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 44
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 44
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 44
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
1847. Capt. Samuel Fuller, who had worthily filled the office of Register of Deeds for the Eastern District of Lin- coln county since its erection, having now deceased between his second election and the official count of the votes, a new election to fill the vacancy was ordered on the 15th of Feb., 1847, when Hezekiah P. Coombs, of this town, received here 343 votes, Nathan Pillsbury 151, and John D. Barnard 49. Coombs was elected and held the office till his death in April, 1853, when Miss Olive Rose, who had been an efficient assist- ant in the office, was appointed by E. B. Bowman, Clerk of the Courts in Lincoln county, to fill the vacancy. Her services
415
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
proving highly satisfactory, she was, May 30th following, elected by the people, and held the office, either as principal or assistant to her brother, Dr. D. Rose who was elected in 1857, till its removal to Rockland on the creation of Knox county.
Votes were this year passed to prevent all digging and carrying away of earth and gravel from the highways, and to repair and rebuild, by contract, the road, two rods wide, be- tween the Lime Rock Hotel and Steamboat wharf, at East Thomaston. Building and improvements still continued to be made there; among which, on Lime Rock street, was a new brick block, 50 feet by 44, built by Charles Holmes, oc- cupied by stores, and a spacious hall, 50 by 30 feet, above, called the Eagle Hall. All branches of industry were thriv- ing ; among them, Milliken & Ingraham's steam power and iron foundry was in successful operation near G. Thomas's ship-yard.
The charter of Thomaston lower Toll bridge, being about to expire, was extended, August 2d, to the term of twenty years more; provided, however, that the bridge should be thoroughly repaired and re-built to the acceptance of the County Commissioners, on or before August, 1, 1848, and no tolls taken after June, until so repaired. Such repairs were accordingly made ; but not in season to prevent one fatal and melancholy accident. A gondola loaded with wood came down from Warren, Nov. 22, 1847. under the care of Geo. W. Wallace, who was steering, with Spofford Leeds and D. Sawyer Page, oarsmen, when, the tide sweeping the gondola against one of the posts, an entire length of string-pieces fell, killing young Page instantly, whilst Leeds escaped by diving, and Wallace by being further astern. The fate of this promis- ing young man made a deeper impression upon many, from the remarkable circumstance that the whole occurrence was vividly foreshadowed in a dream the preceding night, which so strongly impressed his mind that he was unwilling to go on the gondola, and was only prevailed upon to do so by much urgent persuasion. Of other casualties, may be noted the drowning of Capt. Thomas H. Getchell, of Northport, in East Thomaston harbor, April 18th, when attempting to go on board his vessel, alone, in the night-time. On the 26th April, James Carney, when hunting for ducks on Simonton's Point, in company with and followed close by Samuel Ken- neston, who carried their gun under his coat to keep it dry, was, while hastily passing through the bushes to head a flock of the birds, shot dead by an accidental discharge, to the
416
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
horror and regret of his companion. The equinoctial gale of March 21st and 22d was quite severe, the schooner Hero, at Owl's Head, and sloop Louisa, at Crockett's Point, being driven ashore. On the 26th July the mercury stood at 90º in the shade at East Thomaston, but fell the next day to 55°; and the whole season was subject to sudden changes, even into the beginning of the following year. On the 13th Jan., 1848, the schooner Eliza Jane, Capt. Spofford, returned to East Thomaston with her crew badly frozen and her cargo of lime on fire, having been out ten days in a vain attempt to reach Providence.
1848. The subject of dividing the town into East and West Thomaston was again agitated this year, as it had been in-1846 and '47, but unsuccessfully, from the difficulty of fix- ing upon a satisfactory line of division ; until, at the meeting of March 13th, on a motion, made in writing, by Hon. I. K. Kimball, ft was voted to divide the town into three towns, and to appoint a committee to agree upon the division lines. After a vain attempt to reconsider, this was done; and Messrs. I. K. Kimball from the east, A. Levensaler from the west, and Geo. Thorndike from the south parts of the town, were ap- pointed for that purpose. A vote was also passed to request our senator and representatives to further the wishes of the town in this respect. An ineffectual attempt was made, at a meeting called April 24th, to rescind these votes, but at length, by the active exertions of Kimball of the Senate and Cochran of the House, aided by Geo. Thorndike of South Thomaston, who spent five weeks at Augusta in engineering the bill through, a favorable report of the committee was ob- tained; and, on the 28th day of July, 1848, an Act was passed by the Legislature, satisfactory, we believe, to the several portions, dividing the old town into three municipal- ities, - setting off the eastern into a distinct town by the name of EAST THOMASTON, and the southern into another, by the name of SOUTH THOMASTON, whilst the western was allowed to retain its old appellation of THOMASTON. The division lines, especially that between Thomaston and East Thomaston, were complex, and difficult to describe intelligibly, except by means of a plan. Messrs. S. M. Jackson, S. G. Adams, and B. F. Buxton, were named commissioners to set up monuments at the angles, road-crossings, and other mate- rial points along the prescribed lines of division; make sale of the poor-farm and other public property of the town; to apportion the same, as well as the funds in the treasury, debts due to and from the town, the town paupers, the maintenance
------
417
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
. of such roads as formed parts of a dividing line, and all other liabilities and equitable claims which either of the towns should make or be exposed to, between the three towns, ac- cording to the valuation as agreed upon by their selectmen. This valuation was as follows : Thomaston, $628,678; Enst Thomaston, $1,047,372 ; South Thomaston, $245,947. The commissioners met, Sept. 19, 1848, and, after two adjourn- ments, made a final report of their doings June 7, 1849. The poor-farm was sold at auction to Messrs. G. Thorndike, C. McLoon, and F. Ferrand, for $1200; the paupers were divided according their place of residence, 23 to Thomaston, 16 to East Thomaston, and two to South Thomaston; and henceforth each of these municipalities begins a separate his- tory of its own, which, for the few remaining years, we shall endeavor to keep distinct.
418
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
CHAPTER XXII.
THOMASTON AFTER ITS DIVISION.
FOR personal accommodation, a part of William Butler's land was, July 17, 1848, set off from Thomaston to East Thomaston ; which change was followed April 5, 1852, by setting off Isaac C. Robbins from the latter to the former.
From an early period there had been members of the Ro- man Catholic church settled here; and their number was from time to time increased, mostly by European emigrants. James O'Neill, who was engaged by Gen. Knox at Philadel- phia, came with him to Thomaston, lived a time at Paine's Corner, removed to the Meadows, and became a man of sub- stance, is generally regarded as the father of this denomination in the place. By his influence and that of J. O'Brien of Warren, visits were made and meetings held here by Bishop Chevereux whilst in this country, and continued by other clergymen of his faith, till the foreign and native catholic pop- ulation had now so much increased in numbers and ability as to warrant the establishment of a church. Measures were accordingly taken for this purpose, -funds were raised, and the recently sold poor-house was purchased by them about 1852, and temporarily used for a church. A small portion of the ground adjoining, was consecrated as a burial place. But the more rapid growth of Rockland, and the greater number of Catholics that gathered there, having led to the erection of a church in that city, the number left in Thomaston was small; their means were not large; and the house not in a central situation. It was, therefore, after a time taken down, and the materials hauled to a new site, purchased from the Rose estate, near the Beech Woods road ; but the proposed church has not, as yet, been erected.
After the sale of the Poor-house and farm as before men- tioned, the paupers were kept in different places by contract, or otherwise, mostly at the discretion of the selectmen, till 1862; when 16 acres of land, with a small house upon it, were purchased of J. C. Linscott, for $1600, on the eastern side of Erin street. On this a commodious almshouse was constructed, and the town's poor removed to it towards the close of the same year. The overseers of this establishment have been Messrs J. Sawyer Catland in 1863, and Jeremiah Gilman, 1864.
The first, and as yet only line of electric telegraph commu-
-
419
IMF
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
.
nication between Portland and Eastport, having been this year established, measures were immediately adopted to open an office in this town ; which was done under the management of John Raymond from the State of New York ; and the first message was sent March 1, 1849. The succeeding operators have been, Chas. M. Ingersol, commencing May 1st, and D. J. Starrett, August 15, 1849; and Geo. I. Robinson, June 10, 1851, who still continues. The office was at first kept for a short time over the bank, then in a wooden building adjoining the Jordan & Webb block, and, more recently, across the street in the Telegraph block, so called. Its in- come, the first year, was about $300, which has been gradu- ally increasing to $500 and $600; about three-sevenths of which is from messages received, and four-sevenths on mes- sages sent; out of which the operator receives $250 salary."
One of the principal movers in estab'ishing the office here was Hon. Edward O'Brien, a director in the company, who had now removed hither from Warren, bringing with him no inconsiderable amount of property, business, and enterprise. An accession was also made, this year, to the legal profession of the town. A. P. Gould, Esq., came hither from Bowdoin- ham, where he had been in practice about two years, having, after a somewhat desultory academical education,t read law with a maternal uncle, Wm. Briggs of Charlestown, N. H., entered the Law School of Harvard University in 1844, and completed his course in the office of Augustus Peabody, of the Boston bar. As partner with Judge Ruggles, at first, and then in an office of his own, he has risen to his present rank and lucrative business in the profession. The students who have read in his office and profited by his instructions, have been Chas. E. Butler, now practising law here; John O. Rob- inson, some time in practice here, but recently removed to Mahanoy City, Penn .; Ezekiel Ross, late clerk of courts and now engaged in his profession at Rockland; Jona. P. Cilley, now lieut. colonel of 1st Maine Cavalry ; Samuel T. Keene, late captain in the Maine 20th regiment; Nat. A. Robbins,
* G. I. Robinson, Esq.
t Perhaps the following incident in Mr. Gould's life may encourage some disheartened youth to tax his powers anew, and find his proper level. He had nearly learned the joiner's trade; but, when attending the village school took a fancy to study algebra (at that time unknown to the teacher and school alike) and went on. till he came to one question, which baffled his ingenuity. Seeking the aid of a friend and graduate, who returned the book to him after some effort with the question unsolved, the lad re- solved not to sleep till he had accomplished its solution. In this he suc- ceeded; and, having shown the result to his friend, was persuaded by him to relinquish his trade and betake himself to study.
420
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
since lieutenant in the 4th Maine regiment, and now supposed to be wearing away the weary hours in a Southern prison; Geo. R. McIntyre, clerk in the Department of the Interior till his decease at Warren, 1863; Lysander Hill, now prac- tising law at Alexandria, Va .; Roscoe H. Thompson, now in practice in Oxford county ; and, still in the office, Bradford R. Kalloch and Wm. H. Hilton.
A fine three story brick block was this season erected on the north side of Main street, near the Lower or Bank corner, as usually styled, by Capts. O. Jordan and B. Webb, called the Jordan and Webb block. It contained two halls above, the Masonic and that lately occupied by the Natural History Society, with stores below. An Iron Foundry was this sea- son set up here by Capt. Geo. Crawford; who, after employ- ing a workman from Bangor for a short time, began to man- age the business himself, and carried it on very successfully till his death in 1860; since which, it has been managed by his sons.
1849. Business at the Corner last named having now gained pre-eminence over that of all other localities, the citi- zens, at a meeting largely attended on the evening of March 20th, voted that the Post Office ought to be kept there; and this, with other exertions, proved successful in obtaining its removal to that quarter. The ten-hour system of labor began to be mooted among the mechanics of this place and vicinity about this time, and, after some discussion and delay, was at length virtually adopted.
The Unitarian Society of Thomaston was this year form- ed by the pew-owners in the church built and occupied by the Universalist society, who, with their associates, became incorporated and held their first meeting April 21, 1849. The change from the old to the new denomination, was in conse- quence of a call and the coming, in 1848, of Rev. Oliver J. Fernald, a parishioner of Rev. Chandler Robbins of Boston, and a graduate of the Theological school Cambridge, who, of course, wished to retain his Unitarian connection. At the meeting in April, by-laws were adopted, and an assessment on the pews of $225 voted, for painting and repairing the house. Of the 62 pews, 22 were at this time still owned by Col. Tilson the builder. At the annual meeting, 1851, the society voted its thanks to " some generous and liberal minded individual for the presentation of an excellent bell for the meeting-house." In 1852, $200 were again raised for re- pairs and a furnace. In 1856, the entire interior of the house was renovated, the singing gallery lowered, seats al-
421
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
tered and lined, the walls and ceiling frescoed in elegant style, and other improvements made, for which 8800 were assessed ; and, in 1858, $500 voted to pay the debts outstanding. The house was further beautified by a chandelier presented by E. O'brien; and thus, though small, was rendered one of the neatest and most tasteful churches in the place. Mr. Fer- nald was ordained August 14, 1849, with services by Revs. R. P. Cutler of Portland, Dr. Hedge of Bangor, C. Palfrey of Belfast, A. D. Wheeler of Topsham, and G. Reynolds, then of Jamaica Plain. He ministered by yearly engage- ments till 1851, when he was unanimously invited to become the permanent pastor. By means of his popularity as a man, his activity as a citizen, and his highly appreciated services as a preacher, the society was now firmly established, free from debt, and proposed to commence repaying to the A. U. Association the liberal donation heretofore received. In 1853, a church was gathered, few in numbers but harmonious, and gradually increasing from year to year. The pastor, in 1859-60, suffered some persecution or at least want of Chris- * tian courtesy from his brother ministers in town, on account of his tenets ; but those who engaged in it were not sustained, as a general thing, and soon left the place. Besides his cler- ical duties, almost unaided by exchanges, Mr. Fernald took a lively interest in education, moral and scientific lectures, free-masonry, and all social institutions. As chaplain of the State Prison, which office he held for a time, and afterwards in rotation with the other clergymen of the place, his services were assiduous and highly appreciated. As a member of the superintending committee, and often as the sole supervisor of schools, he contributed greatly to the advancement of instruc- tion, and, by persevering efforts in connection with those of Rev. Mr. Woodhull, eventually succeeded in establishing the grade system through the town. But the term of service for his beloved Thomaston was fast coming to its close: Having again in 1861 been elected supervisor, he visited Boston, April 29th, for the purpose of inspecting the educational im- provements there, and further qualifying himself for making those he contemplated here, A week's assiduous labors in that city, combined with the fatigues and exposures of his rapid journeyings, hastened by a telegram desiring him to re- turn home to attend the funeral of one of his parishioners, brought on an extreme exhaustion, which was increased by a tempestuous passage by steam from Portland. On the ar- rival of the boat at Rockland, he was found in a state of semi-unconsciousness, and was at once taken to the Thorn-
Vor .. I. . 36
422
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
dike hotel, where, though every attempt was made to arouse his sinking powers, he peacefully ceased to breathe on the evening of May 7th, -thus finishing the sacrifice which he had long been daily making of himself for the benefit of the people and the loved children of his charge. His sudden death, wholly unexpected, except perhaps by his medical ad- viser, gave a shock to the community, and especially his society, from which they could not easily recover; though it is hoped that the latter, for his memory's sake, will soon make some effort to do so. His funeral, with masonic ceremonies, on Sunday, May 12th, drew together larger crowds, it was said, than were ever seen here at any funeral since that of Gen. Knox. The flags at half-mast, the closed churches, the sad faces of citizens and brother masons, spoke the universal sorrow. His church, draped in mourning, was unable to hold more than one fifth of those assembled; a profusion of the beautiful flowers be loved covered his coffin ; and the religious services were conducted in an eloquent and touching manner by Rev. G. Reynolds of. Concord, Mass., his friend and fel- low-student in theology, who, 12 years before, had given him the right hand of fellowship, and now came expressly to pay the last tribute, and give voice to the universal sentiment of love and regret. The following hymn written for the occa- sion by A. M. K., a gifted lady of his society, was sung by the choir : -
Thou servant of the Lord, Who lived to do His will ; Whose loftiest thought, whose highest aim, Was loving, serving still,-
Entered upon the rest l'hat " His beloved " sce, Thy labors o'er, thy victory won, Henceforth 'tis well with thee.
But, oh! for us who mourn The faithful guide and friend, How can the o'erburthened heart but bid Grief's sacred tears descend ?
For thine enfranchised soul, From earth-born fetters free, We weep not! but the loved and left Are fain to yearn for thee .*
But returning from this mournful anticipation of time, we note that, May 6, 1849, a- fire consumed the Paine store," standing on the site of the present Carr & O'Brien block at the Prison Corner, with the stock of goods of its occupants,
* Monthly Journal of the American U. Association.
423
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
Hon. Thomas O'Brien and E. B. Lermond. In April, the ship John Hancock of this port, from Havre, met with heavy gales at sea, and her first mate, Joseph Gilchrist, Jr., was lost overboard; Charles Robinson, one of the crew, and four passengers also died on board. On the 18th May, the mur- derer, Dr. Valorous P. Coolidge, died by suicide in his coll in the State Prison; although no jury of inquest appears to have been summoned on the occasion, and the fact of his death was seriously questioned in some quarters. In conse- quence of great and sudden changes of atmospherical tem- perature, much sickness and mortality from dysentery and typhoid prevailed here in the summer and autumn of this year.
1850. A new paper under the name of the LINCOLN MISCELLANY was commenced here August 7th, by William Corthell and Benj. A. Swan; neutral in politics and devoted to literature, news, and general information. After a few months Swan left, and the paper was continued by Mr. Corthell, till the close of August, 1853. It was then sold out to O'Brien & Co., and the MAINE SICKLE, an opponent to the Maine liquor law and an organ of what was then styled the Wild Cat wing of the democratic party, was commenced under the editorial management of David O'Brien, Esq., and continued till March, 1854.
One of the active mariners of this town, Capt. James Vose, met his death by drowning, March 31st of this year, in nobly attempting to rescue a colored hand who had fallen from the steamer Forest Monarch in Mobile river. Edward, son of E. Boyles, was drowned in the river at Robinson's wharf, May 11th, at the age of ten and a half years. The barn of J. Allen, Jr., at the Meadows, containing 15 tons of hay, was, October 18th, consumed by fire, set by boys playing with matches. Loss $500, without insurance. On the afternoon of Dec. 22d, fire broke out in the State Prison. It originated from a stove pipe in the guard-room, so that when first discov- ered the whole attic of that building was in flames. Though engines were soon on the ground, yet, from their valves being found frozen and the supply of water insufficient, the flames rapidly spread till the entire centre and western wing of the Prison, containing the various offices, guard-room, and War- den's dwelling, together with the roof and wood-work of the new portion in which the cells were located, were destroyed. None of the work-shops and little of the hospital were in- jured; and though, from the suffocating smoke, it became necessary to remove the frightened prisoners, yet it was done
C
424
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
with such prudence and celerity that not one was lost or hurt.
1851. Joshua Patterson of Warren, Benjamin Carr and fourteen other citizens of Thomaston, were incorporated, June 3d, as the Thomaston Mutual Marine and Five Insurance Company ; with a capital of $60,000, increased by an addi- tional Act, the following year, to $75,000, and the name changed by striking out the word " Mutual." This company proved unfortunate in its risks, and has since closed up its affairs with considerable loss to its stockholders. Rockland, and other places on the sea-shore, having, for many years, enjoyed the benefits of a regular steamboat line to Boston, business men here attempted to secure for themselves a like convenience ; and the T. F. Secor, a small vessel, Jos. Stet- son, master, commenced in October, 1851, running twice a week to Portland and intermediate places, connecting with steamers St. Lawrence and John Marshall for Boston. She was well patronised through 1852, but in June, 1853, in con- sequence of too great competition, was withdrawn from the route.
In 1851, the attention of the citizens began to be called to the subject of grade schools, by lectures delivered here, suc- cessively, by Prof. Smythe of Brunswick, Rev. O. J. Fernald, and Rev. R. Woodhull, of this place ; subsequent to which a committee was appointed, who, March 22, 1852, made an able report in favor of the system, and recommended the adoption of six primary schools, four grammar schools, and one high school. The plan, however, was suffered to sleep for a time ; but in 1855 the town voted to choose a supervisor of schools instead of the usual superintending school committee, and Mr. Fernald was elected to fill the office. In 1856, the town voted to adopt the grade system, and chose the supervisor, with B. A. Lowell and Geo. Crawford, to put the same in operation. This was partially done by districts Nos. 2 and 5 uniting to form one grade district, Nos. 3 and 11 another, and No. 10 forming one by itself, - in each of which, gram- mar and primary schools were kept. These working so well, this committee, in March, 1857, reported in favor of extend- ing the same throughout the town, by uniting the 11 existing districts into one grade district, to have their separate primary schools, taught by females, establishing four grammar schools in different parts of the town, taught by males, and one high school for the whole. This plan met with considerable oppo- sition from an apprehended increase of taxation for additional school-houses, but was finally adopted, March 22, 1858. It
1
425
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
was not however, we believe, fully carried into effect, as, in 1860, the schools of Thomaston are reported as graded "in part" only. The system continued to gain so much favor that, in 1861, Rev. O. J. Fernald was chosen supervisor, with a salary of $300, for the purpose of putting it more fully in execution ; but his untimely death in the following May ar- rested the plans he was maturing, and the reader is referred for the present state of the schools to Table X. According to the last report of the State Superintendent of Schools, Thomaston, in the amount of money raised per scholar, as well as in that above what the law requires, stands higher than any town or city not only in Knox but also in Lincoln county.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.