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 37
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 37
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 37
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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
writer, then teaching at Mill River; but a dry and frosty May greatly injured the grass crop. Business continued good; about 700,000 casks of lime were manufactured ; - bringing from 92 cts. to $1; and navigation, though less pro- ductive, was increased by the building of several schooners, five brigs, and one ship, the Georges', of 320 tons -the first ship, it is believed, with the exception of Lieut. Hanson's, ever built in what is now Thomaston, which, small as it was, excited much interest as a grand affair unprecedented in the place. Several new mercantile establishments were also com- menced; viz .: those of Coombs & Mann and Anthony Hall at Wessaweskeag, and Tolman & Barrows, J. Spear, C. Har- rington, and Jas. Crockett, Jr. at the Shore and Blackington's Corner. In the course of this season sailmaking was set up at Fort wharf, in the western village, and also, soon after at the Shore, by Joseph Colson; but discontinued in the latter place after four or five years. About the same time John El- liot of Wiscasset came, and, in company with Benjamin Met- calf of Damariscotta, set up business as blockmakers and ship chandlers at the same wharf, as did also J. Palfrey, a rigger, at Paine's wharf. The first watchmaker in the place, except one, (a foreigner, who, after a short stay, went off, Feb., 1824, with several of his customer's watches.) was Ed- mund Moores of Bath, who, in April of this year, opened shop at Mill River ; - at this time the general centre of bu- siness for the whole town. H's apprentice, J. Bently Starr, succeeded, Feb. 14, 1826, to the business on his own account. A new hotel, at the Prison Corner, was this year opened by Capt. John Copeland of Warren, who thenceforth became a resident of Thomaston. This, the George's Hotel, built of brick manufactured by himself, he kept many years, and was at the same time much engaged in the mail-carrying and stage business. Up to this time and some years later, Mrs. Hastings's tavern and boarding-house in Wadsworth street or Prison lane, (as styled for a time,) had been the principal re- sort, especially for seamen and passengers by water, in that part of the town. But, after hers, Mrs. Mary Hyler's became a very popular boarding-house and home for sailors and oth- ers, who found in her a generous and motherly, but at the same time strict and unyielding, hostess ; taking as much care of their money or other property as of her own. Early left a widow, she brought up her five sons, all of whom be- came sea-captains, and four daughters, who have all married master mariners.
The claims of Mill River, as the general seat of business
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in town, began now, however, gradually to be weakened by the rising importance of the shore village, or East Thomas- ton. One evidence of this was the successful application for a Post Office in that village ; which was granted on the 23d of December, 1824, under the name of the East Thomaston Post Office, and David Crockett was at the same time ap- pointed its first post-master. His successors in the office, down to the present time, have been, John Spofford, appoint- ed April 2, 1831; E. S. Hovey, May 24, 1841; James Crockett, June 29, 1841 ; Leander Starr, Nov. 8, 1842 ; John Spofford, re-appointed, June 19, 1844; Wm. H. Titcomb, Aug. 28, 1850, and, on change of the name to that of Rock- land Post Office, re-appointed, Jan. 21, 1851; followed by Halford Earle, Aug. 21, 1851 ; Elkanah S. Smith, April 7, 1853, who, on the office becoming Presidential, was re-ap- pointed, Feb. 21, 1856; Benj. W. Lothrop, March 1, 1859 ; Miles C. Andrews, June 17, 1861. The office was first kept in Mr. Crockett's house, at Blackington's corner, on the main county road ; then in a building on Lime Rock street, nearly opposite Berry's brick block, to which block it was removed in 1856, and from thence, in 1861, to No. 1, Kimball block, Main street. Its business has greatly increased, especially since the commencement of the present war, and now amounts to about $3000 per annum.
A Fire Company of 20 members, at the Western village, having been got up, held its first regular meeting Oct. 9, 1824, and appointed committees to contract for ladders, buckets, &c. From the book of H. Prince, Jr., treasurer, it appears that fifty cents, as a fee of membership, and a like sum, as an annual tax from each member, were regularly paid for two or more years, and a fire engine procured by Mr. Ruggles ; but interest in the matter soon died away and the engine ap- parently remained on his hands. An Act of incorporation however was obtained, Feb. 24, 1827, but nothing appears to have been done under it till Dec. 17, 1828, when, immedi- ately after the burning of the post office, a company was or- ganized, and $172 were paid Mr. Ruggles, in 1830-2, for the engine, which did good service and supplied the wants of this part of the town for ten or more years.
The Alpha Society for lack of other celebration of ande- pendence held a public meeting on Monday, the 5th July, at the Brick church, tastefully decorated ; where a good audience listened to religious services by Mr. Ingraham, an oration by Demerrick Spear, disputations between R. Spear and J. D. Barnard against W. T. Hewitt and Wm. Spring, Jr. ; follow-
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ed by an address to the society by H. Prince, Jr., after which about fifty persons dined at Mrs. Spear's at the Shore village, and the day closed with a ball at Mrs. Hastings'. On the 28th the steamer Maine, Capt. Rand, came up George's River, being the first craft of the kind over borne upon its waters ; remained at the wharf until 12 o'clock, then came round into Mill River bearing deckloads of delighted people to witness the launching of the brig Dodge Healey ; and, the following week, took a large excursion party to Monhegan. On Sept. 4th, a battalion Muster was to have been held near Mill River ; but the day was so rainy that no line was formed, and the companies, after being inspected at different places · where shelter could be found, were dismissed at an early
hour, leaving the spectators wet, disappointed, and noisy. 1824 is an epoch somewhat distinguished in the legislation of the State by the commencement of measures for encourage- ment of the militia ; but which ended in the final. abandon- ment of the system in time of peace, except such volunteer companies as the commander-in-chief should think proper to retain under pay. This year, each soldier who did duty at the annual regimental muster was allowed one ration, or its equivalent of .20 cents in money ; the latter being preferred by this town, this and the following year.
The North Parish was now experiencing one of those vi- cissitudes in its affairs which await all human institutions. In 1824 the dissatisfaction with Re .. Mr. Ingraham had become so great, that many heavy tax-payers and persons of influence began to decline subscribing, or notify their withdrawal from the parish. In 1825 a council was called to investigate certain charges against the pastor, which met at his house Jan. 19th, when, after considerable conversation, it was concluded that its members had not been properly called and were not au- thorized to go into an examination. On the 6th of Novem- ber following, however, Mr. Ellingwood of Bath preached in this parish and read the full confession of Mr. Ingraham, made before the association of ministers shortly before, in which he acknowledged that he had been an intemperate man, and that the reports which had been in circulation were true. Mr. E. recommended to the society to forgive him, and receive him again into favor. This advice the church readily fol- lowed, requesting him, unanimously, to continue his ministry ; and the parish apparently acquiesced.
On the 6th of Aug. the wife of John Grace, employed in the cotton and woolen factory at Mill River, still under charge of Capt. Amsbury, had her right hand and wrist caught and
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mangled by the picker so badly as to require amputation. For relief of her distressed family $140 were immediately subscribed. On the 25th of August, the community was star- tled by the announcement that Miss Catharine Paine, the beautiful, accomplished, and respected daughter of John Paine, Esq., had been missing for the last three days. On the evening of Saturday the 21st, about dusk, she was last seen going across the pasture from Mrs. Hastings's in Wads- worth street, towards her father's house, having left Mrs. Han- son's, where she had previously been. Some peculiarity in her manner and appearance for a short time previous, at once gave rise to the most painful apprehensions. Search was im- mediately commenced and about thirty persons formed a line and swept the ground and bushes the whole distance she would have had to travel in reaching home. By noon, more than a hundred persons had collected; search was renewed in every direction; and boats and instruments prepared for sweeping the river. About half-past three, her lifeless body was found, floating on the surface of the water, about half way from her father's wharf to the State Prison landing. Another cause of mourning was soon added in that part of the town by the news which arrived Sept. 1st of the death of two promising young men, Capt. Edmund Fales, at that time mate of the brig Enterprise, and his younger brother Almond Fales, of yellow fever at Charleston, S. C. These, with an elder brother who commanded the brig, were reckoned among the most resolute, active, and enterprising seamen of the place, and, we believe, were the first to demonstrate by their own example that vessels could be managed more safely and expertly without the use of ardent spirits than with. On. the 20th June, 1824, about three o'clock in the morning, Madam Lucy Knox, having now outlived her fortune, her pleasures, and most of her friendships, departed this life, at the age of sixty-eight; after a gradual failure and one month's severe illness. For the last fortnight she was mostly delirious, but was thought to have had her senses a little before her death, . when, so great was her distress and agony, that it required several persons to keep her in bed. Her funeral took place at five o'clock on the afternoon of the 21st, and was attended by quite a collection of the most respectable people of this town and Warren. Her remains were deposited in the tomb of her chosen companion and hero," to the eastward of the
* On this occasion the General's coffin was opened, and his features ap- peared almost as perfect as in life, till the air struck them, when they went like a puff and crumbled into dust.
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mansion, near the spot where "the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep," and amid the fragments of their humble mon- uments which she had caused to be demolished; though there, we regret to say, her bones were not destined to re- main.
1825. The Thomaston Bank, the first institution of the kind in this town, or this vicinity, was incorporated, Feb. 22, 1825, with a capital of $50,000. J. Gleason, J. Sprague, D. Rose, R. Foster, of Thomaston, E. Smith and W. McLel- lan, of Warren, and I. G. Reed, of Waldoboro', were the first directors, who, May 31st, elected J. Gleason president, and J. Sprague cashier. Proposals were soon after issued for constructing a suitable building of granite ; and that now occupied was erected in the course of the summer. Gleason held the office of president till 1831; when he was succeed- ed by Edwin Smith, two years ; Edward Robinson, one year ; and Richard Robinson, 21 years; till 1855, when the present incumbent, Wm. Singer, was chosen. The cashiers, since Sprague's death in 1826, have been John Paine until 1840, John D. Barnard, till his death in 1858, and Oliver Robinson, the present incumbent. The business of this bank was com- menced with caution and managed with success, until 1831. when it was discovered that $11,000, consisting of bills done up in packages, were missing from the vault. The doors were found locked as usual, everything in order, and the directors were not more shocked and amazed at the loss of the money, than perplexed and confounded by the mysterious manner of its disappearance. No one had the key of the vault but the president ; and, after many attempts to account for it other- wise, suspicion began slowly and unwillingly to point toward him or some member of his family. Even the cashier, though a brother-in-law, began to have misgivings, and went so far as to say to him in one of their consultations, " none but you and I, Gleason, have had access to the vault; the money is gone ; I have not taken it, and I don't see but you have." . It was a hard case for the worthy president ; the implication preyed upon his health, and was supposed to have caused the sickness which resulted in his death in 1832. But in the mean time, circumstances transpired which completely exon- erated him, and directed suspicion to a different quarter. It was ascertained that a large amount of Thomaston bills had been deposited in a bank in Dover, N. H., by Isaac Snaith, a native of England and one of the recent factory firm at Mill River. The large amount deposited by one individual led to suspicion, and he was indicted for the theft. At his protracted
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trial at Warren, in April, 1831, sufficient evidence was adduc- ed to convince most people of his guilt; yet, by the liberal use of money in feeing some four or five of the ablest lawyers in the State, he succeeded in raising doubts in the minds of the jury, and was acquitted. After the trial, however, a bunch of false keys, done up with a ball of putty in a piece of cloth, was found in Thomaston, near the bank, partly concealed under a fence in a brook or gutter, where Snaith had been allowed to stop a few minutes by the officer in charge. . This removed all doubt of his guilt ; and the bank immediately commenced an action against him in the courts of N. H., whither he had now removed. But the jury were unable to agree, and the matter was finally compounded by his paying $2000, a sum about sufficient to cover the expenses the bank had been at in sus- taining the prosecution. The loss, about $12,000, resulting from this affair, and some bad debts, was made up by with- holding dividends. The bank has since been successfully managed, and its credit has never been impaired; the stock having risen from 10 or 15 below par at that time to its pres- ent high premium. It now pays a dividend of 10 per cent., numbers 780 stockholders, and its discount day is Monday."
On the 17th day of May, 1825, was issued the first num- ber of the THOMASTON REGISTER, the first weekly newspa- per ever established in this town or anywhere in the old county of Lincoln, east of Wiscasset. It was got u > chiefly by the friends and agency of Mr. Ruggles, who entered into a three year's contract with Edwin Moody of Hallowell, to print the paper for $500 a year ; whilst he himself was to man- age the editorial department, furnish paper, and receive all in- come. Esq. Prince, according to an agreement, immediately* commenced adding a new story to his store at Mill River for the printing office ; which, after an ineffectual attempt to induce Moody to locate in another place and under different control, was taken, near the office of Mr. Ruggles. The mechanical part of the paper was in general well executed with care and correctness; and the editorial, with modest ability and with an apparent freedom from party bias, until the approach of the Presidential election of 1828, when, under the editorial care of Mr. Cilley, it became a warm political paper in sup- port of Jackson's administration. In Sept. 1831, Mr. Moody having lost his wife by consumption and concluding to re- move to New Hampshire, transferred the establishment to Abner Knowles, one of Ruggles's law students, who had that
* Hon. Wm. Singer ; Bank Commissioners' Report, 1852, &c. Vor. I. 30
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. HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
season commenced practice at Mill River village. The pa- per was continued by him under the name of INDEPENDENT JOURNAL, and printed by Wmn. S. Tyler, assisted by his fel- low apprentice under Moody, H. P. Coombs, till the spring of 1832, when the establishment was sold out to Geo. W. Nichols and brother.
This year, 1825, in consequence of a new law of the State, School agents instead of the former school committee, were chosen; and, conformably to another provision of the act, the town voted that each School District should choose its own School Agent in district meeting. This mode of choos- ing agents, however seems not to have succeeded satisfac- torily ; and in the year following, the town returned to the old method. Hawes's, in lieu of the old Webster's spelling book, and Bezout's arithmetic this year made their appearance, and were partially introduced into the schools, but gained no very lasting place. The latter was a French work, translated by Nathaniel Haynes, a recent graduate of Bowdoin, and another, we believe, of Mr. Ruggles's law students; but who subse- quently left this town for Bangor, edited the Eastern Repub- lican of that place, married Caroline I. daughter of Hon. Wm. D. Williamson, the historian of Maine, and died in 1837, at the age of 38. Another student in Mr. Ruggles's office, . at this time, was Jonathan Cilley; who, Sept. 9th, the day after graduating at Brunswick, set out for this place, taking a seat in the chaise of H. Prince, Jr., who had been over to witness the commencement exercises; and it may be noted as a coincidence, that, on their way hither, they called a few moments on Prince's sister, a young lady then attending "school at Wiscasset, who was destined to be the wife and widow of his companion. Another accession to the legal profession and social refinement of the place was made about the same time in the person of Wm. J. Farley; who after graduating in 1820 at the early age of 18, had studied law in his native Waldoboro', and now commenced practice here under the prestige of a distinguished family and honorable connections. From the same town, M. R. Ludwig of the medical faculty, also, (who had commenced the study of his profession with Drs. Bowman and Caldwell of Somerset county and completed it with Dr. John Manning of Waldo- boro',) commenced his successful career here as a physician, and, on the appointment of Dr. Rose as land agent, three years later, succeeded to his practice. He has educated a greater number of young men for his profession than any other physician in the county. Among his students have been Drs. Jona. Huse, now in practice at Camden ; Joseph Huse,
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who commenced practice at Blackington's Corner, where he died in 1839; Gardner Ludwig, now in the practice at Port- land; Warren Ludwig, now in Boston; Daniel Rose, Jr., now a successful practitioner in Thomaston; Wm. Hobby, now preceptor of Belfast Academy ; Henry C. Lovensaler, surgeon of the 8th Maine regiment, and Medical Director of the Southern department; and Moses.M. Ludwig, his only son, who was in study of the profession at the time of his death in 1858. Dr. John Merrill, from Topsham, also came the same year, 1825, and went into a similar career of busi- ness in the eastern village, now Rockland; where he still continues practice, besides having filled several official and responsible stations.
The anniversary of St. John's was celebrated here on the 24th, by the Masons of Amity, Orient, St. Georges, and Union lodges ; when an oration was given by Rev. J. H. In- graham, a dinner provided for the brethren at Capt. John Copeland's, and, for the ladies, at Col. J. Haskell's. Gen. Lafayette, then in Portland, had been invited to be present on this occasion ; but the prolonged and grateful honors bestowed elsewhere, compelled him to decline. Several citizens of the town, however, had the gratification of beholding this early and gallant defender of our country's independence. Among them, Capt. B. Webb, in the brig Montpelier, was the first to greet his arrival at Alexandria by the discharge of a 14- pound gun which he had on board; Mr. Ruggles, as Speak- er of the House of Rrepresentatives, presented to him the members of that body, at Portland, June 25th, together with an invitation of the selectmen and citizens of Thomaston to visit this place; and Gen. E. Thatcher, at an interview at Saco, on the 24th, renewed, in behalf of the four lodges, an invitation to the place on some future occasion; to which Layfayette made a feeling reply alluding to the residence of his " excellent friend Gen. Knox." Under different circum- stances, it is presumed the General's visit would have been extended to this town according to his original intention. Had Mrs. Knox been living and in the affluence of her for- mer days, nothing could have afforded her greater pleasure than a visit from her old acquaintance, the companion and friend of her husband and of Washington; but had not death supervened, her own circumstances and those of her family -the noble mansion in decay and the marks of dilapi- dated fortunes but too apparent on all about it-render it too probable that she would have felt more mortification than pleasure, and have said in her heart what her son Henry did not hesitate to express, " I have no wish to see him." The
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meeting would probably have been a melancholy one to both parties.
The Fourth of July was, this year, celebrated at Wessa- weskeag ; the religious services being performed by Messrs. Washburn and Amos ; the Declaration road by Asa Coombs ; an oration delivered by J. Ruggles to a crowded house, and a collation served up by Anthony Hall, at which E. Snow, Jr., presided, assisted by H. Prince, Wm. Stackpole, and Wm. Heard. Cannon and music accompanied each sentiment ; and everything went off well. The Regimental Muster was largely attended this year at Blackington's corner, but the military turn-out was not so great as usual- a symptom that the martial spirit was beginning to decline. A volunteer com- pany of riffemen, however, called the Thomaston Guards, was organized for service in cases of emergency in the State pen- itentiary, and, Aug. 22d, made choice of Ballard Green for captain, John O'Brien, lieutenant, and James Vose, ensign, This company, under a succession of different officers, con- tinued its organization till disbanded in Feb., 1843. A Rifle Company in East Thomaston, also, was formed, either in this or the following year, of which Alexander Barrows was cap- tain, John Brown, lieutenant, and Alanson Dean, ensign.
Among the many casualties of this year, may be noted the burning of the hatter's shop of Henry S. Swasey near the present house of T. Rose, Thomaston, on the evening of New Year's day; loss $700. On March 16th, Wm. M. Bentley, a young seaman with Capt. Almond Bennett, was lost at sea, supposed to have walked overboard in his sleep-he having been addicted to somnambulism; and, Sept. 3d, the brig Mark of East Thomaston, returned without her valued and enterprising captain, Mark Spear, who died at Martha's Vineyard, on passage home from the Chesapeake. This sea- son also, Jairus Munroe was severely injured by a premature explosion in a lime quarry which, wholly destroyed his sight; but, after some efforts to regain it, (to aid which, the town voted in 1827 to loan him $50, and again in 1835 gave up his note for the sum as farther encouragement.) he learned to pursue his former business in the dark, and, by perseverance, industry, and economy, brought up his children, acquired a good property, and receives a large share of the respect and admiration of the community. A similar acccident befell John and Josiah Achorn, Sept. 15th, whilst drilling out a charge in the lime-rock : the latter losing a hand, and the former being severely injured in the head and eyes. Benja- min Snow, whilst greasing the cogs of a wheel in the grist- mill at Wessaweskeag, Oct. 13th, had his arm caught between
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the spur and lantern, and dreadfully broken and lacerated in its whole length, - besides being injured in the back, precip- itated eight feet into deep water, and carried by the current about 20 feet down the stream. Here he succeeded in reach- ing the shore, shut the gates to stop the mill, and then fainted. He was soon after discovered, carried home, and had his arm amputated the following day; but died on the 24th. .
The winter of 1824-5 was very mild, -the lower river not having frozen over at any time; the summer very hot, and, in July and August, very dry, with destructive fires at Beech Woods. The dysentery, in its most malignant form, extensively prevailed, and carried off upwards of twenty-two children of this town, besides several adults. Grasshoppers were abundant, but the crops, with the exception of potatoes, were tolerably good. During a week of severe cold, the mercury, Dec. 13th, fell, in the midst of a violent gale, to 8º below zero. Many vessels, among them Captain Witham's sloop Mary, was so loaded with ice as to be in danger of sinking ; some were driven on shore; while others, as those of Captains Shibles and Champney, escaped with the loss of deck-loads ; the crews being in many cases much frost-bitten. The Milo, Capt. John Robinson, first struck on York ledges, was got off in a leaky condition, but again went ashore on Coffin's beach, Gloucester. The crew and one passenger, Miss Mary French of this place, in a boat, with difficulty reached the shore, about half a mile distant, through the ice ; but not till the lady's feet were much frozen.
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