USA > Maine > Knox County > Thomaston > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. II > Part 3
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockland > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. II > Part 3
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. II > Part 3
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 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
-
The Ship-builders' Bank in Rockland was incorporated March 7th, with "a capital of $100,000; and such was its
2*
1
18
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
prestige that its stock was rapidly taken up, and its business commenced in June, auspiciously, under direction of Henry C. Lowell, president, and Wm. L. Pitts, cashier. Some ob- scurity has ever rested upon the affairs of this Bank ; but it would seem that the confidence reposed in these officers was such that the directors neglected the ordinary precautions against their mismanagement. The bonds given by the cashier were not renewed at the expiration of his first year, and he, with or without the knowledge of the president, rushed into hazardous speculations with the funds of the Bank, to supply the loss of which a vast and unknown amount of its bills were put in circulation without the knowledge of the directors, or any record by which the amount could be ascertained. These circulated for a time without suspicion ; but, as they began to return faster than the Bank was able to redeem them, embarrassments arose. New officers (viz., A. K. Kim- ball, president, and A. W. Kennedy of Warren, cashier,) were appointed, and attempts were made to examine into the cause of defalcation. These attempts resulted in nothing certain, except that the funds of the Bank had disappeared, a large amount of its paper had been clandestinely put in circulation, no bondsmen were found liable, its credit was gone, and the former cashier had absconded to avoid arrest. Its affairs were put into the hands of receivers, Jan. 10, 1855; and Mr. Lowell, unable to face the defrauded stockholders and an in- dignant public, whose confidence and esteem he had till then fully enjoyed, sought a retreat for his family and his mortifi- cation in the far West.
On the 13th of January, the house of the Free- Will Bap- tist Society of Rockland, completed and finished, was ded- icated to the worship of God by the usual services, including a sermon by Rev. P. Weaver, address to the church and society by Rev. J. Mariner, and dedicatory hymn written for the occasion by Mrs. Ramsey. The edifice is situated on Camden street, in the north-castern part of the city, and has accommodations for 200 persons, being valued, by the census of 1860, at $2000. An elegant bible was presented to the society by Dr. Thos. Frye, a choice table by Franklin N. Brown, and $257 contributed for the purchase of a bell. The church was organized as early as June 27, 1851, and consist- ed of seven members only, of whom J. H. Young was chosen standing clerk, and Hollis Kirkpatrick, deacon. Its mem- bers, in 1862, amounted to 120, - Jacob Thomas and Stephen Prescott being then deacons, and Abel Walker standing clerk. * The pasters of this society have been, Rev. Wm. H.
£
19
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
Littlefield, from June, 1852, to April, 1859; Rev. Jason Mariner, from June, 1860, to June, 1862; and, in Nov., 1862, Rev. Ebenezer Knowlton, succeeded, in 1864, by Rev. Albert P. Tracy .*
The corner stone of an Episcopal Church, also, named St. Peters, on Park street, was laid, July 11th of this year, with appropriate ceremonies by Rt. Rev. Bishop Geo. Burgess. Notwithstanding the discouragement consequent on the great fire in May preceding, in which were totally destroyed the temporary place of worship and church furniture of the small band which, on the 18th of January, had been organized into the parish of St. Peters and obtained the services of a rector, the building was, under the advice and generous gift of Bishop Burgess, now commenced and by the end of February, 1854, brought to a successful close. This edifice, in Gothic style, 65 feet long by 35 feet wide, with four buttresses on . each side and at the gable an octagonal tower surmounted by a cross, with a stained glass window, ornaments, and devices, is capable of seating 300 persons; and cost between $3000 and $4000. Much of the expense was defrayed by contribu- tions from churches of the order in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. A tower and spire were added in May, 1858. The first and only rector, thus far, of this church, was Rev. George Slattery, who came from Saco, preached his first dis- course here July 11, 1852, and continued the duties of his office till his resignation was, April 10, 1860, accepted with much regret by his parish. The wardens, senior and junior, of this church have been in different years, N. G. Bourne, WV. L. Pitts, C. N. Germaine, Richard Walker, Lewis Hall, Chas. A. Reed, Jos. Benson, O. G. Hall, and S. H. Holbrook.
There were interesting temperance lectures this season by Rev. S. C. Fessenden, John Hawkins, the reformed drunkard, and others; and, under the operation of the Maine law and its faithful execution, during two months from July 1st, by I. G. Day, constable and keeper of the lock-up, (for the erec- tion of which $200 had been voted the previous year,) it ap- peared that there was 60 per cent. less of drunkenness in the place than in the months preceding. The Lime Rock and Hyperion divisions of S. of T. held a pleasant celebration, Dec. 24th, with a procession, appropriate addresses, and re- freshments at Beethoven Hall; and a series of bi-monthly mass meetings commenced Jan. 18, 1854.
The Benevolent_Union Association, for the relief of the
* Rockland Gazette, communication of Abel Walker, Esq.
20
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
destitute, was formed at the close of Nov. 1853, with Messrs. N. A. Farwell, G. J. Burns, T. K. Osgood, and J. Wakefield, as officers.
On the evening of January 3, 1853, two young men, gun- ning on Jameson's Point, discovered the dead bodies of a man and woman, their broken boat and its contents, in the surf on and near the shore. They proved to be those of John Smith and his wife, long the only occupants of Laisdell's Island, who had visited Camden for a few New Year purchases, on the 31st, starting for home and their lonely children just before dark ; had met a head wind and some sea, and, run- ning for Rockland harbor, had kept in too near the Point, struck a rock, and, bewildered by the darkness and chilled by the cold, failed to reach the shore. On the the 16th July, during a heavy shower, one barn and four dwellings were struck by lightning; and, on the evening of September 6th, the place was again visited by a smart thunder shower, during which, a horse belonging to J. Wakefield was supposed to have been killed by the lightning, though the building, a few feet from which he stood, was not struck. As Oliver Gay of this place, and Chas. Winslow, formerly of Waldoboro', were engaged in blasting rock at the marine railway, on Ingra- ham's Point, September 19th, having put in a charge and ignit- ed the fuse, they withdrew a sufficient time, as they supposed, but unfortunately returned at the moment of its explosion. Gay was much injured, and Winslow's skull so badly shat- tered that he died the next day. On the 7th October, Joseph D. Thurston, employed at the machine shop of Thurston & Ingraham, at the North End, whilst under derangement in a typhoid fever, during the temporary absence of his brother, left his room in the night time; and, notwithstanding an im- mediate search, no trace of him was discovered till Sunday, when he was found dead, having made his way 120 feet up into a subterranean passage, which crossed the street in the immediate vicinity of the work-shop. A storm of snow with a violent north-east wind occurred December 29th, blocking up the roads and stopping the moils west of Bath for six days, so that 14 mail-bags arrived at this place simultaneously. Much shipping suffered along the coast; and, in this harbor, among other slight damages, the schooners Edwin of Sullivan, and Richmond of this port, went ashore and were wrecked or burnt. The schooner Henry Franklin of this place, loaded with moulding sand, was lost on Race Point with all on board except the Captain, Samuel Thomas, who succeeded with great difficulty in reaching the shore through the surf. Those
21
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
who perished were Nathan A. Saunders, mate, and his father, both of Rockland, and Charles Merrill of Augusta.
1854. An Act to incorporate the town of Rockland into a city, was passed by the Legislature at its session of 1854, subject to a vote of the inhabitants, accepting or rejecting the same. This was decided at a town meeting duly called on the 3d of June, by the following vote; for accepting, 238 ; against, 110; and the event was greeted in the evening by martial music of the brass band, through the streets, ringing of bells, firing of cannon, sending up of rockets and Roman candles, a huge bonfire of tar-barrels, and other demonstra- tions of joy. In the course of two or three weeks the select- men proceeded to divide the city, by specific boundaries, into seven wards, preparatory to an election of city officers, which was made July 8th, 1854; handsome rooms were provided for the city council, in the Berry block ; and the city of Rock- land, with the Hon. Knott Crockett as its mayor, commenced its career, as the 8th city chartered in the State and the 5th in population.
At the annual meeting in March, 1854, the town had voted that the selectnien cause a survey to be made of the town lines and all the different roads and streets, designate the latter by names and guide-boards, and produce a plan of the same; but, by a subsequent vote, this work was postponed till after the adoption of the city charter. Applications for building side-walks in many of these streets had been fre- quently made since the separation of the place from Thomas- ton, and usually referred to the selectmen ; but, in 1853, $1000 had been appropriated for their construction.
The North Bank of this city was incorporated March 20th of this year, with a capital of $50,000; and, in October, chose its directors and went into operation, with John Bird, president, and Stephen N. Hatch, cashier, both of whom still continue. This bank is located in the Crockett block, dis- counts on Monday, and pays at present an annual dividend of six per cent. to its 132 stockholders .* Of Patent or Im- proved Lime Kilns, a newly invented one, by Messrs. A. D. Nichols and Davis Tilson, was tried this year and promised to be valuable and important; another was introduced the following year by Hon. Chas. Crockett, which was thought to save fifty per cent. in the amount of fuel ; and still an- .other in 1857, patented by Mr. Abner Weeks, saving the time and expense of cooling and re-heating the kiln. But,
* . Report of Bank Commissioners, 1863.
22
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
of the improved kilns, that now most generally used in the place is the Snow kiln, introduced from Glen Falls, N. Y., by Chas. W. Snow, Esq., about 1857; upon which, we believe, no patent fee is paid by builders here. A new brick block was this year erected by Larkin Snow, on the corner of Main and Spring streets, containing a store in the first story, offices in the second, and the armory of the City Guards in the third ; also, at the North End, the spacious Crockett block, by Charles Crockett, containing, among its apartments, "the Granite Hall"; also, the Thorndike block of stores on the corner of Main and Sea streets. The Rockland Hotel Com- pany, with a capital of $40,000, having been incorporated, March 30, 1852, organized the present year by choosing a body of directors ; but we are not aware that anything further was done.
The Rockland City Guards, a light infantry company, after instruction by Davis Tilson, graduate of West Point. and re- ceiving from the State the requisite number of muskets, or- ganized by choice of Col. H. G. Berry, captain, G. J. Burns, Jona. Spear, and A. S. Dyer, lieutenants, Wm. H. Titcomb, orderly sergeant, and O. J. Conant, ensign ; and, attired in its handsome uniform of blue and gold, was soon attracting gen- eral admiration. It was presented with a beautiful flag, May 8, 1855, by his Honor the Mayor, as was Capt. Berry, in Aug., 1855, with a silver pitcher and gold chain and plate attached, by members of the company.
A week of extreme cold occurred between January 19th and 27th, the mercury in this city falling at sunrise, for the most. part, below 10° minus. On the 30th and 31st of March, fifteen inches of snow fell, and, followed by cold weather, made excellent sleighing. Dirigo Engine Company caused a fine flag-staff to be erected, May Ist; but the joy of the occasion and the day was interrupted by the fall of the shears used, which struck and seriously injured Frederic Sweetland. The company's contemplated ball was, in con- sequence, postponed, and a substantial token of sympathy in a handsome subscription tendered the sufferer Knott C., a little son of Isaac Simmons, was accidently drowned, July 29th, in Chickawauka Lake. On the 30th September, the schooner Ontario, Capt. H. G. Penniman, on her passage out from Boston to this port, went on to the ledge called the Dev- il's Back; where, after lying with bow and stern afloat three. hours, she broke in two, precipitating the crew into the sca; all four of whom, including the mate, David Beals of this city, perished; the captain alone retaining his hold on the wreck
23
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
till morning, when he was taken off by a passing fisher- man.
Among the lectures at Beethoven Hall, may be mentioned an attractive poem on "the past and present," by W. C. Williamson of Belfast, February 14th, repeated the 28th ; and, on the week ending February 22, a series of lectures on "sympathy or no sympathy," on "civil liberty," and on "true greatness of soul," by Charles Lowell, Esq., a native. of South Thomaston. A crowded audience also assembled, August 5th, to hear a lecture on temperance, from Hon. Neal Dow, the celebrated author of the Maine Law, which was followed by lectures against the same, August 12th, by S. Carey of Houlton, and L. D. Wilkinson of Saco.
1855. The storm of Jan. 19th, with a strong north-east gale and very high tides, swept disastrously over the whole shore border of the city, destroying property to the amount of $20,000, distributed among the owners of wharves, lime- sheds, kilns, wood, lime, and coal, as well as the Marine Rail- way company, whose entire works were swept away. The tide at Matinicus was three feet higher than ever known be- fore ; and buildings that had stood 40 years were carried away by its fury. The first week in February was cold, the mer- cury falling to 160 minus, at one time, and the bay, on the 7th and 8th, freezing over as far out as Owl's Head; but the whole winter was nearly destitute of sleighing. On March 14th, much damage was done by a storm to the shipping; two schooners were sunk or went to pieces at the wharves, -one, the Minerva, lime-loaded, went ashore at Ingraham's Point, as .did also a sloop. Capt. John Hart of this place was so badly injured on board his vessel, that, after lingering about a fortnight and undergoing amputation, mortification set in and caused his death, March 25th, -leaving a wife and two young children. In a violent gale, April 2d, also, the brig Duncan, Capt. Isaac A. Porter, master, and Henry S. Verril!, mate, both of this place, from Philadelphia for Bath with coal, went down with every soul on board, in sight of the schooner Elvira, which lay by her four hours unable to render any aid, from the violence of the waves. The early spring was dry, but hay and most crops were good. In July the harbor swarmed with mackerel.
The North Fire and Marine Insurance Company in Rock- land was incorporated March 12th; but its principal mover, John Bird, having become interested in the Lime Rock In- surance Company, it never went into operation. Among the losses by fire this year was that of the steam-mill on Main
.
24
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
street, before mentioned, on the evening of Oct. 25th, the owners losing about $12,000, while O. P. & J. Merriam, manufacturers of doors, sash and blinds, and in part occu- pants, lost $400,-none of the parties being insured. The fire originated near the boiler. As an additional means of safety against such occurrences, the mayor and aldermen made an arrangement with the Water Company by which .twenty hydrants attached to the Company's pipes were put down in convenient places through the most compact portions of the city. A Watch was also appointed, for the nightly protection of the city; which has, more or less, been con- tinued, through the winter at least, in succeeding years.
A Temperance Jubilee was held in Crockett's block March 16th, when well spread tables did honor to the ladies who prepared the feast for a gratified and crowded assemblage, who listened to eloquent speeches from several gentlemen called out by the promptness and wit of the president, Free- man Harden, who, among other sentiments gave the follow- ing: "our worthy mayor; a hard knot for the rummies." A grand festival, procession, and collation at Granite Hall, was held, July 17th, on the meeting of the Grand Division of the S. of T. with the Lime Rock and Hyperion Divisions of this city. By the energetic labors of David M. James, city. marshal, violators of the law were prosecuted and liquor sell- ing kept to a good degree in check, till " after the September election, when the flood-gates of intemperance were opened anew, more especially by the refusal of the Grand Jury to do their duty in sending for witnesses in cases of persons who had been tried in the Municipal Court, and, on clear and conclusive evidence, bound over for appearance at the October term of the Supreme Court."*
On the 15th Jan. 1855, the City Council authorized the treasurer to procure by loan $10,000 to pay outstanding or- ders and town liabilities. This indebtedness of the city has, of course, increased since, -especially within the last few years, in consequence of soldiers' bounties, and other expen- ditures incident to a state of war; and a permanent loan of $30,000 has of late been effected at 5 per cent., -all of which is taken by residents of the place. The entire indebt- edness of the city, was in 1863, about $60,000.+
In a tax of seven mills on a dollar this year (1855) as- sessed, 105 individuals paid over $50, forty-five paid over
*Report of City Marshal, for 1855.
t Mayor Wiggin's address of March, 1863
25
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
$100, and three over $500; whilst the number of those pay- ing $20 and upwards was very large.
Ship-building, which was very flourishing this year, by the high wages it offered, drew off many workmen from other pursuits and somewhat lessened the lime product, which was still further decreased by the high prices of provisions, dul- ness of trade, and the want of building in New York. New buildings, however, still went up in this city. The Thorndike hotel, built the past year of brick, covered with mastic cement, three stories in front and four in the rear, extending 80 feet on Main and 60 on Sea streets, with ample accommodations for a first class hotel, and several stores on the first floor, was opened, May 8th, by Capt. Wm. H. Thorndike, proprietor. The hotel kept by J. C. Merrill before mentioned, which had taken the name of its predecessor, the Commercial House, was also this year enlarged by an additional wing of eight suits of rooms, and put in first rate condition. Both houses, were, it is believed, well patronized by the large number of steamboat travellers and the public generally. The new, beautiful, and well-appointed schconer Greyhound, in August commenced running as a regular packet between this place and Vinalhaven. The North Marine Railway was this year constructed, being commenced in June and completed by December, at a cost of $11,000, ind fitted to receive ships of 1400 tons. The company was incorporated the following winter, with a capital of $75,000. The first Savings Bank, incorporated February 28. 1855, consisted of Chas. W. Snow and 27 others, principal citizens of the place, who met April 13th ; and, after voting in eight new members, accepted the charter and chose a committee on by-laws. The beneficent institution, however, seems never to have gone into operation ; and a second one, incorporated in 1861, in which Mr. Tit- comb was principal mover, shared a like fate in consequence of the supervening troubles growing out of the rebellion.
A new volunteer militia company was this year organized by the name of the Mechanic's Rifle company, whose uniform was gold-laced black velvet caps and grey clothes trimmed with black. Its first officers were E. C. Spalding, captain, succeeded before the close of the year by Joseph Farwell ; with Samuel J. Erskine and Gilbert Perry, lieutenants.
In November, a new weekly paper, the UNITED STATES DEMOCRAT, with 150 subscribers, was commenced in this city by A. & E. Sprague, printers and publishers. It was of good appearance, ably conducted, and warmly devoted to the support of the Democratic party. After a time, March, 1858,
VOL. II. 3 '
26
HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
its subscription list, having increased to about 1000, was further swollen by the transfer to it of about 800 more from the MAINE FREE PRESS, a paper which had been established at Belfast in support of Pierce's administration. After this, it took the name of the DEMOCRAT AND FREE PRESS ; is now devoted to the cause of the Union and Freedom ; and has a circulation of about 1400.
The Youth's Educational Union, in default of other effort, this year engaged public lecturers, and devoted the proceeds to the benefit of its library. These were Capt. Stehendsohn, a Hungarian exile; Rev. I. S. Kalloch, Feb. 13th, and again Jan. 10th; J. G. Saxe, on "the money-king," Aug. 9th ; Rev. Jas. Belcher of Oldtown, on "the bible in our common schools," April 13th; Mrs. E. Oakes Smith, on "woman and the times," a poem, Nov. 27th, and "the dignity of labor," Nov. 28th; and Rev. J. O. Skinner, on "the unity of the human race," Dec. 27th.
1856. There was a severe storm Jan. 13th, in which the roads were so blocked up that the western mails did not reach here till the 16th. A similar interruption occurred from Feb. 17th to the 20th. On the extremely cold night of Jan. 28th, a fire destroyed the wooden blocks of G. W. Palmer and Wm. Wilson, on Main street, each valued at $2000 and insured for $1500. The principal sufferers were, E. R. Spear, book- seller, F. G. Cook, druggist, Thos. Wiggin, shoe dealer, C. N. Germaine, physician, E. A. Mansfield, H. P. Wood & Son, hardware, C. G. Moffit, clothing, and N. A. & S. H. Burpee, furniture dealers. January was remarkable for being entirely destitute of its usual thaw. The whole winter is memorable for its immense depth of snow, enormous drifts, and uneven roads, over which passing sleighs rose and plunged like ships in a stormy sea. The fine sunny weather of March and April, upon the great body of snow, produced, especially in this city, bad travelling and some stage accidents. April 4th, the two story house of John Porter (2d), at the extreme South End, took fire, from some unknown cause, at two in the morning, and, the state of the streets preventing the en- gines getting to it, was totally consumed. Loss $1800, in- sured $1500. A sound resembling the explosion of a powder mill, was, at 9 A. M., of April 11th, distinctly heard in this city, and more especially at Belfast, where it shook the houses, and was supposed to be caused by a metcor falling south of that place. There was some hot weather June 22d, when the mercury stood at 990 here; and again in July, followed by dense fogs and bad hay weather. Mackerel were abundant
27
ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
in the harbor and caught from the wharves. A small two- story building owned by Pendleton & Howes, occupied as a variety store by Joseph Farnham, on North Main street, was burned at two o'clock in the morning of December 2d ; valued, building $575, insured, $375, and stock at $500, not insured. The 18th December was severely cold; the mer- cury being 14° minus at sunrise, in this city. During the violent gale which accompanied this severe cold, the schooner Belcher struck on Race Point, and, but for the almost super- human exertions of the mate, A. T. Spear of this city, who cut off his frozen overcoat with a hatchet, and succeeded in reaching the shore with a line, all on board had perished. About the same time, the schooner Excelsior of this city was lost on her passage from Aux Cayes to New York, together with her captain, Alfred Babbidge, Jr., his wife, his brother, his sister, and his child.
The business of the place was this year rather inactive, both in commerce and manufactures, especially ship-building. Many private residences, some of them elegant, were erect- ed, and two or three brick blocks; one by the Berrys, on the corner of Main and Lime Rock streets ; and one by Wil- son and White, north of the Thorndike hotel on Main street, containing Phoenix Hall. . A new steam mill was also con- structed on the corner of Main and Willow streets, at a cost of $5000, and owned by K. Crockett, F. Harrington, G. A. Stevens and I. Gregory. The wooden block of Palmer and Wilson was rebuilt, and a new one, also, by Richard Walker, opposite the Spear block, at the raising of which the owner was severely injured by a fall of part of the frame. The Palmer & Wilson block has been since, in June, 1862, again · burnt, and again immediately rebuilt in a handsome manner, three stories high, containing four stores, and owned by Wood & Sons, C. G. Moffit and Dr. Frye.
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.