USA > Maine > York County > History of York County, Maine, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 114
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420
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
Congregational Society for the support of the ministry, according to the proprietors' grant.
During this coutest a party of each church-Baptist and Congregationalist-set forth one Monday morning intent upon cutting the ripened grass upon the ministerial lot. In accordance with time-honored custom, each party was plentifully supplied with rum. A deacon on one side and wordy member on the other soon became so elated that a quarrel ensued; being religious parties, who dealt not in oaths, they soon clinched, when the deacon was heard to exclaim, from under his antagonist, " Take this fly off ! take this fly off " From this open rupture the lawsuit ensued.
Five hundred dollars were added to the church fuud by Gen. Lord, of South Berwick, in 1820-23, and $2000 by beqnest of Hon. Thomas M. Wentworth in 1877.
Rev. James Weston succeeded Mr. Jewett, and was ordained pastor of church and society Feb. 10, 1824, and dismissed June 26, 1836. Rev. Joseph Loring succeeded, and was ordained Oct. 12, 1836, and dismissed in February, 1853. For several years after there was no settled minister in the parish, the pulpit being supplied by different persons hired for short periods. About 1856 or 1857, Rev. Mr. Fobes was ordained, but his health failing. he was granted dismission after a little more than one year. Rev. John H. Garmon succeeded him, and was ordained Sept. 19, 1860, and dismissed Sept. 27, 1865; and on the same day Ben- jamin G. Page was ordained as his successor. Mr. Page's health declining, at his request he was dismissed, after little muore than one year's ministration, and was succeeded by Rev. John Parsons, who was installed Nov. 9, 1869, and dismissed May 31, 1875. Rev. N. Sinnett was ordained and installed pastor on the day of Rev. Mr. Parsons' dis- missal Rev. Benjamin Dodge has been stationed supply since November, 1878.
The Orthodox society continued to worship in the meet- ing-house erceted in 1798, at the centre, until 1835, when they took it down and erected the house now occupied by them upon the same site. Membership, 54.
There have been the following deacons ordained over this church : Joseph Farnham, Ephraim Blaisdell, Ang. 8, 1765 ; Edward Burrows, 1775 ;* Joseph Farnham, Jr., Samuel Copps, 1781 ;* William Chamberlain, 1783 ;* Na- thaniel Chamberlain, 1799; John Moody, Benjamin Pray, 1501 ; Nicholas Shapleigh, 1824 ; John Moody, Jr., 1839 ; Nathaniel Chamberlain, Jr., 1839 ; and the present deacons, John E. Moody, Isaac Fall, Aug. 31, 1866; and Samuel Shapleigh, April 10, 1879. Clerk, Deacon John E. Moody, since 1865.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
A few Baptist families were residing in the southeast part of the town as early as 1790. In 1796, Deacon Na- thaniel Guptill, of Berwick, became interested at an Asso- ciation meeting, and through his invitation a minister was sent here. The first meetings in Lebanon were held in a bark house belonging to Mr. Gowen. Here a number were converted, and in August, 1797, formed themselves into a Baptist society. Soon after they engaged Elder John Chadbourne to preach for them six months. Deacon Gup-
till was baptized, and united with the Sanford Church. In 1799 they were voted the use of the old meeting-house, and, in Rev. Mr. Hasey's absence, the use of the new one. Oct. 22, 1800, these united with others living in Berwick, to the number of 19 males and 28 females, and formed the Berwick and Lebanon Baptist Church. Since the division of Berwick the name has been changed to Lebanon and North Berwick Church. Rev. Zebedee Delano was or- dained pastor June 31, 1801, and remained until 1831. During his pastorate 100 persons were added to the church. Supplies were had until 1836-38, when Rev. John Boyd added 49 members during his two years' pas- torate. Rev. Jairus E. Strong was pastor from 1839 to 1844 ; Rev. J. K. Chase, two years from September, 1845 ; Rev. Noah Hooper, 1847 to April, 1849; Rev. John Hubbard, to 1852; B. F. Hubbard, May, 1852, to 1859; T. J. Swett, 1860-61 ; S. G. Sillman, 1862; Asa H. Gould, 1863-66; G. D. Balendine, 1867; T. Bachelder, 1868- 71 ; Colby University supplies, to the settlement of W. H. Copeland in 1876; and Rev. H. M. Sawtelle, 1877 to the present time. Deacons : Nathaniel Guptill, Thomas Mur- ray, Benjamin Libby, Jr., Isaac Brackett, and T. F. Good- win. Present : S. W. Abbott. Clerk : Lewis Murray. The house of worship has been remodeled three times ; the last time in 1875, when it was rededicated by Rev. Mr. Tib- bitts, of North Berwick.
Samuel Nock and Ivory Clark have been licensed to preach. Rev. Mr. Clark was sent as missionary to Africa in 1837, and, after ten years of successful labor, died at sea on his way home, April 24, 1848.
FREE-WILL BAPTIST.
A Free-Will Baptist Church and Society were organized in 1795. They purchased the old meeting-house and moved it to West Lebanon village, where they continued to use it as their place of worship until 1832, when they took it down and erected a new house on the cross-road, a short distance east from where the old one stood. Pastor, Rev. J. G. Muncey.
The second Free-Will Baptist Society was organized in 1834. The members of this church and society are mostly residents of the northeasterly part of the town. About the time of its organization it erected a meeting-house at North Lebanon, being the house now standing there, and in which this society now worships. Membership, 150. Pastor, Rev. George S. Hill.
SCHOOLS.
It appears, by the proprietors' records, that during 1758- 59 they hired Rev. Ezra Thompson to preach and teach school for the inhabitants for a term of six months. So far as cau now be known, this was the first school within the limits of the town.
At its early settlement and with its sparse population, Lebanon had but few facilities for schooling. As the popu- lation increased schools were more liberally supported. The inhabitants have never been backward in taxing themselves for educational purposes. Since 1820, when towns were required by law to raise a specified sum for the support of schools according to the number of inhabitants, this town
* Those marked with a star ( *) were made elders.
421
TOWN OF LEBANON.
has never failed to raise that sum, and in many instances has exceeded it. The amount of money raised in 1871 was $2100, equal to about $2.72 per scholar. In 1878 the town appropriation was $1566 for a population of 529 children of school age, 352 of whom were registered as attending school. The town is divided into 19 school districts, with school property valued at $5700, under the management of a committee, of whom A. S. Ilanscomb, John E. Moody; and C. K. Cowell comprise the board for 1879.
LEBANON ACADEMY.
The inhabitants of the west side of the town built a building, at West Lebanon, two stories high, for an academy, and finished the same for use in 1848-49. The expense was met by subscription. In 1850 they obtained an act of incorporation under the name of the Board of Trustees of Lebanon Academy. Some years ago the trustees, in con- nection with others, expended $500 in enlarging and re- pairing the academy, and in 1867, $300 in putting in new furniture. In 1852 the Legislature made a grant of $1000 to the trustees, three-fourths of which was required to be invested and kept as a permanent fund, the income of which could only be expended for the maintenance of the school ; the other fourth was expended in the purchase of a chemical and philosophical apparatus. For several years after the academy was incorporated, only two terms a year were kept in it. In 1857 a subscription of $300 was raised for the purpose of sustaining a school four terms in a year ; since which time their purpose has been realized. The building was burned in 1877.
For several years past the inhabitants on the east side of the town have furnished a building and kept a high school in operation at Lebanon village, for two terms a year.
One thousand dollars were bequeathed to the Lebanon Academy by Hon. Thomas M. Wentworth in 1877, the interest to be used in its support and maintenance as long as it shall be continned for the instruction of the young.
Principal for 1789, J. W. Hutchins, A.B .; Secretary of Trustees, Elihu Hayes.
PROMINENT MEN.
Joseph Farnham, Jr., held the office of town clerk for eighteen years in succession. The Farnhams, Goodwins, Copps, Husseys, and Cowells seem to have been the lead- ing men in the town for a number of years after its incorpo- ration. Samuel Copps was elected in 1772 the first rep- resentative to the General Court.
Rev. Isaac Hasey, the first settled minister, was also a prominent business man and miller as well as preacher. Twice his mill was destroyed, once by fire, and again by flood. For many years he was justice of the peace, and most of the deeds of land made during the last century within the town were drawn by him.
Samuel Copps, James Witherell, David Legro, and John Wood each represented the town in the Massachusetts Leg- islature.
Elihu Hayes, Jr., was one of the most prominent of early citizens, and for many years town clerk and member of the Massachusetts Legislature.
Philip Door, the boy who was a captive of the Indians, became a selectman of the town in 1769.
Ebenezer Lord was for many years a leading man in town and parish.
Hon. Thomas M. Wentworth purchased lands within the town about the year 1774, and soon after became a resident ; after which he became a leading man among its inhabi- tants, and for many years, until enfeebled by age, exerted a large influence in all its affairs, often being elected to town offices, representative to the Legislature, and member of the Massachusetts General Court for twelve years. He lived to be very aged, and at the time of his death was the wealthiest man in town.
Hon. Thomas M. Wentworth, his son, though advanced in years, succeeded to his father's estate. He has always been a resident in the town, exerting an influence in its affairs, and often holding offices of trust therein. During the war of the Rebellion, he did much to aid the town in procuring money for the payment of its bounties to soldiers, and was at his death, which occurred March 21, 1877, the richest man in the town. He was highly respected, and for many years prominent as a representative public man. He bequeathed by will to the First Congregationalist Parish in Lebanon $2000, to the West Lebanon Free-Will Baptist Church, $2000, to the East Lebanon Free-Will Baptist Church, $2000, to be held in trust, and the income to be appropriated to the support of public worship in these societies ; and to the Lebanon Academy, $1000, the in- come to be used in the support of that institution while it should continue to be maintained for the instruction of the young. To the Home Missionary Society he bequeathed $2000, to sustain the poorer and weaker religions societies in the town, and to the Bangor Theological Seminary, $5000 for its support.
Among the leading men of to-day are Hon. Isaac Hans- comb, Stephen D. Lord, John E. Moody, Charles Shapleigh, James W. Grant, S. W. Jones, Esq., John R. Chamberlain, and Levi Cowell.
MILITARY MEN.
The first military men mentioned in connection with Lebanon were Capts. Elisha Plaisted and Samuel Sewell, in 1737, and Capt. Moses Butler, Col. William Wentworth, Col. John Wentworth, and Col. Thomas Wallingford, in 1750. In 1782 the resident officers were Capt. John Hayes and Lieut. John Kenney ; afterwards there were Capts. Nathaniel Jones, George Gerrish, David Libby, David Jones, Lewis Chamberlain, Benjamin Lord, Thomas Wentworth ; and in 1833, Capt. Oliver Hanscom, of the Falls company, Capt. John Wentworth, of the New Road company, and Capt. William Hanscom, of the Old Road company.
During the war of the Rebellion the town furnished for it what would be equal to 121 three-years' men as soldiers. Besides these, which were furnished on the regular quotas of the town, there were many young men, residents of this town, who, on the first breaking out of the war, enlisted in New Hampshire regiments. For these the town never re- ceived any credits. The amount of town bounties was about $40,000.
422
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
REPRESENTATIVES IN GENERAL COURT.
Samuel Copps, 1772; Thomas M. Wentworth, 1787-92 ; James Witherell, 1795 ; Thomas M. Wentworth, 1797 to 1804; David Legro, 1805-11; - , 1812; David Legro, 1813; David Wood, Elihu llayes, 1814; David Legro, 1815-16; none, 1817-19.
PHYSICIANS.
Moses Carr, M.D., was practicing medicine here before the Revolution. Dr. Alexander Hatch was here previous to 1824. Among the more recent physicians have been John Elliott, M.D., John S. Parker, M.D., Dr. T. L. Kimball.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
MELVIN WENTWORTH,
second son of Joseph C. and Betsey ( Rankin ) Weutworth, was born in the town of Lebanon, June 26, 1851. He received his early education in the common school and West Lebanon Academy, and for twenty-four terms was a teacher, and was one of the superintending school committee frou 1874 to 1879. Ile married, March 10, 1878, Clara, daughter of Hiram H. Goodwin, of Lebanon, by whom he has one child, Lilian M., born Jan. 1, 1879.
Iliram II. Goodwin was born April 3, 1827, and fol- lowed farming through life, succeeding his father, Nathan, on the farm, a view of which may be seen on another page of this work. He was a Republican in politics, was a man of firmness in opinion, good judgment, and strength of character, and enjoyed the confidence of all who knew him. He was a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and leading in the councils of that body. He married, Jan. 1, 1850, Dorcas, daughter of Moses R. Butler, of Lebanon, Their children are llarriet, Clara, and Elizabeth. He died April 10, 1876. Mrs. Goodwin survives in 1879.
THOMAS M. WENTWORTH,
eldest son of Thomas M. and Rebecca (Hasey) Went- worth, was born in Lebanon, York Co., Me., Aug. 17,
1795. Mrs. Wentworth is a daughter of Isaac Hasey, who was the first settled minister in Lebanon, and for forty- seven years preached the gospel in that town. He died Oct. 17, 1812. Mr. Wentworth received his early educa- tion in the common school and in the academy at South Berwick. At the age of eighteen he settled upon the farm now owned and occupied by his niece, Miss Rebecca H. Weld. His main business through life was farming. He was several times selectman of the town, and for three terms was a member of the State Legislature. He was not a member of any church, but attended the Congregational Church, and contributed to its interests. He died March 21, 1877. His father, Thomas M., was a representative from Lebanon in the Massachusetts Legislature for seven- teen years prior to Maine becoming a separate State. He was born Feb. 19, 1753, and came to Lebanon when a young man to manage a farm for his father. He died Nov. 9, 1841.
JOEL G. HERSOM
was born in the town of Lebanon, York Co., Me., on the farm where he now resides, Jan. 22, 1840, being only child of Lucius and Theodocia (Goodwin) Hersom. The original proprietor of this farm was John Hersom, and it has been owned by the family for four generations (Joel G.,4 Lucius,3 Stephen,2 John1).
Lucius died in 1868, aged fifty-eight. Stephen died in 1841, aged fifty-eight, both having been born on this same farm, and followed farming during their lives. Mr. Joel G. Hersom spent his early life on the farm, and received a good common-school education. He married, Oct. 24, 1863, Emily J., daughter of Daniel Prescott, of Acton, York Co. They have an only daughter, Cora T., born May 10, 1864. In 1869, Mr. Hersom removed to Springvale, where, until 1879, he was engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and then returned to the old homestead, where he is making improvements on his farm and carrying on agri- cultural pursuits.
He has spent his life as an active, industrious, and pru- dent business man, having been little connected with politics and sectional strife. His father was a member of the Free- Will Baptist Church.
MELVIN WENTWORTH.
HIRAM H. GOODWIN.
RES. OF MELVIN WENTWORTH, LEBANON, MAINE .
DAYTON.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
THAT part of the town of Hollis lying south of Cook's Brook was incorporated as a separate town, under the name of Dayton, April 7, 1854, and was named in honor of Day- ton, then a prominent leader in national politics. The town of Dayton is bounded on the north by Hollis, on the east by Buxton and Saco, on the south by Biddeford and Kennebunkport, and on the west by Lyman. The surface is undulating and varied. Talcose slate in the south gives place to coarse granite, which rises in ledges from the plains farther north. Numerous small springs of pure water unite in Pot-Hook and Randall's Brooks, the principal streams, which flow nearly across the town, and empty into the Saco River.
Near the centre of the town a spring of pure water, fifteen yards across, breaks through the quicksands, forming a basin twenty feet deep, from which the boiling motion of the water, breaking through first in one place then another with an unceasing motion, has given to it the name of " The Boiling Spring." Hill's Brook, the outlet, flows south, and empties into the Swan Pond Creek, in Bidde- ford. The spring was much frequented by the early set- tlers, who used its "squeaking sand" upon their floors. The soil is good, and yields remunerative crops of grass, corn, and grains. Fruit, particularly the apple, flourishes well here. Hay, oats, potatoes, apples, cattle, and products of the dairy are the chief articles of export, for which a ready market is found in Saco and Biddeford. Many of the original fields of the early settlers are overgrown with groves of straggling pines, or covered with ferns. On the plains to the north and west are large areas covered with a vigorous second growth of white pine, yellow pine, birch, and poplar, from which large quantities of charcoal are burned in brick-kilns for market in the neighboring cities.
The town of Dayton originally comprised the south part of the lands lying between the grant made by the Plymouth Council to Oldham and Vines in 1630 on the south, and the tract bought of the sagamore Hobinowell by Maj. Wil- liam Phillips on the north.
These lands were purchased from Mogg Megone, an In- dian, by Major Phillips in May, 1664. The deed was wit- nessed by John and Mary Wakefield and recorded in 1669. During the year Maj. Phillips sold 1500 acres on the south to Edward Tyng, and soon after 2000 acres to Richard Russell, of Charlestown, Mass. A tract three miles square, joining, was sold to Maj .- Gen. John Leverett. These three parts of the grant comprise nearly all the present limits of Dayton.
Under a treaty made with the Penobscot Indians, in Angust, 1726, by which the government of Massachusetts agreed to establish trading-posts at convenient points, a fort
of hewn logs was erected about eighty rods south of Union Falls, on the intervale, in 1728. This fort was supplied with cannon and a garrison of ten men, under command of a sergeant, whose duty it was to protect the trade with the Indians. A superintendent, or truck-master, was appointed with a salary of £120 a year, and an act was passed direct- ing the treasurer of the province to supply the establish- ment with goods to the amount of £800. Capt. Thomas Smith, a merchant of Boston, Mass., was appointed truck- master in 1737. In July, 1739, the Governor of the prov- ince visited this fort, remaining overnight. A freshet in 1740 overflowed the intervale, forcing Capt. Smith to aban- don his fort and seek refuge upon the higher ground. In 1744, 13 men were stationed there. Soon after the declara- tion of war between France and England in 1745 the gar- rison was increased to 20 men. Capt. Thomas Bradbury was in command for a number of years. He was succeeded by Capt. Jonathan Bean, of York. In 1759 the garrison was abandoned, and the cannon removed to Boston. Dur- ing its existence it was a place of refnge for the few scattered inhabitants of the surrounding country in times of Indian alarms. No vestige of the fort remains, but a grave-yard near the spot where it stood points out the location.
EARLY SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENT.
The first permanent settlement was made by Andrew Gordon, of Biddeford, and his brother, John Gordon, in 1753. Although driven away by the Indians in the out- break which followed soon after, they returned and continued their improvements. John and Edward Smith joined them about 1760, settling on the Russell lot.
John Smith, of Biddeford, grandfather of Noah Smith, lived near the fort on the "Cook right," in 1762. Na- thaniel Buzzell, father of Isaiah, and grandfather of Nathaniel and Lorenzo Buzzell, came from Barrington, Vt., and settled on the fine farm of Nathaniel Buzzell, near Mr. Gordon's place.
Joseph Chadbourne, Thomas Young, George Hooper, Moses Weller, Jr., and Zebulon Gordon were living in the town in 1781. Rev. Simon Locke, a Baptist minister, settled in the south part of the town in 1782, but left to become pastor of the Limington Baptist Church, over which he was ordained in December, 1783.
John Clark, who died in 1801, aged ninety, was an early settler, and grandfather of the present town clerk, John W. Clark.
Many additional settlers came about 1787. In the Gor- don neighborhood, and about Goodwin's mill, there were George and Tristram Hooper, Ebenezer Cleaves, John Young, Dominicus Smith, Benjamin Emerson, Nathaniel
423
424
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
Goodwin, who built the first " Goodwin's Mill," and John Tilleson.
Farther north, Lemuel Buzzell, William Merry, Jona- than Rumery, John Clark, Capt. Potter Page, Zachariah Usher, John Dennett, Benjamin Newcomb, Ezekiel Brag- don, and Aaron Stackpole.
Abner Ellison and John Smith, of Biddeford, took up laud near the fort, at 81 per acre, where their descendants, Mrs. Betsey J. Butland, Mrs. Oliver Bickford, and Mrs. Clifford Buzzell, still reside with their husbands.
Robert Cleaves came from Kennebunkport in 1795, with his family, and settled a mile south of Boiling Spring. His unele, Israel Cleaves, had already settled half a mile south. Their homes, like many of those of the early settlers, were back from the roads laid out when the country became settled. Hezekiah Drew settled near, to the southwest, where there was a large body of natural meadow, which has since become absorbed in cultivated farms.
Nathaniel, son of Edward Smith, was killed by a tree. When his son Nathaniel was eight years old, Mr. Seam- man, whom he owed 816, eame and got his gun, a queen's arm, over six feet iu length, telling the boy that when old enough to train, he might come and get it again. At the age of sixteen young Smith claimed his gun and took his place in the ranks. This old arm, which had seen service through two wars of the last century, is held in the family as an heirloom.
The burying-grounds are nearly as numerous as the first families, each one burying upon their homestead. Dr. Samuel C. Hight and Rev. Timothy Hodgdon are buried upon the Meserve farm. Among the older and earlier dead are Nathaniel Buzzell, died 1809, aged ninety-three; the Gould. Cleaves, and Dennett families, and those in the old burying-ground near the Goodwin mill, with its twenty-four graves, whose head-stones are uucut, as they were taken from the field.
LEADING INDUSTRIES AND WATER-POWERS.
At the time of settlement the valley of the Saco was filled with a heavy growth of magnificent timber, and for many years lumbering was the chief employment of its occupants. It was upon this industry the permanent set- tlers depended for their support until years of hard labor had been expended in elearing, chopping and stumping, planting fruit-trees and small patches of field erops, and making rails for the ancient worm-fence. The logs, cut between seasons of farm work, and hauled from the most accessible points, were sawn in a mill erected upon the bank of the Saco River, and the lumber rafted to Saeo, or hauled by ox-teams to Portland for market. Previous to the war of 1812, Little Falls Landing was the centre of a thriving lumber trade, supporting four or five stores. In 1807-8 the river was dammed at Union Falls, and four or five saw- mills erected. These were operated until 1837, when they were all swept off by the great freshet of that year. They were not rebuilt, and the place, in consequence, became less in importance to the surrounding country.
The privilege was purchased by the Biddeford and Saco Water-Power Company in 1856, and a stone dam built, which ouly operates a grist- and shingle-mill. At Union
Rapids, half a mile below the Falls, a fall of 8 or 9 feet might be obtained by damming, giving a power of 279 horse for twenty-four hours, or 608 horse-power, equal to 24,320 spindles, for eleven hours a day. Union Falls, eight miles above Saco by road, and twelve by the river, has a fall of 15 feet at low water, furnishing 465 horse-power for twenty-four, or 1000 horse-power, equal to 40,000 spindles, for eleven hours a day. An intervale of some 60 aeres below the dam furnishes sites for the location of mills. Good granite for building abounds within a mile of the Falls, and an abundance of good elay for bricks is found in the vicinity.
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