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 49
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 49
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 49
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
Equal with the salubrity of the place, seems to have been the harmony of its people- since the town could boast of no lawyer till 1860, when John C. Cobb, Esq., opened an office near the head of the bay, but tock a lieutenant's commission in the 4th and 5th regiments, successively, and has since been promoted in the Corps d'Afrique.
So distinguished for hospitality also, have the citizens of this town been, that, with the exception of the Owl's Head House, built by J. Adams, which, as before mentioned, has been kept for the accommodation of invalids and wind-bound coasters, there is, and for a long time has been, no tavern in the place.
On the breaking out of the rebellion troubles, the people of South Thomaston were not slow to manifest their adhesion to the Union and their determination to do their part in sup- porting the government. On the afternoon of May 11th, 1861, a liberty pole, 76 feet in height, was raised at Owl's Head by the citizens of that vicinity, from which a handsome flag was given to the breeze and saluted by a discharge of musketry, patriotic speeches, and hearty cheers for the Union and its legitimate authority. At a meeting called for the pur- pose, June 3d, the town voted that the selectmen assist the families of such volunteers for the war as have a settlement
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
in the town, on condition that they bestow one half their bounty money and one half their monthly wages for mainte- nance of the same. For that purpose, $161,07 were ex- pended by the town during the year, and the same provision was continued till in January, 1864, the aggregate amounted to $756,61. Those of this town who enlisted and joined the 4th regiment, were, in company A, Edwin A. Coffin, dis- charged for disability December 9, 1862; in company B, Levi A. Philbrook, wounded in battle Sept. 1, 1862, and May, 1864; Geo. Snowdeal, Jr., enlisted later, but was miss- ing from the battle-field of Fair Oaks; Thos. H. Snowdeal, who, shortly after the regiment had encamped at Yorktown, went out on a reconnoissance with a number of other sol- diers, when, as they were standing together, a shell from the rebel fortifications came over and struck a fence near them, from which a rail flew with terrific force, striking young Snowdeal just above the hip and inflicting a wound of which he died four hours after, - a worthy and blameless young man, greatly endeared to all ; Ephraim K. Butler, a prisoner at Richmond ; in company C, Thomas E. Snowdeal, wounded at Manassas, and again at Gettysburg ; in company D, Chandler F. Perry, who was taken prisoner at Bull Run and died of typhoid at Richmond, November 27, 1861 ; Levi J. Perry ; and Albert Smith, sick in hospital ; in company E, Wm. C. Farr, Jr., tranferred to 38th New York ; and in company K, John Kieff, transferred from the 38th New York regiment ; and Edwin Lindsey, a young man of mild and lovely disposition, who enlisted at the first call of his country, but contracted a fever in Virginia and died at St. Luke's Hospital, New York, August 16, 1862.
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There also enlisted in the 2d Maine regiment Levi A. Coombs, Co. D; and the following young men from this town * enlisted in the 2d Mounted Battery of Maine Volunteers; viz., Richard B. Emery, who died, greatly lamented, March 26, 1862, at Brooks's Station, Va .; Clarence Ingraham, Henry Nichols, Joseph Snowdeal, all of whom continue in honora- ble service; and Frederic Graves, who died of disease July 5,1862.
In the 1st regiment of Cavalry, the following from this place joined Capt. Cilley's Co. B: viz., Jerome W. Burrows, farrier, discharged, Dec. 30, 1862; Amos Fisk; Isaac A. Hall, promoted to corporal; Frank J. Wood, transferred to Co. F or I, and left the service Jan. 5, 1862; Charles J. Ohlson, discharged for disability, June 5, 1862; and Orlando Andrews, who left the service, Feb. 8, 1862.
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
At a town meeting, August 6, 1862, it was voted to raise $2250 for bounties to volunteers for the town's quota of three years' men, and to release those who had previously sub- scribed to a bounty fund. Those belonging to this town who went as volunteers to fill up this quota were, Geo. E. Cross, of Co. B, discharged for disability, Dec. 23, 1862; Jos. G. Maddocks, promoted July 2, 1863; Alden W. Dyer; Isaac W. Merriman, discharged for disability, April 9, 1863; and Chandler F. Perry, promoted to sergeant, killed at Gettys- burg ; -- all of Co. I, and Peter Lee of Co. K, 19th Me. reg- iment; Andrew W. Stover, promoted to sergeant; Geo. W. Burding, detained at brigade headquarters; Geo. N. Grant ; John E. Weed, promoted to corporal; and Norman L. Crockett, transferred from the 2d Me. regiment, all of Co. I, 20th Me. regiment; as also, John E. Merrill, Edward Over- lock, Alfred C. Rigby. Chas. A. Robinson, Alfred S. Varney, and-Spencer iv. Young, recruited here for the 8th Maine regiment, though perhaps not residents of the place.
On the President's second call for 300,000 men, the town voted, Sept. 5th, to raise $6000 for the purpose of procuring substitutes for the town's quota of 30 men ; and E. Dean, Jr., J. P. Ingraham, J. K. Bartlett, C. P. Redman, and O. Sweet- land, were appointed a committee to procure the same, at the lowest rate, not exceeding $200 each.
These nine-months' men, together with those of Rockland and Vinalhaven, formed Co. G in the 28th regiment of Me. Militia ; and those of them belonging here were John F. Perry, 2d Lieut., wounded June 28, 1863 ; Edwin G. Chap- man, Moses Shaw, and Eli R. Perry, corporals ; Alonzo Dag- gett, Thurston Daggett, Henry T. Dunning ; Chas. W. Me- servey, who left the service, at Last New York, Jan. 13, 1863 ; Chas. W. Rackliff, discharged for disability, Dec. 19, 1862; and, in Co. B, Stillman Robinson, of the same reg- iment. The remainder drafted, procured substitutes from other places. This company, in its first engagement, gained unrivaled honor at the defence of Fort Butler, Donaldson- ville, La., under Major Bullen, June 28, 1863; when only 130 men able to hold a rifle repelled a night attack of some 3000 Texans, and, after a severe struggle of three hours and twenty minutes, with the aid of one gunboat, put them to flight with a loss of about 600 killed, wounded, and prisoners. Lieut. Perry was shot in the right wrist, and in Brig. Gen. Stone's official dispatch is recommended for distinguished gal- lantry. This regiment, after honorable service, was mustered out Aug. 31, 1863.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
Of the 28 men drafted by this town, at the President's call in July, 1863, 10 furnished substitutes, one of whom, Jas. M. Shuman, for N. H. Arey, was from South Thomaston ; 17 were exempted for physical disability, &c .; two were in service March 3, 1863, and nine failed to report. And again, on the additional call for 300,000, prior to Jan. 5, 1864, this town was the first in the county, if not in the State, to fill up her quota, -mostly, it is believed, with non-residents, though Harrison Emery enlisted at this time in the 2d Cavalry, Co. E, as did Jeremiah P. Rackliff, but on the quota of Rockland, in the 29th regiment, Co. C. The amount paid by the town for bounties to soldiers since the breaking out of the rebellion, up to Feb. 1, 1864, was $15,926.
Among those enlisted in the regiments of other States, are Gilbert K. Perry, captain of company G, 38th Indiana regi- ment, and his brother, Henry F. Perry, lieutenant of the same company.
Of citizens of South Thomaston, who have entered the U. S. navy, the Adjutant General's Report for 1862 gives the names of Charles Hendrickson and Eben. Newhall ; but there are probably others not returned, among whom we know was Edwin D. Kelloch, who, on the Nation's call for men, volun- trered his service, was accepted by the navy department, and was subsequently drafted to go in the South Carolina for one year, ending May, 1862; during which, twenty-two prizes were captured, and no small amount of valuable service to his country, performed by him and his gallant comrades in arms. No doubt many others have entered that arm of the service, especially since the call of July, 1864; but whose names we have been unable to obtain in season for insertion.
The ladies of South Thomaston have not been backward nor behind those of their sister towns in caring for the wants of its brave soldiers; but full particulars, for which the com- piler was referred to Miss Eliza Thorndike, not having been seasonably furnished, cannot, to his regret, here be recounted.
In addition to these voluntary contributions, the town has had its share of taxes on tonnage of vessels, on incomes, licenses, and other internal duties, which, together with the interruption of business and the dry seasons and light crops which have prevailed since the commencement of the war, ending in the wholly unprecedented drought from May till September of 1864, have weighed heavily upon the people of this town, without, however, abating anything of their cour- age, loyalty, or patriotism.
With these short and, it is feared, imperfect gleanings, we
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
now leave the history of this pleasant, hospitable, and truly meritorious community.
Farewell, thou gallant sea-girt town. Where Jordan streams so long have rolled, And Snows, perennial as thy crown, Through all the year held sway of old !
Long mays't thou, like an eastern queen, Calmly amid the waters sit, And see thy Heards, though never lean, Wax fatter, richer, at thy feet ;
Long may the Bridges span thy streams; Thy Graves no sexton's labor need ; Thy Sleepers wake from out their dreams, Nor longer spare a single Weed.
Let Thorndike dike thy marshes in; The Emerys scour thy Rowells up To spur thy people on to win In virtue's race the premium cup ; -
Thy Merriman be merry still ; Brown maidens soon be brown no more ; Philbrook thy brooks with factories fill Till Wades can't wade nor Drakes swim o'er.
Still let thy Sweetlands sweetness keep ; Thy Makers see to what they make ; Thy Jumpers look before they leap ; Thy Posts stand firm without a stake.
Still may thy Stackpoles stand upright : Each Dean be Swift as Erin's was'; Thy Halls and Newhalls open quite To every friend of freedom's cause.
Still let thy Singers every spring Return to chant their sweetest tune, And e'en thy Robbins join to sing Thy praise in each delightful June.
Nor let thy Perry be forgot, Delicious liquor, never sour ; Butlers may strive but match it not With all the wines in Pharaoh's tower.
Long may'st thou mid thy sons repose ; Thy Dyers dye, but not expire ; Thy Pierces only pierce thy foes ; And still thy Walls be rising higher.
As coming years pass o'er thy head May future messengers of grace, New Bakers, come with living bread Suited to thy peculiar Case,
With Snows as bright, and Foggs as light, As those who blessed thy church of yore, And no new schisms ever blight Thy peace and Christian kindness, more.
END OF VOLUME I.
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