Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 129

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 129

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The store of the village is now kept by George H. Cates. The principal branch is on the northeast of the four corners of the village. The building was erected about 1824 by David Hamlen; it was sold to Zachariah Butterfield, jun., in 1845, who fitted it for and opened it as a store. He sold to Isaac Robinson, he to William H. and Charles B. Cates, they to Mark L. Simington, he to W. S. B. Runnells and James E. Cates, they to Webster Lewis and George H. Cates. Then William H. Cates purchased the interest of Lewis and the firm name was George H. Cates & Co. Now George H. Cates is sole proprietor and owns also the store where the post office is. This post office corner was burned May 6, 1848, and, after several temporary buildings on the site, was rebuilt in its present shape in 1867, by Zachariah Butterfield.

William A. and Augustus Taber opened a store in what was called the Union store, now the residence of E. W. Bragg. They sold to Pope & Sibley, who also bought out Z. Butterfield, jun., where the post office now is, and continued a few years, removing into the old

1110

HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Methodist church building to close out their stock by bankrupt sale. Early in the century John Greenlowe, then living where John Mur- phy does, obtained letters patent on iron plows, which he manufac- tured in the shop on the reservoir dam. David Doe made patterns for Greenlowe and succeeded to the business. Mr. Greenlowe is well remembered by the citizens of East Vassalboro, not only from the revolution in the merit of the plow, but from the fact that he set out the most of the trees that so beautifully shade the streets of the vil- lage. North of Butterfield's steam mill is an enclosure called the Baptist burying ground; but not a headstone nor mound gives an out- ward indication of the fact. Adjacent to this burial place stood the ancient Baptist church, which was sold for $43 to Ezekiel Small in 1832, and was allowed to decay. The burial ground was neglected and its use discontinued after the removal of the church edifice, ex- cept that the portion next to the mill has been used by the colored people. In the absence of headstones the grand old elms stand senti- nel over the sleepers.

For several years prior to 1860 a Union Store Company-some thirty or forty persons- did a large share of the general trade. Will- iam Taber and his brother bought the business, and about 1865 sold it to George H. Pope and his brother-in-law, E. R. Sibley.

RIVERSIDE .- This poetical name applies to the southwest portion of the town, embracing one of the prettiest farming districts of the county. In allusion to Benjamin Brown, the first postmaster and a prominent citizen, the community and post office was long known as Brown's Corners. The early settlers on the river front lots from the Augusta line to Isaiah Hawes' present residence were: William Brown, Jeremiah and William Farwell, Charles Webber (who came in 1765 and whose daughter, Sarah, was the first white child born in town), Benjamin Brown, Jacob Faught, Thaddeus and William Snell, Mr. Fallonsbee, James, Jonathan and Heman Sturgis and their father, Ed- ward, from Barnstable, Mass., about 1780; James Thatcher, from Cape Cod, and Isaiah Hawes, also from the Cape. These people lived on the river road and from south to north in substantially this order, beginning with William Brown on lot 51 of the first range, where Wallace Weeks now lives.

I. S. Weeks now owns part of the Farwell place, where stands the old house erected by Captain Eben Farwell, son of the pioneer. In the little cemetery opposite lie nearly all the Farwells. Benjamin Brown kept the tavern in the old house now occupied by D. C. Ellis, north of Grange Hall, and at the river landing below he, with a Mr. Gardner, built several small vessels and acquired a very large estate, which he left for those who proved unable to preserve it. He was twenty-five years master-from January 18, 1817 -- in the little post office which in 1826 did a total business of $33.25. His successors

1111

TOWN OF VASSALBORO.

were: Josiah B. Wentworth, appointed August 31, 1842; William Webber, April 8, 1848; George Shaw, March 31, 1854; Eben Ayers, September 10, 1856. At this time the office was removed from Brown's store-now Grange Hall-to its present location. July 17, 1862, George L. Randall was appointed, and in January, 1866, the name was changed to Riverside. The railway station near by takes the same name. N. H. Fassett was made postmaster in May, 1892.

Seven-mile brook, in this section of the town, the outlet of Web- ber pond, has been from the first a useful water power. James T. Bowdoin built a grist mill west of the road, and in 1812 sold it to Joseph Stuart. Thomas Carlton was the next owner, succeeded by Hiram Lovejoy, who sold it in 1827 to Ephraim Jones, at which time wood carving was also done here. At this time, and for years before, this was the principal mill between Augusta and Waterville, it having three runs of stones, and often running day and night. Abiel P. Fallonsbee owned it for nine years after 1829, when George W. Hall purchased a one-fourth share, and Augusta parties secured the bal- ance. Subsequently Thaddeus Snell purchased it. The stream now flows unhindered through its ruins. Down the stream was the old Sturgis grist mill, silent and dismantled long ago.

Two paper mills have been operated on this stream. George Cox and Mr. Talpy built one near the mouth. It was burned in 1841, and on the site Bridge & Sturgis erected the present three-story machine shop, where sash, blinds and doors were made for a time, until they were succeeded by Charles Webber. After the fire Cox & Talpy went up the stream and purchased of James Robbins and others an old saw mill and converted it into a paper mill, the ruins of which remain. It was operated by George Tower and Daniel Stanwood until abandoned about 1870. This saw mill had been in use by James and George A. Robbins some dozen years or more. The mill was built by Benja- min Brown, Captain William Farwell and John Homans, the latter sawing here several years before it was sold to the Robbins brothers. The John Gardner tannery of 1830 was near this, and still further up the stream and near Webber pond was the Coleman saw mill, later known as the Foster mill.

The saw mill now at the mouth of the brook was built by A. S. Bigelow and others about 1871, and in 1887 E. L. Baker purchased the controlling interest. It was the only mill on the stream in operation in 1892. The following remarkable petition relating to this mill site was dated October 20, 1766:

" To the Honorable Committee of the Kennebec Company in Bos- ton. The most of us are able to raise a great part of our bread and expect soon to raise it all, but we greatly need a grist mill, there being none nearer than Cobbossecontee, which costs us tou shillings

1112

HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

a bushel. Grant us a grist mill on seven mile brook by building the same or granting the lot to some settler-or the inhabitants will build the mill themselves, if in your great wisdom and goodness be meet to grant us the Privilege. Signed-Matthew Hastings, Moses Hast- ings, John Taylor, John Marsh, James Hill, Aaron Healy, James Bacon, Jonathan Dyer, David Spencer, Bennett Woods, John Stone, Beriar Door, Isaac Spencer, Richard Burke, Nat. Mary, John Huston, Moses Spencer, Noah Kidder, Denes Getchell, John Getchell, Nemier Getchell, James Hutchinson, Thomas Clark, Joseph Clark, Daniel Bragg, John Sympson, David Strandley, Josiah Butterfield, Samuel Getchell, Charles Brann, Lewis Fairbrother, Manuell Smith, Philip Foot, Frederick Foot, Antony Foot, Isaac Farewell, Bunker Fare- well, Isaac Farewell, Jr., Ebenezer Farewell, Nathan Moor, Collins Moor, Uriah Clark, David Clark, David Hancock, James Clark, Samuel Bradock, Charles Webber. Joseph Carter, James Huston, Seth Greele, Ezekiel Pattee, John White, Charles Jackson, Moses Bickford, and Daniel Townsend."

The flourishing Grange, Cushnoc, No. 204, P. of H., was organized January 13, 1876, with thirty-nine charter members. Members of the society built in 1879 a hall at Riverside, called Liberty Hall, where they met and prospered; but it was burned to the ground in May, 1885. The loss was considerable, although an insurance of $1,500 was carried. In the autumn of 1885 the society purchased the old Benja- min Brown store, added to it, and fitted it for their use. In August, 1886, a store was started by the Grange, occupying the first floor, and of this store Oliver P. Robbins has the superintendency. The mem- bers number 115. The masters have been: George W. Reynolds, Clifford Church, Howard H. Snell, Oliver P. Robbins, J. R. Gardner, J. A. Eugley, Charles O. Robbins, O. H. Brown, E. C. Getchell, Ira J. Robbins and W. S. Weeks. Mrs. O. P. Robbins has been secretary since 1890.

Between Vassalboro and Riverside is the little broom factory of Edgar S. Forrest. Beginning in 1870, this, until recently, was a regu- lar business, employing from three to ten people; and from 1872 to 1876-its palmiest days-produced 3,000 dozens yearly.

SEWARD'S MILLS AND CROSS HILL .- In the south part of the town, east and south of Webber pond, is a thrifty community, including Seward's Mills and Cross Hill. Here is the stream connecting Three- mile and Webber ponds, and furnishing a water power which Giles Seward first used for mill purposes. Here was the center of a small business, including a store, saw mill, grist mill and mechanics' shops. Here Orrison Warren's blacksmith shop stands as the rearguard of the retreating column of industries. South of Seward's Mills rises Cross Hill, with its substantial residences and fertile farms. About 1790 Isaac Robbins bought a farm here and married Rebecca Adams, a cousin of John Quincy Adams. He built west of the road and south of the cemetery a house, which later became, on another site, part of

1113

TOWN OF VASSALBORO.

the present residence of Smith Robbins, his grandson. Robert Austin came in 1808, married Desire, daughter of William Wing, an early Methodist, and settled the farm where his grandson, Henry H. Austin, resides. Robert and his brother, Thomas Austin, came from New Hampshire. Jethro Gardner came from Nantucket about 1800, and settled where his great grandson, Sheldon H. Gardner, now lives.

In the first years of this century William Buswell, of East King- ston, N. H., came with his wife, and settled the farm where his grand- son, George H. Bussell, now resides. His deed, dated March 9, 1811, was given by "William Smith, Yeoman, and Mehitable, his wife.' Philip Leach, of Getchell's Corner's, drew the deed. Levi Smart and John Percival witnessed it, and John Getchell was the acknowledging justice. Nymphas Tobey, whose descendant occupies the place, owned the farm south of William Buswell.

James Roberts erected a building in which his brother-in-law, Samuel Bailey, kept a store on the corner near the Methodist church. James Randall bought it and removed it to near his present residence, then sold it to Eldridge Austin. After continuing it as a country store for thirty years Mr. Austin in December, 1885, sold it to George S. Perkins, who removed it still further north, added to it, and oc- cupies it now with a thrifty mercantile business-the only one here. Mr. Perkins' father, William, came from New Hampshire about 1856.

A post office at Mudgett's Hill supplied this community at first; but May 3, 1860, Samuel F. Bailey was appointed to a new office, called Cross Hill. Eldridge Austin succeeded him in April, 1863, in the little store already mentioned. Mrs. Mary A. Randall, as postmistress or as deputy for Sheldon H. Gardner, has since had the care of the office.

Seward's Mills post office was established in October, 1853. Ben- jamin Wing was appointed on the sixth and was succeeded March 6, 1856, by James Rowe. The office was discontinued and Cross Hill supplied the community until May 3, 1881, when Charles S. Perkins was commissioned and a new office established as Seaward, Me. Octo- ber 22, 1883, Elmer E. Randall took the office, and four years later was succeeded by Flavius J. Ames. The office was discontinued October 30, 1889.

The Seward's Mill store was erected in 1872 by Edward Whiting, who had sold goods there for a few years previous. Samuel Dearborn succeeded Whiting, and in 1880 sold to Perkins & Perley. Charles S. Perkins followed, until 1884, when he sold to E. E. Randall.

SOUTH VASSALBORO .- In the southeastern corner of the town, where the outlet of Three-mile pond enters Vassalboro, is a rural community including some good farms near the China and Augusta lines. North of the outlet is the C. F. Cobb stock farm, where the Hawes family were once large land owners, and in a little cemetery on

1114

HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

the farm some of them were buried. North of this, on a gentle ele- vation, is the M. F. Davis farm-the Clark homestead-and A. W. Pinkham's place; all good farms in a pleasant locality. South of the outlet, where Charles E. Pierce lives, is the birthplace of Judge Wil- liam Penn Whitehouse, and within a handsome iron enclosure, near by, is a little marble slab marked John R. Whitehouse, where the judge's father sleeps. The Whitehouse family were early settlers here. Daniel came from Berwick with three sons, Edmund, Daniel, jun., Thomas and two daughters, Hannah and Comfort. Edmund had three sons: John R., William and Edmund. jun., the latter being the father of E. W. Whitehouse, of Augusta. Daniel, jun., lived and died where Jonathan Stone now lives, at Mudgett Hill. He was the father of Seth C. Whitehouse, of Augusta. Benjamin Webber settled where Hiram P. Taylor lives. The Taylor family are descended from Samuel Taylor, whose four sons were Asa, Samuel, jun., Amasa and Charles. Amasa's descendants are chiefly in the town of China. Southwest of the outlet, on a fertile elevation, a family settled from which that locality has since been designated as Mudgett Hill. Their house was on the farm where Albert G. Hawes resides. Thomas Clark came to Mudgett Hill about 1811, married Sarah Smart and raised eight children. Their only surviving son, Andrew H. Clark, occupies the farm, and the residence which was built in 1813. At the summit of Mudgett hill is the Lampson homestead.

About 1824 Benjamin Hussey, whose father, Isaac, had lived and died in Freedom, Me., came to Vassalboro and settled on the farm now owned by Benjamin G. Hussey, his grandson. Here James Cross had built a house on a two-acre clearing which his father, Benjamin Cross, had made, when this locality was known as Mudgett Hill, and was connected with the settlement at Cross Hill by only a foot path. Here, in 1830, Jeremy M. Hussey was born and still resides. His wife is Mercy, daughter of Enoch Merrill, of Augusta. Their chil- dren are: Ella (Mrs. Hiram Pierce), of Windsor; Emma (Mrs. Frank Pierce), of Augusta; Ida (Mrs. Lott Jones); Orrett J., of Vassalboro; Benjamin G., Edgar A., bookkeeper with S. S. Brooks, of Augusta, and Ethel I. The accompanying illustration of the Hussey home- stead shows the present substantial farm buildings in a view looking toward the northwest.

A Baptist society liere, under Rev. Mr. Trask, was once flourish- ing. Pelatiah Pierce came to Mudgett Hill about 1820, married Han- nah Whitehouse, and became the first postmaster here, February 2, 1827, keeping the office at the four corners south of the outlet. John Whitehouse next had the office, March 21, 1859-then called South Vassalboro; John R. Whitehouse was commissioned October 11, 1851; John Whitehouse, December 15, 1882, and Eliza Whitehouse,

FAG

RESIDENCE OF Mr. B. G. HUSSEY, VASSALBORO, ME.

1115

TOWN OF VASSALBORO.

June 28, 1886, and keeps the office at the corner near its original location.

EARLY SETTLERS .- In referring to the landmarks in the preceding locality histories we have already noticed a large number of the pioneers of Vassalboro, and stated with more or less precision the sites of their homes. The list of those who held the chief official stations in the early days of the town supplies additional names of early settlers, and at the same time indicates that they were leading men in public affairs. The location of other settlers not noticed in the villages, and more at large, along in the first range will be recog- nized.

Ebenezer Hall settled lot 73, first range-now occupied by his grandson, Alexander Hall. South of Mr. Hall was Barnabas Hedge, of Cape Cod, an early settler. He had two sons -- Jonathan and Scotto. The latter settled where Henry M. Sawtelle lives, and Jona- than was where E. Lincoln Brown lives, on the east side of the road. South of the Hedges, Nathaniel Lovejoy made his settlement, and south of him were Isaiah Crowell and Aaron Gaslin. North of Eben- ezer Hall were Edward Hoyt and Thomas Carlton. The Greenlief Low farm, north of Getchell's Corners, was settled by a man named Blanchard, from whom Mr. Low's grandfather purchased. Next north the lot was settled by Remington Hobby, who was very promi- nent in civil affairs in the first days of the incorporation of the town. The seminary is located on a portion of the Hobby purchase. Hall C. Burleigh's farm was settled by Jacob Taber and was subsequently owned by John and Elijah Pope, who married two of Friend Taber's daughters.

The northern part of the town was settled after Getchell's Corners, John Getchell himself owning the land where North Vassalboro now stands. Jonas Priest was the first to cut his way from the river to Priest hill, and there started his homestead where his grandson, Theo- dore W. Priest, now resides. He came from Groton, Mass., in 1775 and in 1792 received a grant of two hundred acres from the proprietors. His first hut was on the stream which flows through the homestead farm which he obtained under such conditions as are noticed at page 77. James Johnson soon settled west of Priest, where Miss Johnson now resides. Enoch Palmer settled where Mrs. Handy, his daughter, lives. South, up the outlet, Joseph Brann settled, and a man named Lord settled the place where Hutton lives. William Brann, brother to Joseph, settled where Jefferson Plummer resides. Between North Vassalboro and the river, where Charles Robbins resides, Paul Taber made his settlement in the woods; and across the road, where Thomas H. Starkey lives, was the first settlement of Moses Sleeper. William Weeks pitched his tent where Parker C. Gifford lives, and Peltiah Varney settled where Albert Cook lives, up the lane. Where Gideon

1116

HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Hobby settled now belongs to the Daniel Ayer estate, and near here Tobias Varney lived.

The highway extending over the hill northeasterly from the town house was early known as Quaker lane, in allusion to the numerous families of Friends who made the earliest settlements upon it. Eben- ezer Pope, whose brothers, John and Elijah, have already been men- tioned, built a house in 1806, where his son, Elijah Pope, now lives. He owned also the present James Pope farm, next north. One of Eben- ezer's sisters married John Cook, and they settled the Frank H. Lewis farm, still further north. Another sister married John Cartland, a Friend minister, and they settled between Ebenezer Pope's and John Cook's. South of Ebenezer Pope's was the early settlement of the old Goddard family.

The reader should already understand how generally the first set- tlers of this town came here from Cape Cod; but about 1827 several whale captains of Nantucket packed their household goods and came with their families to Vassalboro, settling along the eastern side of the town. Among them were: Reuben Weeks, David Wyer, Shubael Cot- tle, John G. Fitch, Shubael Hussey, Henry Cottle, Joseph Barney, James Alley, Seth and Daniel Coffin, and Captain Albert Clark.

Between the north village and Priest hill Colonel John Dearborn settled. His house was west of George Nowell's farm, while east of him and north of Mr. Priest, Peter Pray had an early home, where George Taggart lives. South of Priest's Abner Taylor settled, where some of his descendants reside.

We have noticed the early coming and usefulness of John Getchell. Undoubtedly he was with the first, and certainly, was the leading spirit among them. He was a successful hunter-skilled in forest lore-and went a few miles up the valley with Arnold, in the fall of 1775, which small investment of fact has yielded a handsome return of fiction in the hands of sensational and superficial writers.

CHURCHES .- The First Baptist Church of Vassalboro was organized at East Vassalboro June 3, 1788, and until 1801 had a good degree of prosperity. A second church was organized at Cross Hill in 1808, with thirty-seven members. Rev. Coker Marble was pastor, but the church probably held no church property. In 1811 twenty members were added to the First church, but from 1813 to 1824 the church became nearly extinct, having in 1820 only forty-three members. The first meeting house, on Elm street, East Vassalboro, which was sold about 1832 to Ezeziel Small for $43, stood north of the old grave yard and south of the outlet landing. The site is now John Warren But- terfield's garden.

In 1825 a revival took place and twenty members were added, probably under the pastorate of Rev. Jesse Martin, who remained with the church until May, 1829, and for a few years the church was

1117

TOWN OF VASSALBORO.

supplied part of the time with preaching by different ones. October 12, 1839, the two churches met and voted to unite and build a meeting house near Seward's Mills, which house is now standing. Thirty-three members from the Second church joined the First, making in all about seventy members. The new meeting house was dedicated Oc- tober 22, 1840, and in it was had preaching for a while by Revs. Ellis and Henry Kendall, followed in 1841 by Rev. E. W. Cressy, who served the church over two years with good results, the church num- bering then about 156 members. In 1845 Rev. T. J. Swett was called as pastor, and left in 1847, after very serious difficulties with the church, which were settled after many disputes. In 1874 the meeting house underwent repairs, inside and out, at the expense of $600 to the several pew owners, under the supervision of John Richardson, J. C. Perley, Deacons Thomas Clark and S. L. Marden. The following ministers have supplied the pulpit since 1845: S. Fogg, Enos Trask, H. Chipman, F. Merriam, Fred Bicknell, R. Bowler, E. S. Dore, M. J. Kelly, S. K. Smith, L. B. Gurney, Frederick A. Vinal and W. P. Palmer.

The North Vassalboro Baptist Society was organized November, 1870, and an edifice erected during the years 1872-3. The pastors have been: Reverends John Dore, Nathaniel Butler, Samuel Bell, L. P. Gurney, F. A. Vinal and W. P. Palmer.

Congregationalism was established in Vassalboro soon after 1820, through the efforts of the Maine Missionary Society. In 1816 a house of worship was erected near the center of the river front of Vassal- boro, on the west side of the river road. In 1818 Thomas Adams, who was appointed by the missionary society, organized the church July 23, and in August was ordained and settled as the pastor. He labored here many years, and buried his wife in the first grave made in the cemetery south of the church. Deacons Thatcher, Prince Hawes and Fallonsbee were among the active officers. The society waned, and the citizens not members of the Congregational society assisted in repairing the building, which was known thereafter as the Union church. The parsonage, which stood north of the church, is now the residence of Wallace W. Gilbert, but since 1889 the old church has done duty, on another site, as the barn of Henry M. Sawtelle.

During the decadence of the old Congregational society, and two years after the retirement of Rev. Thomas Adams, the Congregational element at Riverside erected there, in 1836, another edifice, which was consumed by fire February 12, 1885. The edifice now in use at Riverside was erected in 1887 on the same site. During a few years this society gave the use of the church to other societies, and the Methodists held preaching services there until the settlement of Rev. Fred Chutter in 1880, when the Congregationalists again occupied it. Rev. Henry Harding became pastor in 1883. He was succeeded by

1118

HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Rev. David E. French from 1884 to 1888. Rev. James E. Aikens was pastor until the spring of 1891, when Rev. Mr. Woodrowe assumed the pastorate for the summer.

Reverend Adams returned to the town in 1866 and labored for four years where in 1829 he had organized the first temperance so- ciety. When the grandchildren of the old Congregationalists who had listened to the revered old pastor were building the pretty little church at Vassalboro they signified their affection for father Adams by naming it Adams' Memorial Chapel. Regular services are held here by the pastors who fill the pulpit at Riverside. This younger society has the communion service which Rev. Mr. Adams used dur- ing his first pastorate in the town.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 129

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