USA > Maine > York County > History of York County, Maine, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 70
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In 1800, Capt. Hatch purchased forty-five acres of land of Jacob Wakefield, in that portion of the town called Kenne- buuk, and erected the same year the house now occupied by his daughters. The Wakefield house, of one story, stood between the new house and the road, which at that time was merely wide enough for the passage of an ox-team ; subse- quently, when building a new fence on the opposite side, the owner threw into the highway fifteen feet of land, which, with the site of the old house, made the road its present width. About the year 1802 he retired from a seafaring life, but, retaining his interest in several vessels, continued to prosecute the West India trade until the war of 1812 rendered it no longer profitable. He then entered more fully into agricultural pursuits, adding to his farm by pur- chasing the estate of John Chadbourne (now owned and occupied by his son, Daniel L. Hatch), and also woodland of Joseph Storer, now owned by the Boston and Maine Railroad Company.
Photo. by Conaat, Portland.
STEPHEN H. BERRY.
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE CAPT. S. H. BERRY, BAR MILLS, MAINE.
249
TOWN OF BUXTON.
In politics Capt. Hatch was a Whig, always feeling a strong interest in the welfare of his country, and faithfully discharging his duties as a citizen, but in no sense a dema- gogue, and never denunciatory of those with whom he dif- fered. The next year after the organization of the town of Kennebunk he was elected one of the board of selectmen, continuing in that office from 1821 to 1827, inclusive. Political and professional eminence is often attained without the solid foundation of integrity and uprightness. While he never achieved the former, the latter were the corner- stones on which he built up a character of undeviating honesty and Christian fidelity.
Ever ready to espouse any measure having for its object the welfare or progress of mankind, Capt. Hatch at the inception of the temperance reform, although conforming to the prevailing customs of the times in the use of ardent spirits, at once abandoned them, and entered with zeal into the new movement, contributing cheerfully to its needs as occasion required.
Unostentatious in his charities, he never contributed to objects designed merely for display or popularity, but never withholding aid from the destitute and needy. As years wore on, he gradually retired from active life, accepting with cheerfulness the deprivations of age, happy with his books and social intercourse. He retained an interest in the affairs of life, inquiring frequently during his last days the news from the European war then in progress. He had a re- tentive memory, and was in the habit of conversing with his family upon what he had read. Speaking one day of the recent death of a millionaire in a distant city, he re- counted to a friend the manifold ways in which his property was invested, and the amount of each investment. A neigh-
bor entered bringing the paper containing the account. After reading it, the friend remarked, " I thought you were telling a large story, but I find that you stated every item correctly." Such accuracy in an octogenarian was unusual. He was a member of the First Congregational ( Unitarian ) Church in Kennebunk, and for several years one of its deacons. He was strictly observant of the Lord's day, never absenting himself (until overtaken by sickness) from public worship, and always ready to contribute of his substance for the support of the ministry. Throughout his long life, those who best knew him saw nothing in his daily walk inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel, yet he was nat- urally reserved in the expression of his religious feelings. During the last year of his life a friend inquired minutely into his religious experience. In reply, he stated that when about six years of age he listened with great interest to a sermon from the text, " Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long." Not fully understanding its mean- ing, on his return home he requested his mother-a woman of great piety-to explain it, which she did. " From that day to this," he added, " it has been the endeavor of my life to walk in the fear of the Lord all the day long."
The last year of his life brought physical weakness, the last month great pain and suffering, but his mental facul- ties were unimpaired to the last. Between his paroxysms of distress he conversed cheerfully, giving wise counsel to his children, and humbly acquiescing in the will of God concerning himself. Thus he passed quietly away on the 13th day of January, 1854, aged eighty-seven years and four months. Well was it to inscribe on his monument, " Mark the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."
BUXTON.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
THE town of Buxton is bounded on the north by Stand- ish and Gorham, on the east by Scarborough, on the south by Saco and Dayton, and on the west by Hollis. The sur- face is generally level, Round Hill, in the northwestern part, being the only prominence of note in the town.
The principal streams are the Saco River, forming the entire western boundary, the outlet of Bonny Eagle Pond, which empties into the Saco in the northern part of the town, and Little River, in the northeast. Bonny Eagle Pond has an area of 190 acres. It lies in the northern part of the town and partly in Standish. The Portland and Roches- ter Railroad passes through the southern half of the town, crossing the Saco River a fourth of a mile above Bar Mills.
The lands comprising the present town of Buxton were a part of the grant made by the General Court of Massa- 32
chusetts, in 1728, to the 840 men belonging to that colony who participated in the expedition against the Narraganset Indians, in what is known as King Philip's war, in 1675 .* Two towns were granted in 1728, and five in 1732. The conditions were " that the grantees should meet within two months from the date of the act to organize each proprietary of one hundred and twenty persons, to settle at least sixty families within seven years, to settle a learned orthodox minister, to erect a meeting-house, to clear a certain num- ber of acres, and to reserve a certain proportion of the town- ship for the use of schools and the first settled minister."
The grantees of the seven townships accepting these con-
* The order of the government under which these troops were gath- ered recites that "if they played the man, took the Fort, & Drove the Enemy out of the Narragansett Country, which was their great Seat, that they should have a gratuity in Land, besides their Wages."
250
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
ditions held a meeting on Boston Common, June 6, 1733, and formed themselves into seven proprietaries, or com- panies, of 120 persons each. Three persons were then chosen to make out a list of the grantees and assign them to their respective townships. These seven committees met October 17th of the same year at Luke Verdy's, in Boston, and assigned this, the " First Narraganset Township," to Philemon Dane, of Ipswich. and 119 others belonging to Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, Haverhill, Salisbury, Methuen, Hampton. Greenland, and Berwick. Philemon Dane and John Gaines, of Ipswich, and Col. Joseph Gerrish, of New- bury, were the committee of this town. The survey of the township was made in 1733, and reported in 1734. The first meeting of the proprietors was held at the house of Capt. John Hale, at Newbury Falls, Mass., Aug. 1, 1733, at which Col. Gerrish acted as moderator, and John Hobsou clerk. Joseph Gerrish, Esq., John Hobson, and John Gains were chosen " a Committee to view Some of the un- appropreated Lands of this Province in order to Pitch a place for one Township for Said Soldiers."
The following is the original deseription of the
ANCIENT BOUNDARIES.
" This Plat describes two Tracts of Land Laid out for the Narra- gansett Soldiers, between Saco River and Presumpscott River, con- taining the contents of Six Miles Square in each Plat, with an Allow- ance of Seven Hundred acres formerly granted to Hill & others in that Township, next Saco River, & Thirteen hundred acres for Ponds, and in the Towoship joining to Presumpscott River there is an allow- ance for five Iluodred acres for Ponds, and the sd Plans are bounded and described as followeth : beginning at Saco River, at the Ilend of Biddeford [now Saco], & run Northeast by the Needle twelve Miles. by the Ilead of Biddeford [now Saco] & Scarbough & Falmouth, till it comes to Presumpscott River, & then bounded by Presumpscott River, & rans up the same till it makes Seven Miles aod one-Quarter of a Mile on a Straight Course North 33ª West, and then runs 9 miles and 50 Rods South W-t, by the Needle, till it comes to Saco River, & then hounds Southwesterly by Saco River till it comes to the Head of Biddeford, aforesaid; and the Line between the two townships be- gins on the Line next the Head of the Township, Seven Miles and one-Quarter of a mile to the Northeast of Saco River, and runs North 33ª West, hy the needle, extending Seven Miles aud one-quartre of a mile,-and these two Townships was surveyed by Samuel Sewall aud Benjamin Stone, who were sworn for work before Justice Gray.
" EDWARD STROVE, "THOMAS TILESTON, " JOHN HOBSON, " SAMUEL CHANDLER,
Committee.
" Dated 23ª of Nov". 1833."
This was approved by the House February 9th, and by Governor Beleher Feb. 22, 1734.
March 19th, a committee was chosen to lay out the land in lots, no lot to exceed twenty acres. A report of John Ilobson, Samuel Chase, Philemon Dane, and Deacon James Chute was submitted, with the plan of lots at the pro- prietors' meeting. Nov. 17, 1735. These lots were drawn for November 24th ensuing. John Hobson drew lot 2, range E. on which the meeting. house was afterwards built. A second drawing for 60-acre lots occurred Nov. 8, 1738. April 11, 1739, 530 were voted to Deaeon Jonathan Fel- lows to help him build a saw-mill on Stackpole's Brook, on " Lot 12. Range D, of First Division." The mill was afterwards built by Joseph Woodman, to release Thomas Gage aud Stephen Mighill, who had given bonds for its erection, and was completed in 1750.
SETTLEMENT.
Appropriations were made and bounties were voted to any one who would go on to the lands and improve them. Deacon Amos Chase, of Newbury, Nathan Whitney, Joseph Simpson, Mr. Bryant, and a Thomas Gage are believed to have settled within the town as early as 1740 or 1741, and commenced to clear and build cabins ; but a petition, dated May 26, 1742, headed " Us, the Subscribers, being Settlers of the Narragansett Grant, Number One," and addressed to the Governor, Council, and General Court of Massachusetts Bay, recites that the grantees had been unable to comply with the terms of the grant requiring settlement within seven years, except the petitioners and those whom they represent, and that they had in consequence been put to great expense in carrying on the settlement, and been obliged to live without any settled publie worship of God, schools for their children, public buildings, or necessary fortifications ; whereby they were exposed to constant danger for their lives and substance, and their children to a wilder- ness education, which they would not have submitted to if they had not expected others to comply with the terms of the grant. They further petitioned that the lots of the delin- quents might be declared forfeited, and others be admitted in their stead and compelled to settle as soon as possible. This petition was signed by eleven settlers : Robert Brooks, Magnes Redlen, John Davis, Sr., Nathaniel Durel, John Brooks, Nathan Whitney, James Sands, Jr., Joseph Wood- man, Samuel Ingalls, Samuel Chase, and Ichabod Austen.
A notice was ordered served on the proprietors by the Gen- eral Court, requiring them to answer at the next fall session. A proprietors' meeting was held October 20th, a committee appointed, and as an earnest of their interest the following resolution was passed :
" Whereas, There was a Comtt Chosen Some time Passed to build a meeting-house at ye Township Laid to ye Narragansett Soldiers Called no : one and by reason of ye talk of a french war it was not yet built, it is now voted that ye Said Com" Shall forthwith go on & fally build & Compleat said meeting-house."
This meeting-house,-the first in the town,-if built according to original specifications, was " thirty feet long, Twenty-five feet wide, and nine feet stud of hune timber, aud the Roof to be borded and Short Shingled."
Iu December, 1742, the petitioners came up for a hearing. and were put off until May, 1743. In April preceding, a meeting was called by the alarmed delinquents, taxes levied to pay for the meeting-house, and a committee appointed to agree with a learned and orthodox gentleman to preach to the proprietors and inhabitants of the plantation. These active measures prevented any further action by the Gen- eral Court.
To advance their interests and encourage settlement the proprietors had early made provision for a saw-mill. On the 18th of June, 1740, their records show a vote of £80, old tenor, to Mr. Samuel Chase, to enable him to build a saw-mill on Games' Brook.
An affidavit of Nathaniel Mighill, dated Rowley, Nov. 17, 1742,* certifies that he was in Narragansett township No. 1, on the east side of Saco River, two weeks before, and saw a saw-mill in that town, which the millwrights
* Goodwin's Narragansett, p. 51.
251
TOWN OF BUXTON.
informed him they desired to start in three or four days, and also five houses, and was informed there were sev- eral more scattered about the town. A saw- and grist- mill were built by John Elden, Jeremiah Hill, and Daniel Leavitt on the site of Leavitt's Mills, on Little River, in 1761.
INDIAN TROUBLES.
In November, 1743, the House of Representatives voted £100 (old tenor), to build a garrison in this town; and in December the proprietors voted to take care of the garrison when built by the province. Hon. Cyrus Woodman thinks this garrison was built at Salmon Falls, on lot 2 of range D, in first division, as stated on Dennett's map. Tradition sup- ports this opinion, which is doubtless correct. That it was built during the next six months is shown by a petition for a meeting to be held May 1, 1744, " to see if the Proprie- tors will Clear Round the Garrison according to the Great & General Court's Comte Desire & order." The land on which it was built was set apart for public use, and is the same now occupied by Otis Dennett.
From the adjourned meeting of Nov. 6, 1744, to June 1, 1749, there was no proprietors' meeting held; and it is reasonable to infer that, under a dread of an attack by In- dians, instigated by the Freuch, and its almost certain result in their final defeat, the settlers abandoned their homes as winter gathered around them, and sought refuge in the more populous and fortified settlements, where they re- mained until the close of the French war. John Brooks and Joseph Woodman are the only ones who are known to have returned. Aug. 21, 1749, these were joined by Robert Brooks, Jacob Davis, John Redlon, Thomas Bradbury, Joshua Woodman, and Amos Chase, at Biddeford, in a petition for a proprietors' meeting. A meeting was held at Rowley, May 8, 1750. As a result a minister was settled, and roads opened. The fort was repaired and occupied. Water not being obtained by digging on the high ground upon which it stood, a petition was made for its removal. John Brooks, Benjamin Durell, David Martin, Benjamin Dunnell, Samuel Rolfe, William Hancock (from London- derry, Ireland), John Elden and Job Roberts (from Saco), Joshua Woodman (of Newbury), John Wilson, Samuel Merrill (from Salisbury), and Timothy Hazeltine (of Brad- ford, Mass.) were residents of the town, and signed a call for a meeting Aug. 3, 1753. These were, doubtless, nearly all there in the fall of 1750, at which time the resettlement and building was vigorously begun at Salmon Falls. The meeting-house, still standing, was repaired. May 29, 1754, it was voted that William Hancock have £8 on the com- pletion of a fort to be built, 40 feet square, with palisades 3} feet in the ground and 10 feet above; to be set double with a good flanker or watch-box at the two opposite corners. This fort stood upon the highest point of lot 11, range B, first division, at Pleasant Point. When visited by Hon. John Elden and Hon. Cyrus Woodman in 1867, the faint depressions of the old cellar were still plainly visible.
The dangers surrounding the first settlers may be inferred from the following incident. Having made some clearings and planted crops the season previous to bringing their fam- ilies, they were in the habit of visiting their opening occa- sionally to see if all was right. Coming up from the block-
house one day, they found the door of the little fort which they had built near the dwelling of Samuel Mitchell stand- ing open. They had left it shut. Capt. Bradbury, com- mander of the block-house on the other side of the Saco River, now Hollis, at Little Falls, aware of danger from the Indians, told them they must not returo by the same path. Following this advice they struck into the woods, forded the river, and returned in safety. After the termination of the war, some Indians came into the settlement to trade, and told them they were surprised in the fort when the party of white men came into the opening, and hid themselves till they had passed; when they left they forgot to shut the gate. They lay in ambush all day upon the path by which they supposed the white men would return. During the nine years after 1750, James Thomas, Ephraim Sands, and seven others moved into the settlement.
In the spring of 1755 war began between France and Great Britain. The settlers, more numerous and better prepared for assault than before, remained at their homes, though, as they afterwards said, in an address to the Gen- eral Court, they " were under Continual fears of the Indian Enemy, and were obliged to keep Watch and Ward till the reduction of Quebec in 1759." During this war a militia company was l'ormed by Joseph Woodman, who was made captain. Samuel Merrill was lieutenant. It is not known that they were called out of town.
THE FIRST SETTLERS.
In 1755 it was voted to settle a minister, and in Decem- ber, 1756, £96 were voted to defray ministerial charges for the past year. Appropriations were made until 1760, when a committee was appointed to procure a preacher and treat with the General Court to settle the town line. This shows there was preaching, but there was no settled minister. In 1757 a stay of execution against Obadiah Johnson was or- dered. Twenty pounds were expended in repairing the meeting-house in 1758. In 1760 a new meeting-house was begun. This was 45 feet long and 35 feet wide. It was built on house-lot No. 8, range G, and completed the next year. Rev. Paul Coffin, son of Col. Joseph Coffin, of New- bury, Mass., was the first settled minister. A volume of his manuscript sermons, still preserved, bears the following marginal record in his own handwriting: " Narrag: No. 1. Sept: 6, 1761. A et P. M. Ibid : Aug: 15. 1762. the first sermons that were delivered in the Meeting-House." Of course this refers to the new meeting-house, just completed. At this time (1761), John Boynton, Eleazer Kimball, Nathan Woodman, Jonathan Clay, Humphrey Atkinson, Stephen Safford, John Cole, Richard Clay, and David Martin had become residents and proprietors in the town.
John Hopkinson, an officer in the British service, and a relative of one of the signers of the Declaration of Inde- pendence, resigned at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war and entered the Continental army. His son John (2d) came to Buxton, and settled on the Hopkinson homestead, near Union Falls.
Isaac Hancock settled on the right-hand side of the road leading from the first meeting-house to Salmon Falls. He was a good citizen, and died at the meridian of life, leaving a number of descendants, some of whom are pres-
252
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, MAINE.
ent residents of the town. He took the first newspaper that came into the town. Samuel Merrill settled within a quar- ter of a mile of the Falls, on the " eight-rod road." At the battle of Bunker Hill he was a lieutenant under Capt. Jere- miah Hill. He died in 1822, leaving numerous descend- ants in this and other States. Timothy Hazleton, who settled near where the meeting-house was built, was a dea- con and firm supporter of the church from its organization until his death. John Elden and Job Roberts were his nearest neighbors, and both lived to an old age. Mr. El- den was a man of great force of character. He commanded a company at the siege of Boston, with honor to himself and credit to his town. Joseph Woodman settled with his brother Joshua, near Pleasant Point. Both were leading men in the community, and lived to respected old age. John Wilson, who settled on the Beach Plain road, leading from the lower corner to Saco, only remained a short time. The carly settlers located in the south part of the town that they might be nearer the Saco market.
Deacon Amos Chase drove the first team from the plan- tation to Saco. He was the father of Rebecca Chase, the first white child born in the town. She was born in 1744, married to Mr. Chase Parker, and died in Saco, May 8, 1773. The second child born was Rebecca, daughter of Capt. Joseph Woodman, who was born Jan. 11, 1751 (O. S.), married Lieut. Moses Atkinson in 1772, died Feb. 3, 1833, and was buried in Hollis. The first male child born in the town was Nathan, son of John Elden, an original proprietor. The second was Robert Martin, of whom is re- lated the following story : Being out of breadstuff, he arose one morning in May, milked his cow, drank some of the milk for his breakfast, and then started on foot with his bag for Saco, the nearest point from which he could obtain_ a supply. Upon reaching Saco he informed Col. Cutts of his destitute condition, and was furnished promptly with a · bushel of corn, twenty-eight pounds of fish, a gallon of molasses, two pounds of coffee, and oue of tobacco. With this load of nearly a hundred pounds, he started back. At Deep Brook he laid down his burden, rested a while, and drank some water. His next halting-place was at Capt. Bradbury's, where he again drank and rested. Resuming his journey, lie soon reached home, and took another draught of milk. Dividing the corn, half of it was taken two miles to the river, a raft built on which to cross to Ridlon's mill, where it was ground, and he returned home. While waiting for a cake of it to be baked, he said he suf- fered more than he had during the whole day, and felt as though he should die of fatigue and hunger.
Among some of the trials of the early settlers were three remarkably dry summers in succession, which shortened their crops in days when they were raised for home use only, and not for export, producing much distress. Exten- sive fires ranged the woods, threatening destruction to their homes and improvements. The year 1783 was re- markable for a destructive frost on the 10th of August ; and in 1785 occurred the greatest freshet known, causing great damage to bridges and mills.
The first mills ou the Saco River, above Salmon Falls, were built at Moderation Falls, in 1795, and those at the bar shortly after.
The first post-office was established at the lower corner. Paul Coffin, Jr., was appointed postmaster.
Joshua Kimball aud Mr. Daniel Dennett, who came from Marblehead, Mass., brought with them negro slaves. Mr. Kimball had a man named Cæsar, and the other a woman. Cæsar was a favorite of the family, and worked for himself making staves to keep a supply of pocket money, with which he was quite liberal. After obtaining his liberty, in 1788, he adopted the customs of the white folks, doing a credit business, and, like some of them, giving his notes, which he never paid. He appears to have also speculated in real estate, as his name is found in the records of New- field, where he is taxed 1s. 8d., beside the names of Sip, Duce and Eliphalet, whose assessments are respectively 2s. 8d. and 19s. 11d. A deed made by him is still held there.
In 1792 there were within the town 59 ratable polls be- tween the ages of sixteen and twenty-one years, and 246 above that age, 29 not ratable, and 1 pauper, making 335 in all. The town also contained 91 dwellings, 156 barns, 10 shops, 2 tanneries, 3 manufactories of potash, 3 grist- mills, and 7 saw-mills. There were 1749 acres of tilled land. The crops at that time, in their order, were: hay, 1546 tons ; 5432 bushels of corn, 1357 of wheat, 1349 of rye, 521 of oats, 482 of peas and beans, and 45 of barley. The live-stock consisted of 1084 oxen, cows, and neat- cattle, 138 horses, and 307 swine.
WATER-POWER AND MANUFACTURES.
The water-powers, independent of those on the Saco, are small. The lower fall on that river, extending about half a mile below Union Falls, has a descent in that distance of eight or nine feet. It is not improved. At Union Falls, or Pleasant Point, a company, composed chiefly of residents of Boston, Mass., commenced a dam, and expended a large amount of money in 1831, preparing for the manufacture of cotton and woolen fabrics, and of iron and steel. It was de- signed to invest about half a million of dollars in the busi- ness. Nothing further was done until the Saco Water- Power Company, its present owners, erected a good stone dam there, with a fall of fifteen feet at low water, in 1856. This is unoccupied, except by a grist- and saw-mill. The power is estimated at low water as equal to 465 horse-power for twenty-four hours, or 1000 horse-power for eleven hours a day,-sufficient to operate 40,000 spindles.
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