to be recorded, to wit, the deplorable deaths of Isaac Wharff jr. and wife and nephew, in the conflagration of their dwelling, on the night of Feb. 4, 1874. From his early boyhood, Mr. Wharff dwelt in Guilford. He was noted in his youth for his un- usual hardiness, industry, steady habits and cool tempera- ment. These pertained to him in manhood, joined by hon- esty in dealings, kindness to the unfortunate, and generosity toward public improvements. He prospered in business, was happy in his domestic relations, and honored by a rising family. He and his wife became hopefully pious, and exhib- ited a good degree of religious principle. They first held to restorationism, but, strange to relate, they both became zeal- ous spiritists. His wife was of an excitable turn, and some of her family connection inclined to insanity. But he was as far from any such tendency as any man could be, judging by physiological principles. Yet he became thoroughly in- sane. Three times he was taken to the Insane Hospital, re- stored to his right mind, and returned to his usual place in the family, to his business, and to his former self; but after a brief season, his spiritism would get stirred up again, and dethrone his reason. Sometimes his insanity would run in a religious vein, again, plunge him into strange indecencies, and again, so infuriate him that he would destroy both life and property, if not forcibly restrained. At length he was returned from the hospital as hopelessly incurable, but in a more calm and manageable state. On the night mentioned, he and his wife, and a nephew of hers, about fourteen years old, were at home, a boarder with his wife and infant being also with them. About four o'clock A.M., they awoke to find the house on fire. Mr. Jenkins was in such consternation that he could render but little assistance. He hurried his own wife out, with but little clothing on, who fled barefoot through the snow and cold, one-third of a mile, to the near- est neighbor, freezing her feet badly on the way. Mr. Wharff started to go out, but bewildered in the dense smoke, he missed his way. His wife got safely out, but not finding
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her husband, rushed back to rescue him, and perished in her search. The nephew was in the chamber, and probably never awoke. As these buildings were nearly a mile from the village, help did not arrive speedily, and with all their contents, they were laid in ashes; the stock in the barn per- ished also. The fire took in the wood-house, perhaps from hot ashes, and extended thence to the dwelling-house, so that one door was unobstructed by the flames, when those in- mates awoke. A legal examination was held, and all were acquitted of intended ,crime.
From 1827, Guilford village had a steady growth. Mills, shops and stores increased. Physicians came in, none of them to remain long. In 1830, D. R. Straw came from San- gerville and opened a law office in this place. He remained till his death in 1876, His son, David R. jr., succeeded him in his business. Mr. Straw was a reliable man, a safe friend and counselor, and a shrewd business man. He reared up and educated a large family, and left them a large estate.
Some years since, Henry Hudson also commenced business as a lawyer in this village. He secured a large practice, and accumulated a good estate. He, too, is now dead, and his son, Henry Hudson jr., has succeeded him.
In 1831, Henry Aldrich, from Livermore, put a grist-mill in operation, and also owned a part of the lumber mills. He became a large real estate owner, but he and his sons soon sold out, and went to other places.
In 1865, a Woolen Factory Company was incorporated, and sufficient capital raised to erect a good building, and gear it for operation. Another company in 1868, rented it, put in three sets of machinery, and set it in operation. It has been a benefit to the place. W. P. Appleyard has run it for several years.
After the Bangor & Piscataquis Railroad was completed to Foxcroft, in 1869, interested parties pushed hard for its extension toward Monson and the Lake. The town of Guil- ford was urged to encourage this. A town meeting was called, and a vote passed to subscribe for $10,000 worth of its stock,
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though the town was already in debt. The money was ob- tained by loans, the road extended to Guilford village in December, 1871, and a new impulse given to the business of the place. But the Railway was destined to go further,-to Abbot. It was found that if the track could be laid near the river, it would diminish the expense largely. But if so done, it must pass near the mills, and alongside one of the' principal streets in the village. The company offered the town $500, if it would grant them this privilege. The sop took. The town voted it, and inflicted an irreparable injury upon that place. In the fall of 1874, it was completed to Abbot, and much of the business of the upper towns then stopped at that depot. We will state, as indicative of the business done by, and of the convenience of, the railroad, that $25,000 worth of potatoes were sent from Guilford depot during the year 1879, some of them being brought from other .. towns.
THE GOLD MINE. In 1864, an interest was awakened by the finding of stones containing small quantities of gold, silver, and copper. They were taken from a ledge on the brow of a steep hill, upon the farm of Lysander Bennett, for- merly Capt. Bennett's. Old miners examined it, and thought that there might be rich veins beneath. Portions were blasted off from the top, and by a smelting process, an encouraging quantity of gold and silver obtained. A com- pany was formed, a conditional purchase of the farm made, and a tunnel six feet square blasted out from the foot of the hill, in toward the perpendicular line from the outcrop- pings at the top. It was a slow, expensive job. They pene- trated to the expected point, but found no indications of rich veins. The enterprise was abandoned, and a heavy loss in- curred by the company.
PHYSICIANS. In 1829, Dr. Jonathan Leighton commenced practice at the village. After him came A. Dunn, a Dr. Clement, and S. Mudgett. At present, Drs. C. B. Bennett and C. M. Hussey are in practice there.
In 1870, the population of Guilford was 818; its valuation $213,091.
CHAPTER XIII. .
FOXCROFT.
FOXCROFT, Number Five, Seventh Range, contains only 17,915 acres. A portion of Sebec Lake is included in it; it is a half mile less than six in width, and a small strip north of the lake has been annexed to Bowerbank, so it is four thousand acres short of a full township.
It has a fair soil, and abounds in water power. Piscata- quis Falls, at Foxcroft village, has a head and fall of twelve feet. It was the first, improved on the river, and with good dams seldom fails in droughts. It now turns a woolen fac- tory, a saw, clapboard, and shingle mill, a carding mill, and a tannery, the whole year; and a sash and blind mill, ma- chine shop and planing mill, a part of the year. An inflow- ing brook enters the river at the village, which turns a grist- mill, and machinery in a carriage shop. Several other streams sufficient to run mills a portion of the year are also improved.
ITS PURCHASE. In October, 1800, Col. J. E. Foxcroft and Thomas Johnson of New Gloucester explored it. At Skowhegan they secured Stephen Weston as pilot, who had been in the survey company that run out this range of town- ships. They left their horses with Samuel Elkins, in Corn- ville, footing it the remainder of the way, and camping out by night. At that time, the first mills in Athens were being raised.
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