Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 125

Author: Kingsbury, Henry D; Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York, Blake
Number of Pages: 1790

USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892 > Part 125

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SOCIETIES .- Messalonskee Lodge, No. 113, F. & A. M., was insti- tuted May 16, 1862, with ten charter members. The masters have been: Charles H. Blaisdell, John U. Hubbard, William Macartney, Alvin Atwood, George W. Gilman, George F. Benson, Adoniram J. Parker, J. Wesley Gilman, Charles Rowell, Orestes E. Crowell, Frank L. Given, Albert F. Bachelder and Horace A. Burrill. Three of its members have been honored with the appointment of dis- trict deputy grand master of the 12th district, each serving two years : William Macartney, Orestes E. Crowell and J. Wesley Gilman.

Amon Lodge, No. 95, I. O. of O. F., was instituted November 2, 1882, with seven charter members. The chair of noble grand has been filled by: E. C. Blackwell, A. A. Parker, A. H. Lord, J. M. Field, C. W. Shepard, J. A. Sawtelle, H. H. Bowden, F. H. Lyford,

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Redington Ellis, F. C. Sawtelle, George Soule, C. D. Cummings, Wel- lington Ellis, H. Sawtelle, O. F. Emory and C. G. Eaton, M. D. The Lodge has 139 members.

Bodwell Commandery, No. 410, U. O. G. C .. was organized in 1889, with twenty-three charter members. The chair of noble commander has been filled by: C. E. Owen, A. H. Swett, Mrs. C. A. Cunningham, Rev. A. Hamilton, S. H. Skillings and Ora F. Emory. The society has thirty-eight members here. R. A. Herring is keeper of records.

Crystal Fountain Lodge, No. 118, instituted in 1867, was the first Good Templar organization in Oakland.

Cascade Lodge, No. 189, was instituted in 1881, with E. M. Foster, chief templar, and Jeannette Benjamin, secretary. This Lodge was reorganized in 1891 as Cascade Lodge, No. 383, has ninety-five mem- bers, and is rapidly increasing.

A Division of the Sons of Temperance existed in this village in the forties and flourished till near war times. Alfred Winslow and George W. Hubbard were active members.

Cascade Grange, No. 92, P. of H., was organized January 2, 1875, with thirteen charter members, and was prosperous from the start. Within a short time it established a Grange store that ran fifteen years. It has at present 175 members, who hold their weekly meet- ings in the old Liberty Hall. The following persons have been masters: Hiram Cornforth, Henry Morrill, Stephen C. Watson, Justin A. Sawtelle, Howard A. Sawtelle and Howard W. Wells.

Oakland Lodge, No. 21, A. O. U. W., now having one hundred members, was instituted in 1884, with eleven charter members. The chair of master workman has been filled by: James Lowe, George Winegar, Hiram Wyman, D. E. Parsons, M.D., Frank L. Merrill, Frank S. Kelley and Albert H. Lord.

Gilman's Band was organized in 1876, by J. Wesley Gilman, under whose continued leadership it has been in a state of constant and rare efficiency for sixteen years. In 1881, at Lake Maranacook, it easily took the first prize in competition with fourteen other bands. At present it numbers twenty-two performers, who are a credit to their leader, to themselves and to Oakland.

CIVIL HISTORY .- The Selectmen of Oakland, with dates of first election and number of years of service, have been: 1873, Albion P. Benjamin, 2, John M. Libby, 5, George Rice; 1874, Charles E. Mit- chell, William P. Blake, 8; 1875, Adoniram J. Parker, 8, William Macartney, 2; 1877, John W. Greely; 1878, Henry J. Morrill; 1880, Samuel Blaisdell, 2; 1882, Alfred G. Ricker, 8; 1884, J. Wesley Gilman, 6, Stephen C. Watson, 4; 1887, O. E. Crowell, Charles E. Crowell; 1888, Sewell W. Ward; 1889, William L. Ward, 2; 1891, Erastus W. Bates, Charles M. Crowell and Andrew M. Rice.

William Macartney was elected the first town clerk and was suc-

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ceeded in 1880 by Hiram C. Winslow, the present incumbent. Wil- liam Macartney was elected town treasurer in 1873; Bradford H. Mit- chell, 1874; Howard W. Wells, 1877; William M. Ayer, 1878; M. M. Bartlett, 1879; J. Wesley Gilman, 1881; George H. Bryant, 1884; George W. Field, 1887; A. D. Libby, 1888; M. L. Damon, 1890; and Samuel T. Hersum in 1886 and in 1891.

By the annual report of the town officers for the year ending Feb- ruary 20, 1892, it appears that by a tax of eighteen mills per dollar on an assessed valuation of $752,246, $3 each on 542 polls, and $1 each on 126 dogs, Oakland raised the sum of $15,328.43. The appropria- tions were: For support of poor, $1,100; roads and bridges, $2,500; snow, $800; common schools, $2,500; free high school, $850: miscel- laneous town expenses, $1,100; street lighting, $600; town farm, $500; Memorial Hall, $300; cemetery, $200; fire company and fire depart- ment, $175; and for memorial day, $25.

Edwin M. Foster, supervisor of schools, reports that, with the help of a state appropriation of $1,311.65, the sum of $3,726.23 was actually expended for schools. The number of children of school age in town was 579, of whom 493 attended school.

Oakland is one of the few towns in Kennebec county that is in- creasing in population. The census of 1880 shows 1,646 inhabitants, and in 1890 there were 2,055, of whom about 1,500 lived in the village.

Winslow built a town meeting house here about 1800 that was used for religious and other public gatherings and for town meetings . till 1841, when it was taken down. The town business is now done at Memorial Hall.

CHURCHES .- The Free Baptists, the oldest religious organization in Oakland, date from 1832, when Deacons Levi Ricker and John Corn- forth, Joshua Gage, Nancy D. Soule and nine others pledged them- selves to walk the journey of life in the fear of God and with Chris- tian love. Of these thirteen only Mrs. Nancy (Soule) Shepard is left. They organized in the old town meeting house, and continued to meet there till the Union meeting house was built the next year. When the Universalists bought their pews, in 1859, they moved their vestry across the road and sold it soon after to the Methodists. They then proceeded, the same year, to build their present church. The following is a list of most of their preachers for sixty years: Elders Samuel Hutchins, Silas Curtiss, - Whitney, George W. Bean, Jo- seph Burgess, Arthur Deering, - Erskine, A. H. Morrell, J. N. Rich, - Redland, E. Manson, S. McCowan, Lincoln Given, Edwin Blake, D. B. Newell, John Roberts and E. W. Churchill.

Methodism was first organized in Oakland by Luther P. French, who formed a class here in 1843, of which D. B. Ward was leader, and Thomas Hill, a local preacher, and his wife, Joseph E. Stevens and Mrs. G. W. Pressey were active members. Ezekiel Robinson, Martin

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Ward, P. P. Merrill, M. Wight and Asa Heath had probably preached occasional sermons in this part of the town between 1827 and 1843. S. Allen in 1844 and 1851; Asahel Moore, in 1845; C. Munger, in 1846; D. Waterhouse, in 1853; C. Fuller, in 1854-5; J. H. Mooers, in 1867; and A. S. Ladd, in 1869-70, preached here occasionally. In 1872 N. C. Clifford was sent to this charge and North Sidney. During his four years' pastorate Mr. Clifford succeeded in building a $6,000 meet- ing house, of which sum R. B. Dunn gave $1,600. For the next four years the society had little to show except their new church, which was empty most of the time. Rev. M. E. King, in 1880-81, infused a spirit of life, which began the work of finishing the audience room of the church. This was completed in 1884 under the administration of C. Munger. E. C. Springer followed in 1885-6, H. Chase in 1887-8, and for the next four years Alexander Hamilton. The church now numbers nearly one hundred members.

Thomas Barnes, who has been called the father of Universalism in Maine, preached in 1802 the first sermon of this faith ever heard in Oakland. The town meeting house, which had been built but two years, was well filled, for preaching by anybody was scarce. A Uni- versalist conference was held here in 1810, the twelfth annual meeting of the Eastern Association; and again in 1813. This place was then called " Back Waterville." The business meeting was held at Joseph Warren's. Believers in this faith continued to increase. Barzilla Streeter, W. A. Drew, William Farwell and Sylvanus Cobb held fre- quent services here.

The Union meeting house was built in 1833, principally by Univer- salists, and by Calvinistic and Freewill Baptists, and was dedicated in 1834. Joseph Warner, Elisha and Hiram Hallett, and Thomas Cook were prominent members; also the Crowells, Cornforths, Kimballs and Matthews. R. W. Byram, in 1839, was the first settled pastor, and Alfred Winslow was the first Sabbath school superintendent. Giles Bailey preached here in 1841, followed by James P. Weston, Ira Washburn of Sidney, and in 1845 by that stalwart Universalist, Nathaniel Gunnison; in 1846 by J. H. Henry; 1847, J. C. Pattee, and in 1852 by Amos Hutchins.

The next year a church organization, with forty-eight members, was perfected, which afterward more than doubled. The Univer- salists became so strong that during the year 1859 they bought the other pew owners' rights in the Union meeting house, on which they have since expended nearly $3,000 in improvements. W. A. P. Dil- lingham preached during the civil war, followed by Zenas Thompson for three years, and by Anson Titus, who wrote a careful history of the society for the Gospel Banner, that was published in 1876. George G. Hamilton, after a pastorate of eight and one-half years, was fol-

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lowed by T. B. Fisher, and he by the present pastor, Edward G. Mason.

. The Second Baptist Church of Waterville was organized Septem- ber 12, 1844, with forty-five members, mostly from the First Baptist church of Waterville. Some of the prominent workers were: Asa C. Bates, Russell C. Benson, K. M. Blackwell, Lewis Tozer, Asa Lewis, Benjamin Jackson and Nathan Gibbs. In 1846 the society voted to build a house of worship, and directed the trustees to buy " a lot near the old meeting house for $45." The house was built in 1847, and has been enlarged twice since. A. F. Tilton was the first preacher, succeeded by N. M. Williams, John Butler and Allen Barrows. James D. Reid was ordained here in 1853: William Tilley followed in 1836; W. H. Kelton in 1862, Laforest Palmer next, and for nine years Prof. S. K. Smith of Waterville. F. D. Blake, C. E. Owen, G. W. Hinckley and E. N. Bartlett have been the last four pastors.

CEMETERIES .- Oakland has three public cemeteries. The Upper Cemetery is the oldest, the first ground for which was given by Bax- ter Crowell, soon after 1800. This has been enlarged by purchase at town expense. The Lower Cemetery was established about 1840, by the purchase of two acres of land. It has since been enlarged, and now extends to the pond. Lewis' burying ground, which has been in use from very early times, was originally donated by the family whose name it bears.

PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS.

Frank H. Axtell, born in 1853, is a son of Elbridge and Sarah (Crowell) Axtell, and grandson of Asa Axtell, who came to Belgrade from New Hampshire. Asa Axtell had eleven sons and one daughter. Elbridge Axtell came to Oakland in 1857 or 1858, and settled on the farm where he died in 1889. He had two sons: Charles C. (deceased) and Frank H., who is a farmer on his father's place. His wife is Emma, daughter of Ezekiel Page, of Waterville, Me. They have one son, Herbert E.

JOHN AYER .- It is not imperative to trace a man's genealogy, to substantiate his claim to an enviable position earned wholly by him- self. One must be measured by his success and judged by the com- munity in which he resides, and by those with whom he comes in daily contact. To record one's merits so universally acknowledged is an agreeable task. The lives of such men as John Ayer make history which their descendants may read with pardonable pride and, closely studied, give a clear knowledge of the strength which develops com- munities and states, and of the motive power which controls them for public good.

John Ayer's boyhood sounded the keynote of a future active life. A student of men and of literature, an original thinker, a deep

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reasoner, and a conscientious observer of life's duties, one could safely predict the successful business career that places him among the leading men of the state. Mr. Ayer is of Scotch descent on his father's side, and Scotch-Irish on his mother's. His grandparents were Benjamin Ayer and his wife, Rachel Sanborn, who first settled in Portland, and Job Chase and his wife, Jane Potter, of Unity, who settled in that town.

Thomas B. Ayer was born in Portland, Me., in 1800, moved to Freedom in 1804, and married Sybil Chase, cousin of Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, in 1823. In 1859 he moved to West Waterville, where he died in 1864. His wife was born in Unity in 1802, and died in Oak- land in 1884. The nine children of Thomas B. and Sybil Chase Ayer were : Benjamin, born in Unity, Me., 1824, now a merchant in New York city ; John, born in Freedom, Me., in 1825; Mary J. Manson, born in Freedom Me., in 1827, died in Atlanta, Ga., in 1873; Parish L., born in Unity, Me., in 1829, died in Astoria, Ore., in 1891; Elsie P. Whitney, born in Unity, Me., in 1832, died in Atlanta, Ga., in 1876 ; B. Ellen, born in Unity, Me., in 1834 ; Sarah C., born in Unity, Me., in 1836, died in Unity, Me., in 1850; Augustus, born in Unity, Me., in 1841, died in Unity, Me., in 1841; Augusta, born in Unity, Me., in 1844.

John Ayer, the second of the nine, was educated at Freedom Academy and the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, Kents Hill. Possess- ing extraordinary mathematical talent, he made a special study of civil engineering, and in 1851 was in charge of construction of the Penobscot & Kennebec railroad, from Waterville to Bangor, and until 1854 was acting superintendent for the contractors. From 1855 to 1858 he was engaged in railroad surveys in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He came to Oakland in 1858 and since then has been closely identified with nearly all its business interests. He first entered the employ of the Dunn Edge Tool Company as traveling salesman in 1865, and was at once made treasurer and general man- ager. From a corporation with a nominal capital, the Dunn Edge Tool Company has become one of the wealthiest in the state, and the largest producer of scythes in the world.

The Somerset railroad was organized in 1868. Mr. Ayer became a director in 1868, was elected president in 1872, and since then has extended and managed the road against the opposition of its enemies and discouragements that would have appalled and crushed ordinary men. The town of Skowhegan, supported by the powerful influence of Abner Coburn and the Maine Central railroad, made a most deter- mined effort to defeat the enterprise, and but for Mr. Ayer would have succeeded. When the Somerset railroad seemed to have lost all of its friends, when towns and individuals repudiated their subscrip-

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tions, when it was necessary to become personally responsible to con- necting roads for advance freight charges, then its president became invincible. He was elected trustee of the Maine Wesleyan Seminary in 1869, trustee and first president of the Cascade Savings Bank in 1869. In 1883 he built the Cascade Woolen Mill ready for its ma- chinery, was made a director, and elected treasurer of the company in 1889. These positions of trust, in addition to the management of the Dunn Edge Tool Company and the presidency of the Somerset rail- road, he holds to-day.

John Ayer was married in 1855 to Olive A. Furber, of Lewiston, by whom he had two children: William Madison, born in Bangor in 1856, who graduated at Dean Academy, Franklin, Mass., was a mem- ber of the Maine legislature in 1890-1, delegate to the republican national convention, Minneapolis, 1892, and is now the successful superintendent of the Somerset railway; Mary, born in Oakland in 1868, educated in Massachusetts and Paris, France, married David K. Phillips, president of the National Grand Bank of Marblehead, Mass., 1892. John Ayer was married September 12, 1880, to Annabel Holt, of New Sharon, Me., by whom he has three children: John, jun., born April 30, 1883; Benjamin, November 17, 1885, and Paul, November 8, 1887.

John Ayer exhibits marked characteristics, is a man of strong in- dividuality, of incorruptible integrity, reserved and reticent, tenacious of his opinions, yet most forbearing toward his enemies, and charita- ble to a fault. Always a republican.

Abram Bachelder, one of thirteen children of Joseph and Hannah T. (Allen) Bachelder, was born in 1842. He served about two years in the late war, in Company E, 7th Me. He had three brothers in the service also: Joseph in the 40th Massachusetts, Henry A. in 20th Maine, and George F. in 9th Maine. In 1869 he became a partner with his father and brother in the wood bench and chair business, which was started in 1842, at Waterville, by his father. Mr. Bachelder is now the sole proprietor of the business, which his father brought to Oakland in 1849. He married Laura A Farnham, and their only child is Leon A.

Sanford J. Baker, son of James M. and Sally (Moore) Baker, of Bingham, Somerset county, Me., was born in 1838. He learned the blacksmith trade at Skowhegan, and after working several years in various places he came from Madison to Oakland in 1871. He opened the pleasant street which very appropriately bears his name, and has built several of the houses on it. His wife, Philena A., daughter of Nathaniel Whittier, of Cornville, Me., and her two children, Frank S. and Emma M., are not living.

Louis Belanger was born in 1831 in St. Gervais, P. Q. In 1849 he came to North Wayne and began work in the Dunn scythe shops, at-

BeBenson

PRINT E. BIERSTADT N Y.

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tending school a part of the first two years. He continued working at Wayne until 1862, and the year following he came to Oakland, where he has since been employed by the Dunn Edge Tool Company and its predecessors. He is now and has been for some years traveling salesman for that corporation. He married in 1855 Harriet A., daughter of C. Erskine, of Fayette. Their three daughters are: Emma C. (Mrs. J. H. Witherell), Lillian M. (Mrs. Benjamin Hinds) and Edna L.

BENJAMIN CHANDLER BENSON .- Of the many manufacturers of Oakland, no one now living has a record of forty-four years of con- tinuous production except Benjamin C. Benson, who established a wagon shop, in which he built carriages and sleighs and all styles of wheeled vehicles, from 1836 to 1880. Although he made it success- ful, and ultimately the source of a handsome competence, the begin- ning was slow and hard. There was plenty to do, but no money to pay with. Mr. Benson was obliged to work as a last-maker a part of each year to get cash enough to buy the iron for his wagon building. This kind of combat took an iron will and whalebone muscles.

Let us see where he got these qualities-which money cannot buy, but which can buy money, or make it. His grandfather, Ichabod Benson, came from Massachusetts to Livermore, Me., where he was a farmer. Stephen Benson, his father, was a farmer and a worker in iron, a blacksmith, a nail maker and a plow maker. He was born in 1777, and in 1800 was married to Rebecca Cummings. Their children were: Seth E., Rebecca, Sewall, Benjamin C., Russell C., Mary, Albert, and George B. Three of these eight children are still living : Rebecca, now Mrs. Teague of Turner; Benjamin C. and George B., both of Oakland.

Benjamin Chandler Benson was born in Poland, Me., February 17, 1809. He was named by his uncle, Dr. Benjamin Chandler, whose wife was Stephen Benson's sister ; and was adopted by them when he was nine months old, and taken to their home on Paris hill. The doctor was a very prominent man in all that section of country. His medical reputation was high and his practice was very large. He was a leader in public affairs, being for one or more terms a member of the legislature. But his labors were exhausting, and he died before he was fifty years old.

Benjamin C. lived with his foster parents till he was sixteen years old, becoming greatly attached to them. Among his school fellows was Hannibal Hamlin. The two boys were warm friends. In the meantime his father had moved from Poland, where he had a nail shop, to South Paris, where he did general blacksmithing and a large business in plow making-from 75 to 100 a year. Only the most skillful blacksmiths could make good plows. From South Paris he moved to Livermore, and from there to Buckfield, where he bought a

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farm, on which he was living when Benjamin C. left Doctor Chand- ler's at the age of sixteen and came to help his father.

Besides his farm, Stephen Benson had a wagon and blacksmith shop, in which Benjamin C. worked enough to become familiar with the manufacture of wagons. Six months before he was of age he bought his time from his father, giving his note for sixty dollars, and launched forth into the world for himself. The making of last blocks for the Boston market was, in those times, one of the few things that brought ready money. To this branch of trade, Benjamin C. and his brother, Sewall, bent their energies-first at Gardiner in the early part of 1833, from whence they removed the same year to West Water- ville. The next year Sewall managed the last block factory, and Benjamin C. worked for him till he went into the wagon business for himself.

In 1837 he took the most important step of his life-he made Lucy D. Hitchings, of Waterville, his wife. Their children have been : Eliza M. (Mrs. M. M. Bartlett, of South Berwick, Me.), Elizabeth C. (Mrs. A. A. Parker, of Oakland), Annie M. (Mrs. E. N. Small, of Water- ville), Mary K. (Mrs. W. R. Pinkham), and Alice H. (Mrs. C. E. A. Winslow), both of Oakland. Mr. B. C. Benson lost his wife in 1879. Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Pinkham live with him at the old homestead, which dates back to near the beginning of the century, when John Coombs kept it as a hotel. Ichabod Benson died in 1833 and was buried in Livermore.

Mr. Benson's activities have extended to matters of public welfare which interest all good citizens. He was one of the organizers and has always been a trustee of the Cascade Savings Bank. He was also one of the incorporators and has always been a director in the Messa- lonskee National Bank. The Baptist church, of which he is a mem- ber, has enjoyed his close care and generous support, and for many years his service as its financial clerk. Entirely without his solicita- tion, he was elected, in 1860, on the republican ticket, and served one term in the state legislature.

Edwin C. Benson, son of Russell C. and Abigail (Dunbar) Benson, was born December 31, 1853. He was temperer in the axe and scythe works at Oakland for twelve years. In 1889 he bought the old Hallett homestead, and is now a farmer. He married Carrie E., daughter of William P. Blake. Their children are John W., Alice A. and Leon C.

Hiram Blake, born in 1815, is one of thirteen children of John and Deborah (Wade) Blake, and grandson of Nathaniel and Annie (Taylor) . Blake, whose children were : John, Mary, Nancy, William, Nathaniel, Avadna, David, Jonathan, Sally and Samuel. John died in Sears- mont, Me., in 1855, aged sixty-five years. Hiram came to Oakland in 1835 and in 1873 bought the old Marsten farm, where five years later he built his present residence. His wife Nancy (deceased) was a

Win på Blake

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daughter of James Carson. Their children are: Charles E., Sumner W., William R., Rose D. (Mrs. L. D. Davis), Sarah C., Alice E., Lester H. and five who died-Goerge A. E., who was killed in the late war ; Oliver E., Mary W., Lillie H. and an infant daughter.

WILLIAM PARIS BLAKE is the son of William Blake, of Waterville, and the grandson of Nathaniel Blake, of Belgrade. William, one of nine children, was raised on the old homestead and trained to his father's occupation of farming. About 1817 he married Mrs. Martha Nelson, of Waterville, whose house and farm in that town became at once his home. Here they raised a family, and passed the remainder of their days. Their two oldest children, Caroline and Emiline, are both deceased. William P., born June 13, 1825, was the third, and Albion C. the fourth and last. The latter on arriving at manhood went to Australia, where his ready abilities and his resolute makeup found room and opportunity to realize his ambitions. In the midst of a prosperous career as a gold miner, he fell a victim to the climate, and died in 1861.

William P. received the usual training of a farmer's son. His father died in 1841, leaving him at the age of sixteen with the man- agement and responsibilities of his business. These duties were faithfully performed for four years, when, with a decided preference for mechanical occupations, he entered the scythe factory of Hale & Stevens. By close application under the training of his employer, Miletus Tafft, he learned in a single year so much of the art of finish- ing scythes that he went the next year to Rhode Island and took the same kind of work there, by the job. In 1848 he returned to Hale & Stevens, where he remained for twelve years, a competent jobber and a hard worker in the most extensive and important manufacturing business then carried on in town. The constant strain of intense ap- plication affected his health to such an extent that he quit the scythe business in 1860.

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Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 125

Author: Kingsbury, Henry D; Deyo, Simeon L., ed Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York, Blake Number of Pages: 1790

Author: Kingsbury, Henry D; Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York, Blake
Number of Pages: 1790