USA > Maine > York County > History of York County, Maine, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 112
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SURFACE, SOIL, ETC.
The southeast is comparatively level, while to the north- west the surface is more broken. Although there are sev- eral high hills within the limits of the town, there is but one of them worthy the name of mountain. Near the north- east corner of the town is the point which is known by the name of " Wentworth's Mountain," because formerly owned by Thomas M. Wentworth. This mountain is not within the original limits of the township.
There is a strip of level land, of about two miles in width, extending across the whole town, on its southeastern side, adjoining the town of Berwick. About midway of this level there is a moderate swell. On the westerly side of the town this rises into a ridge of hills which extends north through its whole length, nearly parallel to Salmon Falls River. On the west it slopes to that river, and on the east towards the centre of the town. At the termination of the level, near the centre, the land rises in an even swell that extends north, leaving a valley. An eastern slope, falling towards Sanford, leaves a space of comparatively level land towards the line of that town. A narrow space adjoining Sanford is broken into small hills. A strip about half a
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE T. M. WENTWORTH, LEBANON, YORK CO., MAINE.
413
TOWN OF LEBANON.
mile in width, extending across the whole breadth of the town, joining the town of Acton, is composed of steep hills, filled with broken fragments of white quartz, from which silver is being mined in the fixed rock, a few miles north- west. The best mica bed in the county occurs a short distance east of Lebanon Centre.
The southwesterly part of the town is pine plains, and worth hut little for purposes of agriculture, although first settled. On the road leading from Berwick through West Lebanon village to Acton, after leaving the flat land, are found many good farms and fine country residences.
The most profitable crop is hay, the soil in many sections being well adapted to the growth of grass. Little River furnishes water-power for several saw-mills and a grist-mill at Little River Falls, near the southeast corner of the town. A large brook, running southerly through the town, furnishes water sufficient for running a saw-mill, spring and fall. Salmon Falls River, the western boundary, furnishes several good mill-privileges, upon which are erected, within the limits of the town, several saw-mills, and one mill for wool carding. Most of these privileges are under the control of the Great Falls Manufacturing Company.
TITLE TO THE SOIL.
The General Court of Massachusetts, in 1733, passed a resolve to open four townships for settlement, three of which were to be located in Massachusetts, and one on the eastern side of Salmon Falls River, at the head of Berwick, in the county of York. These towns were limited in territory to six miles square. In pursuance of that resolve, Sir William Pepperell, John Alding, and Richard Milbury were ap- pointed a committee to lay out 60 lots " in the most de- fensible manner" for settlers, together with the necessary highways. Having completed their survey, taken the bonds required of settlers, and made their return to the General Court, together with the plan of the lots and high- ways laid out, their doings were accepted. These lots were ready for assignment in October.
In consequence of the frequent Indian wars, the govern- ment required all new towns to be laid out in a compact and defensible manner, and home-lots were located and drawn first near some central or accessible point. In 1735 the township was confirmed to Joseph Chadbourne, Nathan Lord, Joseph Hartt, Ichabod Goodwin, Edward Arnold, Elisha Plaisted, and 54 others, their associates, with the following bounds : Beginning on Berwick Head line, at the Lower Stair Falls, in Newichawannock River, and running northeast by east, on Berwick line, six miles and two hundred rods ; then northwest by north six miles and eighty rods ; then southwest by west by Massachusetts lands and lands granted to Jonathan Bagly, Esq., to Salmon Falls River; then southerly by said river to the place of beginning. All holding land at the present time within the foregoing limits hold by virtue of the above grant, no portion of the land within this township ever having been conveyed by an Indian deed.
The proprietors were required to make actual settlement within two years, to each clear eight acres of land fit for mowing and tillage, and to build each a dwelling-house at least eighteen feet square, with seven-feet posts. They were
also required to build a meeting-house and settle a learned Orthodox, or Protestant minister, and provide for his sup- port. To this end, and for the support of schools, there were reserved three lots,-one for the ministry, one for the first settled minister, and one for the support of schools within the town. A bond of £20 was exacted from each settler.
SETTLEMENT.
The original proprietors of the town were mostly residents of Berwick, Kittery, York and Somersworth, and Dover, in New Hampshire. But very few, if any, of them ever settled in this town.
By the terms of their charter the original proprietors were required, in making the divisions of land in the township, to consider the first minister, the ministry and schools, each, as one of themselves,-that is, one lot should be drawn for the first minister settled in the town, one for the support of the ministry, and one for the support of schools in the town at each drawing. This provision of the charter gov- erned the action of the committee appointed by the Gen- eral Court to lay out the lots for the first settlers.
The proprietors, under the management of William Pep- perell, commenced their labors by laying out a highway from Berwick Head line, at a point two hundred and thirty- six rods northeast by east from Salmon Falls River, and extending northwest by north into the township a distance of three miles. Along this highway 63 " home-lots" were laid out, varying in size from 20 to 35 acres, one of which was allotted to each original proprietor, one to the first min- ister, one to the ministry, and one to schools. Upon them the first settlers located. These lots are nearly all included within the present limits of school district No. 1. These lots were surveyed by Joseph Chadbourne, surveyor, and Samuel Mill Ceny (?), and Ebenezer Moulton, Sr., chairman, who were sworn to their duty by William Pep- perell. The plat was accepted by the General Court, March 24, 1735, and the lots were drawn by the following persons : Moses Abbot, B. B. Allen, Edward Arnold, Nathan Blodgett, Jona. Bowers, Ebenezer Blaisdell, Thomas G. Butler, Ch. Bradbury, Capt. Caleb Blodgett, William Buster, Nathl. Bray, Samuel Came, Zebedee Chandler, Jos. Chadbourne, Jas. Chadbourne, Richard Cutt, Jr., John Curtis, Jr., Joseph Chandler, Zachariah Emery, Chas. Frost, Jr., Ralph Farnum, James Frost, John Fry, Eleazer Ferguson, John Fay, Elisha Gunnison, Nath. Gubtail, William Gerrish, James Gerrish, Ichabod Goodwin, Wil- liam Gowen, James Grant, Joseph Hartt, Elisha Hill, Stephen Hardison, Richd. Hearl, John Hodgdon, Joseph Junkins, Thomas Kidder, Samuel Kendall, Richard Lord, Benjamin Libby, John Lewis, Tobias Leighton, John Lord, Nathan Lord, Hiram Lord. The ministry, Noah Marble. The minister's lot, Ebenezer Moulton, Jere. Moulton, Elisha Plaisted, Jos. Peevey, James Parker, Daniel Smith. The school-lot, John Stevens, Samuel Sewell, Jere. Sprague, Joseph Sayward, Benj. Thompson, Abel Whitney.
By reference to the histories of the Berwicks, in another part of this work, it will be seen that many of the above names were of residents of that town at an earlier period, and even later, as they were owners or proprietors, many of whom never completed the settlement of their grants.
414
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
They were slow in procuring settlers, and were under the necessity of applying to the General Court for an extension of time. From the best information that can now be ob- tained, it does not appear that there were any settlers within the town previous to 1746. The names of the first settlers were Farnham, Copp, Door, Hussey, Rines, Stevens, Blaisdell, Tebbets, Kenney, Wallingford, McCrelis, Perkins, Corson, Burrows, Goodwin, Yeaton, Furbush, and Cowell. Probably there were others whose names are not known at this day. These came from Berwick, Kittery, Somers- worth, Dover, and York.
The best farming-lands are upon what is now called the " centre road," extending northwest through the centre of the town. Many settlers were early attracted to the lands along its route, and others located along the road laid out by the proprietors from the Berwick line northward through South Lebanon and West Lebanon, on the home-lots.
PROPRIETARY GOVERNMENT.
Under a warrant issued by John Hill, Esq., justice of the peace of Berwick, in response to a petition of himself and eleven others, the first proprietors' meeting was held at the house of Samuel Lord, innholder, in Berwick,* Oct. 15, 1735.
Samuel Came was chosen moderator of the meeting, and Joseph Hartt elected proprietors' clerk. Elisha Plaisted, James Grant, and Richard Lord were elected a committee to order the prudential affairs of the town, assessors, col- lectors, and " agents to prosecute any persons who should make any trespass on the common and undivided lands."
" Voted, That the proprietors shall make application to the elerk for a warrant to call proprietors' meetings.
" Voted, That the highways of the town shall be cleared and made passable by the last of next November ensuing, and that it shall be done in money by an assessment of 20s. ou each proprietor."
The committee were ordered to clear one acre of the minister's lot and open the highways. Sixty pounds were voted for roads. The town was without a name until its incorporation, in 1767. Though the Indian name of Tow- weh was applied to the location at an early day, it never found place on any of the proprietors' records, they choos- ing the rather descriptive title of "The-new-town-lately- granted-by-the-General-Court-at-the-Head-of-Berwick," and sometimes adding to this, " On-the-easterly-side-of-Salmon- Falls-River !"' After the incorporation they adopted the name of Lebanon.
Joseph Hartt became the first treasurer, in 1737, and a committee was appointed to wait upon Col. Pepperell about the funds of the concern, which had been at first placed in his hands, and which were now wanted to expend upon the meeting-house lot. Work in the township was done by Capts. James Grant, Elisha Plaisted, and Joseph Libby. In 1738, 8 acres were cleared on the minister's lot, and a survey of the rivers made to find the most convenient place for building a saw-mill. What trees were found cut without authority, and those cut in opening roads, were sold to the highest bidder. The next March it was decided to prose-
cute any person who should trespass by erecting any mill- dam without leave of a majority of the proprietors.
In 1741 it was voted to divide all the land " from Zera Sprague's to the river," including the west part of the town, between the road aud Salmon Falls River. The agents were instructed "to address the General Court in regard to sundry persons making a mill-dam athwart the river Newichawannock, and damaging the timber by over- flowing the lands." In September, 1742, it was voted to build a meeting-house, " 35 by 42, two stories high, jutting over ;" and Benjamin Libby, Ichabod Goodwin, and Capt. Sam. Sewall were a committee to hire men to build it, and clear a part of the minister's lot for it.
At the next drawing, Joseph Hartt was appointed to draw the names and numbers, and two lots were drawn for " Hon. Wm. Pepperell, Esq."
A fine of 40s. was fixed about this time for cutting any pine-tree above 12 inches through at the stump. Gar- land's mill was compromised with soon after, and a mill- privilege was laid, beginning 20 rods above Garland's mill- dam, and including 80 acres of land.
A meeting was held Nov. 20, 1744, to agree on building a sufficient fortification " to defend His Majesties Subjects."
It was voted " that two flankers shall be joined to the meeting-house that is to be built." More of the lots were surveyed in that year, the labor being paid for in "new tenor" currency at 6s. a day. A committee petitioned the General Court for " the town's money in the hands of Hon. Mr. Pepperell to build the fort with."
The lots were all surveyed in 1748, but were not equal- ized to draw until 1750. The records are silent from 1746 to 1748. A destructive fire, supposed set by Indians, ran through the woods in 1749, destroying much valuable timber, and causing great distress. A warrant for a meeting to raise money to build a garrison was sent to be put in the public prints. In May, 1751, it was again voted to build a meeting-house and to build a grist-mill. Forty shillings were assessed on the rights to build the meeting-house.
In 1753 a frame for a meeting-house was raised. The next year it was boarded and shingled, doors made and hung, a double floor laid, and rough seats made inside, ar- ranged in two rows, one for the use of the men, and the other for women, and the lot partially cleared for defense against the approach of Indians. The dimensions of this house were 30 by 40 feet ; it was two stories in height. It was erected upon the lot drawn for the use of the min- istry, and stood upon an elevated spot of land on the west side of the "old road," about one-fourth of a mile southerly from the house now occupied by James R. Chamberlain.
Deacon Gershom Wentworth and William Moore were appointed to procure a minister to preach about the middle of May, and again about the middle of June, the expense to be defrayed by the proprietors. Forty pounds more were assessed upon the rights to pay a minister and other accrued charges. Benj. Chadbourne was instructed to call upon Sir William Pepperell for the nails he promised, and Deacon Wentworth engaged " to make doors and rough seats for the people to sit on." In 1755 a minister was procured for four Sabbaths.
* At Quamphegan Landing, now South Berwick village.
RES. OF JOEL G. HERSOM ... LEBANON, MAINE.
415
TOWN OF LEBANON.
In 1756 it was voted that a suitable fortification be built about Capt. Benj. Tibbetts' house and at the meeting-house. This was built on the western side of the road leading from Berwick to West Lebanon village, near the Ivory Stevens place. The "Tibbetts' Garrison" was built with posts and boards, extending on the fore side and east, with flankers on the southeast corner 12 feet square and 2 stories high, built of good square timbers.
A garrison was also built a little east or south of the old road on William Gowen's lot, and stood a little north of the present dwelling of George F. Furbush. This was 4 rods square, with two 10-feet square flankers or projecting angles, built of heavy timbers, from which the walls of the main inclosure could be raked by a fire of musketry. This was all surrounded by pickets well set in the ground; these to be large poles, set double, and rising 10 feet above the sur- face.
In 1759 a frame house was erected on the minister's lot, a little to the southeast of the meeting-house, and nearer the road, for the first minister. This frame stood only a short time, when it was burnt down. In 1762 the proprietors erected another frame, and so far finished the house as to render it fit to be used as a place for keeping a school.
Rev. Isaac Hasey was settled as minister in 1765. There was never any meeting of the proprietors held in Lebanon. In 1742 they met at the inn of Ichabod Goodwin, in Ber- wick, and afterwards at the houses of John Lord, Jr., and Nahum Marshall. Their records continue until 1801.
INCORPORATION.
Previous to 1767 there was no name for the town of Lebanon. For the thirty-four years from its charter, in 1733, it was only known on the records as "The new township at the head of Berwick, on the east side of Little Falls River." The name first occurs in the act of incorpo- ration, which reads :
" Whereas, The erecting of the plantation called Lebanon, or Tow- wow," into a town will greatly contribute to the growth thereof and remedy many inconveniences to which the Inhabitants and Proprie- tors may be otherwise subjected. Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and House of Representatives, that the plantation aforesaid, beginning at Salmon Fall River, on the north bounds of the township of Berwick, and to run northeast and by east with that line six miles two hundred rods, then northwest and by north six miles and eighty rods with the Province land, then southwest and by west with the unappropriated lands of the government and a grant made to Jona- than Bagley, Esq., to the river aforesaid, and then with the said river to the hounds first mentioned, be and is hereby erected into a town by the name of LEBANON, and that the Inhabitants thereof be and are here- hy invested with all the Powers, Privileges, and immunities which the inhabitants of the towns within this Province do enjoy. And he it en- acted that Benjamin Chadbourne, Esq., be, and is hereby, empowered to issue his warrant directed to some principal inhabitant in said town requiring him to warn the inhabitants of the said town who have an estate of freehold according to charter, to meet at such time and place as shall he therein set forth, to choose all such officers as are or shall be required by law to manage the affairs of the said town.
" Dated June 13th, and signed hy the Governor, Fra. Bernard, June 17, 1767."
A warrant was accordingly issued by Benjamin Chad- bourne, justice of the peace, to Mr. Joseph Farnham, for
a meeting to be held at the meeting-house, September 14th of that year, at one o'clock in the afternoon, to choose town officers for the remainder of the year. At this meeting Joseph Farnham was chosen Moderator; Rev. Isaac Hasey, Town Clerk; Tristram Copps, Joseph Farnham, Joseph Farnham, Jr., Selectmen ; Howard Burrows, Constable; Philip Door, Sr., Joseph Farnham, Jr., Tithingmen ; Philip Door, Sr., Samuel Corson, Surveyors of Ilighways ; Richard IIussey, Samuel Corson, Fence-Viewers and Field-Drivers ; Joshua Kenney, Gilbert Perkins, IIog-Reeves; Joseph Farnham, Tristram Copps, Richard Dorr, Wardens. At the next regular election, March, 1768, Rev. Isaac Hasey was elected Town Clerk, but declined serving, and Joseph Farnham, Jr., was chosen in his place.
The first election for Governor ever held in the town was in 1787, when 53 votes were cast, all for John Hancock.
At a meeting held March 12, 1787, to erect a new meet- ing-house near the centre of the town, the following oath of allegiance was administered to the moderator, it being rigorously demanded of all public officers that they should be emphatically loyal :
"I, James Withercll, do truly and solemnly acknowledge, profess, testify, and declare that the Common Wealth is, and of right ought to be, a free, sovereign, and independent State, and I do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the said Commonwealth, and that I will defend the same against treacherous Conspiracies and all hostile attempts whatsoever, and that I do abjure and renounce all allegiance, subjection, and obedience to the King, Queen, or govern- ment of Great Britain, and every other foreign power whatsoever, and that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state, or potentate hath, or ought to have, any jurisdiction, superiority, pre-eminence, or power in any matter civil, ecclesiastical, or spiritual within the common- wealth, except the authority and power which is or may be vested by their constituents in the Congress of the United States; and I do further testify and declare that no man or body of men hath or can have any right to absolve or discharge me from the obligation of this oath, declaration, or affirmation, and that I do make this acknowledg- ment, profession, testimony, declaration, denial, denunciation, and abjuration heartily and according to the common meaning and accep- tation of the foregoing words without any Mental Evasion or Secret Reservation Whatsoever. So help me God."
A bounty to the men of the town who were at Ticonde- roga and the surrender of Burgoyne was proposed in 1787, and a meeting called, but it was finally decided to devote the means to the present needs of the town.
Thomas Hall and Ezekiel Wentworth were ordered to leave town within fourteen days under penalty of the law, for having come into the town without a permit. Thomas M. Wentworth was elected delegate to the Boston Conven- tion. The selectmen of Lebanon and Shapleigh met March 24, 1790, in obedience to an act of the General Court, and established the line between the two towns, which had been a source of annoyance, on account of collection of taxes, since the occupation of Shapleigh. Much of the taxes were collected in lumber, delivered at the landing, or cattle, which were fed on tax corn, driven to Boston, and there sold by the town authorities. Daniel Wood and David Segro were elected delegates to the constitutional convention in 1819. The constitution was ratified by the people of Lebanon in a vote of 109 for to 3 against it.
PARSON HASEY'S DIARY.
The following extracts from the diary of Rev. Isaac Hasey, the first settled minister, give a vivid picture of the
* The words "or Tow-wow" are not a part of the original record, but were afterwards interlined in a different band.
416
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
home life of this frontier settlement during the Revolution- ary period.
" 1765, Sept .- Noah Lord bottomed six chairs.
" 16th .- Daniel Roberts underpinned my barn. Tomas Burrews gathered up ye towo stalks.
" 25th .- Abijah Stevens took an ox to pasture for Tristram Copps. " 30th .- Severe frost.
" Oct. 16th .- Finished digging potatoes ; 6 and a 4th bushels in all.
" Nor. 3d .- Wet day. Ben Furbish killed a steer for me, 192 Ib ; hide 374.
"7th .- Wet day ; brother John dipt 21b candles.
" 18th .- Preached at Berwick.
"27th .- Snow half leg deep in general, and more in many places ; winter indeed !
" 30th .- Clear, cool. Thanksgiving hampshire a Dea. Farnham, Esq.
" 1766, Jan. 1st .- Very cold ; soow 3 inches deep en the ground; got home late ; froze my face.
"2d .- Snow 14 inches.
" 6th .- Clear, pleasant Domini. Danl. Farnham, Dea. Blasdel & Son, Mr. Burrews joind and haled some wood for me.
" 14th .- Mr. Goodwin's child buried here.
"17th .- Clear weather, moderated some; } peck of Pease by ye Deacon.
"19th .- Clear, pleasant day, moderate. Bill up by Benjamin Bick- ford for ye satisfaction of the death of their child."
"20th .- Mostly clear; rode with mrs. Hersey to Mr. Copps, from thence to Mr. Kenys, from thence P.M. thro ye woods to mr. cersons, & home by Deacon Blasdell's ; raind in ye evg.
" 28th .- Half peck potatoes by Farbish, Sr.
" Mar. 13th .- Extremely cold; freze my fowls on the roosts in the barn.
"23d .- Cloudy day ; no bill up. Baptize 6 children of Low and Burrows.
" 27th .- Lord made about 30 rods fence on south line meeting-house Lot. Deacon built his seat in meeting-house.
" Apr. 20th .- Soow some ; clear ; rcad ye proclamation. Lord came home in ye morn after fruitless search for ye horse in York, Kittery, and Berwick.
"23d .- Clear and pleasant ; preached all day. Bill up by Richard Door returning thaoks for her safe deliverance. Mrs. Tibbets brot to bed, and a young woman at Mrs. Copses house.
"28th .- Rainy day. Lord making a bedstead.
" 1775, Jan. 17th -Clear : women cut wood at ye door. Not well ; ague. Baby bill ap. Ben Hasey.
" Apr. 20th .- Squally. Good news this morn 4 of clock, A.M. ; news of y. regulars fighting.
"21st .- Clear and windy ; rod to Berwick and returned. Master day to send off ye minute men.
" 22dd .- Musty day ; hald jog of hay from lower barn. Shecking alarm at 1 of clock last night of regulars being landed and fighting in Kittery.
"28th .- Tom burrows patting up slab fence. Mr. Cops bald 2 loads of Slabs for me from Garland's mill, one 25 for Garland and other of 30 for him self.
" May 11th .- Clear and Ilot ; air full ef Smeak; many fires around. Capt. llubard up to list men.
" 13th .- Rode to Rochester to a blacksmith.
" 18th .~ Mose Corson sowed and harrowed } bushel of peas.
"27th .- Clear and hot ; bill up by Sam Stevens for himself going inte ye army. Enoch Blaisdell and his wife owned covenant. Enoch, son of Enoch Blaisdell, baptized.
" 1776, Apr. 29th .- Thomas Goodwin moved into this town.
" May 17th .- Air cool. Continental fast, no bill ap. Lieut. Han- son here.
" June 11th .- Planted potatoes and corn hy Gt. Brook, where Bro. Farnham's hog dug up.
"20th .- Clear, llot; training-day. Officers opened their commis- sions.
" July 9th .- Clear ; training-day to list men. Jenath. Door listed with others.
"11th .- Cloudy ; rode fishing to poods.
* " Bill up" was a bulletin for prayers, posted on the meeting-house door with other public notices.
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