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 46
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 46
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 46
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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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that. some of the friends of Dr. Dodge had declined selling their lot near that of my uncle Henry Knox, but remarked, that the spot which we did take was the best unoccupied lot in the yard ; and there we made the excavation and removed the remains of all my doccased friends, who had been placed in the tomb at " Montpelier." I thank you, my dear sir, for the interest which you manifest in this matter, but should prefer to have the spot which we now occupy, provided it can be made to stand the frosts. Mr. W. told me last autumn, on my return from the Pacific, that one of the gate-post foun- dations had been raised a little by frost and that it was but a trifling job to replace it and surround it with gravel to pre- vent a recurrence, and this was one of the things which I in- tended Mr. Butler to do for me. I was in expectation that the mound which we had raised over the large grave had set- tled, and would require more earth and perhaps re-swarding. As you have so kindly interested yourself in this matter, will you be pleased to inform me of the exact state of our lot as it now is, and whether it cannot be made respectable for a reasonable sum, for I must say that my feelings revolt from the idea of again disturbing the ashes of my departed kin- dred, if it can be avoided. I have a sort of veneration for the modest old monument which my Grandmother raised over her husband's tomb. Nevertheless, I should highly appreciate any efforts which the citizens of our beloved old town might be willing to make to perpetuate the memory of a man who gave all the energies of his life to the great cause of estab- lishing for us this model republic, and his latter days to the interests of the town which he had selected before all others as his home ; and I cannot but feel a glow of pride that he is not yet forgotten by his townsmen and their successors. I am, dear sir, yours very truly, " H. K. Thatcher.
" Wm. R. Keith, Esq., Thomaston, Me."
Reply. " I have your letter of the 19th in which you re- quest me to inform you of the exact state of the lot where the remains of Gen. Knox are, and whether it can be made respectable for a reasonable sum. In my last, I stated fully my opinion and feelings. I also spoke of the only course that I believed you could pursue to place the remains of your friends in a respectable lot in the old cemetery. It has been a subject of severe comment (as I presume you are aware) that the remains of Gen. Knox should have been suffered to have been placed where they are; and it is a matter of regret that a personal difficulty with Mr. Woodhull should have led one of our citizens to prevent the purchase of the Dodge tomb -
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the only suitable place for their deposit in the old cemetery. Having been placed in a position by our town to enable mne to carry out your original design, I felt it my duty to address you. I also consulted some of our leading men respecting the removal and satisfied myselt that, if accomplished, it would overcome the feeling here that existed when they were removed from the tomb, erected, I believe, by Mrs. Knox for a final resting place. You may be assured that it is a sub- ject of mortification to us here, to refer the friends of Gen. Knox to the spot where his remains now are, the lowest spot in the cemetery, totally unfit - when others having no appa- rent claim upon the community have been placed in a more respectable spot. Visitors censure us, as citizens of Thomas- ton, and friends of the family, for having neglected to interest ourselves in the removal. They however are not aware that it is not our privilege. Our citizens would have gladly pro- vided a place acceptable to all - had they known the remov- al from the tomb was to take place. I consulted your moth- er before her death respecting the removal to our Mall. She objected, stating that two or three removals had taken place, and that her preference was that they should always remain in the tomb erected for that purpose. So also with Mrs. Holmes.
"Having said thus much, I feel that I have done all in my power to accomplish so desirable an object. IV. R. K."
Other ship-yards have since been laid down, and, sur- rounded by these and buildings of recent date, Montpelier, shorn of its glory, is now owned by Wm. Stetson & Co., and usually tenanted by several families. But,
" Oh, if those walls could only speak, how eloquent Would be their voice ! How would they tell us tales Of grand old times, when hearts beat high And life was bright and gay within the doors !"
1856. By act of Legislature, March 12th, Jas. A. Creigh- ton was authorized to change the channel of Mill River from a point 300 feet southerly of the Morse and Ferrand wharf, south and westerly to a given point on the George's River ; but nothing, it is believed, has yet grown out of this specula- tion. Business in general was flourishing, ten or eleven large ships were built or commenced, and it was estimated that 1500 men would be employed during the summer on them and other works.
In the spring of 1856, Warren C. Plummer commenced a new paper for the presidential campaign, called the LINCOLN REPUBLICAN, which was printed at the office of the Journal,
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
but after a month or two discontinued. The Lyceum, though again disappointed by Mr. Taylor, Dec. 5th, and Mr. Saxe, Dec. 24th, continued to supply the people with lectures of an interesting character ; viz., Conjecture, Jan. 4th, by Chas. H. Foster of Orono; Antagonism, the 10th, by I. S. Kalloch ; and a poem, Jan. 24th, by M. W. Fuller. The severity of winter storms caused many failures or detentions of lecturers.
. On the 1st, 2d, and 3d of October, the Fair and Cattle- Show of the Lincoln county agricultural society was held here. The pavilion prepared, at the Prison Corner, having been demolished by the severe gale of the night preceding, the fire company's hall near by was substituted, and every effort used by the citizens generally to make all things grati- fying and satisfactory. The rain of the 1st, kept back many things ; but the 2d and 3d were fine, and large crowds filled the grounds, the rooms, and the streets. A procession of the Society, Thomaston and Rockland Bands, Fire companies, &c., marched to the 2d Baptist church, where an address on the advantageous position and resources of Lincoln county was delivered by Dr. B. F. Buxton of Warren.
On the 31st January, as Edmund E. Cobb, was removing his loaded gun from a sled of wood just brought home, it was accidentally discharged into his right breast, causing his death in eleven days, after intense suffering. On the 27th August, a suicide occurred in the State prison,-Jos. J. Brown of Isles- boro', under sentence of death for murder of his wife, having cut his throat with a piece of looking-glass. A sad accident occurred in Chapman & Flint's ship-yard, by which John Rol- lins, one of the workmen, was so severely injured that he died August 27th. The house of Mrs. Campbell, built near the commencement of the century by her first husband, Jo- siah Keith, not far from the old tan-yard, was, on the night of November 29th, burnt to the ground. It has since been replaced by that of Miss Frances Campbell. In firing a sa- lute for 'the result of the September election, three young men of this place, Elbridge Burton, Henry T. Cushing, and Ed- win Walsh, members of the Rocky Mountain Club, were badly injured by the premature explosion of one of the can- non ; but all eventually recovered. . The new barque Livorno, of this place, Capt. Isaac L. Montgomery, master and part owner, on her first trip, sailed for New Orleans in August 1856, with his wife, his only daughter three years old, and his nephew, John M. Grafton of this place, on board, for Ro- chelle, France; and was never afterwards heard from.
1857. May-day exhibited rather a lively appearance in 37*
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438
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
this village, in consequence of the debut of the newly organ- ized Thomaston Cornet Band in their new uniform, under H. Fales, leader, and the turn-out of the Eureka engine com- pany to receive a beautiful banner presented by the ladies. The streets were full of people, and, unfortunately, a little daughter of Mrs. A. G. Lermond was thrown down and · struck by the feet of a passing horse.
From the low rate of freights, the disturbance of financial affairs, and the general dulness of business, this year pre- sented quite a falling off in the ship-building of this town; two ships only, being built. Prices in the first of the season were exceedingly high for most articles of consumption, mo- lasses 50 to 88 cents, flour 9 to $13, and common sugar 13 to 16 cents. The Banks here, in common with those of the whole country, suspended specie payments in consequence of the remarkable financial panic; but it was said in November, that E. O'Brien; president of the Georges Bank, had sufficient exchange on Baring Brothers, Liverpool, to redeem every note which that bank had in circulation. The elegant three- story Union block was this year erected, adjoining the west end of the Jordan & Webb block. It was built of brick by a number of our business men; one portion by Starrett & Starr, for cabinet makers' shops; the second, two stores by Flint & Creighton, with Union Hall above ; the third by B. Webb, two stores with offices and' hall above; and the fourth by O. Jordan, stores below, with store and family dwelling above. Messrs. Starr & Wood were the masons. A large double tenement on the opposite side of the street, by Geo. I. & E. W. Robinson, was also erected for stores and shops, styled the Telegraph block ..
The discovery of pearls in the fresh water clams of Oyster River and other branches of the George's, caused quite an excitement in July of this year, and a general search com- menced in the borders of Thomaston and Warren. The numbers found in some of these molluscs, seemed to rival the accounts given by the first discoverers of the river, and the fabulous reports of their value in the market, deluded many into expectations never realized.
On Feb. 19th, the town was called to mourn the death of one of her most successful and enterprising men of business, as well as beloved and estimable citizens, - Hon. Edward Robinson, - a descendant of one of the earliest settlers on the river. The gap left by his death in the domestic, social, political, and business circles here, was still more widely ex- tended by the sudden death, June 6th, of Capt. Richard Rob-
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inson; whose career was equally successful from a friendless Welch boy, who found his way from Liverpool to this country in a brig belonging to Miles Cobb of Warren, whom he served as a faithful apprentice, cabin boy, cook, seaman, and ship-master; and thence removed to Thomaston, where his skill as a navigator, and financier, became more extensively known.
Among the pleasant gatherings of the year, may be noted the Lincoln county teacher's convention, held here by about 150 teachers the last week in September; and the Fireman's parade, trial of engines, and hall dedication, Nov. 4th. At the Lyceum, a poem Nov. 9th was delivered by J. G. Saxe, entitled Yankee Land, a lecture by Wm. M. Webster on Young America, Dec. 14th, a course of six in Jan., 1858, by Prof. P. A. Chadbourne, on geological subjects, and, Nov. 15th, Brazil by Rev. J. C. Fletcher. A Literary Association was organized in the autumn of this year under favorable circum- stances ; and the following year preliminary measures were taken for the formation of a public library, the town appro- priating $300, March 21, 1859, and choosing H. B. Hum- phrey, Wm. Singer, J. P. Cilley, and C. E. Ranlett, trustees. Not much progress however has been made in this ; and, ac- cording to the census of 1860, the existing libraries in town are, besides those of the S. schools, the "Ladies," of 403 volumes, the " Female," of 821 vols., and the private library of Mr. Humphrey, set down at 1500 vols. but since more than doubled.
During the extreme cold of Jan. 1857 and December pre- ceding, the brig Austin, Capt. Ellms, coming from Matanzas to New York, was 30 days north of Hatteras ; being blown off, greatly damaged, and had part of her crew frost-bitten and one injured by falling from aloft. On the night of Jan. 18th, one of the severest storms of snow on record, commenced and continued with a furious wind and the mercury down to 200 below zero until afternoon of the 19th, -piling up the snow into enormous drifts, and obstructing the mails for three days. . Other gales equally severe followed as well as pre- ceded, and this may well be characterized as the winter of tempests. The cold was intense; the coast more blocked up than any of our citizens remembered; and this severity ex- tended far west and south. The last wild-cat of this vicinity, of which we have any record, was shot near Camden by Wm. J. Bunker of this town, in October.
1858. Ship-building was now at almost its greatest de- pression, two ships only being built in the place. During this
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
stagnation of business and the serious turn given to the thoughts of men, which prevailed here as all over the coun- try, the people of this place, having sufficiently ornamented the homes of the living, earnestly turned their attention to improving those of the dead. The old burying ground given by Knox had for a long time been sufficient for this part of the town ; but it was fast filling up, and, having never been systematically laid out with any regard to taste or convenience, was every year becoming more unsatisfactory. As early as 1836, fourteen leading citizens obtained an Act incorporating themselves as proprietors of the Elm Grove Cemetery ; for which they purchased land adjoining the old burying ground, and the present year (1858) extended it, by an additional pur- chase, to Dwight street. This they voted to grade, fence, and adorn, according to a plan recommended by C. E. Ranlett, J. A. Creighton, and C. Prince ; which was done at an expense of about $3000. This being private property, however, the town began to advance in the same direction in regard to the old burying ground, and, as early as 1848, purchased of S. Dwight and R. Jacobs, Jr., one acre of land for its enlarge- ment. In 1857, a further and larger addition was made on its northern boundary, and the town has continued to make heavy yearly appropriations for purposes connected with these grounds, - fencing, grading, and especially draining, filling in, replacing headstones, &c., of the old part, till the place has become so renovated and improved as to be scarcely recog- nisable by those formerly familiar with it.
The addition of another neat church was this year made to the place, by the Methodists. A class of this denomination under Jos. Colson, leader, was formed in 1827 as before men- tioned, consisting of 34 members, and another of nine under Samuel Albee in 1837. Their first minister was Rev. Seavey Wm. Partridge in 1838, who continued his efforts success- fully for about two years, and was succeeded by Rev. Wm. Pindar. In 1840, Rev. H. C. Henries was pastor ; between whom and his people a difficulty soon arose which finally led to his censure and dismission. The little society was then favored with the labors of Revs. D. H. Mansfield and T. Hill for a season; but, broken in hope and spirit, nothing could induce it to rally, and the old Stimpson hall, where its meet- ings had been held, was deserted. After this failure, no further effort was made till 1853, when Rev. Geo. Pratt was stationed here and commenced his services on the 19th June in a school-house, preaching from Amos, 7, 5: "By whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small." On the 4th of July, its
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
thirty members were received by certificate from the Rock- land station; three of whom removed to California, leaving only 27 members. After Aug. 1st, the society worshipped in the Webb & Jordan hall, one year; during which Mr. Pratt preached 148 times with eminent success, and at its close the society consisted of 50 church members and 19 probationers. Rev. Wm. T. Jewell followed, two years, during which a lot of land for a house of worship was purchased on Lowell street, by brothers Nathan Hatch and Nat. Moody; but on the death of the former, the design was nearly abandoned, and the boards and timber framed by the brethren lay unused. On the coming of Rev. E. Sanborn, May 31, 1857, the lot was divided, and on one half Wm. Jordan built a parsonage, at a cost of $1108, to rent to the society till able to purchase it .. In August a church was commenced, and its vestry dedi- cated Nov. 27th by Mr. Tupper of Rockland, assisted by Messrs. Jewell and Fernald. The house above was put un'- der contract to Francis P. and Jacob W. Eastman, -Mr. Sanborn purchasing lumber in Gardiner, and begging stone for the foundation, of which Frederic Ulmer gave and hauled the first load. The pressure of the times made it exceeding hard to collect money or sell pews; $1542 had been sub- scribed before Mr. Pratt left; the efforts of Mr. Sanborn at camp-meetings and elsewhere, and of the ladies by their so- cial meetings and fairs, were at length crowned with success; and, in the summer of 1858, the house was finished, at a cost of $5000. It was dedicated Aug. 19th, when the two former pastors, Messrs. Pratt and Jewell, together with many other brethren in the ministry were present, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. R. F. Tefft of Bangor from Acts, 17: 18. The venerable Jacob Allen, one of the early con- verts to Methodism, and, it is said, at one time a Free-Will Baptist preacher, the former part of whose life had been marked by dissipation as the latter was by religious fervor, and who had often expressed his strong desire to see a Meth- odist church built, had his wish gratified and was present at the dedication, bowed with the weight of fourscore and ten years. His presence was observed and touchingly alluded to by the officiating clergyman. An extensive revival took place at the close of 1858, in which some forty were converted or reclaimed; and a class of 17 was formed at Cobb's Mills in Warren. In the spring of 1859 the Conference held its an- nual session in the new church, during which meetings were also held at the Meadows each evening, many converted, and a new class formed. In the midst of this general prosperity
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
and rejoicing, Mr. Sanborn closed his connection; and his place has been since supplied, in 1860 by Rev. J. N. Marsh, in 1861 by Rev. Wm. J. Wilson, in 1862 by Rev. L. D. Ward- well, and in 1864 by Rev. E. A. Helmerhausen. The num- ber of members in 1862 was 114; probationers, 36; scholars in two S. schools, 150; volumes in library, 500; preacher's receipts, $480; and value of church property, $5000 .*
A serious and fatal accident occurred Feb. 15th. Sylves- ter Bowers, whilst driving a loaded wagon on the Beech Woods road, near the Elm Grove cemetery, had hold of the yoke bow of one of his oxen, when the ox became suddenly frightened, threw him down, and the load passed over him, causing his death. On the night of Oct. 2d, the dwelling of Benj. Palmer was totally consumed by fire. Loss about $1000, with no insurance. On the 7th August, Samuel C. and Augustus S. Gilchrist, accompanied by Allen Mc Vickar, having gone down, in a new sail-boat, to one of the islands at the mouth of the river, were returning with Miss Mary A. Flinton to celebrate her marriage with one of the party, when the boat, near the mouth of the river, was upset by a sudden flaw of wind, and all on board went down to a watery grave. The whole season was windy and unpropitious. A severe gale, Sept. 16th, did much damage to fruit and other trees, and blew over a two-story storage building of Mr. French's, near the post-office. Donati's comet, if that were the name of the illustrious visitor, was observed here Sept. 13th, and disappeared quite suddenly, about Oct. 18th. Small at first, in the N. W. at evening and N. E. in the morning, it increas- ed in size and splendor, bent its course southerly and passed, Oct. 8th, within 52,000,000 miles of the earth, at which time its train, slightly curved in the shape of a sword, was com- puted to be 15,000,000 miles long.
1859. The project of a new county with Camden for its shire town, having been agitated and extensively petitioned for, a town meeting was held, Jan. 29th, to see what action should be taken thereon. Much diversity of opinion, with some disorder and confusion, prevailed ; but the only resolu- tion adopted was in opposition to any division of the old county of Lincoln. At a subsequent meeting, Feb. 5th, however, a vote was passed instructing the representative to exert his influence for a new county, extending from Camden to Warren and from Friendship to Appleton, with Thomaston for its shire town. Strong resolutions were also passed, Jan.
* Church Records, Wm. H. Blood, Esq., Conference Minutes.
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30, 1860, against any division of Lincoln county whatever. The Rockland influence however prevailed, and that city be- came the shire town of the present county of Knox, which was incorporated, and, in 1860, duly inaugurated as such.
The Thomaston Natural History Society was organized on the 16th of March, and was for a time active-collecting quite a respectable cabinet of specimens. Its first members were H. C. Levensaler, J. O. Robinson, S. T. Keene, J. P. Cilley, E. Ross, E. L. Robinson, C. and A. Prince, J. H. Jacobs, E. K. O'Brien, J. C. Levensaler, G. F. Carr, L. Hill, N. A. Robbins, E. B. Hinkley, and E. Hills.
On the 4th Jan., a very severe storm of snow and wind commenced at 7 A. M. and increased in fury and the inten- sity of cold till past midnight ; during which the chimney of the iron fonndry was blown down, breaking the roof badly. No mail was received here for two days; vessels bound to the place with pine timber met with rough usage, and one, the Thomas & Edward, owned by D. H. Sumner, was. wholly lost. In July a singular accident occurred. A little daughter, about two years old, of Charles Talbot, was drowned by fall- ing into a tub of water, near which she was left by her mother for only about five minutes, who, returning, found her lifeless in the arms of her sister. On the morning of Aug. 14th, the stock of goods of James Jones, in the Carr & O'Brien block, was mostly destroyed or badly injured by fire, which was ar- rested without serious damage to the building. Insurance on goods, $2500. On Sept. 9th, also, a fire broke out in the ship- yard of E. O'Brien, but which, by the fire companies, was con- fined to the workshop in which it originated, and a compara- tively small loss of materials. Another fire, Oct. 4th, destroy- ed the workshop of Lemuel Strout, boat builder. A sad ac- cident occurred at the launching of Jacobs & Jordan's ship, Oct. 6th, by which Justus Coburn, of this town, fell into the hold and was so much injured that he died seven days after.
1860. Among the incidents of interest, was the visit, April 8th, of Rev. J. C. Gangooly, a converted Brahmin, from Hindostan, who, after spending some two years in our country, was about returning to preach christianity. In June, also, 1860, the schooner Nautilus, Capt. C. E. Ranlett, of this port, was chartered by Prof. Chadbourne and a company of naturalists, students of Williams college, for a scientific excursion to Labrador and Greenland. The party, having been courteously received by public spirited citizens here, who accompanied them to the wharf, where prayer was offer- ed by Rev. Mr. Fernald, embarked early on the morning of
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
the 27th, and, after a successful voyage, returned to Thomas- ton, Sept. 11th. On the 12th, Prof. Chadbourne lectured here, and various specimens of Greenland costume and cu- riosities were exhibited.
Of the industry of the place there were returned in the census of 1860, exclusive of those under $500 in value, the following manufactures : Clothing, E. W. Robinson, with 14 hands, product (cost of materials deducted,) $4200 annually, Benjamin Ayer, 16 hands, $3500; tin and sheet iron, E. B. Hinkley, one hand, $990, Nat. Liscomb, ditto, $1090, Keene & Hatch, two hands, $1115 ; bricks, Boggs & Keating, seven hands, $8000 ; furniture, Starrett & Starr, one hand, $900 ; blacksmith work, I. Mathews, four hands, $4800, J. Fitz- gerald, two hands, $1550; boats, L. Strout, two hands, $650; sails, Toby & Dunn, three hands, $1000, G. K. Washburn, three hands, $2000; sawing, de., O'Brien & Co., seven hands, $500; pumps and blocks, Metcalf & Son, three hands, $1625; iron castings, W. C. Crawford, two hands, $810; besides lime already mentioned, ship-building, which, with most of the owners, firms, and business men of the place, may be gathered from the XII and other tables. As to agri- culture, exclusive of small lots and gardens, the cash value of farms in town was $134,700; farming implements and machinery, $3,276; live stock, $15,510; animals slaught- ered, $2,506 ; orchard products, 870; hay, one eighth short of an average crop, 1077 tons; butter, 13,330 lbs .; wool, 130 lbs .; and maple sugar, 200 lbs.
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