USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Wayne > History of the town of Wayne, Kennebec County, Maine, from its settlement to 1898 > Part 19
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The names of others who were among the settlers in these early times, and whose names appear on the town records, it has been found impossible to trace, none of their descendants living in the town at the present time, and their memory having passed from the minds of the very few old people now living here.
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View of Central Portion of Androscoggin Lake,
From Morrison's Heights, looking westerly.
View of Wayne Village, Pocasset and northerly portion of Androscoggin Lakes.
From Morrison's Heights, looking north.
CHAPTER XV.
GLEANINGS.
Mrs. Jennie Thorne Johnson furnishes the following interesting article on "Interlachen."
F AR across the ocean, nestled between lakes, and girt around by
mountains, is a spot so often visited by tourists, who feel that until they have rested in far-famed Interlachen their pilgrimage is not complete.
Doubtless many of the seekers for the grand and beautiful in nature are from our beloved "Pine-tree State," and perhaps do not know that we have an Interlachen of our own. For surely it is between the lakes, this little village so quiet and peaceful, basking in the yellow Angust sunshine. It has, like its more world-renowned sister, its pilgrims, who come to it for rest and refreshing.
In the northwestern part of Kennebec county is one of the most beautiful spots in New England, and a few people know it, and love it, and come every summer to find in this delightful place perfect freedom from the rush, hurry and bustle which characterize city life, and which are so wearing to nerves and brain. Here a Sabbath-like stillness pervades even week day transactions. The little village seems now to be taking a Rip Van Winkle sort of a sleep, from which, in time it may come forth refreshed and be its lively self again. But whatever man has done or left undone, Nature has been most lavish in her gifts.
At the incorporation of the town, one hundred years ago, it was named in honor of a brave man, General Wayne. Before that time it bore the musical Indian name of Pocasset. It lies six miles from the railway in one direction, and three in another. Whichever way one chooses to approach it, he finds a most charming picture laid out before him. Perhaps a six mile ride is preferred. On ascending a steep hill one comes suddenly upon a fair panorama. At the foot of the hill lies a part of the village embowered in trees, and beyond, shimmering in the sunshine, for miles one can see Androscoggin Lake,
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
with its "cape" and islands, while at the right, above the village, one can see, gleaming through the trees, blue waters of Lake Pocasset. This lake, though smaller than its sister, is the more beautiful. Its waters seem deeper and bluer. The graceful curves of its shore-line, making the cool coves, where the black bass love to lie hidden, and where the lilies grow, are a poem in themselves. There
"The wild cow lily floats Her golden-freighted tinted boats In cool caves of softened gloom, O'er shadowed by the whispering reed And purple plumes of pickerel-weed, And meadow-sweet entangled bloom."
The lights and shadows here in a summer day, could they be trans- ferred to canvas, would ensure everlasting fame. In looking down the lake from its northern extremity, the white houses and the green trees of the village seem almost to be floating on the water, for at that distance little is seen except lakes above and below. Forming a picturesque cove at its southern shore, back of the Baptist church, it has often been used for a baptismal font on quiet Sabbath afternoons. It joins its sister lake through a mill stream, which is enlarged in the centre of the village to a small pond, which, with its overhanging willows and clear reflections, adds not a little to the beauty of the place.
Leading almost directly from elm-shaded Main Street by a short by-path, one comes soon to a high, sunny spot overlooking Andros- coggin Lake, and farther on may rest under the pines of Pine Point, which lovely spot is owned by a Massachusetts gentleman, who as a boy roamed here with his playmates. And here he may be found with his family and friends about him on summer days, enjoying the freedom of out-door life under his own oak and pine tree, which is doubtless as satisfying as the Scriptural "vine and fig tree."
The drives, in all directions, amply reward the seeker for beautiful scenery-the most popular, perhaps, being the road over Morrison Heights, which lie some two miles south of the village. Here one may see both lakes, the Androscoggin almost at his feet, and holding on its bosom its emerald islands, while beyond, toward the west and north, are the "everlasting hills"-Mount Blue and Mount Abraham -and farther toward the west the White Mountains of New Hamp- shire raise their hazy outlines. There in late fall, Mt. Washington, with its hoary head, is plainly visible.
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
Sunset from Morrison Heights is something never to be forgotten, and to look down on the sleeping city and lakes bathed in moonlight is something of which to dream.
If one is fond of boating, a row of two miles on the larger lake will bring him to the mouth of Dead River. which winds its way through the "cape" for three or four miles. A row up the river, fol- lowing its many curves-with banks sometimes literally lined with pond lilies, which receding waters have left-is a revelation indeed.
Wayne is not prouder of her beautiful scenery than of her sons and daughters, many of whom have made for themselves places in the busy world. Here the sweet singer, Annie Louise Cary Raymond, was born, and every summer re-visits "dear old Wayne." Homer Norris, the pianist, sometimes comes back to his old home. Here the work- renowned inventor, Hiram Maxim, visits his aged mother.
Many summer visitors are finding their way to Wayne. The one hotel is often overflowing. It is to be hoped that at no distant day more accommodations for guests will be forthcoming. The busy world calls for its laborers, and heeding her voice, most visitors flee before the autumn days, when to many, Nature is most beautiful. A sail on Androscoggin Lake on a clear October day, with the forest around its shores blazing in the royal robes of autumn, or in the late Indian summer, with the water like a sea of glass, and a mellow haze over the hills and vales, is to see Wayne as one did who knew and loved it :
"Let me wander where I will, In dreams I live again These golden, sweet, October days In dear Pocasset, Maine."
WAYNE'S FIRST HIGHWAY-ORIGIN OF "BEAR BROOK" AND "CRAIG'S BRIDGE."
In 1735 a grant of land "on the east side and next adjoining the Connectient River" was made by the Great and General Court to Nathaniel Harris and others in consideration of services rendered in the reduction of Port Royal (now Annapolis, Nova Scotia, ) in 1710. The township selected under the grant is now the southwesterly town. in New Hampshire. The grantees promptly took possession, lotted the land, cleared roads, built a mill and after expending more than £1,000 of the currency of the period, found their grant void.
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
The boundary line between the respective Provinces of Massachu- setts and New Hampshire had always been a matter of contention, and after many fruitless attempts to settle the dispute the King took the matter in hand, and so established the line as to throw this town- ship into New Hampshire, and land and improvements were irrecover- ably lost to the grantees.
The organization of the proprietors was kept in being, but it was not until 1770 that measures were taken for indemnity. They now chose a committee with instructions to "pursue their claim to the equity of Port Royal." The case was brought to the attention of the General Court, and in June, 1771, an Act was passed authorizing the original grantees, their heirs and assigns, to select a township from the unappropriated lands of the Commonwealth, east of Saco River and adjoining some other grant. In August of the same year, Elijah Livermore and Elisha Harrington were deputed to explore and select the land. Their instructions were to first go to Brunswick, thence take "boat and pilot and proceed up the river as far as Rocky-mico" (Roceomico, now Jay.) The result of this expedition was the selection of a township on both sides of the Androscoggin and adjoining Sylves- ter, and was first called "Port Royal," later Liverton, Livermore's Town and finally incorporated as the town of Livermore.
In Angust, 1772, a surveying party was sent to define, mark the limits, and divide into lots. With this party were Elijah Livermore and Thos. Fish, both proprietors and both active and diligent in prose- cution of the enterprise. The party was under the direction of Mr. Livermore, with Mr. Fish acting executive officer. They took sloop at Boston and went up the Kennebec, landing at Hallowell about a mile below Fort Western, on the 25th of August. In the afternoon, Fish with a companion "went forward about four miles, in order to procure a battoe for our use, either to buy, or make, or borrow." The next day was wholly spent without success, and on the following day the remainder of the party with their stores having come up they pro- ceeded to Winthrop where they arrived on the following day about noon, Ang. 27. Still unable to buy or borrow a boat, nothing re- mained but to make one. Buying boards for the purpose, they went to Samnel Frost's "about two miles from Wilson Pond." Mr. Frost was living on land now owned by J. H. Moore, about 30 rods south of Mr. Moore's present dwelling. On the 28th, Fish commenced work on the boat and with the assistance and under the direction of Mr. Ichabod Howe the two were enabled to complete the boat by noon of
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
the next day, and with Mr. Howe for pilot, were enabled to launch the boat in Wilson Pond, and by sunset, men and stores were safely landed on its western shore. Thence found under the skilful pilotage of Mr. Howe, their way was easy. A short carry over the divide, by the "Indian Carrying Place" to Androscoggin Pond, across its waters to Dead River and down to the Androscoggin River, thence up river to their township.
Having completed the work assigned them, they returned to Massa- chusetts in the fall, and made report of their proceedings to the pro- prietors. In the further prosecution of the settlement, the committee, among other instructions, were directed to open a "eart way" to Winthrop and to have the road cleared by the last of October, 1773. Elijah Livermore, Ebenezer Learned and Thomas Fish were appointed to perform this service.
The next spring the party again started for their township. They had tried the route by way of Brunswick and up the river-by way of the Kennebec and Winthrop, and now they must go by way of Portland and thence overland the balance of the way. Leaving Boston at 7 o'clock in the morning of April 30, in the sloop Sally, they came to anchor in Portland harbor about 3 P. M. on Sunday, May 2. They were at New Gloucester on the fifth, and leaving civil- ization behind, with James Stinchfield (an old hunter and later one of the first settlers of Leeds) for pilot, started the same day on their toil- some journey, arriving at their old camp at dusk on the 15th, but did not get up all their stores until the 22d. Mr. Fish seems to have been a man of infinite humor. In his diary of April 22, he writes, "Saturday, set out, heavy load upon our back, but we had one cag we called the Bull (rum) which helped us carry the rest. At every spring we blooded the Bull. We came twelve miles and night came on."
Without loss of time the party went to work felling trees and clear- ing roads. On the 13th of June Mr. Fish went to Winthrop and on the next day with Mr. Howe for pilot set out on his return. The entry in his diary for the day is as follows: * "Monday set out at one of the clock to mark our road to Port Royal, and at night camped by Great Androscoggin Pond, and as we was encamping we heard some- thing growling like a bear, and we went from our camp and we found two cubs up on a tree, and I shot one of them and Mr. Howe shot the other, and we had some for breakfast and had a very good breakfast."
*Bear Brook incident.
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
From this incident "Bear Brook" received its name. Three days later having exhausted the supplies of food, they started for home by way of Portland. After a few weeks at home, they returned, this time by way of the Kennebec, which continued to be their route until cart and wagon travel was superseded by rail. They now petitioned the town of Winthrop to open the road towards their township as far as the town line. A town meeting was called for the 30th of August, and a hearing given the petitions, Mr. Fish attending and presenting the case of the petitioners. The town voted, "That Messrs John Chandler, Gideon Lambert and Ichabod Howe be a committee to make the bridge and clear the road as far as this town extends towards Port Royal township." It would appear that the committee did not act with satisfactory promptness, and Oct. 5, Mr. Fish was again at Winthrop to hurry up the building of the bridge. Armed probably with authority of the committee, he next day went to Mr. Jas. Craig's and contracted with him for the building of the bridge, returning the same day to Winthrop and on the next in company with Mr. Howe, viewed the road home.
From his diary it appears that Mr. Fish was at Mr. Howe's April 29, 1774. "Set out (from Mr. Howe's) to go to Mr. (Job) Fuller's towards our town, missed the right road and went out of our way about one mile and then struck through the woods about 4 miles in order to strike Craigg's bridge and struck within ten rods of said bridge ; killed one partridge on our march. Encamped by Fuller's meadow."
At the next annual meeting in 1774, the road as laid out was accepted, and in July following (1774) payment for building the bridge was voted Mr. Craig. This is the bridge across the stream between the Berry and Dexter ponds, always since known as Craig's Bridge. This road is, and for the last 70 years has been known as the "old road" to Winthrop and until 1821 was the great thorough- fare for the inhabitants of Livermore, Dixfield and all northern Oxford to reach the Kennebec.
NEW ROAD TO WINTHROP.
How the travel from the upper Androscoggin and Oxford County to the Kennebec river was saved to Wayne and Winthrop Villages.
John M. Benjamin, Esq., of Winthrop writes: "Nathaniel Bishop, (a life long resident of Winthrop) should be remembered in Wayne with more than a passing notice. It was largely if not solely through
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
his activity and persistence that the new road, (so called) between Wayne village and Winthrop was laid out and opened for public travel. The settlers on the upper Androscoggin and northern Oxford had their outlet to the world by the Kennebec River via Wayne village, the "old road" and Winthrop. It "was a hard road to travel" and they organized with the determination to secure a better. After careful prospecting they fixed upon a route north of Wing Pond through North Wayne, bridging Maranocook near the R. R. bridge and thence to East Winthrop, making not only an easier route but much shorter. Mr. Bishop was then in active trade at Winthrop Village. To divert the traffic and travel of the large and fast growing population to this route would work serious injury to him and to his village, and he at once set in motion all the forces in his power to prevent the consummation of the scheme. Simply to oppose was not sufficient, as the project was too strongly backed, and as the farmer of olden time would say he "set a back fire." He proposed and urged with tremendous energy and persistence the laying out and opening of the road now in use and, backed by the great expense of the prospec- tive bridges after a contest of several years duration he saw the reward of his labors, and the traffic and travel, so nearly lost, were saved to the villages of Wayne and Winthrop while his name is being perpetu- ated in the "Bishop Road."
Under date July 1, 1822, G. W. Fairbanks wrote in his diary, "Father, as one of the selectmen, examined the new or Bishop Road." Under date, Sept. 20, 1822, "Funeral of Cephas Morton who was instantly killed by a falling tree on the new or rather the Bishop Road."
During a heavy thunder shower which occurred July 19, 1840, Mr. Joshua Norris who lived on Norris Hill, was hurrying his ox- team to his barn with a large load of hay on which were his two boys. The lightning struck the load, killing instantly both of the boys.
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 29, 1821, brought sadness and sorrow to some homes in Wayne. Three boys were drowned on that fatal day. Their names were Elisha and Zenas Morey, and Anson Dexter. The first two were brothers, aged respectively 13 and 10 years. They were sons of Elisha Morey, then living on the farm now occupied by F. W. Small. For good work and faithful service on the farm in the
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
autumn season, their father bought for each of the boys a pair of new skates. On Thanksgiving morn, with buoyant spirits, with high hopes and glad anticipations of pleasure soon to be enjoyed, the boys went to Muddy Pond to try their new skates. They were accompanied by a boy named Felch, who lived on a neighboring farm. Soon one of the Morey boys broke through the ice, and the other one, in trying to save his brother, also went into the water. The Felch boy ran for assistance but the unfortunate brothers were drowned before help could reach them. The bereaved father and mother were so overcome with grief that the farm was sold and they removed from the town. The pond, which was the scene of the death of the ill-fated youths, was in plain view from the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Morey, and they could not bear to look upon it. It was in Wilson Pond that the third boy, Anson Dexter, met his fate by drowning. It is seldom that the chronicler is called upon to relate such a sad series of fatal accidents on a single morning.
For forty-two years the annual and other business meetings of the town of Wayne were held in private buildings, school houses or the Methodist Church. The year in which the town house was built, its cost and the name of the builder are shown by the following receipt:
WAYNE, SEPT. 14, 1840.
Rec'd of the inhabitants of the town of Wayne three hundred and fifty-eight dollars and twenty-five cents, in full for building the town house in said town the present season.
PETER FIFIELD.
The first town-farm was purchased of Benjamin Norris, not far from 1860. It was situated in the south west part of the town near An- droscoggin Pond. This was sold and a farm purchased of Jason Maxim on Beech hill. This was disposed of and the present one purchased of Matthias Smith. It is located in the north part of the town. There are no paupers on the town-farm at the present time.
The fatal accidents in the shops at North Wayne have been as follows :
About 1845, Henry Williams was killed by the bursting of a grind- stone.
In 1851, Josiah Dean was caught on a shaft and one of his legs so
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
mangled that amputation was necessary. He died while undergoing the operation.
In 1868, James P. Davis went to his work on Christmas morning very carly and alone. When the other workmen arrived at the shop, they found the lifeless body of Mr. Davis revolving on a swift turning shaft and mangled in a shocking manner. A sad Christmas was that fatal, day for the wife and family of whom he was the idol.
From a number of old and original papers belonging to G. J. Wing, we select the following as of interest in showing the names of some of Wayne's early settlers.
"NEW SANDWICH, DEC. 29, 1795.
We, the subscribers that agree to petition to the Proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase for the land we live on between land lotted by John Jones and a Line run by Ephraim Ballard, have made choice of Elijah Livermore for our agent and we hereby promise to bear our proportionable part of the cost that has or may arise according to the value of the land in its natural state that each person claims, as witness our Hands :
Ebenezer Besse.
Aaron Wing.
Nathan Norris.
William Wing.
Ephraim Norris.
Jacob Stetson. John Jennings. Ebenezer Wing. Simeon Wing. Allen Wing. Woodin Norris.
Isaac Ford.
Comfort Smith.
Ebenezer Mason. Jacob Lovejoy. Jonathan Sampson. Ephraim Maxim.
John Walton. Josiah Norris.
Ebenezer Hutchinson."
The following from Williamson's History of Maine:
Wayne, which was incorporated in 1798 was the 114th town ineor- porated. It contains about 9,400 acres and was named for Anthony Wayne, an able and brave General in the Revolution. The town had previously been called Pocasset, and New Sandwich. It is bounded westerly by great Androscoggin pond and joins Lanes pond on the north. The first settler was Job Fuller from Sandwich, Mass., who made improvements in 1773. In Great Androscoggin pond is an
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
island in which there is a burying ground of the natives; and in the north part of the town is Hutchinson's pond, two miles long by three- fourths of a mile broad. It is fed by the 30-miles river."
July 1, 1863, was a hot day with a strong south wind. It was the day of the great fire at Wayne village. Johnson's shovel-handle factory, the grist mill, Fillebrown's new shop, all the stores and other buildings on that side of the stream to the residence of Mr. Johnson were burned to ashes and Mr. Brown's and Mr. Swift's houses on the opposite side of the street shared the same fate. Fifty thousand dollars' worth of property burned up and the heart and business part of the pretty village of Wayne destroyed.
POPULATION.
In 1790 the population of New Sandwich was 297.
In 1800 the population of Wayne was 500.
Census of 1810 taken by James Cochrane, town of Wayne, Kenne- bec County, Me. Copied from the original returns by Willis H. Wing, May 11, 1897.
NAMES OF HEADS OF FAMILIES.
Bessey, Tabor, Jr.
Bessey, Reuben 3d.
Billington, Ichabod
Bowles, John
Bessey, Ebenezer
Bowles, William
Billington, Isaac
Bunker, Noah
Billington, Seth
Buzzell, William
Bishop, Zadock
Buzzell, Samuel
Billington, Seth
Brown, John
Billington, Nathaniel
Brown, Josiah
Burgess, Seth
Brigham, Thomas
Burgess, Benjamin
Burgess, Elisha
Burgess, Thomas
Babb, William
Burgess, Ichabod
Bishop, Jesse
Berry, Richard
Blackwell, Silvanus
Brown, Samuel
Blackwell, Nathaniel
Bean, Moses
Cumner, Francis
Bessey, Reuben, Sen.
Chandler, John
Bessey, Jabez
Chandler, Silas
Bessey, Reuben
Curtis, David
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
Chandler, Joseph Chandler, William
Knight, Franklin
Lamson, Joseph
Crocker, James
Lawrence, Asa
Crocker, Warren
Lovejoy, Collins
Chandler, Levi
Maxim, Samuel
Carr, Alexander
Maxim, Ephraim
Chandler, Asahel
Morrison, John
Candwell, Mahetable
Manter, David
Dinsmore, Samuel
Maxim, Jacob
Dexter, Amasa
Norcross, Jonathan
Dexter, Isaae
Norris, Josiah
Dicker, William, Jr.
Norris, Nathan
Dexter, Constant
Norris, Ephraim
Duvill, Theophilus
Norris, Woodin
Erskine, Robert
Perry, Zechariah
Perry, Hannah
Foss, Samuel Felch, Samuel . Frost, Moses Frost, Aaron Fisher, Peter
Raymond, William
Raymond, Solomon
Raymond, Malster
Frost, John Frost, Samuel
Smith, Daniel
Frost, William Fuller, Job
Stinchfield, Mark P.
Foss, Cyrus
Stinchfield, Roggers
Foss, Jeremiah
Stinchfield, William
Frost, Noah
Stevens, John
Foss, George
Sturtevant, Abisha
Gould, Samuel
Tibbetts, John
Gore, Richard
Washburn, Abisha
Haskell, Jacob Ilandy, Nathan
White, Moses
Hammond, Sylvanus Jennings, Nathaniel Jennings, Samuel Jenkins, Dennis
Wing, Shuball
Wing, Stephen
Jenkins, Hamilton
Wing, Aaron
Josselyn, Rolen
Wing, William
Wing, Allen
Judkins, Jacob Joseph, Lemuel, (colored.)
Wing, Simeon
Roberts, Love
Ready, Esther
Smith, Isaac
Walton, John
White, John
Wing, Reuben
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HISTORY OF WAYNE.
Wing, Ebenezer
Smith, Comfort
Wing, Alpheus
Smith, JJohn
Wing, Moses, Jr.
Smith, John, Jr.
Wing, Moses
Swift, Enoch
Weeks, Braddock
Stevens, John
Winslow, Joshua
Sweet, Ellis
Spears, Samuel
Swift, Etrathan
Sturdivant, Gamaliel
Number males, 405
Number females,
406
Number blacks, - -
- 8 - -
Total, - 819 - - - -
In 1820 the population of Wayne was 1051.
In 1830 the population of Wayne was 1153. In 1840 the population of Wayne was 1201. In 1850 the population of Wayne was 1367.
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POSTMASTERS.
The following is a list of Postmasters who have served at Wayne as shown by the records in the Post Office department at Washington, D. C., as far back as 1810. The records previous to that time were destroyed by fire when the British burned the Capitol in 1814;
POSTMASTERS.
DATE OF APPOINTMENT.
Moses Wing, Jr.,
January 1, 1810.
Ellis Sweet,
October 1, 1817.
Anson G. Chandler,
March 29, 1821.
Heiney Bishop, George W. Stanley,
November 30, 1821.
August 5, 1824.
Henry B. Farnham,
Charles H. Pierpont,
July 25, 1826. August 7, 1827.
Alfred B. Morton, Henry W. Owen,
November 14, 1831.
March 26, 1840.
November 30, 1846.
May 31, 1848.
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