Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 134

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

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The Adventists occupy the Union church, of Branch Mills; preach- ing every other Sunday by John Robert Hall.

This Union church was erected in 1861 and dedicated February 28, 1862, to the use of three religious societies. The bell and pipe organ were obtained by subscription. In 1881 a Union Sunday school was established for the year round, it having been organized some years prior, but only for the summer season.

In 1871 the Adventists of Weeks Mills purchased a building which was moved to near where the Masonic Hall stands, and was converted into a church. It was burned in 1890 with the Masonic Hall, and in 1891 the society commenced rebuilding on the site.

Several of the Baptist pursuasion in China and Windsor thought best to form an organization, and on May 16, 1843, met and organized, chosing James Hutchins clerk, and Abel Chadwick and Jethro Howes deacons. The society is known as the Weeks Mills and South China Freewill Baptist church. Occasional preaching was held for the first four years, and from 1859 Rev. A. P. Tracey was stated pastor for a few years. In 1866 Rev. W. H. Littlefield was settled as pastor, suc- ceeded by Reverends F. Cooper, Mr. McKindsley and A. C. Brown.

Besides these denominational societies in the villages, other com- munities or neighborhoods have maintained public worship, although less regularly, in various school houses of the town. The Adventists kept up an organization for several years at Deer hill, and the Metho- dists at Chadwick's Corner built a church, which has since been trans- formed into the Erskine school building.

The Union Camp Meeting Association, of China, organized Sep- tember 12, 1890, has secured suitable grounds in the north west portion of the town, where annual meetings are to be held.

SOCIETIES .- While the religious tendencies of the people have founded, maintained or changed the churches noticed, other societies, springing from the rural, the social or the literary instincts of the citizens, have risen and flourished.

On December 27, 1823, a meeting of Free Masons was held at

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China village in the hall of Japheth C. Washburn. Holman Johnson was chosen moderator and Alfred Marshall clerk. Abisha Benson, Holman Johnson and Robert H. Carey were made a committee to draft a petition, which eighteen persons signed, to the Grand Lodge for a charter for a Lodge there, to be called Central Lodge. At a meeting, May 26, 1824, of Central Lodge a code of by-laws was ac- cepted. Within six years 148 members were added, but at the com- mencement of the Morgan excitement its books were closed for twenty years. In 1849 the charter was renewed and the Lodge has since flourished. The successive masters have been: 1824, Holman Johnson; 1825, Abisha Benson; 1826, Japheth C. Washburn; 1827, James H. Brainard; 1829, Timothy F. Hanscom; * **

* ; 1849, James H. Brainard; 1850, Thomas B. Lincoln; 1852, Edward Gray; 1853, Thomas B. Lincoln; 1854, Amasa Taylor, jun .; 1855, Charles Taylor; 1856, General Alfred Marshall; 1857, Mark Rollins, jun .; 1858, Daniel W. Griffin; 1859, George A. Lander; 1860, Thomas B. Lincoln; 1861, Mark Rollins, jun .; 1862, John Taylor; 1863, Joseph C. Coombs; 1864, Charles E. Dutton; 1865, Francis A. Roberts; 1866, Mark Rollins, jun .; 1867, Edward E. Wiggin; 1869, Charles E. Dutton; 1872, Willis W. Wash- burn; 1874, Allen P. Varney; 1876, Lynn W. Rollins; 1878, Ora O. Crosby; 1880, William S. Hunnewell; 1882, Marshall B. Hammond; 1883, George B. Pray; 1885, Charles A. Drake; 1887, Ralph L. Baker; 1889, Charles W. Jones.

In 1875 Mark Rollins and O. W. Washburn, as a committee, com- piled a manuscript history of Masonry in China, which volume, now in possession of Willis W. Washburn, embraces 148 pages of beauti- fully written history, with personal and biographical sketches of some of the eminent members of the Lodge.

Dunlap Chapter, No. 12, at China village, commenced work under dispensation in January, receiving its charter in May, 1861. The high priests have been: 1861, Augustus Callahan; 1863, Warren Colby; 1865, Mark Rollins; 1867, Charles Taylor; 1869, E. W. McFadden; 1870, Rufus R. Williams; 1872, J. Belden Besse; 1873, Nathan Stanley; 1875, Charles E. Dutton; 1877, Joseph E. Crossman; 1880, John Taylor; 1882, Lynn W. Rollins; 1883, Joseph E. Crossman; 1886, Charles E. Dutton, and since 1888, Willis W. Washburn.

Keystone Council, No. 9, instituted at China village about 1865, was continued about twenty years by the Royal Arch Masons.

Dirigo Lodge, A. F. & A. M., was instituted at South China, by dispensation, June 12, 1860. The first meeting under the charter was May 21, 1861. The successive masters have been: James P. Jones, 1860; E. D. Clark, 1862; J. F. Chadwick, 1866; G. B. Chadwick, 1867; Joseph B. Crossman, 1869; Chester M. Clark, 1870. The hall in which meetings were held at South China was burned May 1, 1872. By per- mission of the Grand Lodge the society changed its place of meeting

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

to Weeks Mills, where the same autumn a beautiful hall was erected, and dedicated June 12, 1873. This was burned in April, 1890, with the Advent church near by. In the autumn of the same year the society erected at Weeks Mills the present neat hall. Since the re- moval to Weeks Mills the masters have been: Dr. D. P. Bolster, Orrin F. Rowe, Hiram S. Gray, Frank C. Plummer, Orrin F. Sproul, Cornelius A. Merrill, John H. Barton and Robert N. Barton.

The South China Library Association was instituted in 1832. The preliminary meeting was held at the Chadwick school house, January 1st, with Captain William Mosher, moderator, and Joseph Stuart, clerk. A. H. Abbott was its faithful librarian for thirty years, and the association prospered. On its twenty-fifth anniversary Samuel Gurney, of London, donated $96 to its benefit, which gave fresh impetus. The fire of May 1, 1872, consumed the library of over 500 choice volumes. Upon its revival the library was made free, and is continued by sub- scription and donations. The Friends' meeting house, where it is kept at South China, is open to the public on Sunday and Thursday of each week. The library has not regained the importance of its palmy days, but is a factor for good in the community.

At South China, April 28, 1830, the South China Temperance So- ciety was organized. Ebenezer Meiggs was president, James Merrill, M. D., was vice-president, and Eli Jones was the secretary. Joseph Stuart, Jedediah Fairfield, Stephen Jones, Francis A. B. Hussey and Church Clark were prominent promoters of it. The whole number of members was 220. On page 44 of its records are the following statistics of year ending April 28, 1831, which seem to justify the organization of the society: " No. of inhabitants of China, 2,234; No. of Polls, 354; gallons of spirits sold at taverns, 572; cost to consumers at $2 per gallon, $1,144; No. of gallons sold at stores, 2,804; cost to consumers at 92c. per gallon, $2,589; total gallons sold in China, 3,376; total cost to consumers, $3,733."

Some years later the Washingtonians had organizations at differ- ent villages, and in 1859 Lake Division, No. 100, Sons of Temperance, was instituted at South China, June 20. and existed in working order till February 27, 1864. Its last record, signed by Eli Jones, as secretary, says: " Division closed in due form." A similar division of Sons of Temperance existed at China. One was at Weeks Mills, where a Lodge of Good Templars, now extinct, once held their Lodge meet- ings in a hall over Chester M. Clark's shop.

Branch Mills soon after 1850 organized a Lodge of Sons of Tem- perance, which was dropped a few years ago, when temperance had become the prevailing sentiment. In December, 1865, a branch of Good Templars was instituted here, which died in 1869, and in 1874, April 10, a second Lodge, No. 349, was instituted. Young and mid- dle-aged are engaged in the work, and the society owns the building formerly erected by B. Harrington as an academy.

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TOWN OF CHINA.

The Patrons of Husbandry have a flourishing Grange here, No. 295, organized December 29, 1887, holding regular meetings on the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month, in the A. O. U. W. Hall at South China. The masters of the Grange have been: C. F. Cobb, E. C. Dudley and I. Lincoln Jones.

Harlem Lodge, No. 39, A. O. U. W., was instituted August 27, 1885, by thirteen charter members, and the list now comprises seventy- two. They have a hall of their own, and the master workmen have been: S. C. Starrett, J. R. Clark and E. Warren. E. W. Jones has been the recorder since its organization.

CEMETERIES .- There are about the town in the so-called villages several pretty cemeteries, and these have been beautified by corpora- tions. At China village application for a meeting to form the China Cemetery Association was made August 22, 1865, and September 13th the meeting for organization was held. The presidents have been: Samuel Hanscom, John F. Hunnewell, Jabez Lewis, S. H. Farnsworth, Abishia B. Fletcher and Charles E. Dutton. The family ground of the Washburns was pleasantly situated on the knoll near the present cemetery, and this knoll was selected,embodying that ground. In 1866 it was fenced and has been cared for by the association since. Theron E. Doe is secretary of the association.

At Branch Mills John Dow, a settler of 1807, gave land for a vil- lage cemetery, and another piece for a Friends' burying grownd. In 1854 an association then incorporated purchased lands surrounding these pieces. In October, 1885, sixty lots were added to the south- ward, and the whole is neatly enclosed.

The Friends have three cemeteries in the town. The first and old- est is that near their meeting house on the east side of the lake, in which Mrs. George Fish, daughter of Jonathan Clark, sen., was the first person buried. Another Friends' cemetery on China Neck con- tains the families of Isaac Jones, Noah Jones, James Jones, Winslow, Jenkins and Randall. In the rear of the Friends' meeting house, South China, is an ancient cemetery. On May 15, 1878, for its better protection, an association of nine members was formed, adopting by- laws and incorporating the South China Cemetery Association. The first officers were George F. Clark, Charles B. Stuart and William Crossman.

The cemetery at Weeks Mills was formerly under the direction of a corporation, which after many years was allowed to be dispersed. Lots on the adjoining lands of Frank Percival are still sold by him, and the grounds present a clean, regular appearance, with good fences.

The cemetery at Chadwick's Corners, well fenced and in good order, contains the ashes of some of the old family whose early com- ing gave name to the place.

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Throughout the town are family grounds in conspicuous places, and these are reverently cared for by the descendants who occupy the farms.

SCHOOLS .*- At the first town meeting ever held in Harlem the town made provision for the support of schools by an appropriation of money and a choice of the necessary school officers. Very soon after a school was taught in a house temporarily fitted up for that purpose and situated on the west side of the road, near Norton's Cor- ner, and not far from the site of the present town house. The school was taught by the Rev. Job Chadwick and was no doubt a success, as he continued to wield the " birch " several terms in succession here.

The town was soon organized into districts and schools were taught in different parts of the town. making room for Ichabod Hatch, "Old Master Hatch," as he was designated by the unruly urchins who had felt the touch of his ferule; William Doe, the dwarf and cripple; Deb- orah Baker, the first female teacher employed by the town; Miss Pullen, and many others who came to assist in preparing the minds of the children of Harlem for lives of future usefulness. Later came Paul Chadwick, the victim of the ill-starred Malta Indian war; Mr. McNeil, a foreigner, who first introduced the study of English gram- mar into a school taught by himself on the east side of the lake and about three miles from its head; Cornelius Dennison, and Samuel Hoyt, all of whom had established reputations as successful teachers.

The advent of numerous settlers with their families, which fre- quently consisted of ten or a dozen children, had made it necessary almost every year to make some change in the districts, and in 1814, there were sixteen districts in the town.

Although in 1805 the town made provisions for building school houses in five different districts, it is not to be supposed that every district had its school house, for this was not accomplished until sev- eral years later. Several of the schools were taught in rooms fitted up in such private houses in the districts as might be convenient. It was also the practice in some of the districts to board the teacher "round," also to "find the wood round," the money that would otherwise serve to pay for board and fuel being paid the teacher to extend the length of the term.

In 1808 a "school collector " for each district was selected, whose duty it was to collect the assessments made by the town's assessors for his district and expend the same according to the vote of his district; but this plan failed to meet the general approval and the town returned to the present method. Changes in the limits and bound- aries of the several school districts have been made from time to time. New districts have been organized until the present number reaches

*By Orrin F. Sproul.

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twenty-two, although in two or three, schools are not regularly taught.

That the schools of old Harlem and later on of China have been productive of great good and have merited the anxious care and watchfulness of the earlier settlers of this town, is plainly demon- strated when we look back to the earlier instructors of our time, whose education was obtained in these schools, with possibly one or two terms at the China Academy. Among the most prominent of our educational workers we find the name of Friend Eli Jones, who was well known to the people of this town as a teacher and school officer. Dana C. Hanson, an old teacher, has served in almost every trusted position in the gift of the town. Thomas Ward was an old- time instructor, and following down the page still later Joseph W. Chadwick, a scholar in our schools, next a teacher and later a profes- sor of Latin; Stephen A. Jones, president of the Nevada State Col- lege; George F. Mosher, president of Hillsdale College, Mich., and many others, as scholars and teachers in our schools, have left them for higher stations in life, for which the common town school was the stepping stone.

PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS.

Joseph H. Allen, born in 1815 in Windham, is a son of Joseph and Thankful (Winslow) Allen. Joseph came from Windham to Vassal- boro prior to 1810. He then returned to Windham, his native town, and lived there until 1816, when he moved and settled in Vassalboro.

Isaiah Austin, born in 1835, is a son of Nathaniel Austin, who came to China from Dover Neck, N. H., where his father, James, lived. Isaiah married Abbie B., daughter of John Porter, of Wiscasset. Their children are: Sadie H., Mabel, who graduated at Providence and died when twenty-two; Lizzie, Nathaniel, Alden, Margaret, John W. and Abbie.

JONATHAN BASSETT .- This is a family name which first appears in New England in 1621, when William Bassett came in the ship Fortune. For the next century and a half his descendants were prominent people on Cape Cod, where representatives of the eighth and ninth genera- tions still reside. From this progenitor we find in one line: William', Nathaniel", Joseph3, Daniel', Daniel®, Daniele, and Zenas D. Bassett', the latter being born in 1786. One Joseph Bassett was selectman of Yarmouth, Mass., from 1731 to 1739, and in 1776 we find Captain Jonathan Bassett, of Yarmouth, as a seafaring man, and from him we can trace that line which is now represented in China, Me., by the venerable Jonathan Bassett, whose successful life as a farmer indi- cates that agriculture has been profitable in China, when industry, sobriety and economy became elements in the problem.

It appears that Captain Jonathan had five children who came to

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Maine: two daughters-Plieba, who married Randall Clark, of China, and Mary Ann, who married Edmund Thatcher, of Vassalboro; and three sons-Joseph, who settled in Moscow, Me .; Benjamin, who lived at Riverside in Vassalboro, and Moses, who came to China in 1799.

This Moses Bassett, in 1802, married Abigail, daughter of Andrew Clark, one of the original settlers of China, and raised three children: George, born 1803, died single; Jonathan, born December 21, 1805, and Octavia, born 1817, now Mrs. Reuben Weeks, of Vassalboro. Moses died May 5, 1867; his wife, Abigail, December 27, 1863. The farm they settled is still known as the Bassett place, on the pond road midway between East Vassalboro and South China.

Here Jonathan, who inherited many traits from his mother-an energetic, practical woman-passed his early days, and when twenty- one started via Boston to see the world and make his career. Three weeks sufficed to satisfy him, and he returned to the farm, which he worked for his father until he owned one-half of it, and seldom since then has he been out of sight of China lake.

In November, 1854, he married Roxana, daughter of Corydon Chadwick, of China. They had three children: Alexander C. Bassett, born November 29, 1857; Abbie A., born in December, 1859, and an infant son, born in July, 1861, who died the following October. The mother died August 13, 1861. In November, 1865, Mr. Bassett mar- ried Mary H., daughter of John Webber, of China, and lived with her

Jonathan( Befest

PRINT, E. BIERSTADT, N Y.

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until her death in February, 1888. In January, 1858, Mr. Bassett bought the place which is the subject of the accompanying illustra- tion, and here, with his two children, Alexander C. and Abbie A., he still remains (1892), enjoying a hale and peaceful old age.

In July, 1888, Alexander C. Bassett married Bertha L., a daughter of David F. Sanborn, of China.

J. E. Bessey, born in 1850, is a son of Prince Bessey, whose father was Ephraim Bessey, of Albion. His wife was Joanna Phil- brick, of Thorndike. They have had six children: Eli Philbrick, born May 3, 1877; Prince Manter, September 14, 1879; Edith A., December 9, 1882; Guy Edward, August 22, 1884; Martha Lewis, June 29, 1888; and Helen Louise, born January 22, 1892, died August 1, 1892. From his residence in China he carried on for eight years or more a wholesale and retail meat business before going into business as noticed in the village of North Vassalboro.

Edmund Bragg, born in 1840, is a son of John, born in 1799, and grandson of Thomas Bragg, who moved from the "pond road" to where Edmund now lives prior to 1799. Edmund was a soldier with Company F, 12th Maine, from February, 1865, to March, 1866.

F. O. Brainard, born in 1831, is a son of Dr. James H. Brainard, who came from Berry, Mass., to China, where he died April, 1857, aged sixty-one years. Mrs. F. O. Brainard is Maria, a daughter of Zebah Washburn. Their children are: Estella M., Walter S., a phy- sician, of Pemaquid; Newell W. (mentioned in Chapter XIV), and Helen N. Mr. Brainard went to Wisconsin in 1856, where for ten years he published the Jackson County Banner, and was then six years judge of the probate court of that county.

Clark .- At page 1139 we notice the coming of Jonathan and Mirriam Clark and five of their children to this town. They were born at Nantucket, but had resided in Nova Scotia for some ten years prior to their coming to China in 1774. Samuel A. Clark, born in 1827, is a son of Jonathan and Jane (Burrell) Clark, and grandson of Ephraim and Olive (Braley) Clark. His wife is Mahala, a sister of Jeremy Hussey, of Vassalboro. Their children are: Belle (Mrs. David Cates), and Nellie (Mrs. Franklin H. Jones). Four of Ephraim Clark's six sons married four of Samuel Burrell's daughters. George F. Clark, brother of Samuel A., married Olive, sister of Jeremy Hussey, and has one daughter, Alma E. He was in the Maine legislature in 1871.

William M. Crane, born in 1824, is a son of William Crane, who, in 1830, with his wife, and three children, Rufus, John L. and William M., came to China from Warren, Me., where his father, Rufus, lived. William M. married Mary J., daughter of John W. Jameson, and has three children: Oscar, who married Abbie Brooks; Edwin, now in Utah, and Alton Crane, of South Boston. Mr. Crane's farm was set- tled by Levi Jackson, who built the house.

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Hollis M. Crommett, born in 1846, is a son of Joshua (1805-1890) and Dorotha (Bartlett) Crommett, and grandson of Joshua Crommett, who, in 1812, came from Edgecomb to Chadwick's Corner. Joshua, jun., came to Deer hill in 1831, and was married. His family con- sisted of four boys and five girls. Hollis M. married Lilla J., daughter of John G. Slater. Their children are: Archibald M., Jasper L. and Lawrence K.

Freeman H. Crowell, born in 1825, is a son of Jeremiah (1783-1861) and Anna Crowell, who were married before coming, in 1806, from Cape Cod to China. Anna was a daughter of Michael Crowell. Free- man married Delia, a daughter of Captain William Lewis, of Vassal- boro, Me. Their children are: Caroline L. and Minerva D. Mr. Crowell's grandfather was Timothy Crowell, of Cape Cod.

Charles G. Dinsmore, born in 1833, is a son of Thomas Dinsmore, who came from Bowdoinham to China about 1814. He and his wife, Eunice, were members of the Society of Friends. Charles G. was in California and Nevada twenty years, was in trade with his brother, George, in Austin, Nev., nineteen years, and now resides at Branch Mills.

John E. Dodge was born in 1828, in Liberty, Me. He married Sarah J., a sister of Hollis M. Crommett. Their children are: Arabel G. (Mrs. T.C. Wing), of St. Cloud, Minn .; Orenette C. (Mrs. James H. Ames), of Unity, Me .; Carrie A., a teacher, and Perley W., at home. Mr. Dodge went south several winters for live and white oak for ship spars, the making of which was his principal business prior to 1865.

Theron E. Doe is a son of Estey N. and Harriet Doe, a daughter of John Brackett, who came from Berwick to China. Mr. Doe was for six years a clerk for F. O. Brainard prior to 1876.

Edward C. Dudley, born in 1839, the son of William Dudley (1790- 1860) and grandson of Micajah Dudley, of Winthrop, married Jose- phine, daughter of David S. Whitehouse, of China, and has two sons: William A. and Edward A. Dudley. William Dudley married Sarah Davis, of Lewiston, in 1814, and removed to Branch Mills, thence, in 1830, to the farm at Dirigo where Edward C. now lives. Hon. David Dudley, of Aroostook, the oldest son of William, was born at Branch Mills. Micajah Dudley, of Winthrop, son of Samuel, was born at Brentwood, N. H., September 27, 1751. He was of the fifth genera- tion from Governor Thomas Dudley. Micajah settled in Winthrop about 1774, and his first child was born there in 1775.

Charles E. Dutton, born in 1839, is a son of Coffran, and grandson of Jonathan Dutton, who moved from Montville to Vassalboro, and in 1839 lived where Melvin Appleton now resides. In 1851 they moved to China. Charles E. married Annis W .. daughter of George Barlow, of Freedom. Their children are: Everett E., Della S., Arthur J. and Fannie A. Mr. Dutton was selectman seven years, four years chair-

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man of the board and supervisor of schools two years. He has taught twenty-seven terms of school, nearly all in the town of China.

Judson P. Ellis was born in Belfast, Me., in 1843, and in 1881 came to China, purchasing the farm south of Chadwick's Corner, where Sullivan Erskine had settled some fifty years before. Mr. Ellis mar- ried Augusta A. Bradford-a descendant of Governor Bradford, and niece of Mrs. Sullivan Erskine, who founded the Erskine School- and has one son, Clarence B. Ellis.

Cyrenus K. Evans (1816-1891) was a son of Nathaniel and Anna (Braley) Evans, and grandson of Joseph Evans, who settled near Evan's pond, where his wife lived while he served in the revolution- ary war. C. K. Evans married Asenath, daughter of Thomas, grand- daughter of Ephraim Clark, and raised three sons and two daughters. Mr. Evans filled important positions in China, and was twenty-one years justice of the peace.

Francis C. Goodspeed, born in 1829, is a son of William and Mary (Crummett) Goodspeed, and grandson of Moses Goodspeed, who came to China from Barnstable, Mass. Francis C. married Caroline R., daughter of Richard Moody, jun., and has three sons; George E., Judson M. and Frank W. Goodspeed. Moses Goodspeed was descended from an old family of early settlers on Cape Cod.

John Greenwood Hall, born in 1826, is a son of John and Harriet (Norton) Hall, and grandson of Dr. John Hall. His mother's father, Thomas, was a son of Michael Norton, who early settled by China pond, west of Norton's Corner. Mrs. John G. Hall is Augusta, daughter of Ebenezer Robbins. Their children are: John N., Lovina A., Wrexiville, F. Everett, Hettie B., Fred F. and Bert Hall.

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Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 134

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