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 33
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 33
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 33
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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
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der, (the latter taken with the vessel from the British, and the · former dug up, as before related, in Wadsworth street,) and was properly supplied with small arms and all other necessa- ry equipments. Her officers, as far as recollected, were, Alex. Milliken of Northport, Captain ; James Cook of Friendship, at first, and afterwards Wm. Robinson, then of Warren, Ist Lieut. ; Patrick Simonton and Wm. Singer, gunners, the former of the twelve and the other of the six-pounder; with Simon M. Shibles, steward. Jere. Berry, Moces and Hanse Kelloch, were among the privates, most of whom were from Friendship, Northport, and other places. Thus fitted out, the Fame sailed Dec. 1st .; which was the annual Thanks- giving and a stormy day. Her object was to intercept British vessels running from Halifax to Castine, often loaded with valuable cargoes of dry goods to supply the contra- band trade carried on at the latter place. She took several smuggling vessels and boats, by skilful searching and dodging in thick weather among islands and harbors ; and, at length, falling in with a considerable fleet under convoy, below Mt. Desert, she succeeded, by dogging them up in midst of a heavy snow-storm, in cutting off one of the squadron, and carried the rich prize into what is now Rockland, Jan. 2, 1815. The news of peace soon after arriving, prevented her from attempting further exploits ; and both vessels were taken round into George's River. In the mean time the prize was condemned as forfeited, one half to the government and one half to the captors; the goods which had been landed and stored, were, March 13th, sold at vendue, and purchased by R. G. Shaw and others of Boston; and the captors' share divided between the owners of the Fame and the officers and crew who manned and sailed her-each of the privates re- ceiving some $400 or $500, and the owners $160 to each sixteenth. The Fame being then disarmed and converted into a coaster, the guns were left idle upon the wharf, till one of them, the six-pounder of so interesting and mysterious a history, was disabled by the breaking of one of its trunnions, and sold for old iron."
The following extract from a diary, kept in the western part of the town, gives a little picture of passing events here : " Thomaston, Nov. 1, 1814. Pleasant. At work on the in- ventory of J. Keith's estate. A rich prize arrived at Cam- den. - Nov. 2. The roads are full of teams carly in the morning, removing the goods from Camden. News arrived
* Hon. Wm. Singer ; Prince's diary, &c. 26*
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in the afternoon that the enemy, with a ship of 44 guns and two brigs, had made a demand on Camden for the goods cap -. tured, or a ransom of £20,000 sterling. The militia called upon to turn out. - Nov. 3d. All the militia are in motion and gathering. An express is sent on to the Judge to see if he will consent to give up the goods - at night our houses are filled with officers and soldiers, and so continue until the 5th. Nov. 5th. The troops march on towards Camden. - Nov. 6th. The express returned-the goods cannot be given up. I went to St. George to meeting. - Nov. 7th. Rain storm. Soldiers return."
The foregoing is from the diary of Hezekiah Prince, who, on the 13th June this year, removed from St. George to the neighborhood of Mill River in Thomaston. This he did in consequence of his connection with a number of citizens of this and some of the neighboring towns, who, in 1814, were incorporated under the name of the Thomaston Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company. This company, through: his agency, the same year erected their factory building, forty feet wide and sixty feet in length, and four stories high. It was raised on the 6th and 7th July ; stood on the southern side of the road and western bank of Mill River, near the bridge; and went into operation the following spring, -. Prince being the principal manager of the establishment, and Oliver Amsbury the constructor of its machinery, and many years superintendent of its operations. It was at first suc- cessful, and promised well for a season ; but, from the change in the times consequent upon the peace of 1815, (in the midst of the rejoicings for which its machinery was received) the business became unprofitable ; and, though several times afterwards revived for short periods, it could not be made to compete with foreign importations and the newly invented machinery of larger establishments. It stood, a useless mass and a dead loss to the original company of about $20,000, till 1828, when it was sold to Isaac Snaith and others from New Hampshire.
Prince also went into trade in company with Job Wash- burn, a native of Kingston, Mass., who, after working a while at his trade of shoemaking in St. George, about this time removed to Thomaston. For their accommodation, Prince built the dwellinghouse and store combined, in which they did business for a time, and were afterwards succeeded by the late Patrick Keegan. Samuel Fuller, also, an apprentice and kinsman of Prince, having traded a while in Hanson's store at Mill River, as also in Lincolnville, St. George, and Cas-
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tine, returned hither in this or the preceding year, residing in the Dunton house ; in 1816, built a store and traded east of Mill River bridge ; in 1822, removed to Boston and followed coasting to this place ; in 1826, returned, and built the house and store where he passed the remaining 20 years of his life. Mrs. Dunton, the first milliner in the place, being now de- ceased, Mrs. Fuller, wife of the above, set up the business in her house, where, and in her present house on Main street, Thomaston, she has, with one slight interruption, continued it successfully down to 1864; having, besides her own twelve children, brought up several orphan grand children, and in 1860 dressed an infant, her first great grand child, which, like herself, was born in the last hour of the last day and the last month of the year.
During the season of 1814, though beef, pork, and West India goods remained high, the scarcity of bread was greatly mitigated by an abundant crop of wheat, rye, and other Eng- lish grain, which, from the high prices of the preceding years and the low rate of wages, had been extensively sown on lands lately cleared up. But the collection of a direct tax of $3,000,000, levied the preceding year on real estate, detract- ed somewhat from the otherwise ample returns of the farmer ; and the internal duties bore hard upon other classes of the community. . The amount of this latter class of duties col- lected in this town in 1815, was as follows, viz. : Wymond Bradbury, 71 cts., Amos Foster, $1,71, Gilbert Tilson, 72 cts., and John Spofford, $6.54, as shoemakers; Susman Abrams, $4,28; Joshua Adams, $22,50; Lydia Webb, $21,87 ; Samuel Fuller, $21,87; Eusebius & Elisha Fales, $8,55 ; Samuel Hewett, $6,76 ; Iddo Kimball, $21,87; John Lovejoy, $1,95 ; Thos. Mclellan, Jr., $22,50; Prince & Washburn, $21,87; John Paine, $21,87; Jas. Stackpole, $21,87 ; Chas. Spofford, $21,87; all as merchants ; Benj. Williams, $2,11, tanner ; John Gleason, $3,42, innkeeper ; and Isaac Bernard, $1, probably for a carriage. These sums were exclusive of those paid on furniture, stamps, and time-pieces ; which have not been ascertained .*
Besides martial events and alarms, this year was marked by some distressing casualties of a private character. On the 9th of May, as Edmund Robinson, Isaac Spear, and Chas. Ingraham, three promising young lads of the Shore, were fishing at Ash Point, in a cove a mile or so below Owl's Head, the boat was by some mischance upset, and all three
* Statement of Ezekiel Thompson, Collector for 3d District of Mass.
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
met a watery grave. Sarah Rawley also, a girl living in the family of Mr. Coombs at Wessaweskeag, was accidentally drowned in that river or pond.
1815. Notwithstanding the good fortune of the Fame, the great demand and goncrous remuneration of teams and men for transporting the goods brought in by captures and by contraband traffic, and the ample crops of grain raised the preceding season upon newly cleared lands, which had af- forded great relief and increased activity to business in this . and the neighboring towns, still the general condition of the country was distressing in the present and gloomy as to the future. Poverty, taxes, and want of employment, pressed heavily upon private life ; whilst a rapidly accumulating debt, political divisions, and party animosity, perplexed and dis- tracted public councils. In this state of things, the 12th of - Jan., 1815, was observed as a national Fast. But, in the midst of this cloud of despondency, there suddenly burst a gleam of light and sunshine on the 14th February; when. at 6 o'clock, afternoon, came to this place the news of Jack- son's victory at New Orleans, and, two hours later, that of the cessation of war by a treaty of peace concluded at Ghent.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHANCES CIVIL, SOCIAL, ECCLESIASTICAL, AND DOMESTIC.
· To go back a little; - in 1814 the pulpit of the North Par- ish was supplied from March 22d to Sept. 7th as it had been three weeks in the preceding December, by Rev. Enos Merrill, a missionary, whose board and horse keeping were paid by the North Parish. During 1815 and 1816, being still in debt to Mr. Lord for a portion of his salary, the parish contented itself with ordering its treasurer, J. Paine, to pay the same out of any monies that should come into the treas- ury -and voting to pay Dea. Tilson $32,25 for board and horse-hire of Rev. James Weston, who, as a missionary, la- bored with them ten weeks prior to April 11, 1816. In the South or First Parish, since the defection of Mr. Baker, the church had been under the sole care of Elder Snow, who seems to have retained a brotherly affection and charity for his colleague, and used to pray earnestly that he might be re- claimed ; using, on one occasion, it is said, the following language : - " Take him, Oh Lord, and shake him over the pit of everlasting fire, till he shall see the error of his way ; but, God, don't let him fall in!" This prayer seems, in the sense in which it was offered, to have been answered; and, this year, Mr. Baker renounced his alleged error and was restored to his office. A brighter day appeared then to dawn upon the church; and a fourth general revival ensued which resulted in the addition to it of more than fifty members.
This South church having become numerous and the society in a prosperous condition, many members in the western part of the town, finding it inconvenient to travel so far, now be- gan to hold meetings at Mill River; and, January 20, 1816, united with others lately come to the place, and were con- stituted the 2d Baptist Church in Thomaston. The first male members, seven in number, were H. Prince, Job Washburn, John Barnard, Jas. Stackpole, Asa Fales, Wm. Sayward, and Everett Williams, who, together with thirteen female mem- bers, held their church meetings each month in the district school-house, -being supplied by Rev. S. Baker six com- munion Sabbaths in the year, and three each by Elders Ames of St. George and Fuller of Warren, at $3 a Sabbath. In 1819, Rev. John Wakefield came from Waterville to the place, and was ordained as an evangelist, Mar. 1, 1820. He being soon called to Warren, this church licensed, Feb. 13,
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
1822, one of their brethren, Job Washburn, to preach; who, Sept. 3, 1822, was ordained and became the settled pastor of the church, faithfully laboring in his vocation till 1841. The church gradually increasing in numbers and ability, in 1827 contained 66 members; and in 1828 an extraordinary revival took place, 43 new members being added between Jan. 13th and June 8th. The society had then purchased and repaired . the old N. Parish meeting-house, and the Lincoln Baptist As- sociation was for the first time held in it, Sept., 1830. The deleterious effects of ardent spirits having become generally acknowledged, this church after some discussion unanimously voted, July 12, 1834, that total abstinence in the use and sale of spirituous liquors except as a medicine, be required of its members, and that the same be made a subject of disci- pline. The old house of worship being again out of repair and inconveniently situated to many in the western part of West Thomaston village, which had comparatively greatly increas- ed in population, a new one was now erected there by sub- scription at a cost of $11,288. . But it was found that a large portion of the church in the neighborhood of the old one were utterly averse to the change, and, being unable to agree, it was voted, Dec. 3, 1836, that this church be divided into two, and that certain members by name, to the number of 21 males and 39 females, shall form one of said churches ; which, Dec. 10th, was duly constituted under the name of the 1st Bap. Church in W. Thomaston. The remainder, 17 males and 47 females, were to form the other church, and re- tained the old name of the 2d Baptist Church in Thomaston. But difficulties soon arose as to which should be considered the old church ; the pastor and a majority of members being in- cluded in the western division, taking the new house, claimed to be, and retained the name of the 2d Bap. Ch. in Thomas- ton ; whilst the other section, retaining the clerk, the records, and former house, made the same claim, which they attempted to fortify by adopting the name of the 1st Baptist Society in West Thomaston. After calling a council July 12, 1837, these conflicting claims were at length adjusted by allowing . those worshiping in the new house to be the old church, and those remaining in the old house to be considered as dismissed from her, and to retain the name of their choice. Being now established in their elegant and capacious house of wor- ship, this mother church went on prospering, under Mr. Wash- burn's ministry, and, aided by the professor and students of the Bap. Theological Institution then recently located in that part of the town, enjoyed quite a religious revival, and, in the
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spring of 1839, received 31 new members by baptism. But a portion of its 127 members becoming desirous of a change, Mr. Washburn's connection of 19 years duration was dis- solved Jan. 14, 1841 ; and Rev. Wm. Lamson from Gloucester, Mass., was installed Aug. 3d, as their pastor, succeeded in May 1842, by Rev. Enoch Hutchinson, Nov. 13th, by Rev. Alvan Felch of New Gloucester, and at the close of 1843, by Rev. Lorenzo B. Allen, whose services continued till his resignation . on account of ill health, July 1, 1848. Rev. L. D. Royce from Claremont, N. H., was ordained Oct. 17, 1848, but re- moved, by death, Sept. 2, 1850 ; Rev. O. O. Stearns, became pastor July 1851; and Rev. Isaac Sawyer from Manchester, N. H., July, 1854. The latter removed to Alleghany City, Pa., in 1858, and was succeeded by Rev. Luther D. Hill, a native of New York ; and in 1863 by Rev. Thos. Atwood. 'The deacons of this church have been John Barnard and Henry S. Swasey in 1822, Joel Miller in 1830, Wm. Butler and Abel Hildreth in 1832, Jos. Catland in 1834, and Asa Perkins in 1844. According to the minutes of the Lincoln Baptist Association for 1863, the whole number of members was 155. Since its formation, this church has furnished no less than six licentiates for the ministry, all of whom have been ordained.
Returning to the year 1815, it may be noted that, on 4th Oct. of that year, a " Foreign Mis ionary Society" was form- ed in the town, and H. Prince, Esq., chosen Treasurer.
The three winter months prior to Feb. 28th, were very cold and dry, springs and wells very low, the rivers and coves all frozen uncommonly hard. On the 19th of May, when farmers were plowing for corn, there was quite a storm of snow, which, though much of it melted as it fell, through the whole day, accumulated in this town io the depth of two or more inches, and was still deeper further from the sea. The 4th of July was celebrated this year at W. Thomaston, by a collec- tion of people, public dinner, and au oration by Samuel S. Wil- kinson, Esq. This gentleman graduated at Brown Universi- . ty in 1809, commenced practice as a lawyer here, in 1812 or 1813, and continued it successfully some ten years ; when he removed westward, we believe, entered the ministry, and has since deceased.
As an evidence of some mitigation in the hardness of the times, the town, in March, 1815, voted a school tax of $1000 instead of $500, to which it had been reduced in the three preceding years. A project of dividing the town having been brought before a meeting, May Ist, the vote on its ex-
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pediency was taken with the following result; in favor, 9; against, 85.
From the non-importation of woolen goods during the war and the commercial embarrassments which preceded, together with the greater number and improved breeds of sheep kept in the country, the manufacture of domestic woolens had been greatly extended, and the dyeing, fulling, and dressing of . these became a very lucrative business. The first clothing- mill in this town was erected this year on the Mill River stream at some distance above the bridge, by Aaron Gleason. He learned his trade of his brother Micajah in Union, and prosecuted the business here till his death in 1819; when it was carried on by Edward Thomas, till the works were pur- chased in 1821, by Henry K. Gleason and Capt. David N. Piper, who became a permanent resident of the town. They added in 1824 a machine for picking oakum, and did a good business till 1828. They then sold out to Horatio Alden who continued the works till 1833; when the fulling-mill was abandoned, and he removed his oakum business to Camden.
But the more important to the country and profitable to the owner the product of the sheep was becoming, the more severely was felt the injury occasionally sustained from its destruction by wild animals. These had been pretty well exterminated in the town; but a few wolves were still lurk- ing in the woody region between here and Waldoboro', occa- sionally making inroads upon the flocks ; and the town there- fore voted to give " $15 as a bounty on wolves the present year." Depredations had been made at the Beech Woods, as also between Mill River and the Wessaweskeag; and a pack of five black whelps and one old she-wolf (which, though of the black species, had grown grey with age, and lost one leg on some former occasion.) having been discovered, notice was given, and the people turned out, eager for their destruction. Great pains were taken to keep them south of the Wessawes- keag road, and also prevent their escaping to the woody region in St. George. This succeeded, and the pursuit be- came so close that the wolves took to the water and endeav -. ored to reach one of the Musele-ridge islands by swimming. Being headed off by a man and boat from thence, they bent their course to other islands, where one of them made out to land, while the rest came ashore on a point of the main land. Here they were beset by numbers, some of whom were afraid to fire for fear of injuring each other; some guns would. not go off; others did; and the old wolf was shot through the body by Nathaniel Fales (3d) ; some of her whelps fled
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wounded, and it was thought three in all must have been slain. Some weeks later, a fourth was caught by Harvey Healey in a bear trap baited with a dead horse, near Muddy Pond. This was about the last of the wolves in this vicinity. A bear, not far from the same time, was caught by Mr. Healey in the same trap, where it was left unvisited till the flesh was spoiled for eating; and this was the last of Bruin's race ever known to be killed in the place. Wild-cats and loup-cerviers have been, and still are, perhaps, occasionally seen in woody and mountainous quarters; but do little dam- age.
There being a petition in the Legislature for a toll bridge across the St. George's, near Vose's wharf, the town, Dec. 26th, voted that it was for its interest that such a bridge should be built and that its representatives be instructed to procure an act for incorporating the petitioners. This was strongly opposed by the inhabitants of Warren, as also by the masters and owners of such coasting vessels as were ac- customed to pass up to that town for lading ; but, in 1817, new efforts were made here; which at length prevailed ; a charter was obtained Feb. 24, 1818; and the bridge built the same year by Abel Hildreth.
1816. The town voted, May 6th, to lease " to J. Paine, or other citizen of the town, the privilege of building a lime- store on some part of the town-landing at Mill River, if they think proper." This offer was accepted by Mr. Paine, who built. a wharf and lime store there, the latter partly over the water so that casks could be dropped from it into gondolas beneath. This gentleman had been, at the close of the recent war, the owner of the only two or three vessels that hailed from Thomaston on the river side. These, which he had managed to save through the war, he now joyfully sent abroad in the fond anticipation of renewing his former prosperous trade. He had built and was at this time trading in a store at the Prison Corner, with Wm. R. Keith and John T. Glea- son for clerks ; and still, as formerly, when other freights were poor, imported coal, salt, and other goods for the Boston market. But, in consequence of the general peace in Europe, American vessels had now to compete with those of all other nations, freights were down to a merely nominal figure, our markets became overstocked with English goods, importa- tions resulted in loss, and every voyage yielded only bills of expense to the owners. Thus this enterprising and perse- vering merchant, having withstood the vicissitudes of the war, was wound up by the peace, and, a few years later, suspended . VOL. I. 27
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business ; having, prior to 1820, paid into the U. S. treasury $170,000 as duty on goods imported by him.
The business of the Mill River district began to revive, however, in a small way ; and this year, on the 5th or 6th of June, during one of the snow-squalls of that disastrous sea- son, was launched the schooner Lavinia, 88 tons, Capt. John . B. Hawk, built by James Stackpole, John Blackington, and J. Wheaton. Col. Halsey Healey also began his career in ship-building in the same neighborhood by launching the schooner Catharine of 105 tons, Capt. Barnabas Webb, mas- ter. Healey also set up in business as a merchant in a part- nership with Dr. Dodge, which, through the pleasing address and urbanity of the younger, and the extensive influence of the elder partner, was now attracting considerable custom. As characteristic of Dodge's love of fun and profit at the same time, it is related that on a professional visit at the house of Mr. Holland, at Ash Point, seeing many of the family busily employed in their occupation of making lace, he curiously inspected the operation, made many inquiries as to the quantity, price, &c., and finally, buying up all they had, put it, marked as " Holland lace," into the company's store ; where, as a foreign manufacture of wonderful cheapness, it met with a rapid sale.
The extensive tanning establishment of Josiah Keith, after that gentleman's death, was managed for a time by Edward Breck for Wm. R. Keith, but was in a few years transferred to Capt. R. Robinson, M. Copeland and others, and by them ultimately to Capt. George Robinson, who, at first as a part- ner, employing Breck and others, and afterwards as sole owner, carried on the business in person for fourteen years ; when it was abandoned and the ground converted into house lots.
On the question of erecting Maine into a separate State, this town, as on all former occasions, voted in the negative, May 20th, by the decided majority of 107 to 26. The en- tire vote of the District of Maine, however, being in the affirmative, at a second meeting held for its confirmation, the vote in this town was, no, 75, yes, 100; and Wm. M. Dawes, who, since 1810, had been surveyor and inspector of customs in this place, and Dr. I. Bernard, were chosen delegates to the succeeding convention at Brunswick ; which, notwith- standing zealous efforts and some chicanery, failed to accom- plish its purpose of separation.
This year was long remembered for the coldest summer season ever experienced in New England. Rain-drops frozen
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upon the apple blossoms, on May 24th; frozen ground, and squalls of wind, snow, and hail through the early part of June, the season during that month making no advance, so that many tender birds perished; the crops of corn, grass, potatoes, &c., mostly cut off; and a general scarcity of pro- visions, were its most remarkable features.
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