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 28
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 28
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 28
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 year 1803 exhibited some remarkable eccentricities of weather. On the 15th of April, wrote Capt. Watson, " the Great Snow came on, a Friday; - lasted 36 hours;" and again, "May 9th, a Snow Storm, very cold, came on Sunday evening." This year, it is believed, the sch. America, . belonging to the Pendletons, was loaded with staves, lime, po- tatoes, and other commodities, and sailed in February for the W. Indies under the command of Capt. Henry Morse of this town. On the seventh day out, however, the vessel was ·overtaken by a violent storm, shipped a sea, and was cap- sized, - the deck swept clean from stem to stern, and the cabin filled with water before the captain could secure any of his clothing except the shirt and drawers in which he slept. She righted, however, while he was attempting to cut a pass- age for himself through the side of the vessel with his knife. The crew stuck by her, subsisting, without water and with scarcely any provision, for fourteen days; - when their thirst was relieved by a plentiful supply of rain. They had man- aged to get at a cask of brandy, with which they moistened their lips, but scarcely dared to swallow ; and, some time after, obtained access to the potatoes which they were forced to eat raw, or half roasted in the heat generated by slaking lime. At length a dolphin was taken, which afforded a temporary relief. But the captain, after remaining in his half naked condition to the thirty-fifth day, was now too much emaciated and debilitated to swallow, and expired ; as did also Joshua Wade and Hezekiah Getchell. There were now two surviv- ors left ; James Scars, a seaman, and John Emerson, cabin boy, 13 years old. At length, after being seventy-nine days
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on the wreck, a ship appeared in sight and Sears exclaimed " the trees of which that ship was built, grew in the forest on purpose to save our lives!" They were taken off by a Span- ish brig, transferred to an English vessel and carried into Liverpool, whence they found their way back in safety ; but Emerson could never relate the story, or hear the matter spoken of, without the most violent and agonizing emotions. About the same time a shocking accident occurred at the salt- works of Mr. Heard at Ash Point. James Mathews of that part of the town, by some misadventure, fell into a boiling salt kettle, and was scalded to death."
About the commencement of the present century a consid- erable stir was made in the place by a prosecution of some money lenders for taking unlawful interest. Frederic Reed, who had owned a farm and kept tavern at Owl's Head, hav- ing, in time of embarrassment, sought relief by borrowing money at a high rate of interest and lost his farm at last, now attempted to right himself. by instituting a prosecution against his creditors ; and Major Parsons and Dr. Dodge, both of this town, were indicted for usury. The last of these became frightened, put his property into the hands of Dr. Webb, and, to avoid being arrested, took refuge in New Brunswick, where he remained for upwards of a year, until, in June, 1803, his case as well as that of Parsons was termi- nated by a verdict of not guilty.
Before or about the time of his return, however, another physician came to the place. This was Jacob K. French of Andover, who, after studying medicine with his namesake, Dr. Jacob Kittredge of Brookfield, established himself here, fixing his quarters at Jenks's tavern. The first charge that appears on his books is in 1803, against Dennis Rivers of St. George; and, with the prestige of his name and instruction, he succeeded to a moderate share of practice, which he con- tinued for a period of forty-six years, being particularly suc- cessful in his treatment of sores and wounds. He built on a part of the Jenks lot, and, with the exception of a year or two in Hope, resided, and died in the house now occupied by his widow and sons. In the following year, 1804, he was followed by Isaiah Cushing, a graduate of Harvard University, an accomplished physician, of agreeable manners, a social disposition, and not inferior talents. Locating himself in what is now Wadsworth St., at Hastings's tavern, he readily gained the greater part of the practice in that part of the
* Tradition in the Morse Family; Messrs. W. & D. Heard, &c.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
town. in which he was both successful and popular ; but not sufficiently satisfied, he removed for a few years to Noblebo- ro', where, if not before, he contracted those habits of in- ebriety which became the bane of the rest of his life. Returning to this place, he found it difficult to regain his former standing; whilst Dodge continued to retain his by promptness, assiduity, and the blunt decision with which he caused his directions to be followed. "Has the patient taken the medicine?" inquired he of a nurse on one occasion. " No, doctor, he was so restless, I thought" -" Thought !" interrupted he with one of his usual expletives, " what busi- ness had you to think? You have enough to do to follow my directions. Let me do the thinking." He was well aware, also, of the medicinal .virtue of a good laugh, and, from his unfailing fund of humor was ever ready to try it in all needful cases. Being called in to see Howland Rogers whose nasal organ was remarkably well developed, "Rogers, how are you?" he asked. "Oh, very poorly, I am almost discour- aged." "How do you feel ?- how's your nose ?" ." Noth- ing ails my nose." "Damn you, then - you'll do well enough ; that's the largest part of you !"
This gentleman, Captain Rogers, as he was styled, con- tinued to build vessels for Gen. Knox, and about this time launched the Montpelier for him. At the launching of a ves- sel, in those days, everybody was expected to be present, and everybody to be feasted. The master-builder contribut- ing to this entertainment as well as the owners, this launch- ing is particularly remembered by the daughter of Capt. Rogers, on account of an accident which befell a favorite dripping-pan of her mother's - a part of her marriage outfit, broken by the fall of a huge piece of beef that was roasting, suspended before the fire." Gen. Knox continued his munifi- cence, and this year gave a new proof of it in presenting a complete set of weights and measures to the town ; which, May 2d, appointed Reed, Gleason, and Jenks to return him thanks for his generosity. A book was this year purchased by the town, of J. Gleason, for recording births, deaths, and marriages, which, when recorded at all, had before been en- tered promiscuously in the common town book.
1804. Some further alteration was made in the School districts this year, and their number increased to thirteen : but these districts continued to undergo so many changes
* Mrs. H. B. II. of Camden.
22+
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
from time to time, that it is difficult and scarcely adviseable to attempt a particular description of them.
Business continued to flourish, and in 1804 a lime-shed for the protection of manufactured lime from the weather, was built at the Shore ; - the first structure of the kind in that village, since city, and the greatest mart for that article in the Union. Charles Spofford, at the foot of what is now Lime- Rock street, was about the only trader there ; and the village. consisted of eight or ten buildings only. On what is now Main street, Rockland, were the houses of the three oldest sons of Capt. Jonathan Spear, one of which, that of Capt. William, was a kind of public house; and beyond Mr. Lind- sey's, before mentioned, was that of Capt. Jonathan Crockett, on the street leading to Crockett's Point, and the present Com- mercial wharf. Wm. Spear, in the sloop William, and James Robinson, were then the only coasters running from that vil- lage to Boston. Spofford had come to the place from Pel- ham, N. H., in 1800, and commenced business as a shoe- maker ; but soon went into trade, became popular, was in 1812 chosen representative, and, besides other town offices, sustained that of town clerk four years prior to his death in 1819. It has been said of him by one of his apprentices * who was bound to and lived with him six years, that "a bet- ter or more kind-hearted man never lived." His brother, John Spofford, also came to the place in 1803, and, after working four years as a journeyman shoemaker for J. Keith, at the River village, removed in 1807 to the Shore and set up the business for himself, which he carried on successfully till he also went into trade, lime-burning, and navigation ; - still remaining (1864) one of the substantial citizens of Rock- land.
The same year, 1803, John Lovejoy from Andover, Mass., took up his residence here, married four years later, and en- gaged in trade and mercantile affairs with distinguished suc- cess for a long series of years. His brother, Dr. Enoch Lovejoy, came a few years later and established himself as a physician at Blackington's Corner, built on the Wm. Tilson lot, where he continued with a moderate share of practice the remainder of his life.
Ship-building continued to be carried on to some extent at South Thomaston ; and a schooner of 100 tons commanded by Capt. James Spalding was this season built there, prob- ably by the Snows, and named the Wissaweskeag. This ves-
* Chas. Holmes, Esq.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
sel was once lying at anchor in one of the West India ports, when the officers of a barge passing under her stern ordered the crew to slacken their oars in order to read her name. They commenced : " W-ee-sa-saw-we-w-i-s-k-e-a-g," when Jack, who had become very uneasy lying on his oar and listening to him who was reading her name, turned over his quid and exclaimed, with an old tar's usual oath, "she's the Whis- key-keg ! let's go aboard and get a horn." * The orthog- raphy of this name has undergone many transformations and abridgements, and is scarcely yet fully settled. Lime, it is probable, was not yet burned to any amount in this section, but that business at this time was carried on to the greatest ex- tent in the western part of the town, where Knox had a range of six or eight kilns; and Jenks, Morse, and others, were engaged in the same business. In the ship-building line, also, a ship of 220 tons was set up by Lieut. P. Hanson - the first of the class ever built at Mill River, or in any part of the present town of Thomaston. But in the full tide of prosperity, a shock was given to the business and the com- munity of that place by the sudden death of the builder, who was killed almost instantaneously on the 29th of August. He had been up to the launching of the ship Fredonia in Weston's yard at Warren, and on his return in company with Messrs. P. Stone and G. Vose, all mounted . on gay horses, and probably stimulated by the generous potations in those days thought indispensable at every launching, Hanson's horse became frightened near the present house of Mrs. Kennedy, in Warren, and threw his rider. His foot caught in the stirrup and he was dragged as far as Page's tavern, when his neck was found to be broken. His funeral was celebrated with both masonic and military honors, attracting large crowds of spec- tators from this and the neighboring towns. By request of his creditors in Boston, H. Prince, Esq., was soon after ap- pointed administrator on his estate ; and the ship, timbered out but not planked, was bought by J. Coombs and E. Bar- nard, finished by them, launched at twelve o'clock on a Sat- urday night, and sold in Boston.f Hanson's death was not the only accident of the season. Samuel Kenniston was killed as suddenly in what is now the Prison quarry, by the caving in of a clay bank which he was engaged in removing, to uncover the limestone. He was one of Knox's workmen, a pleasant young man, and his death was much lamented.
* Thomaston Recorder.
+ Capt. B. Webb, D. Standish, papers of H. Prince, Esq.
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
On the 20th August, 1804, the town passed a vote "that the selectmen draw from the treasury a sum not exceeding $45, for the purchase of one or more palls to be used at the inter- ment of the dead."
The business and fame of Knox continued to attract hither mechanics and other emigrants ; and, among them, about this time, perhaps earlier, Monsieur Kendall, a Frenchman, set up his business as a baker, - the first in the place, except one 'Tre- feathering, said to have been here before. He did well for a time ; but the business became crippled by the stagnation after the death of Knox, and still more by the war of 1812, during a great part of which there were few materials for a baker to operate upon. Since his removal, the business has been re- newed and carried on successively by Wm. Butler, at the present Prison corner, who removed to Standish ; by Joseph Fowler, at the same corner, who afterwards removed to Salem ; by Edward Boyles, near the foot of Wadsworth street; by Charles Boyles, at Oyster River bridge ; by - Merrill ; by John Hunt from Windsor ; by John Pierson from Portland, since a Second Advent preacher in Newburyport; and by John B. Wight, still a resident of the place." At the eastern part of the town, the first baker was Charles Clark, who came from Belfast and established himself in the present Rockland, about 1830 or 1832, where his family still remain ; but his successors in the business there have been numerous, and the dates of their coming not easily ascertained.
The flame of party spirit was now burning so warmly as to produce in this town wavering and oscillation between the influence of Knox and his Revolutionary compatriots, on the one side, and the popularity and success of President Jeffer- son's administration on the other. The former prevailed in April, but, in May, Joshua Adams, a moderate, or perhaps, doubtful Federalist, was elected Representative in opposition to Knox; and, in November, the Republican ticket, contain- ing the names of the whole nineteen Presidential Electors, prevailed by a large majority, 52 to 25 votes. In the follow- ing year, 1805, however, the town seems to have hesitated, and, in April, gave a handsome majority to the Federal can- didates. Yet, in May, after two unsuccessful trials for the choice of Representative, in which the Federal votes were
. nearly equally divided between Gen. Knox and Esq. Adams, and, after once voting not to send a Representative, this vote was reconsidered at an adjourned meeting and Dr. Isaac Ber-
· Mr. J. Tarbox : Hon. G. S. Wiggin ; and others.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
nard, a Republican, was elected by 99 votes, against 88 for Adams ; the name of Knox having been withdrawn. One in- fluence in bringing about the election of Representative in this and the preceding year, though it does not appear on the iecurd, was undoubtedly that exerted by Dr. E. G. Dodge, who, besides being naturally predisposed towards the Repub- lican or Democratic party, as imbodying greater latitude in thinking and acting, could not but chafe under the overshad- owing prestige and influence of Knox. He accordingly did not scruple to foster the suspicions and charges of unfairness which he found existing, in certain quarters, in regard to the manner in which the Waldo property had come into that gen- tleman's hands. Making use of Mr. Adams's ambition and influence to defeat the election of Knox the preceding year, he now availed himself of the division, thus created in one party, as a stepping-stone towards the success and ultimate supremacy of the other, in which he became henceforth the acknowledged leader in the town.
To show the extent to which the manufacture of lime was carried on by Gen. Knox, as well as to give a specimen of his method of doing business, we give the following : "Mr. William Howe Wiggen, Having been well satisfied with the zeal, industry, and integrity you exercised the last year in the manufacture of Lime in my employ, I am desirous of your superintendence of my business in that line during the pres- ent year, - and, you having agreed with me for that purpose, you will regard these Instructions as the general outline of your duty. We must get out as much wood of our own this winter as possible, and as many teams are to be hired as can be, and employed in hauling kiln-wood to con- venient places near the kilns so as to incumber as little mow- ing ground as possible. We could at present have five of our own teams, and we may next week have two more from the mills. But we should want six or seven more. It is my anxious desire to have cut and hauled out of the Swamp at least 2000 cords. It is also my desire that as much Lime- rock should be gotten and hauled, and all the kilns fitted so as to be burned early in March. Mr. Jordan, Williams, and others, must be employed to break into the north side of the west end of the quarry. The Coopers must be so regulated, and supplied with heading, as to be kept constantly at work ; and they must be pushed to have a stock of hogsheads on hand. Our cattle must be so fed as to be able to work con- stantly ; for this purpose they must have boiled potatoes, meal, and a little salt when necessary. The hay must be used with
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
entire economy. You will, under the direction of Mr. Glea- son, attend to the objects of the wood, the rock, the teams, the hay, the wood for home consumption, the care of the build- ings, and everything for the care and promotion of my inter- est. You will please to observe clearly, that your personal labor is not so much my object, as that you should see that others in my employ work faithfully. You must therefore observe daily that every part of the arrangements of the farm and lime works, digging clay, &c, goes on with fidelity and that I am not imposed upon in any shape, by be- ing plundered either of time or property; idleness of hired men is either a theft of time or money, and I would have Mr. Gleason discharge any hired man who should prove idle. I depend on your industry, activity and integrity. My son must be supplied with teams for his fire wood and necessary teaming. The sheep and poultry you will take especial care that they are well fed and secured from injury. Thomaston, 15 Jan., 1805."*
The year 1805, is the era of the introduction of Free-ma- sonry into the town by the establishment of the first lodge here. Amity Lodge in Camden had been previously estab- lished, and its master, H. Prince, still of St. George, took an active part in getting up a Lodge in this place. The first meeting for the purpose was held at Gleason's tavern, March 11th, and, by adjournment, April 4th, - Rev. Mr. Chealy, who was now employed here as a preacher, being moderator ; when the following officers were elected : H. Prince, R. W. Master; Jas. Spalding. S. W .; C. Spofford, J. W .; D. S. Fales, Sec'y ; Joshua Fuller, Treas .; Elisha Snow (2d) S. D .; J. Gleason, J. D .; Peter Stone, Ist S .; and I. Cushing, 2d S. Thirty-one persons attended this meeting; all of whom, but four, advanced $5 each. St. John's day was celebrated by a procession to the meeting-house, an address by Mr. Chealy, and a dinner at Gleason's ; but the charter from the Grand Lodge was not obtained till September, when Prince made a second journey to Boston by land, for procuring it. The name of " Orient Lodge" was taken; and on the 7th Aug., 1806, its officers were installed and the Lodge dedicated in a public and somewhat imposing manner by Geo. Ulmer, D. G. M. aided by Rev. Mr. Cochrane of Camden. An act of incorporation for it was obtained Jan. 27, 1823. In com- mon with most other lodges, its meetings were suspended for
* See original paper in Gleason's handwriting, now in possession of Hon. G. S. Wiggin of Rockland.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
a time during the excitement following the death of Wm. Morgan, but it is now, we believe, in a flourishing condition, occupying an elegant hall in Union Block, Thomaston .* On the 15th July, 1828, Aurora Lodge at East Thomaston was constituted and its officers installed as follows : Ephraim Perry, Master ; John Tolman, S. W .; Stephen Barrows, J. W .; Rev. Nat. Copeland, C .; J. Lovejoy, Treas. ; C. Har- rington, Sec'y ; C. Holmes, S. D .; Jas. Crockett (2d), J. D. ; B. A. Gallop, S. S .; T. Healey, J. S .; Jas. Walsh, T. On the 2d of June, 1825, the members of the New Jerusalem Royal Arch Chapter at Wiscasset were authorized to hold their meetings alternately at Wiscasset and Thomaston ; and on the 17th July, 1828, a new and commodious hall owned by members of that chapter and Orient Lodge was publicly consecrated to masonic uses at West Thomaston. This ar- rangement continued for several years, when King Solomon's Chapter was located at East Thomaston, now Rockland, though in 1859-60 its meetings were held in Thomaston. This chapter, of which Capt. E. B. Hinkley was High Priest, succeeded in 1863 by Dr. C. N. Germaine, is composed of residents of Rockland, Thomaston, Camden, Warren, Waldo- boro', and Union, and numbered in 1862 about 80 members.f " Rockland Lodge" was instituted in that city 1855, and its officers installed and hall dedicated shortly after ; as also, Jan. 24, 1856, " King Hiram's Council of Royal and Select Masters " in the same city ; but of these we have no further account.t
In the militia, a Company of Artillery was formed in this and the neighboring town of Warren, either in 1805 or the beginning of 1806. This was furnished by the State with two brass field pieces, four-pounders, and commanded by E. Thatcher, captain ; I. Cushing, lieutenant, both of this town ; and D. Patterson, ensign, of Warren. As this was the first artillery company in this region, its splendid appearance in red-trimmed blue uniforms, adroitness in exercise, and its loud speaking guns, gave an eclat and popularity which, with the Cavalry company, made this a distinguished regiment, and its annual musters, held alternately in this town and Warren, an interesting spectacle to assembled crowds from all the neighboring towns. The cannon, however, were usu- ally kept in Warren. When the military spirit at length de-
* Records of Orient Lodge, G. Prince, Esq., Th. Register, Author's diary, &c.
t Capt. E. B. Hinkley, Thomaston Register, &c.
+ Rockland Gazette.
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
clined and militia trainings were done away with by law, the company became virtually if not legally disbanded; and in 1850, by order of the Legislature, its guns were removed to the State arsenal.
The first captain of this company, Ebenezer Thatcher, was a native .of Cambridge, Mass., a graduate of the university there, commenced the practice of law at Newcastle, and, marrying a daughter of Gen. Knox, had lately removed to this town. Here he remained with the exception of a few years' residence at the Upper Falls in Warren, until the close of 1829; when he removed, and, twelve years later, died at Bingham. He was affable, companionable, and prepossessing in appearance and deportment; rose in the militia to the ranks of Major, Colonel, and Brig. General ; and, though not eminent as a lawyer, obtained about 1808 and for twelve suc- cessive years filled the office of Judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas. At the end of that term he resumed his practice, continuing it more or less till his death in 1841.
A magazine for the military stores which the town was by law required to keep, was, Sept. 2, 1805, ordered to be built of brick, ten feet square. This was placed, we believe, in the Beech Woods neighborhood. In 1817 a vote passed to accept the offer of John Spear to build a powder house near the town road on the west side of the meadow, near his own house, for $155. But in 1839, when towns were by law no longer obliged to keep military stores, this was ordered by the town to be sold.
The year 1805 is an epoch of some importance as being the first in which the town, as a corporation, ever took any effective part in supporting religious worship and instruction. The Baptists, indeed, by private exertion had erected a church and for 19 years maintained worship, more or less constantly, at Wessaweskeag; and a similar edifice had been built in like manner, as we have also noted, at Mill River, for the Standing Order, as the Congregationalists were then called. But, with the exception of missionary labors and the occa- sional employment of Rev. T. Whiting, we do not learn that any great effort had been made for maintaining public wor- ship prior to 1804. But in that year, Rev. Wm. Henry Howard Chealy, a native of England, it is believed, came to the place and preached very acceptably. He was a man of fluent speech, respectable talents, apparent zeal, great ambi- tion, and somewhat given to egotism. His discourses, select- ed perhaps with reference to a first impression, and composed on the most important and thrilling subjects, were so much
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superior in power to those of the neighboring clergy that they took the people, as it were by storm, and, for a time, were the subject of almost unlimited admiration. His min- istry was renewed Jan. 24, 1805, and a meeting was called, July 20th, to see if the town will raise such sums of money as may be necessary, and also to give the Rev. Mr. Chealy a call to settle. At this meeting, of which Gen. Knox was moderator, it was voted to raise $700 for the support of the Gospel; and, in order to do this without injuring persons of other denominations, it was voted to allow them one month to bring in the certificates necessary to exempt them from this tax. It was also voted to give Mr. Chealv a call to settle, and H. Knox, M. Wheaton, J. Reed, W. Tilson, and . Jere. Tolman, were chosen a committee to wait upon and confer with him on the subject. At the adjourned meet- ing of September, in consequence of a petition from D. Crouch and others of Wessaweskeag, an article was pre- sented to see if the town would reconsider the foregoing votes. This was negatived, 45 to 57. It was subsequently vo- ted to give Mr. Chealy a salary of $500, with $150 for a par- sonage; and, if the town became dissatisfied, to give six months or a year's notice before stopping his salary. Thus far, every- thing seemed fair and auspicious. A good choir was formed ; the principal male members of which were David S. Fales, . Oliver Fales, Stephen Thompson, and John Leeds, "the last of whom came from Dorchester to this town, in 1804.
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