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 48
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 48
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 48
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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
Whilst doing thus much for country in " the times that try men's souls," Thomaston has not by any means, as will read- iły appear by inspection of the table of navigation, allowed the arm of her industry to be paralized or her onward course in prosperity to be seriously checked : so that it may well be asked as the eye falls on her prosperous population and beau- tiful abodes of plenty, wealth, and taste, if such be her con- dition amid the severe struggles and heavy burdens of civil warfare, what will it not be when peace and freedom shall have crowned our efforts, and philanthropy, temperance, char- ity, and all Christian virtues have joined hands to render her literary, moral, social, and spiritual character as eminent and widely known as are the ships which she constructs and the mariners who sail them ?
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CHAPTER XXIII
SOUTH THOMASTON, AFTER ITS SEPARATION.
1848. THE first town meeting of SOUTH THOMASTON, (which was incorporated July 28, 1848,) was called by a warrant from Hon. Geo. Thorndike, and held at the McLoon building on the 22d of August following, when, after the · choice of the same gentleman for moderator, the usual town officers were elected; for which the reader is referred to Ta- ble V, and others.
No sooner was the old town divided, than a portion of the inhabitants of this town, in the neighborhood of Georges and Mill Rivers, petitioned to be set off' and annexed to the town of Thomaston or be incorporated into a town by themselves with the name of Independence. Upon receiving an order of notice from the legislature, the town, June 7, 1849, voted ayes 90, nays 7, "that no part of the territory of South Thomaston shall be set off from said town," and instructed the selectmen to oppose the measure before the legislature. Similar action was taken on similar petitions of M. Copeland and others, Feb. 19, 1853; and of Oliver Wheeler and others, Feb. 7, 1856; also of James Bryant, March 1, 1857, who petitioned that school districts Nos. 1 and 2 be set off into a town by the name of Melrose; and of J. A. Copeland and others, Feb. 6, 1858, to annex all the territory north of his southern line to Thomaston.
Having left the history of the venerable church, now de- nominated the First Baptist Church of South Thomaston, at the close of Mr. Fogg's ministry, in 1826, for that of others that have sprung from her bosom, we here resume it as the more peculiar and cherished institution of the new town. In 1827, May 26, Rev. Reuben Milner was ordained as pas- tor. He was from some part of Great Britain, we believe Wales, and continued here about two years, baptizing eleven. June 27, 1829, Rev. Thomas B. Robinson became pastor, but, after a brief, though pleasant connection, was dismissed, Nov. 27, 1830. Rev. Amariah Kalloch, a native of Warren, was ordained Nov. 26, 1831, and continued his very accepta- ble labors till Feb. 22, 1834 ; when he left to take charge of the Third Baptist Society, now First, in Rockland, having previously baptized seventy. It was during his ministration, viz., Jan. 30, 1832, that the veteran Elder Snow closed his labors and his life below, to meet his reward in the land of
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
spirits ; - leaving the reputation of having been a sincere, earnest and faithful minister. He died at the age of ninety- two years, retaining his faith and his faculties unchanged to the last. Immediately after the dismission of Mr. Kalloch, Rev. Horace Seaver was settied as his successor, and coutin- ued to discharge the duties of pastor till August 27, 1836 ; having baptized nineteen into the church. For the purpose of procuring a suitable residence for their minister, Messrs. James Spalding, S. Dean and seven others, with their asso- ciates and successors, were incorporated, March 23, 1835, by the name of the South Thomaston Parsonage House Com- pany. In 1837, Dec. 30, Rev. Samuel Tyler was settled as pastor, but was dismissed Feb. 27, 1839, having baptized twelve. On the 27th May, 1840, Rev. Lorenzo 'B. Allen, from Richmond, having preached here since the preceding November, was ordained as pastor, and remained till Dec. 31, 1843. During his ministry three refreshing seasons of revival took place; in the first of which, nine were added by baptism; in the second, 24; and in the third, 43. When he left to take charge of the society in Thomaston, this parent church consisted of 200 members.
Mr. Allen was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Kalloch, last from St. George, but a native of Warren, who labored very suc- cessfully till 1855; when he was succeeded by Rev. David Perry. Mr. Perry had been first ordained over the Baptist church in Camden, 1850, thence removed to Union, where he ministered till he came and took charge of the society here. With this church, he remained the beloved pastor till his death; which took place suddenly, of malignant erysipelas, at the residence of Rev. I. S. Kalloch, in Boston, on the 27th May, 1859, at the age of 37. His remains were brought down to Camden by Mr. Kalloch, who preached his funeral sermon to a large audience assembled from miles around to testify respect to a devoted minister, a liberal christian, a promoter of every moral and social improvement, lovely in life and lamented in death. According to the Association Minutes of 1863, the pastoral office was filled by Rev. E. Trask; the whole number of church members was 141; 11 being recently added, and 5 died; S. S. scholars in 2 schools, 100, - superintended by T. Lewis, and N. B. Maddocks.
A Rail Road Company, comprising most of the leading men of business in South Thomaston, was incorporated Aug. 3, 1848; with power to construct a rail road from the Black- ington farm in Thomaston, to salt water in or near the village of South Thomaston. This scheme seems to have proved
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
abortive, and came to nothing. A highway leading from near John Eastman's to Joshua Bartlett, Jr.'s, was laid out in . 1849, but does not appear to have been accepted.
On the evening of July 30th, the dwellinghouse and sta- ble of Hon. Geo. Thorndike were consumed by fire; most of the furniture and a valuable horse only being saved in an injured condition. Loss about $1800, only partially insured. The season here seems to have been a fertile one, since Moses Heard, of this town, was reported to have raised from one seed a vine 513 feet long, which produced 19 pumpkins, weighing in all, 420 lbs.
1849. The constitution of the State having been, in 1844, so amended as to make the political year commence in May instead of January, and the arrangement not proving altogether satisfactory, the people were called upon, Septem- ber 10th, of this year, to vote on the question whether, or not, the former political year should be reinstated; on which the people of this town voted, yes 26, no 84. The vote through- out the State was different, however, and the measure went into operation in 1850, the representatives and governor chosen that year holding over till January, 1853, rendering no election necessary in 1851.
A little son of Jesse Bryant died January 23d of this year, in consequence of a broken leg and other injuries re- ceived from a heavy mill-log on which he was riding along the street.
1850. A charter for a bank in South Thomaston, to be called the Weskeag Bank, was granted to Wm. McLoon and ten other substantial citizens of the town, August 3, 1850; but, the subscription not receiving sufficient encouragement, it never went into operation. Business here was now good, and ship-building extensively carried on ; four barques having been built this season by Messrs. Stetson, McLoon, Thorn- dike, and Brown, respectively. The inhabitants were at this time almost wholly made up of ship-builders, owners, and navigators; the last being so numerous, that there was said to be little risk in addressing by the title of captain any South Thomaston man. Its ship-masters were as distinguished for their good management as their vessels for their good qualities ; one of the latter, the Laura Snow, Capt. E. A. Thorndike, having, about this time, made the passage from San Francisco to Panama, in 25 days, beating the steamship Sarah Sands two days. The new Eldorado, California, was already indebted to this small town for a large number of its enterprising citizens ; several of whom, about this time, made
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
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up a purse of $154 and sent home to Rev. Joseph Kalloch, as a token of regard, by Capt. Wm. S. Emery, one of the donors. Neither have the town's many shipmasters been un- distinguished for humanity as well as capability ; one instance having been recently made public by the presentation on the part of the British government, through ours, September 24, 1862, of an elegant telescope to Capt. Elias Sleeper, for having, while in command of the ship Pyramid, bound to Montevideo, rescued, March 5th preceding, the master and seven survivers of the crew of the water-logged British barque Alma, of Trinidad.
Quite a number of roads were this year laid out, and all, except the first, accepted, subsequently, by the town; viz .: - 1st, that from road near Ephraim Dean's to town road near meeting-house; 2d, that on petition of B. Ingraham, and. others, as per plan No. 1; 3d, that leading from E. Dean's by B. Pierce's to Thomaston line; 4th, that from Owl's Head road, at Head of the Bay, to Rockland line; 5th, from Wes- aweskeag bridge to Head of the Bay, as re-surveyed ; 6th, . that of E. G. Bridges.
In a storm of Jan. 22d, twelve inches of snow fell ; on the 24th, schooner Dove of this town, owned by Capt. Wm. H. Crockett, went ashore at Ash Point creek, and was a total loss, with no insurance ; and, in the terrible storm of Dec. 23d, three vessels were wrecked on the beach at Owl's Head, and two more at Spruce Head.
This was an unfortunate year for the public State institutions, as, besides the fire in the State Prison, the Insane Hospital in Augusta, was burnt Dec. 4th; and, in it, one of the citizens of this town, Ephraim Mclellan, who was afflicted with in- sanity, lost his life by suffocation. At the close of the year, also, this community, in the somewhat sudden death of two of their cherished citizens, could not but unite with their more intimate friends in deploring the irreparable loss. Capt. Wm. H. Kelloch, a promising young mariner, died on board the brig Sarah Lewis, on the Missisippi, Dec. 23d, at the age of twenty-four, his body being brought home and interred with Masonic honors, Feb. 9th ; and Capt. George Bartlett, an un- obtrusive but worthy citizen, whilst engaged with his team in providing fuel for the destitute, was attacked with a sudden illness which in a few hours proved fatal, Dec. 27th.
1851. The year 1851 was a quiet and uneventful one, the natural as well as the political atmosphere being for the most part unruffled by any violent changes, though affected with something of a drought in September and a severe frost
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. on the 25th, which froze the ground in some places to the depth of half an inch; and closing with early snows in No- vember and extreme cold in December, the mercury on the 27th falling to 13' below zero.
The town this year appropriated $100 for a hearse and hearse-house. At the same time school district No. 5 was divided into two. For the present state of the schools, ot which there are eighteen in twelve school districts, see Table X. These continued to be superintended by the usual school committee till March, 1861, when they were put under the care of Charles G. Snelling, as supervisor-an approved in- structer both in this town and Thomaston.
1852. This year is noted for the commencement of a work of great improvement in the condition of Owl's Head Harbor, undertaken by the General Government; for which the sum of $15,000 was appropriated Aug. 30, 1852. A preliminary survey of the Ledge near by, in order to deter- mine the expediency of erecting a Breakwater there, was or- dered under an appropriation of $400 made for the purpose, July 4, 1836; - the year after Rockland Harbor had been surveyed for a similar purpose. The claims of those two . places were so nearly balanced, that no decision was at that time made and nothing further done till the present year, when the superior advantages to the general coasting trade, together with the smaller sum required, seems to have decided the question in favor of Owl's Head, and the Breakwater was constructed as far as the appropriation would "warrant. A bill appropriating $12,000 for continuing the work as far as Eagle Ledge, passed the Senate July, 1856; but failed to be- come a law.
On the 2d of April, 1852, Mrs. Melia Butler, daughter of Oliver Robbins, and the first child of European extraction born within the limits of South Thomaston, near the banks of Mill River, departed this life, at her son's in Rockland, at the age of 88 years, -having lived affectionately with her husband 71 years, and leaving, besides her partner aged 94 years, seven children, forty grand children, seventy-nine great grand children, and three great great grand children. She had been a pious and exemplary member of the Baptist church in South Thomaston for sixty-eight years; had seen six out of her cleven children embrace the same faith and communion; and had witnessed the handful of voters which usel to convene at her father's house on town meeting days, risen to nearly 2000, - while the church which used to wor- ship in his barn had become the mother of five churches in the limits of the old town, and several beyond them.
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
1853. On the 4th of July, Calvin C. Ingraham of this town, supervisor of the blasting operations of the Ship Wharf Company, at Ingraham's Point, whilst drilling out a charge which had failed to ignite, was seriously injured by its explo- sion, his sight boing much endangered. In consequence of this company's improvements and an increase of business, quite a suburban village, embracing the portion of South Thomaston and Rockland at the head of the bay, sometimes denominated Ingrahamville, was now growing up with many commercial advantages.
1854. Ship-building having been revived at Owl's Head since 1850-1 by Capt. Elisha Brown, was now extensively carried on by him; and this, with the other increasing busi- ness of the place, led to the establishment of Owl's Head Post Office, and the appointment, 1854, of Elisha Brown, postmaster. His successors have been, Messrs. S. F. Coombs, 1855; Henry Pillsbury, 1857; G. W. St. Clair, 1858 ; and Lewis Arey, 1862. The office, we believe, yields no reve- nue to the government.
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In the town at large, also, ship-building was this year ex- tensively carried on ; no less than thirteen* vessels having been built, amounting to 7083 tons. The mills of the Messrs. Newhall, consisting of a grist-mill, two planing machines, one up and down saw, one circular saw, and one shingle ma- chine, were now in operation; and there were also in the town a sail-loft and cigar manufactory,-the former carried on by Capt. Wm. K. Bartlett, and the latter by A. P. Sweetland.
1855. Though ship-building was less active, the general industry of the place was flourishing ; and the town continued to exhibit those marks of solid growth and advancement which had distinguished it for the last five years. Many new dwellings of much architectural beauty had been, or were now building at Wessaweskeag; and, among them, Senator Thorndike this year erected his unique and costly house, said to be unequalled in the county, - now possessed by his broth- er, Capt. E. A. Thorndike. At Owl's Head, twelve dwell- ings, two stores, one wharf, two ships, one barque, and three schooners were built this season ; but Elisha Brown, who had been a most active ship-builder here since 1850, this year closed his business, and left the place. The fishing business was also prosperous, and evidently on the increase.
The town voted, March 6, 1855, to widen the bridge at Wessaweskeag to the extent of twelve fect, to repair the
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* Eleren, entered at the Custom House ; the other two might have been sold and entered elsewhere, or not launched till 1855.
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same, and to raise $400 by tax, -at the same time author- izing the selectmen to effect a loan of $800.
A new church was organized Feb. 20th, by a council called by certain members of the 1st Baptist church in Rockland, and was composed of citizens of that place and of South Thomaston, at the Head of the Bay and vicinity. This took the name of the 2d Baptist Church in South Thomaston, and consisted of nine male and 26 female members. The first pastor was the Rev. J. Riley Bowler, who had been licensed to preach, June 10, 1854, by the 2d Baptist church in Rock- land, of which he was deacon. His ordination took place July 11th, when the sermon was preached by Rev. I. S. Kal- loch and the right hand of fellowship given by Rev. D. Perry of Camden. The ministry of Mr. Bowler having been discon- tinued after about three years, the society contracted with Rev. David Perry, then the pastor of the Ist Baptist church, to supply their pulpit one quarter part of the time for one year, commencing in Nov. 1858. Since his death in the fol- lowing year, the church has been without a pastor; and no church edifice has ever been erected. Its first and only dea- con has been Bernard B. Ingraham, chosen April 14, 1855. In 1863, according to the minutes of the Lincoln Baptist As- sociation, this church contained 25 members; but no return of its Sabbath School was reported.
On the 13th of April, a fire originated in some unknown manner in the new dwellinghouse owned by Joel and Perley Fisk; and, though the Rockland engines arrived and did good service, the house, worth $1800, was nearly destroyed. In- surance, $1000.
1856. On the 30th of April, 1856, the store of Samuel F. Coombs at Owl's Head, in which the Post Office was kept, and the upper part occupied by him as a dwelling, was burned, with all its contents, including furniture, records, mail-bags, and all, except ten dollars' worth of postage stamps. There was a partial insurance. As a general thing, the loss by fire in this town has not been great. Recently, Jan. 20, 1863, a barn with eight tons of hay was burnt on the Pierce farm, untenanted at the time, but owned by Mr. Gco. W. Pierce. It was caused by carelessness of shooters, or skaters, resting there. Loss $100; no insurance. Also, Dec. 18th, a two and a half-story building at Owl's Head, oc- cupied by Jasper N. Thompson for store, dwelling, and danc- ing ball, was destroyed at one o'clock A. M. Whole loss $2400; insurance $1550.
The ship Alice Thorndike, Capt. Sleeper, of this town,
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
from Sunderland, Eng., bound to New York, having encoun- tered one hurricane, Dec. 2, 1856, which shifted her cargo, and meeting another on the 18th Jan., 1857, followed by se- vere weather, was, by the 2nd, completely covered with ice : but finally arrived at New York with six of her crew badly frost-bitten. This was probably but one item of the unchron- icled sufferings by the seamen of the place during the extra- ordinary winter severities that closed the year and ushered in the next. The season was extremely disastrous to fruit, orna- mental, and forest trees, from its great severity and sudden changes.
1857. On the 19th of January a fall of snow with a most violent wind blocked up the roads, and did much dam- age along the coast. Two schooners and one sloop went ashore at Owl's Head ; one, from Nova Scotia loaded with potatoes, proving a total loss. Saturday, the 24th, was one of the coldest days known here for many years, the mercury at sunrise standing 32° below zero; on which morning the house of Isaac T. Ingraham of this town, was consumed by fire. Loss $800, insurance $500. Some severe storms, with high freshets, were experienced in April; in one of which, April 20th, the schooner Timoleon of Ellsworth was wrecked on Todd's Ledge, and the crew taken off by Capt. Ingerson of Owl's Head.
A series of free public lectures was got up by a number of the young men and others of South Thomaston; the first of which was delivered, Dec. 3, 1857, by Rev. David Perry on " the Press;" the 2d, Dec. 10th, by O. G. Hall, Esq., of Rockland; the 3d by J. C. Winterbotham on " the Conflicts and Conquests of Genius;" the 4th by Z. Pope Vose, Esq., on " the Glory of Humanity;" the 5th by Rev. I. Sawyer on " Bibliography ;" the 6th by Rev. J. O. Skinner on "the Unity of the Human Race;" the 7th by Rev. O. J. Fernald . on " Greece," Jan. 29, 1858 ; the 8th by Dr. A. W. Kennedy on " the Solar System;" the 9th by Rev. I. S. Kalloch on "the Uses of Conflict," Feb. 22d; the 10th by Mr. James Newhall on " Meteorology," Feb. 25th; the 11th by R. P. E. Thatcher, Esq., on " the Gracchi and their American Coun- terça ts."
1858. At a meeting, called on the 7th of June this year, for the purpose of obtaining the voice of the people on the question, whether the prohibitory liquor law of 1858, or a license law, should go into operation, the people of South Thomaston gave in 50 votes in favor of the former and none for the latter. Thus this town, distinguished for one of the
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earliest social movements in favor of temperance, as before noted, continues to maintain its wide spread reputation in this respect, - there having been for many years past no dram- shop or public house in the place where intoxicating drinks are sold.
Ship-building had now so far fallen off from the eleven ves- sels of different kinds built in 1854, that one solitary ship only, was this year launched, -a result of the general pros- tration of business through the country which commenced in the preceding year.
1859-60. The Baptists, as may have been already ob- served, have been the prevailing denomination in South Thom- aston ; and few, perhaps no, strenuous efforts have been made to introduce any other. There are, however, some Methodists. In 1859, Rev. B. A. Chase was located here, and, in 1861, there were returned from the place to the East Maine Conference, 14 church members, five probationers, 35 S. S. scholars, and five teachers. A few Quakers, also, were found here in early and perhaps later times, as well as a num- ber of Spiritualists, in these modern days, whose circles have drawn together many of the curious, seeking for revelations from the invisible world.
Aside from ship-building and maritime pursuits, before spoken of, the industry of this town, from its situation, is naturally divided between agriculture and the fisheries. But of the latter, the only returns in the census of this year, 1860, are those of Willard Ingerson and Amos A. Norton ; of whom, the former employed six hands, producing 400 quin- tals of cod and hake and four barrels oil, valued at $1060; the latter, three hands, making 150 quintals and two barrels oil, value $526. Many smaller establishments were doubt- less omitted ; and, in addition, the shore fishery is often re- sorted to by those engaged in other pursuits. In agriculture, the census shows the cash value of farms exceeding ten acres to have been $104,580 ; farming implements and machinery, $3,855 ; live stock, $12,521; animals slaughtered, 2,838; hay, one third short of the usual crop, 934 tons ; butter, 13,299 lbs .; wool, 1021 lbs .; and value of home manufac- tures, $1,344. By returns made to the State in 1863, this town is first in the county by the amount of wheat raised, viz., 653 bushels. There were also returned from the brick- yard of H. G. Copeland, 130,000 bricks, value $520, made . by three hands, consuming 40 cords of wood ; and also by Newbert and Stanton, stone cutters, 2500 yards of paving stone, value $2500, employing six hands and using 1000 lbs. of steel and iron.
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
This town, so distinguished for its salt water privileges, must enjoy, also, a salubrious climate, judging from the fact that no physician has ever fixed his abode here for any great length of time. About 1806 or 1808, Dr. Perley Groves was here for a short time, as was also, prior to 1820, a Dr. Brack- ett from Vassalboro', who came here after trying his fortune in Union, Warren, and Thomaston, taught school one season, and, finding little practice, removed to Virginia. Also, in 1851 or 1852, Dr. Jas. Rouse established himself here, resid- ing first in the village, afterwards in the neighborhood called Dublin ; but in a few years removed to Rockland. In the borders of the town, however, near Thomaston, two physi- cians have successively located themselves, - Dr. Stephen W. Sneden, a native of England, who graduated at Edinburg and married a lady of that place, after practising a while in Nova Scotia, came hither about 1837, had a good run of business for some years, but removed and died in Milton, Mass., Oct. 25, 1846. He was succeeded by Dr. Thos. Gore, who had practised some time both in Union and Cushing, and took Sneden's stand about 1845, was senator in 1846- 7, but removed, before 1851, to East Boston, Mass.
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