USA > Maine > Piscataquis County > History of Piscataquis County, Maine : from its earliest settlement to 1880 > Part 9
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They struck the south-west corner of the township, and followed the the line on the south side of the river nearly down to the falls. In a private letter, dated April 3, 1853, Col. Foxcroft says: "We crossed the river a little above the falls. This was a pleasant spot, many names marked upon
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trees, but all a wilderness, no sign that any one ever intend- ed to dwell there. We went down the river to the south- east corner of the township, and near it, upon the interval, we found an opening occupied by Abel Blood and, I think, a hired man with him, but there was no family. 'They had corn growing, and garden roots. I well remember the large turnips and beets which they had raised, and thus the virgin soil and vigorous nature greeted these first efforts of hus- bandry with liberal productions."
As the result of this exploration, Col. Foxcroft purchased this township, Nov. 10, 1800, paying $7,940, about forty-five cents per acre. The college committee,-William Martyn, Rev. E. Kellogg and Isaac Parker,-deeded it, Jan. 22, 1801, taking a mortgage back, which was not canceled until 1815. After discovering the deficiency in its area, Col. Foxcroft petitioned the Legislature of Maine for a grant to supply this lack, and obtained one-half of the Enfield township. In 1801, he employed Moses Hodsdon to lot it into two hundred acre lots, at a cost of $200. In June of this year, he hired Sam- uel Elkins of Cornville to fell twenty acres of trees on lot number nine, range first, and for this he paid $70.
Col. Foxcroft next offered forty-six rights, of two hundred acres each, for sale, to be assigned by lot, and several were soon purchased. Their purchasers met at the inn' of Samuel Pingree, in New Gloucester, March 20, 1802, and legally or- ganized as proprietors, and took measures to secure settlers. Col. Foxcroft was chosen clerk, and his records are still pre- served. All the subsequent meetings of the proprietors were held in New Gloucester. They voted to offer lot num- ber ten (upon which a part of the village now stands), the entire mill privilege, and $100 in money, to any person who would build, and keep in repair for ten years, a saw- and grist-mill.
In the summer of 1802, Col. Foxcroft hired Elisha Alden to cut out a road across the -township at a cost of $73.00 This passed from the Chandler place to the "four corners," and thence over the hill to Morse's landing on Sebec Lake.
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Still settlers were slow to come in. The first decided step toward a permanent settlement was in 1804. Then (says Capt. Chamberlain) "a piece of trees was felled on lot num- ber eleven, now the western part of the village." In the fall of that year Col. Foxcroft contracted with Abel Blood and John Spaulding to build a saw- and grist-mill, according to the terms stated above, to be in operation by Jan. 1, 1807.
The next summer (1805), three other beginnings were made. Joseph Morse felled an opening on the lot north of the "four corners," upon which he and his son Richard dwelt many years; Tristram Robinson, another, on the Cyrus Holmes farm; and Eliphalet Washburn began on his well- known homestead. Mr. Washburn came here in the spring of that year.
This summer, John Spaulding, who had moved his family of eight from Norridgewock into a temporary habitation near Eli Towne's, in the March preceding, planted corn and potatoes on lot number eleven, and raised the first crop in the township. In March, 1806, he moved his family into a log-house near the falls, and became the first settler of Fox- croft. Soon after his removal, his two brothers, Eleazer and Seth, to whom Abel Blood had transferred his part of the mill contract, also moved their families from Norridgewock into log-houses near their brother's; hence the settlement took the name of Spauldingtown. The same spring, Joseph Foxcroft Spaulding, son of John Spaulding, was born, April 16, 1806, the first birth in the township. He was named for the proprietor, and would have been rewarded with a lot of land, but he died early, April 18, 1811.
This summer, John Chandler from Minot felled an open- ing on the lot afterward known as the Maj. Crooker place.
The Spauldings commenced cutting timber for the dam and mill, and making other preparations. In this remote and wilderness region, it proved to be a herculean undertak- ing. Teams were not at hand to haul the needed timber. But the greatest difficulties arose, in getting in the heavy irons, provisions, and spirituous liquors, then deemed an es-
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sential, in hard and difficult labors, especially when working in wet and cold. These came from Bangor, while only a part of the way was there a road for teams. So these cumbrous articles had to be brought on horseback, or on a pair of stout shafts, the forward ends supported by hold-ups crossing the horse's back, the hind ends dragging on the ground. From Charleston to the settlement only a narrow way was cleared, while the sloughs, streams, and bogs were bridgeless. When crossing these, the heavily laden horses would sometimes sink deep into the mire, their feet would become entangled in roots, and make it necessary for the driver to thrust his arm down deep into the mud, and cut off the unyielding root with an open jack-knife. As no one could travel when the light of day faded, if darkness overtook them between settlements, they were compelled to camp out in the forests. While thus taking rest, the bears would prowl around, and serenade them with their howlings.
Quite a romantic account has been given of an expedition to bring up a barrel of rum from Bangor. The party sent was by some means detained, and did not return at the ex- pected time. The home party grew anxious and too impa- tient to wait longer. So another scout was started off to aid them, if necessary, to rescue such a treasure, if imperiled, and to hasten it on to its destination. They went nearly half way to Bangor before meeting the returning party, and by uniting their forces, they "put the thing through." But the time and labor thus expended to procure a hurtful stimulant, would have laid the mud-sills of both dam and mill, and brought the remaining work above water. At length a frame large enough for a saw- and grist-mill under one roof was ready for raising. All the men in the new settlements on both sides of the river were required, and, said one of the builders, "they had no help to spare." They were late in finishing the dam, and obliged to work in the water after it was cold and icy. But with many hardships and much perseverance, a dam was stretched across the Piscataquis River, the first ever attempted, which answered its purpose
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but poorly till plank could be sawed for a better one, and a saw-mill was started in January, 1807, the third in the county. The grist-mill was also put in operation, but the dam was so leaky that it could run only in high water, and the people had to go elsewhere "to mill." The starting of this mill was an advance step in the rising settlement.
In the summer of 1807, Messrs. S. Chamberlain, Ephraim Bacon, and John Bigelow came from Charlton, Mass., select- ed lots and felled openings upon them. Chamberlain and Bacon put up the first framed house in town, near the pres- ent "Exchange," and built a brick chimney, paying twenty- five dollars per thousand for the brick. They were made by Abel Blood on his place in Dover. The same summer Eli- phalet Washburn raised the first barn in town. In October, Mr. Chamberlain, with a newly married wife, and Mr. Bacon, his brother-in-law, with his wife and three children, reached their new home. Mr. Bigelow started with them, but was taken sick in Bangor and died there, and his afflicted wife and children returned to Charlton. The next spring, Capt. Joel Pratt, Mr. Bigelow's brother-in-law, came and took the lot that Bigelow had selected and broken in upon.
Chamberlain and Bacon procured a strong ox-team and wagon to move with from Bangor to the settlement. They brought their household effects and a large stock of provisions to supply both families until they could raise crops. They were four days in reaching Charleston. Thence the road in many places had to be cut wider, sloughs and bog's bridged; one requiring a causeway no less than thirty feet in length to make it passable. They were two days in getting from Charleston to the settlement, fifteen miles, and compelled to camp in the woods one night, with their women and children, their six oxen having only two bundles of corn stalks for forage. And this removal of less than forty miles cost them fifty dollars. Mr. Eli Towne heard that they were on the way, and started on horseback to meet and assist them. He found them building the long bridge, and send- ing Mrs. Chamberlain forward on his horse, he took hold and
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assisted in finishing it. Mrs. Chamberlain arrived safely at Mr. Towne's, but was so anxious for the others that she was sleepless through the night.
Soon after this, John and Seth Spaulding sold their shares in the mill to Messrs. Hutchinson and Hathaway. Seth then bought Peter Brawn's possession, and he and his brother both moved into Dover.
Mr. Timothy Hutchinson and Mr. Joseph Morse moved into Foxcroft about this time, and, probably, Mr. John Chand- ler, also. Eleazer Spaulding also sold his interest in the mill to a Mr. Whiting, and moved into Dover. These new mill-owners soon transferred the property to Mr. Daniel Bul- len of Hebron, and so managed that the builders of the mill received but a small part of their pay. The proprietors con- veyed to the builders promptly all that was promised them. A few years later, Mr. Bullen conveyed the lot and mills to Col. Samuel Greeley of Gilmanton, N. H., and his sons, Gil- man, Daniel and Samuel, successively run them.
In 1808, several new openings were made. Jesse Wash- burn, some of the Bucks, and Nathan Carpenter made beginnings. In April of this year, Capt. S. Chamberlain was taken sick with fever, and sent to Bangor for a physi- cian. Dr. Rich started, and rode twenty-four hours in com- ing forty miles. One visit proved sufficient to restore him to health, and for this long and tedious ride, visit, and medi- cine, he charged the moderate sum of fifteen dollars,-mod- erate, we should think, at the present time.
On the 18th day of August, 1808, Sarah J. Chamberlain, daughter of S. Chamberlain, was born. She grew up, and married Samuel Greeley, and is still living, having breathed the air of Foxcroft longer than any other person.
Probably new families moved in during this year, but there is no reliable record of them. Early in 1809, Jesse Wash- burn moved from New Gloucester on to the place since occu- pied by the late Ichabod Chandler.
The cold Friday, always so marked in the memory of those then living, occurred this year, Feb. 18, 1809. There was a
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terrific gale and intense cold. Mr. J. Morse, when it began, was in the woods beyond Sebec Pond, with his team. The trees were so shaken and broken by the tempest, that he at once started for home. The wind was so cutting, when crossing the pond, that he left his team and fled to save his life. Assured that his oxen must inevitably perish, he turned back, and braved the chilling blast with them, and got them safely over. They were still in imminent danger from fall- ing trees, and were often stopped by those already across the road. But he cut a way around them, and finally reached home without injury, excepting badly frozen feet.
Either this year or the next, a Dr. Winthrop Brown came from Berwick, and commenced the practice of medicine in this town. But the new settlers enjoyed such good health that he found but little to do, and, after remaining a short time, he left the place.
Samuel Chamberlain cleared an opening sufficient to make it safe to erect buildings, and, in August, 1809, moved his family into a new home, and also put up a barn. These first buildings were on the east half of the farm. The house which he and Bacon built near the mill, was taken down and removed to a lot near the depot, and there Mr. Bacon lived till he left town. After passing through several hands, it was occupied by Mr. Joseph Garland.
The year 1810 gave evidence of progress toward a more settled state of social and municipal privileges. The inhab- itants petitioned the General Court for an act of incorpora- tion. Mr. Nathan Carpenter carried this petition to Paris when returning home, and sent it to Col. Foxcroft to ap- prove of, and forward it to Boston.
The census, taken this year, shows 65 as the whole num- ber of inhabitants.
An incident occurred at this time, which portrays some of the vicissitudes of border exploration. Messrs. Daniel Bul- len and James Holmes, land-owners, visited the township, and went out with others better acquainted with the lay of the land, to see the lots owned by them. As Mr. Bullen
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could not keep pace with the party, they advised him to re- main at the corner of the lot, while they pushed on to other parts of it, and then they would come back and conduct him out. In the solitude of the forest, the time seemed long to the old gentleman. Confident that he could find his way back to the settlement, he started, got bewildered, and wan- dered off toward Sebec Lake. Finding himself fairly lost, he lifted up his voice, which his companions heard and an- swered, but being deaf, he could not hear them. They kin- dled fires to show the way back, as darkness was coming on, and made their way on by the sound, but he got into a thick swamp, and could not then be heard. So they re- turned, giving up all hope of rescue till morning. At length the moon arose, and the wanderer, sufficiently satisfied with land-looking alone, took the silvery orb of night for his guide, and came out safely to Mr. Daniel Buck's habitation.
It seems that some of the Messrs. Bucks from Buckfield, were by that time settled here. There were four brothers,- Nathaniel, Daniel, William and Moses,-among the early set- tlers of this town, and some of their descendants are still re- siding here. William began on the west half of the Capt. Chamberlain farm, and after struggling along some eight or ten years, sold out to him. This was a valuable addition to his first purchase. United, they made a farm, which for fer- tility of soil, beauty of landscape, and skillful husbandry, has gained a pre-eminence in the agricultural development of this county, and is still one of the finest and most valuable in this region.
Up to this time, but little attention had been paid to re- ligion, in this or the neighboring settlement in Dover. No religious meetings had been attempted on the Sabbath. In 1809 or 1810, Col. Foxcroft visited the rising settlement on business, and though not then a professor of religion, he ad- vised them to hold meetings on the Sabbath, and conduct them as they could. He had ever been an attendant upon public worship, he knew the beneficial effects of Sabbath ob- servance to any community, and so took the initiative in this
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important movement. The people readily fell in with this proposal, and a meeting was appointed for the next Sabbath, at the house of Eli Towne. With one accord they all assem- bled, singers with hymn books, and Mr. William Mitchell, an old school-master, with a sermon-book in his pocket, and willing, at the proper time, to read a discourse. But the most anxious inquiry was, "who will pray?" Not a man in either settlement had piety enough and confidence enough to perform so simple and natural a duty. Still they were not willing to omit that essential part of Divine worship. Mrs. William Mitchell, always a "Mother in Israel," had kept up prayer in her family from its commencement. She knew how to pray, she loved to pray, and rightly interpreting the teachings of Paul, she consented to pray! The meeting commenced, harmonious voices arose in songs of praise, the blessing of God was humbly and fervently asked, and the Piscataquis settlement was devoutly dedicated to the God of our fathers, by Mrs. Mitchell's public prayer. Thus was public worship inaugurated, and religion recognized as a power for good in this struggling community. Not long after, Rev. John Sawyer, looking after the scattered sheep in the wilderness, began to thread out these rough foot-paths, and extend his explorations to these parts, and to lay the foundation for Christian churches.
Of the history of 1811, but little is known. Dea. Nathan Carpenter moved his wife from Buckfield, in March of this year, to the place adjoining the Chamberlain farm. He be- came a prominent member of the Congregational church, a trustee of the academy from its beginning, to his death, an active citizen and town officer, and once a Representative to the Legislature. Mrs. Carpenter was highly esteemed for her fixed and estimable Christian character. They both died in town, Dea. Carpenter in April, 1872, aged eighty-four.
The year previous, 1810, Capt. Joel Pratt moved his fam- ily on to the Bigelow lot, and dwelt upon it till near his death. A part of it is still possessed by his son, S. C. Pratt. He was a house-joiner, and made many a new home comfort-
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able and neat, in the rising settlement. In the spring of 1826, his own buildings with all their contents, were de- stroyed by fire, and so severe a loss greatly embarrassed him. He was prominent among the early town officers, a useful and valued citizen, an original and highly respected member and officer of the Congregational church. He died in town, in April, 1866, aged ninety years.
The year 1812 was auspicious to the people of this town- ship. The petition for an act of incorporation already men- tioned, was now before the General Court, and on the 29th day of February, 1812, it passed both houses and received the Executive sanction, the next day after Sebec was incor- porated; so that Foxcroft is the second of the incorporated towns in the county. The name was selected in honor of Col. Foxcroft, the chief proprietor. He appreciated the compliment, and gracefully expressed it by presenting the town with one hundred dollars worth of books for a public library. After doing good service among the early inhab- itants, this library was unfortunately burnt, when the office of J. S. Holmes Esq. took fire, and also valuable records of historical anecdotes, which were then in his custody. Had these survived, these pages might have been spiced with the wit and wisdom of the Piscataquis Historical Society, and a rich fund of pleasant entertainments been perpetuated.
Col. Foxcroft continued to hold and sell land in town, un- til July 4, 1827. He then sold by public auction, all that remained unsold, and closed up his proprietorship.
The act of incorporation made the Piscataquis River the boundary of Foxcroft, on the south. This left out a narrow strip which belonged to the original township above the mills, and took in a larger and more valuable portion of the Dover township below the falls, including several settlers. But the whole of Dover township was soon put into plantation order, so that a half dozen voters were rightfully claimed by both town and plantation. The inhabitants of Foxcroft made haste to organize, so as to use their elective franchises. Application was made to N. Chamberlain Esq. for a warrant
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to call a meeting, which was issued to S. Chamberlain, to noti- fy the legal voters; but he omitted those who resided on the Dover territory. On this account the first meeting, held on the sixth day of April, was pronounced illegal; another was called on the 31st of August following, and the town of Fox- croft assumed a corporate existence.
John Bradbury was chosen town clerk, and Messrs. Joel Pratt, S. Chamberlain and William Thayer, selectmen and assessors. The number of voters at this first meeting is not now known, but in 1813, it was 25; in 1815, 30; in 1818, 35; in 1820, 37; in 1823, 72. Only three other towns in the county paid a higher State tax in 1821, viz .: Sebec, Sanger- ville and Atkinson. It may be added that, in 1813, this town voted to raise $600 for highways, $125 for support of schools, and $100 to build a town-house to be used for schools, and also for religious and town meetings. It was erected where the dwelling house of Charles Wyman now stands, and well served the early inhabitants.
The declaration of war against Great Britain, in June, 1812, and "the great scare " about the Indians, occurred this year, but as that affected all the settlements on the river, I propose to devote a separate section to it.
This year, too, A. Blake erected a whiskey distillery, and commenced the making of potato whiskey. This was worse than the war. Although it made a market for the surplus potatoes of the needy farmers, and suspended a very frequent walk or ride to Bangor, with jugs and kegs to obtain strong drink, it did not prove to be a reformatory institution. Though well patronized, it did not prove lucrative, and after a few years, its fires went out, and the building was convert- ed into a currier's shop, and afterward into a tenement house, known till it was destroyed by fire in 1830, as "the old still house."
In the year 1813, John Bradbury moved his newly mar- ried wife to town. He had erected buildings on the lot now occupied by B. F. Hammond. He soon after began to keep merchandise, and opened the first store in the county. His
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business increased, and after a few years, he sold his farm to Bela Hammond, sen., having erected a building sufficient for a store and dwelling-house at the mills-another decided step in planting Foxcroft village. Mr. Hammond and sons run a kitchen chair factory on the Merrill Brook, and eventually Benjamin Hammond & Co. built a saw-mill and bedstead fac- tory, and opened a store at the village. But the company failed, and involved others in losses. The mill and factory then passed to A. D. Young & Son of Guilford, who run it successfully for a while, and then let it run down. Mr. Bradbury ran a very successful career as a merchant and mill-owner. He was a shrewd and enterprising business man, a friend to education, good order and religion. He left the place with a large property, removing first to Kenduskeag, and then to Bangor, where he died, leaving a good inheri- tance to his widow and children.
On the 28th day of April, 1813, Moses Bradbury, brother of John, was drowned in attempting to cross the mill-pond. On going to the landing with a female, who was to cross over with him, they found the boat was not there. Mr. B. went down to the mill to bring it up, but not being a good boat- man, the current swept him over the dam. His long absence awakened his companion's fears, and she also went down to the mill, and discovered the boat below the dam, upset, and drifting in the eddy. This revealed his sad fate. She imme- diately gave an alarm, and fruitless search was made to re- cover his body. About two weeks later, it arose, and was found lodged against a rock. Elder William Oakes of San- gerville was called to attend the funeral, and his dust was covered by the clods of the valley.
The day on which Mr. Bradbury was drowned, is scored heavily by another deplorable occurrence. The first arraign- ment for crime committed within the limits of this town took place before Justice Chamberlain, for a grave offence against both human and divine law. The arraigned was ad- judged guilty, and put under heavy bonds to appear at the County Court, and there, for reasons not now apparent, the
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grand jury found no bill, and thus ended the prosecution. Let no one think that the Justice was too severe. This len- ient treatment from the grand jury did not prove a reforma- tory measure to the arraigned, as his subsequent history painfully showed.
This year, Mr. E. Baker found it necessary to depart from this vicinity. He had colluded in the sale of a spurious patent churn, and when the fraud was uncovered, he ab- sconded from his many avengers.
Several subjects pertaining to the war, the cold seasons, etc., affected all the towns so much alike, that I propose to give them a separate notice hereafter.
This year, 1816, the first military company in Foxcroft and Dover, embracing persons in both towns, was organized, the account of which will be given in its appropriate place.
In 1816, William Merrill from New Gloucester moved into town. His wife, formerly Peggy Forbes, was the only child of Mr. Forbes and wife, who, with her mother, survived those unparalleled sufferings in the wilderness. Robert Forbes jr., born after their rescue, also resided a few years in this town, and then in Sebec. Mrs. Forbes, his mother, spent a portion of her old age in this town and vicinity. Robert Forbes was born in the north of Ireland, crossed the ocean with Gen. Wolfe, fought on the plains of Abraham, and when discharged, settled in the city of Quebec, as a tailor. Event- ually he married, his wife being a French Canadian, and soon after this he removed to Nouvelle-Bois, twenty-five miles up the Chaudierre, and secured a comfortable home.
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