USA > Maine > Knox County > South Thomaston > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. I > Part 12
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockland > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. I > Part 12
USA > Maine > Knox County > South Thomaston > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. I > Part 12
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
The same year, a new emigrant, James Fales, a cousin of Dr. David Fales before mentioned, came from Dedham, Mass., January 7th, and went on to the farm consisting of one-half of lots numbered 5, 6, and 7, and situated next below the Robbins lots. He was followed, June 16, 1770, by his father and mother, but who, probably disheartened by the somewhat gloomy and unpromising state of the settlement, returned May 7, 1771. The son remained, apparently doing well; selling from his farm, beef, butter, cheese, sheep, mutton, and cord- wood; besides spokes, hubs, and ox-bows, which he probably brought from Dedham; charging days' works with two yokes of oxen, plough, &c. But he soon, July 23, 1774, sold this farm to James Stackpole, and removed to a new lot in that part of the town bordering on Lermond's Cove, then and later usually called " the Shore," in contradistinction from the settlements at Wessaweskeag and George's Rivers. In Octo- ber of the following year, 1769, Nathaniel Fales, brother of Dr. David, came, after a residence in various places, from Norwich, Ct., and with his wife and seven children settled on the lot next north of his brother's, where Otis Edgarton,
* Original will in possession of Messrs. E. & A. W. Brown of Thomas- ton. The spaces left blank were obliterated.
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who married his grand-daughter, now resides in a house built in 1786. Mr., afterwards Capt. Fales, was a house-carpenter, and with Benj. Burton was employed by Dr. Taylor in 1776 to build the first framed house in the present town of Union.
1769. Up to this time the territory whose history we. are attempting to write was included, at least the greater part of it, in the two plantations of St. George's Upper and Lower Town; the name of Lincoln given at an early period to the abortive settlements near the Fort, having gone out of use and been forgotten. The division between these two planta- tions was recognized to be at Mill River stream. The Upper extended thence up the George's to the head of the tide ; and the Lower to the mouth of the George's, including both of its banks, although in the latter township, from the greater exposure to Indian incursions, few or none of the early set- tiers before Mr. Robbins, located on the eastern side. In the county tax of this year the Lower town was rated at £23, 11s., and the Upper at £33. But now, independent of these two settlements and the beginnings at Wessaweskeag before described, scattered inhabitants had begun to place themselves at different points along the seashore ; some earlier and some later, without any especial connection with each other. Among these, was John Rendell, an Englishman, who, after residing some years at Round Pond, Bristol, came with his family to Owl's Head about 1770. Probably about the same time William Heard from New Hampshire, with his brother James, fixed his residence at Ash Point, near to Nathaniel Crockett, before mentioned, who had preceded them by no long space of time. James Heard did not remain long in the place ; William, besides farming, soon commenced and car- ried on the manufacture of salt, which he gradually extended to seven, eight, and ultimately to twelve, kettles. These were kept constantly boiling in the summer season, except in . the time of high freshets; but, before the close of the Revo- lution, the works, or all that was combustible about them, were burnt by British privateers or marauding tories. Francis Haskell, another of the early settlers at Ash Point, estab- lished salt-works first at Portsmouth, then at New Meadows, and finally in this place near his brother-in-law, Crockett; coming last it is believed from Deer Isle. About this period at different times, settlers sat down between Owl's Head and Lermond's Cove, as follows: David Bennett, and - Rhines, probably on the south side of the Bay; Samuel Bartlett at the Head of the Bay; and one Reed, whose log-house in 1769 was the only dwelling in what afterwards became the
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principal village, now the most densely peopled portion of Rockland city. It stood on the site of the stores built by C. Holmes and J. Spofford in Lime-rock street near Kimball's corner; and was shortly after transferred, together with a possessory title to 100 acres of land, to John Lindsev, for the sum of £10. . Lindsey had entered the service at Rox- bury as a soldier in the French and Indian war, but came here from North Haven, where he had settled and where, early in the Revolution, his whig principles had rendered his longer stay too unsafe and exposed to British and tory ag- gression. On this valuable tract, thus purchased for only about $33, he built and for the rest of his life resided in a house situated about four rods from the present Lindsey Hotel, which was built and is still owned and kept by his son, Geo. Lindsey, born here in 1792. Further to the northward and toward Camden, there settled about the present year, 1769, Jonathan Crockett, last from either the River side of the set- tlement or Fox Islands, and Isaiah Tolman, with a large fam- ily of children. Tolman had come in 1765 from Stoughton, or that part of it which is now Canton, Mass., and took up 500 acres of land adjacent to the Camden line and the lake long known as Tolman's Pond, formerly called by the Indian name of Madambettox Pond, and more recently Chikawauka. This tract had been variously divided and sub-divided among his numerous descendants, in whose hands a large portion of it still remains. Much of it was _un over by fires during the early clearings; and the beautiful oak timber now on it, is of a second growth, eighty or ninety years old. Bears were troublesome for twenty years or more, after his coming; but since that period only a few stray ones have made their ap- pearance. . Tolnian was or became a wealthy farmer, and .early erected a saw and grist-mill on the outlet of the pond about fifty rods above the present Water Company mill, near the residence of Gilbert Marsh. This grist-mill, for a long time called Tolman's, and since, from its different owners, Spear's, Mosman's, and McLain's, was the general resort for grinding in the whole vicinity, sometimes in a season of drought, as far as Warren. Caleb Barrows, from Attleboro', also settled on the farm now owned by Otis Barrows, but re- turned and was succeeded by his brother Ichabod, in 1770, who was the first trader in his part of the town. now Rock- land. These were followed five or six years later by James Fales before mentioned, young David Watson from Watson's Point, and Capt. Jonathan Spear. The last came from Brain- tree, Mass., where he had served as Lieutenant in the French
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and Indian war under Gen. Monroe, was present at the sur- render of Fort Wm. Henry to the French General Montcalm, and escaped the subsequent Indian massacre of the disarmed garrison by fleeing to the woods with two soldiers and making good his retreat. He married his third wife here at the Fort, where . she had probably remained after the tragical death of her father, gunsmith McDougle, as before mentioned. They lived for a time on a neighboring farm there, which he sold to David Jenks by deed dated June 2, 1785, having pre- viously removed, as just stated, to the Shore and settled near the Meadows .*
In addition to the comet, or blazing star as it was called by the people of that day, which appeared near the Seven-stars or Pleiades in August of this year, 1769, with "its fiery train of length enormous," and continued about a month, a slight shock of an earthquake, noted by James Fales as oc- curring October 17th, added to the fears and apprehensions of the superstitious part of this small and scattered commu- nity. The troubles between the American colonies and the mother country, commencing with the Stamp act of 1765, and the tax on tea, &c., in 1767, augmented as they were this year by the strict enforcement of the acts of trade, and the interdiction of the French W. India lumber trade, were now assuming a serious aspect. Seamen found difficulty in obtaining employment, and the eastern people their usual supplies. Associations for dis ising tea became general throughout the country.
1770. Besides Gregory before mentioned, other settle- ments were made near Clam Cove, in 1770, at what was afterwards called Jameson's Point, but which had hitherto borne the name of Leverett's Point from Thomas Leverett the Patentee. These were made by Alexander Jameson within the limits of Camden, and his two cousins, Robert and Chas. Jameson, in what is now Rockland ; all of them coming from Meduncook, now Friendship. From their advantageous situ- ation and enterprising character they soon became thriving and wealthy men, insomuch that during the Revolution which quickly succeeded, their cattle and other possessions were too tempting to escape the eager eyes and hostile visits of hungry and marauding privateersmen. At this time game still abounded in the forest, and hunting was, particularly in the
" Messrs. W. & M. Heard. of South Thomaston; Den D. Crockett, G. Lindsey, Jeremiah Tolman, W. E. Tolman, Esqrs., of Rockland; and R. C. Counce, Esq., of Thomaston.
Vor. I. 9
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latter part of winter when snows were deep, no inconsidera- ble business of the inhabitants. Moose and deer were pur- sued on the upper waters of the George's and Medomac, by parties, who, after camping out for weeks, returned, bringing their booty on handsleds. They were also at times, though less abundantly, found nearer the sea-shore. A large moose was at one time shot by Gregory within fifty rods of his house. This, by the aid of Daniel Rokes then working there, and a yoke of oxen, was hauled up, taken in, skinned, and dressed in the house, furnishing a rich feast to the inmates." So great was the encouragement of hunting, and such the ex- hilaration and excitement attending it, that it is not strange that some gave it the preference over other pursuits and de- voted most of their time to the chase. Such, particularly, was Jacob Keen; who, about this time, came with his family from Bristol, and settled back in the mountainous region of what is now Rockland, near the borders of Camden; to which town, and other places, perhaps, as suited the conveniences of his calling, he at different times removed.
Among other emigrants, who came to the place probably between this time and the breaking out of the Revolution, may be mentioned Oliver and Abiathar Smith, natives of Norton, Mass. The former was a blacksmith, and had a shop seventy or eighty rods N. E. of Mill River Bridge, where Josiah Reed subsequently built the house lately occupied by Noyes Fales. The farm connected, which he took up but never obtained a deed of from the Proprietors, ultimately passed into the hands of Dr. Dodge, and is still occupied by his son, E. G. Dodge, Esq. Having married a daughter of Capt. Nat. Fales, Smith's relatives and friends did what they could to sustain him in business; but his temperament and habits ill-fitted him for the acquisition of property. His brother, Abiathar, having first squatted on and sold out Simonton's Point, lived a long time in a log-house about three rods back of Isaac Mathews's, near the present Prison corner, and, as well as his brother, was much employed by Wheaton and Whipple in burning lime. He afterwards removed; his house having been previously destroyed by fire. The follow- ing anecdote will give us some insight into the character of Oliver, the elder brother. Having taken some offence against one of the Butlers, he extended, and for a long time obstinately retained, his resentment against the whole family of that name. A stranger coming to the place for the pur-
.
* Capt. John Gregory of Camden.
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
pose of purchasing a cow, and learning that Smith had one for sale but was then absent at Owl's Head, rode over to that place to find him. On his way, meeting a man in the woods, he inquired if his name was Oliver Smith, and if he had a cow for sale. An affirmative answer was given, and, after some further conversation as to quality, price, &c., of the animal, a bargain was struck, and the stranger was to pay the money and take the cow the following day. Just as he was taking leave however, Smith took the liberty to inquire his name. "Butler," said the stranger. " Then you can't have my cow;" said the other. " Why not, pray?" "Don't like the name." "But," said the stranger, "my money is good, I presume, if my name is not; and as to that, I am wholly unconnected with any of the Butlers hereabouts." "Can't help it;" replied Smith; "if your name is Butler, you can't have the cow. I am poor enough, heaven knows ; but all the money a Butler ever owned cannot buy my cow."
There seems to have been another "fiery comet," which made its appearance nearly in opposition to the sun June 29th of this year, 1770, and, July 1st, was seen near the north pole, according to the journal of Rev. Dr. Deane of Falmouth, though I have found no mention made of it by the settlers here. The month of its appearance and its location in the heavens, remind one of the 'unexpected and, it was said, before unknown, comet of 1861. That remarkable in- sect called the army-worm appeared here, according to an entry in the book of James Fales, on the 16th of July of this year, 1770; devouring the grass, grain, flax, and all other vegetables that came in its way, moving in regular phalanx like soldiers marching, and in one direction only.
The people of the place, in the autumn of this year, ex- perienced much anxiety and ultimate mourning from the loss at sea of two of their number, John Porterfield, a promising youth, and Samuel Briggs, an enterprising man of business before mentioned; both of whom perished on the voyage to Boston in the new sloop Industry,-the first vessel ever built on George's River. An equally tragical event occurred in October at the head of Owl's Head Bay, in the death of two women recently added to the settlements there, Mrs. Rhines and Mrs. Bennett. Availing themselves of a calm, warm, and lovely day, they had been over to the vicinity of the Meadows on a visit, and, on their return, were overtaken
* Mr. Oliver Smith, Jr. Capt. B. Webb, &c.
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by a sudden snow-squall from the north-west, so violent as to obscure the path and landmarks; during which they got be- wildered in the woods, lost their way, became chilled and ex- hausted, and perished near Perry's hill, in the borders of Nagy Thomaston. On the 18th of November, 1770, Capt. Thomas Kilpatrick, so often mentioned, and so distinguished for his prowess in Indian warfare and general activity and capacity, died at the age of 77 years. His body was in- terred at the burying-ground on the western bank of the river, near the Presbyterian or first meetinghouse in what is now Warren, -then standing with open unglazed windows, testi- fying to the ravages of the late war, its pulpit supplied only by an occasional missionary.
The office of captain in the militia being now vacant, the inhabitants selected Lieut. Patrick Porterfield of this place to fill it; but, through the influence of Capt. Goldthwait, com- mander of Fort Pownal, the commission was given to John McIntyre, an inn-keeper and ferryman of the settlement above. Porterfield was also licensed as an inn-holder, this year, and opened his house as such. This was now a small framed house, built by him, and which long stood on the site of the present house of Capt. John S. Feyler. An old log-house near by still remained standing, and Kas, for some years about 1780, occupied by Mr. Lperson, before mentioned, who finally settled west of the Meadows in the present Kock- land, where he had charge for many years of the mill built by Capt. J. Blackington on the site of the present Sherer and Ingraham mill. Of Porterfield's sons, William settled not long after this time in the then new township of Camden. The Lieutenant, though energetic, liberal, and popular, was passionate, rash, and somewhat profane-asperities which the drinking habits that followed the Revolution and tempted his later years, had, probably, no tendency to soften. "Don't drink ?" exclaimed he to a boy of some nine years, to whom among the rest of the by-standers in a store at Mill River he had offered a glass of rum, "don't drink? in the name of - how do you live, then ?" Like all passionate people he was sometimes subjected to needless provocations; at one time especially. by his old friend and crony, Boice Cooper of the Upper town. Having been at work with others making hay on the salt marsh, they were pausing for a drink and rest, when they got to betting whether Porterfield could jump across one of those small bottomless quagmires, hard by, usually denominated "honey-pots." The rest of the gang gathering round to witness the result, Porterfield started on
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· the run at some little distance in order to increase his mo- mentum, and had arrived at the very point of taking his final leap, when Cooper suddenly threw up his hands and gave such a frightful yell that he was completely disconcerted, and plumpod into the very centre of the adhesive mire. Here he was detained long enough to allow his friend to make good his escape from the angry storm that was sure to follow. His violent temper was said to have hastened his death, he having died suddenly in a fit of anger caused by finding that his son Robert had lent the oxen to a neighbor, when he him- self had designed using them for a particular purpose."
1771. Much distress was occasioned in the settlement, this year, by a malignant fever which carried off many. It is thus noted by James Fales. " A very sickly season, of a kind of the yellow fever, 1771." Mrs. Porterfield, the wife of Lieut. Patrick before mentioned, was one of its victims; her remains were deposited in the old Fort burying-ground near the Knox mansion; - her grave-stone having been re- cently, in 1860, turned up by the plough.
1772-3. The Upper and Lower towns on the St. George's River were from this year included together as one in the apportionment of the County tax, and the sum of £21, 10s. 1d. assessed upon them. Meetings were held alternately in each for the choice of assessors. The settlers having, however, now considerably increased, and being desirous of the usual privileges of towns in laying out roads, providing schools, and maintaining public worship, the Lower plantation in which the southern part of Thomaston was then included began to take measures to get incorporated into a town, and proposed to the settlers in Meduncook to join with them and form a part of a new town extending from Mill River to Broad Bay (now about being incorporated as Waldoborough) on the west, and to the ocean on the south and east. But the people of Meduncook, being averse, took measures in opposi- tion as will appear from the following letter. " Meduncook, Sept. 14, 1773. To the Honored Mr. Secretary Fluker. Sir. With our best wishes to your Honor, we, the inhabitants of Meduncook, inform your Honor that the inhabitants of the lower part of St. George's River have made a proposal to us to be incorporated into a township with them, which, if granted, will be of unspeakable damage, if not total ruin to us, partly by reason of our incommodious situation with re- spect to them, [partly by reason of strong prejudices in these
* Mr. N. Fales (3) ; Capt. D. Lermond, and others.
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people against us]" with other reasons of which your Honor perhaps is not altogether ignorant-do therefore beg the favor of your Honor's interest and influence that we may by no means be joined with them, but rather if of necessity an incorporation must take place with respect to us, to be joined as a. parish to Broad Bay, or if that may not be obtained, that we may be a town by ourselves including the adjacent islands, which although a burthensome alternative, we had rather bear than be joined with them, if we may not be suf- fered to remain as we are for a while longer. Your Honor will likewise remember that the instruction of Your Honor's Predecessor, Brigadier Waldo, deceased, was to make this an English settlement. We have likewise inclosed a petition to the Honorable Court which we pray your Honor to present if need require and your Honor's wisdom shall so direct. (Signed) Jacob Davis, John Demorse, sen.," (and 24 others.) This reluctance was probably occasioned by their English descent and Puritan faith, whilst their neighbors on George's River were mostly Scotch Irish, and Presbyterians. Yet so far as the territory of Thomaston was concerned, a change in that respect was beginning to take place, by reason of emi- grants from the towns further west.
The first license for retailing liquors at Wessaweskeag was taken out this year, 1773, by Mr. Snow, who had opened the first store in what is now South Thomaston, had removed his family hither, and was rejoicing in the onward progress and prosperity of the settlement he had so successfully founded.
In the political horizon, however, the clouds which had be- fore appeared, were now fast thickening, and the gloom of the coming tempest began to be felt even in this remote set- tlement. The stock of tea having accumulated in England in consequence of its disuse in America, many cargoes were, this year, shipped to the latter, in the expectation that, when once landed and the duties paid, it would find its way into the country and meet with purchasers. Three cargoes ar- riving. in Boston, various mneans were used to induce the con- signees not to receive it; and when these failed, and the town meeting held on the subject prolonged its deliberations to a late hour in the night without coming to any determination, 17 men disguised like Indians boarded the ships on the eve- ning of Dec. 16th, and broke open and threw 342 chests into the water. In this affair two young men from this river were
* " The clause in brackets was erased before Mr. Bradford signed the above." Friendship Records.
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participants. One of these was Benjamin Burton, son of Capt. Benjamin so often before mentioned, who, happening to be at Boston on a visit, went in the crowd to the Old South meetinghouse, and, as soon as the patriot orator had closed his animated address, hearing the shout tea-party. tea-party, and being touched with the spirit of the times, joined the party, was stationed in the hold of one of the ships to fasten the slings upon the tea-chests, and labored with his might be- tween two and three hours in the work of destruction. It being about the time of low water, the detested tea rested on the ground and, when the tide rose, floated as a.scum upon the water and was lodged by the surf along the shores. The other resident of this place present at this celebrated tea- party, was Capt. James Watson, who, at the time command- ing a small coaster from this river, and being in Boston, as- sisted in breaking up the chests with a negro-hoe; as the tide abated, he went down the vessel-side to push it afloat, and filled his pea-jacket pockets with samples of the objec- tionable herb.
1774. Gov. Hutchinson, in disgust at the people's op- position to his administration and the late measures of the British parliament,. having left for England, his successor, Gen. Thomas Gage, assuming the attitude of a military despot.rather than that of a civil magistrate, only added fresh fuel to the fire of opposition; and, having adjourned the legislature, June 17th, whilst the House with locked doors were in the act of choosing delegates to a Congress at Phila- delphia, neither he nor any other royal governor ever met a Massachusetts legislature afterwards. The people here, hav- ing from the first had many friends and connections in Boston, and done most of their trading there, naturally participated in their sentiments and feelings at this crisis. To give some idea of these feelings we make the following extracts from the letters of a promising young man of business, then a bookseller and stationer in Boston, afterwards a distinguished citizen and munificent benefactor of Thomaston. Henry Knox, writing May 30, 1774, to Messrs. Wright & Gill of London, says, "If the act to block up this harbor should con- tinue in force any length of time, it must deeply affect every person in Trade here, and consequently their Correspondents on your side of the water. But it is expected the British merchants will see their own interest so clearly as to induce them to exert their whole influence in order to get so unjust and cruel an edict repealed." To James Rivington of New York, a printer and publisher whom he was in the habit of
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supplying with stationery, and who eventually, we believe, took sides with the tories, Knox writes at the close of a busi- ness letter of July 18th. "P. S. I forgot my politics-or rather I have none to communicate at present. Things seem pretty much at a stand, since I wrote you. The troops en- camped on the common keep up a most excellent discipline, and seem cautious that no affray begins on their part. The Citizens, taught by experience to be quiet, are equally cau- tious to avoid any disturbance. The Non Consumption agreement or the solemn league and covenant has made a very rapid progress since the Governor's proclamation forbid- ding it; by the last accounts I have been able to collect, it will be general throughout this Province, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. The New Acts for regulating this Govern- ment, will, I perfectly believe, make great difficulties. The people are in no disposition to receive an act pregnant with so great evils. What mode of Opposition will be adopted, I do not know; but it is the general opinion it will be opposed; hence the key to the formidable force collecting here. Any Material event that may happen here, I will take the earliest opportunity to convey intelligence of to you."*
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