USA > Maine > York County > History of York County, Maine, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 116
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Horne's saw- and grist-mills, at the outlet of Horne Pond, was erected in 1830 by Benjamin Horne, and have been in constant operation since. They are now owned by the Great Falls Manufacturing Company.
There is also a fine water-power at the head of Salmon Falls River.
SILVER MINES.
Silver has long been known to exist in Acton, Newfield, and Lebanon, but the effort to find the paying leads has not been generally successful until the opening of the shaft at Dirigo Mine, on Goding Brook in the south part of Acton, in 1877-78. The Silver Wave, a quarter of a mile south, near the Lebanon line, began to yield in paying quantities in 1879, and other shafts were also sunk during that year. The ores are very clean, and assay about 885 to the ton. Build- ings were erected for the accommodation of the miners in 1879.
The Acton Silver Mining Company has a capital of 8500,000. The officers elected in 1879 were Hon. Geo. Walker, President ; John S. Morris, Secretary ; A. A. Dennett, Treasurer ; George Walker, George P. Westcott, Nathan Cleaves, F. J. Rollins, Clarence Hale, Directors.
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS. MILTON MILLS
is mostly in New Hampshire, with the post-office in that State. There are, in Acton, 36 dwellings, more than a third of which were erected since 1870; a jewelry-store, opened by William Jones in 1879; shoe-shop, James Chauley, established 1879 ; carriage-shop, Ira Prescott, established 1879 ; the felting-mill, erected in 1873; a fine
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TOWN OF ACTON.
school house and a church. The place is finely situated in a deep, narrow valley surrounded by forests.
ACTON.
Acton, near the centre of the town, contains 2 churches, the town-house, 14 dwellings; John Lord's clothing manu- factory, established in 1879, with 5 to 8 operatives, and his store, opened by George Stackpole in 1857, and operated by Mr. Lord, who is also postmaster, since 1874. There are also two blacksmith-shops, kept by Bradford Wilson and Elijah IIorne. Dr. Wm. E. Pillsbury commenced practice here in 1874. Amasa Copp was an early merchant here.
SOUTH ACTON, a mile north of the post-office of that name, is a cross-roads, with store, church, school-house, and half a dozen dwellings.
BURIAL-GROUNDS.
The burial-grounds are numerous and well kept. The principal ones are at Acton and at South Acton, besides the two oldest churches. The others chiefly noticeable are at Milton village, at the south Free-Will Baptist church, and south of Northeast Pond, in the Horne settlement. Many of the oldest families bury their dead in fine walled grounds in sight of their dwellings.
CHURCHES.
CONGREGATIONALIST CHURCH OF SHAPLEIGH AND ACTON.
In 1778 the proprietors voted to reserve 300 acres on the east side of the Pond for the use of the Congregational ministry, the avails of which should be used for the Con- gregational minister settled in that parish. Also a 100- acre lot to be reserved for the first Congregational minister settled in the parish. After their title was confirmed, a committee of seven was raised, consisting of Hon. B. Chad- bourne, John Frost, Esq., Maj. Samuel Leighton, Capt. Robert Parker, Dependent Shapleigh, James Warren, and Benjamin Cooper, to locate the public lots from as good land as could be found unappropriated. Aaron Hubbard, Samuel Willey, and John Rowe were the first deacons and clerk. Rev. Alpheus Spring, of Kittery, preached to the first settlers as early as 1774.
A proprietary meeting-house was built on the parsonage lot, and Ang. 18, 1794, a meeting of the town was held to ratify their action. The east side was released from any share in its cost, and it became the property of the West Parish. Rev. Joseph Brown became the settled pastor in January, 1796. Elder William Godin was settled in the Western Parish in 1806, and Elder John Chadbourne in the Eastern Parish in 1818.
As the land remained unsold and unimproved, no efforts to secure preaching were made for some time. An indi- vidual entered upon the reserved church-land and used it as his own. Suit was commenced for ejectment, and many, apprehending a heavy bill of costs, united with the Bap- tists. After expensive litigation, it was decided against the individual, but he was insolvent, and the plaintiff had to meet a large bill of costs. A society was then incorporated, and in 1826 a small church was organized, with Rev. Henry A. Merrill settled pastor. A house for worship
was commenced at the Corner, and some additions to the church received. Mr. Merrill received the 100-acre lot the proprietors had reserved for the first minister of this denomination. As the parsonage-land yielded nothing, his support was insufficient, and he left them in 1824. An act passed the Legislature the same year authorizing the society to sell the parsonage lot, and a board of trustees was incorporated to hold the proceeds as a fund. This was done, and $1650 received and invested, the income of which was expended in temporary supplies to neighboring pastors; but no increase to church membership was real- ized. From 1831 to 1836, the Rev. Clark Cornish sup- plied them statedly half the time. Through his labors a few were added to the church. After his engagement closed, Revs. J. Caruthers, J. Kimball, Clement Parker, and others supplied for short periods. Mr. Amasa Loring, from Bangor Theological Seminary, commenced preaching here in the autumn of 1841. He was received with favor, and June 15, 1842, was ordained over this church. The old meeting-house, which had never been furnished, was taken down in 1872-73, and a neat one erected on a better location. A meeting-house was erected at Acton Corner in 1827, and Mr. Loring closed his labors in De- cember, 1848, but continued to supply until 1850, when he was succeeded by Revs. William Pierce, James Fiske, Francis P. Smith, William S. Thompson, the present pas- tor, who has supplied here since Jan. 1, 1869. There are now five of the old members living,-George Harper and wife, Mrs. George Ham, and Daniel S. Kimball and wife.
The deacons have been Samuel Willey, John Rowe, Samuel Sanborn, Mark Buzzell, James Hubbard, Joseph Remick, Jesse W. Sanborn, John G. Sanborn. Clerks : Isaiah Buxton, Thomas Grant, Rev. F. P. Smith, Rev. William S. Thompson. Present membership, 58.
The island on Square Pond was reserved by the proprie- tors for the ministry, together with a lot of land containing 300 acres. This lot was sold, March 20, 1824, and by act of Legislature divided among the ballots cast for the Con- gregationalist, Methodist, Baptist, Free Baptist, and Union religious societies then incorporated within the town.
BAPTIST.
A Baptist Church was formed by Rev. Nehemiah Davis in 1781. He became the first minister, and in 1802 dedi- cated the first house of worship, near the old Congrega- tionalist house, erected in 1796. This house cost $1500. The church was reorganized by Rev. William Goding, at a meeting held at the house of Maj. Samuel Stacy, Jan. 3, 1828, and became the Baptist Church of Shapleigh and Milton. Maj. Stacy and Charles Swasey were chosen dea- cons. Enoch Wood was chosen clerk. There were 45 members, including Jonathan Sanborn and wife, Benjamin and Stephen Brackett, Mark Hurd and wife, and Abel Morrow and wife. 11 were added by baptism during the year. In 1834, 51 members living in Milton took letters, and formed a separate church in their own town. The present meeting-house at South Acton was built in 1841, and the old one afterwards torn down.
The pastors have been Willard Glover, 1828; Charles Emerson, 1828-34; James Jameson, N. G. Littlefield,
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
1845-50; Walter T. Sargent, 1850-56; William Harlin, 1856-63; G. D. Ballentine, 1864; Rev. Samson Powers, 1867 ; E. P. Noyes, 1871-78; Henry A. Stetson, since November, 1878.
Deacons, John Bodwell, Benjamin Brackett, James Ross, Nathan Brackett, David Grant, John C. Hatch. Mark C. Hurd, the present clerk, has filled that office since 1839. Present membership, 55.
FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
In 1781 the settlement was visited by Elder Tozier Lord, of Berwick, who had left the Baptists and united with Elder Benjamin Randall at the founding of the Free-Will Baptist Church. Meetings were held in an unfinished building. A revival resulted in the forming of a society, which declined on the removal of the pastor a few years after.
The First Free-Will Baptist Church was reorganized by Rev. Gershom Lord in 1802, and consisted of 8 members. Samuel Runnels and Bart. Miller were first deacons, and Elder Lord clerk. Rev. Gershom Lord was their first preacher, and was succeeded by Humphrey Goodwin, who was ordained in 1807, and continued to preach until his re- moval to Hollis, in 1804. Elder David Blaisdell supplied from 1815 to 1830.
A house of worship was built in 1818, in the west part of the town, near Milton Mills, and replaced by a new one, on the same ground, in 1840. Theodore Stevens became pastor in 1834, left in 1836, returned in 1839, and was succeeded, in 1843, by Elder J. Fullerton ; by Horace Stonton in 1847 ; and subsequently by Z. Jordan, William Hurlin, Seth Perkins, Aaron Ayer, Dexter Waterman, James Potter; Rev. Mr. McLain, in 1872; Hosea Quimby, 1875 ; and at his death, in October, 1878, by Rev. B. F. Sherwood, present pastor. Paul Runnels, Lewis H. Witham, and John Runnels have entered the ministry.
The clerks have been Gershom Lord, Levi Morrill, Ralph Farnham, Asa Merrill, Nathan Merrill, Paul Runnels, John Farnham, K. W. Brackett. Present deacons, B. Miller, Paul Runnels, Job Ricker. Membership, 111.
THE SECOND FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Second Frec-Will Baptist Church was organized, a house of worship built by the Union Society of Acton in the south part of the town, and a meeting-house erected in 1840, under the labors of Rev. John Brooks. Joseph Hilton and Hubbard Stevens were the first deacons.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, in 1826, by Rev. William McKoy. A meeting-house was erected at Acton Corner in 1840. Pastors, Rev. Henry Linscott, 1837 ; Richard H. Ford, 1838; B. F. Foster, Jesse Stone, James Rice, James Harrington, and A. P. Sanborn.
SCHOOLS.
" The carly proprietors, in compliance with the conditions of the commission of land-claims, set aside two lots for schools, one of which, in Acton, was rented for a nominal sum until 1821, when the town-agent was authorized to
lease it for five hundred years. This not meeting with success, the time was extended to nine hundred and ninety- nine years ! This land, which was near Horne Pond, was sold soon after, and a fund created which amounted to $501. A superintending committee of three was elected until 1835, with a salary of 25 cents a day each for their services. It was then voted not to allow their accounts for the last three years. The next committee refused to serve. In 1837 the interest of the fund was appropriated for this purpose. The board of three was abolished in 1879, and Charles A. Hilton chosen supervisor of schools.
One of the first school-houses was built on the hill, near Mark Hurd's place. It had a large open fireplace and a wooden chimney. The school-tax and appropriations were about $700, annually, from the incorporation of the town until 1860, and amounted to $1293 in 1878.
ASSOCIATIONS.
SOVEREIGNS OF INDUSTRY.
Organized in March, 1877. First officers : Ivory Good- win, President ; Benjamin F. Dalton, Clerk ; Morris B. F. Dalton, Sec. The present officers are Mark C. Hurd, President ; Charles N. Brackett, Vice-President; Horace N. Farnham, Sec. A store-building was erected near South Acton church in 1877, and opened for the sale of goods, with M. B. F. Dalton, store-keeper. The business has been thus far successful.
SHAPLEIGH AND ACTON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This society, organized in 1866, was founded by John Stover, Esq., of Sanford Corner, Me., who donated $1000 to make one-half of a permanent fund, the interest of which is devoted to sustaining fairs held alternately in Shapleigh and Acton. The fund, of which the second $1000 were contributed by a membership fund, reverts to the support of schools when the fairs cease to be sustained. Each membership is sustained by the payment of 6 per cent. on a $10 share. The original membership was about 30 in each town, but has since increased to over 200 each. Hon. Horace Bodwell, of Acton, has been a leader in the enter- prise since its organization. First officers : Horace Bodwell, President; Enoch Bodwell, Secretary. Present officers : Cyrus Grant, President ; Horace Bodwell, Secretary. The Acton fair-grounds and race-course are owned by thirteen proprietors, who are members of the society.
PROMINENT MEN.
Capt. William Rogers, the first town treasurer and justice of the peace of Shapleigh, was a man of influence and business ability. He built the first bridge in the town, and did much for its early improvement. He had two sons, Andrew and Robert, who became prominent and respected citizens. There are none of his descendants remaining.
Joshua Brackett, first town clerk of Shapleigh.
John Bodwell was the first town clerk of Acton, and in 1831 was chosen first representative from the town to the State Legislature.
Jeremiah Emery was a representative to the convention which met in Boston in 1788, to ratify the Constitution of
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TOWN OF SHAPLEIGH.
the United States, and one of the most enterprising public men of the county until his death.
Among the present prominent men are Horace Bodwell, Esq., Bodwell J. Grant, John Lord, Hon. Asa F. Horne, Edwin S. Lary, Wm. H. Langley, and Andrew F. Hilton.
PROFESSIONAL.
LAWYERS.
Calvin R. Hubbard, son of Maj. C. Hubbard, practiced law in Springvale until his death, in 1837. John B. Bod- well.
PHYSICIANS.
Among the physicians have been Horace Stacy, Jere- miah C. Buck, Richard R. Ricker, Horatio Buck, Charles P. Hubbard, and Paul C. Garvin.
MINISTERS.
Charles Dame, John Runnels, W. H. Witham, John M. Woodbury, Ashbury C. Trafton. Catholic, Joshua M. Young, Jonathan E. Young.
MILITARY.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Ralph Farnum, one of the first settlers in the town, was born in 1756, and served in the Continental army one year. In the fall of 1860 he visited Boston, to take part in fes- tivities, at the invitation of prominent citizens of Massa- chusetts, and died soon after returning home in December, 1860, at the age of one hundred and four years. During
his life he was highly honored by his fellow-townsmen, and is remembered by them as one of their most distinguished citizens.
Jethro Hurd, whose family lived in the woods of Acton, left the army after the surrender of Cornwallis, and walked home without waiting for discharge or pay.
Moses Hubbard was a soldier of this war.
WAR OF 1812.
The supply of "town stock" was filled in 1804 by an appropriation of 8300, and the purchase of 64 pounds of powder, 100 pounds of balls, 100 flints, and 3 camp-kettles for each company of 64 men enrolled. Guns and bayonets were furnished by the town for those unable to buy to train with. In 1808, Andrew Rogers, Thomas Drew, and Jon- athan Young were appointed a committee to petition the President of the United States against the embargo. The militia, who were called out in 1814 to defend the coast when menaced by the British fleet, were hastily equipped and supplied with three days' rations. The service required, though short and not dangerous, was sufficient to evince the patriotism of the town of Acton.
Among the soldiers of this war were Heard Brackett, Samuel Drew, Phineas Wentworth, John Drew, and others mentioned under the quota of the town of Shapleigh.
Ebenczer Ricker was a soldier from Acton in the Florida war, and was discharged before the expiration of his term of service, to take a civil position under the United States Government.
SHAPLEIGH.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
SHAPLEIGH contained originally 32,150 acres, but was afterwards reduced about one-half by the erection of the town of Acton from its western half, and the annexation of a part of the north end to Newfield. It is bounded on the north by Newfield, on the east by Waterborough and Al- fred, on the south by Sanford, and on the west by Acton. Mousam Pond, nearly five miles in length, on its western border, is the largest body of water wholly within the county. Square Pond, the next in size, lies half a mile to the northwest, and partly within the town of Acton. These ponds form the head-waters of the Mousam River, which flows southwest through Sanford and Kennebunk, and empties into the ocean. Granny Kent, Sly Beaver, and two lesser ponds in the north are surrounded by plains, con- stituting nearly one-third of the town. Bump-Box Brook and the two branches of Heath Brook are the main water- courses. The southern and central parts are diversified by low marshes, arable swells or light ridges, and precipitous
hills. The soil upon the plains is poor, but adapted to grass, while the higher lands produce fair crops of corn, wheat, and rye, richer grasses, and abundant erops of apples and other hardy fruits. Cider has been a leading product for many years. Since 1870 the foreign demand for fruit has made apples a leading product.
The soil abounds in iron from the disintegrating rock. Coarse granite and quartz are abundant, and many indica- tions of mineral deposits are found. Some specimens of galena and silver ores were obtained from rock blasted in sinking a well at Emery's Mills, in the southwest corner, in 1879.
LAND TITLES.
The lands included in the present towns of Acton and Shapleigh were at first supposed to be a part of the Ossipee purchase of Francis Small. The Ossipee lands lay between the Great and Little Ossipee Rivers, and were bought of the sagamore of Newichawannock, Capt. Sunday, in 1668. Maj. Nicholas Shapleigh, of Kittery, purchased an interest
432
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
from Mr. Small, but the deed being lost and not recorded, no attempt was made to occupy these lands until the dis- covery of the old deed, in 1770, by the descendants of Mr. Small, when the heirs of the two proprietors at once had it placed upon record* and proceeded to establish their claims.
Under the direction of Joshua Hubbard and Dependent Shapleigh, committee, the lands were run out in tracts by James Warren, surveyor. A partition was effected Aug. 5, 1771, and the Shapleigh heirs were assigned Parsons- field, half of Limerick, and a body of land lying south of the Little Ossipee River, to which they gave the name of Hubbardstown Plantation, in honor of Joshua Hubbard. The title to this land was only sustained by a liberal inter- pretation of the deed, which called for more than was included within the boundaries described. The previous grantees, heirs of Mason and Gorges, contested their title, and the case was brought before the committee on Eastern Lands, who, after carefully considering the matter, reported a bill confirming their claims to the territory " on condition they reserve the lots already appropriated for public use, and pay Four Hundred Pounds into the State treasury."
The bill was passed Oct. 30, 1782, and signed by Gov- ernor John Hancock. The proprietors afterwards purchased from the heirs of Maj. William Phillips a piece containing some six or eight hundred acres, in the northeast corner, -- since annexed to Newfield,-for £60. In 1774 and 1776 most of the town was surveyed and laid out in lots by Joseph Warren, assisted by Gilbert Warren and Joseph Hasty, chainmen, after which they were drawn for by the proprie- tors. Lands proving to be of inferior quality were made up to the person drawing by additional land from the unap- propriated lots .; Strips three rods wide, running north and south, were left between ranges for roads. The ranges commence at the southwest corner of Acton and number east. The lots commence numbering at the south.
Previous to the decision of the title in 1782, about 40 persons had settled in the eastern part of the town, and made improvements. They claimed no title to their lands, but were voted by the proprietors the opening each had cleared, and an equal number of aeres of wild land adjoin- ing, with the privilege of buying the remaining portions of the lots upon which they were located at 82 an acre. They were required to sign a relinquishment of all other lands in the plantation.
: York County Record of Deeds, Book 42, page 239.
t The following is a list of the proprietors, lawful heirs of Maj. Nicholas Shapleigh, at the time of drawing, as shown by the proprie- tors' record. The name of Rev. Mr. Foster, which appears among those of the proprietors in their business transactions, was not re- corded in this list : Samuel Shapleigh, John Shapleigh, Elisha Shap- leigh, Dependent Shapleigh, James Shapleigh, Joshua Hubbard. Nathan Bartlett, Jr , Simon Jenness, Jonathan Sayward, Esq., Hon. James Sullivan, Daniel Moulton, James Howen, llon. Edward Cutts, Jonathan Moulton, Capt. John Frost, Deacon William Leighton, Jona- than C. Chadbourne, Alexander Seammel, William Frost, Capt. Samuel Stacy, Samuel Jenness, Moses Hanscomb, Dr. David Pierce, Rev. Alpheus Spring, Capt. John H. Bartlett, Nathaniel Remick, Capt. Philip Hubbard, Gen. Ichabod Goodwin, Capt. James Garvin, Hum- phrey Seamman, Jr., Nicholas Scamman, William Stacy, Dennis Fer- nald, Capt. William Rogers, Robert Rogers, Deacon John Hill, Maj. Samuel Leighton, William Parsous, Tobias Fernald, Jr., Mark Fer- nald, Robert Parker, Andrew P. Fernald, ITon. Benjamin Chadbourne.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first white men who penetrated the forests of Shap- leigh were in pursuit of game and timber. The original growth consisted of tall pines and oaks, rising far beyond the present growth comprising the second forests. The large pines fit for masts and oaks suitable for ship-building were marked with the mark of the royal navy by British officers, to show the early settlers that they were reserved, and could not be endangered by the necessary work of opening the first clearings for future homes. Hence, there was no occupation of many fine bodies of land before the war which released these wooden sentinels of their guard, and the hardy citizens from British rule. These forests were teeming with game, whose subsistence was found upon the open, low meadows, beside the lakes, and in the forests abounding with beech-nuts, acorns, and berries. Moose, deer, bear, and fur-bearing animals tempted the hunter, who brought home glowing accounts of the soil, meadows, and easily-cleared hardwood lands, and returning made their homes in rude log cabins, where life could be sustained with the least amount of labor, with little regard to the title of the lands.
In 1772, Simon Emery, of Berwick, built a dam across the Mousam River at the outlet of the lower pond, and erected a saw-mill. Two hundred acres of land were laid out for him on the east side of the river in September. His was the first building in the town of which any record is given. The place is described in a survey made in 1778 as the place " where there was a saw mill."
Joseph Jellison and his son Joseph moved in early in the spring of 1773, and began the first clearing below the mill. Building a cabin of logs, they returned to Doughty's Falls for their household goods. Roads were poor, and but little could be brought at a load in their ox-cart. Taking some provisions, and his daughter, eleven years old, with the first load, Mr. Jellison left her in charge, with his dog for company, intending to return with another load the next day. A heavy snow-storm came on during the night, pre- venting his return, and making all travel impossible. It was not until she had passed two weeks alone in the woods with her faithful dog that her friends could get through the snow to her aid.
James Davis and William Stanley came from Kittery with their families in the spring of 1774, and settled on Stanley Ridge. William Stanley, Jr., the first white child born in the town, was born here previous to 1782.
George Ham came in 1775, bringing with him several workmen to assist in clearing land. One of these, a Mr. Hammond, was killed soon after his arrival by a falling tree. This was the first death in the town. John Patch and James Sayward, neighbors of Mr. Ham in Kittery, followed him soon after, and settled near. Mr. Sayward was grandfather of Deacon James Sayward, a prominent citizen of Shapleigh. Capt. Philip Hubbard, one of the proprietors, was among the earliest settlers.
A meeting of the proprietors was held in 1778, at which a census of the inhabitants was reported, and 150 acres of land set aside for the support of schools. Simon Emery was voted the lot upon which he had built his mill. Dom- inieus and Ichabod Goodwin, who had bought out the
RESIDENCE, BARNS & MILLS, OF EDMUND GOODWIN,-SHAPLEIGH, ME.
v.
..
EDMUND GOODWIN,
sixth son of Aaron and Sally (Hurd) Goodwin, was born in the town of Acton (formerly Shapleigh) Sept. 3, 1818. His parents were natives of York County. His father gave his attention chiefly to agricultural pursuits, and spent the greater part of his life in the town of Acton, where he died in 1851. His wife survived him some twenty years.
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