Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 143

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 143

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).

Bryant Roundy, born April 15, 1836, is one of five survivors of the ten children of William, who is the only surviving son of Job Roundy (1763-1837), who with his two brothers, Abram and Lacy, came to Benton from Lynn, Mass., in 1779. Mr. Roundy is a farmer on a part of the original Trial Hall farm, the place where the first town meeting of Clinton was held. He has filled various town offices, and represented his district in the legislature in 1880. He married Lucinda Pettigrow, and their children are: John H. (deceased), Ed- ward. Eva S., Henry W., Nellie M. and Bertha A.

Elbridge G. Roundy, born in 1825, is a son of Amos and Pheba (Burton) Roundy, and grandson of Job Roundy. He is a farmer on the farm which his father cleared from the woods. He has two broth- ers and three sisters: Allen, Isaac, Fannie, Abbie and Louise. He married Lucinda, daughter of Arnold Cowan. Mrs. Roundy is dead. Her children were: Eliza A., Josephine and Isaac A., the two latter deceased.

Ansel G. Shorey (deceased), son of Wyman Shorey, was a farmer and lumberman. He was twice married His first wife left one daughter, Helen. His second wife, who survives him, was Mary E., daughter of Levi Woodsum, who came from Buxton, Me., to Clinton, in 1824. Her grandfather was Abner Woodsum. Their children are:

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George A., Frank and Edwin W. Two other children died-Emily and Albert. George A. and Edwin W. are farmers together in Benton, where they have a large and productive farm.

John Spaulding, farmer, born in 1821, is a son of Samuel, and grandson of Henry Spaulding, who came to Benton from New Hamp- shire. He served in the late war in Company C, 19th Maine, from August, 1862, until June 1865. His wife, who is deceased, was Silence C., daughter of George Flagg. Their children are: Henry E., Cath- erine W., Olive A. and James F. James F. and his father occupy the home place together.

Isaac Spencer, who was among the early settlers of Benton, was a native of Concord, N. H., and his father died in Benton in 1814. Isaac died here in 1839, aged ninety-five years. His sons were: Isaac, Reed, Winn, George and Timothy. Colonel Reed (1795-1848) married Abigail Winn, and their ten children were: Isaac R., John W., Abi- gail A., Olive J., George W., Mary E., Lura A., Charlotte M., Joseph and Charles F. Joseph, the ninth child, was born in 1840. He was for several years river driver, lumberman and dam builder. He is now a farmer on a part of his father's homestead. He married Pris- cilla Hodgdon, who died. For his second wife he married Hannah A., daughter of Smith Whittier. Their children are: Joseph R., Allston C., David H. and John W.

Gershom F. Tarbell, born in 1842, is a son of William (1816-1891) and Eliza (Flood) Tarbell, and grandson of Samuel and Betsey (Baker) Tarbell. Samuel died in Albion in 1816, and his widow married Ger- shom Flagg, of Benton. Gershom F. Tarbell was in the late war three years in Company C, 19th Maine. He has been a farmer since 1871, when he bought his present farm from Madison Crowell. Pre- vious to that he had been in the mill business. He married Hannah J., daughter of Lorenzo D. Clark. He has one brother and two sisters living: Hattie A., Francis E. (Mrs. E. D. Willey) and William W.

James S. Warren, born in Winslow in 1847, is a son of Samuel and Avis (Reynolds) Warren. In 1875 he came from Winslow to Benton, where he is a farmer. Since 1880 he has been agent for the Port- land Corn Packing Company, at Fairfield; and since 1888 agent for Williams & Clark's fertilizers. He is at present a member of the board of selectmen, and has been a member of the republican town committee for eight years. His wife is Ellen F., daughter of Elisha and Sarah (Huzzy) Gifford. They have three children.

George E. Withee, born in 1852, is a son of Elmarine and Susan (Reynolds) Withee. He came to Benton Falls from Winslow in 1870, and worked in the saw mill and Kennebec Fiber Company's mill until March 12, 1883, when he bought of Leonard Alexander the general store, where he has since been engaged in business. He is one of nine children, four of whom are living: Ambrose H., George E., John

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W. and Fred E., M. D. John W. has been associated in business with George E. since 1883.

Charles H. Wood is the youngest of ten children of Clarindon and Susan (Brackett) Wood, and grandson of Richard Wood. He is a farmer and horse breeder. In 1888 he bought the Francis Howard farm, where he now lives. He owned the trotting-bred stallion "Gid- eon " from 1886 until the horse died, in 1890.

William F. Wyman, born in 1824, is one of six sons of Zebedee and Martha (Osborn) Wyman, and grandson of Francis Wyman, who was a revolutionary soldier, and died in Vassalboro. Mr. Wyman was a lumberman and river driver until 1855. Since that time he has been a farmer, having bought his present home in the year named. He married Lizzie F., daughter of James C. and Esther C. (Farnham) Thompson. Their children are: George L., James T., Celia E., Mattie E., Frank W., Harry and three that died-Charles O., Prescott R. and Lillie M.

CHAPTER XLVII.

TOWN OF CLINTON.

Natural Features .- Present Industries .- Incorporation .- Indian Scare of 1812 .- Clinton Village .- Early Settlers .- Taverns .- Stores .- Mills .- Old Stage Routes .- Churches .- Cemeteries .- Pishon's Ferry .- Noble's Ferry .- Morri- son's, Decker's and Woodsum's Corners .- Civil History .- Societies .- Per- sonal Paragraphs.

T HIS, the most northeasterly town in Kennebec county, lying be- tween the Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers, is bounded north by Canaan, east by Pittsfield, Burnham and Unity Plantation, south by Benton and west by Fairfield. The surface of the town is rolling, crossed by several small streams, and is altogether an ideal farming district. The soil is a clay loam, yielding rich and abundant crops of hay. The trunk line of the Maine Central railroad runs through the southeastern portion of the town, having a station at Clinton village, where most of the present manufacturing industries- including saw mills, a grist mill, carding mill, tannery, door and sash factory and a boot and shoe factory -- are located. Pishon's Ferry, on the Kennebec, is the other principal center of business, a number of saw and grist mills being operated in the neighborhood.

At the time of settlement, about 1775, Clinton was within the limits of the Plymouth Patent. It was organized into a plantation by the name of Hancock in or before 1790, at which date the number of inhabitants was but 278. In the old and musty records of the town the first entry is the copy of "An Act to Incorporate the Plantation of Hancock in the County of Lincoln into a Town by the name of Clin- ton," February 27, 1795. At this time the most thickly populated portion of Clinton lay in what is now the town of Benton, and it was here, according to the records, that the first town meeting was held, April 20, 1795, at the house of Captain Jonathan Philbrook. At this meeting Ezekiel Brown, jun., was chosen moderator and clerk; Eben- ezer Heald, treasurer, and Captain Andrew Richardson, John Burrill and Silas Barron, selectmen and assessors.

On March 6, 1797, a tax of $300 was voted for the support of the eight school districts, nearly all of which lay in what is now Benton, with a total attendance of 166 scholars; and December 7, 1801, the

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

first record of a " representative to congress " is found, Martin Kins- ley being chosen.

THE INDIAN SCARE .- In 1812 occurred the great " Indian Scare," with, as it proved, a laughable result. The American ship Adams be- ing pursued up the Penobscot by a British cruiser, the crew of the Adams blew up their vessel, and crossed the country to the headwaters of the Sebasticook, where they embarked in bateaux, and sailed down the river. Rumors of Indian massacres being then prevalent, the in- habitants of the Maine towns were ready to take alarm at any strange or unusual sight. Two girls who were crossing a field by the river, near where Jewett Hunter now lives, descried at a distance the de- scending bateaux filled with armed men, and, without waiting for a closer inspection of the strangers, fled to the nearest house with the cry: " The Indians are coming!"

The alarm spread from house to house, and the people dropped their occupations, and began fleeing toward Fort Point, in Winslow, for protection from the supposititious savages. It was past noon when the scare began, and it was not until nightfall that the true state of affairs became known, and the settlers began returning to their homes. It is stated that one young man by the name of Cain, who was lame, and therefore unable to compete with his neighbors in their race for the fort, lay hidden all night in a potato trench on his father's farm. In the meantime the crew of the abandoned ship had left their boats at Clinton village, and crossed the town to Noble's Ferry, where they were conveyed over the river to Fairfield, and thence carried to to Waterville by Isaac Chase. Jonas, son of Isaac, now lives on the Clinton side of the former ferry, at the advanced age of eighty.five, and retains a dim memory of the farcical episode, which was talked of by the fireside for many years after its occurrence. The girls who gave the false alarm, Jerusha Doe and Polly Richardson, afterward became Mrs. Michels and Mrs. Bagley, respectively.

CLINTON VILLAGE .- Among the earliest settlers at this point were Asa Brown and a Mr. Grant, who took up farms on the Sebasticook, about a mile east of the village, previous to 1798; and Jonathan Brown, who, about the same time, lived in a house on the site of that in which Charles Jaquith now resides. Previous to 1800, Jesse Baker was pro- prietor of the farm now owned by Joseph Piper, and he also owned nearly all the land in the village south of Fifteen-mile line. He died about twenty-five years ago, nearly eighty years of age. About the same time that Baker came to Clinton, Moses (or George) Michels set- tled on land now occupied in part by the cemetery; and some distance to the eastward, Joseph Doe located at the foot of the " Fifteen-mile Rips."

Previous to 1812 two brothers, James and Charles Brown, took up land about a mile southwest of the village. James' farm was that now

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TOWN OF CLINTON.

owned by William Brock, and Charles lived just above him, in the house, still standing, now the home of Goodwin Abbott. The Hun- ters, David & Martin, came to Clinton from Topsham, Me., about 1815. David, colloquially known as " King David," because of his masterful ways, lived where Ira Whitten now resides, opposite the cemetery; and Martin lived on what is now the Plummer farm. Both were large farmers and men of great business enterprise, and among the older people of the community the village is spoken of as " Hunter's Mills."

About 1817 Arthur McNally bought a piece of land from Jonathan Brown on the bank of the Sebasticook, about a mile from the village. It adjoined the land now owned by his son, Arthur, who is sixty-six years old. Previous to 1836 Israel Owen, the first postmaster of the village, lived on the lot, now vacant, opposite the Clinton House; and at the " Point," on the farther side of the river, lived Adoniram Sin- clair, previous to 1840.

Among the earliest physicians were: Doctor Thorndike, who prac- ticed here about forty-four years ago; and William Guptill, who came here about forty-three years ago, and who built what is now the Metho- dist parsonage. Other early practitioners were: Richard Williams, who lived thirty-five years ago in the house now occupied by Mr. Dutton, next beyond the Village House; Benjamin Clement, who, about the same time boarded at the Clinton House, then kept by Alfred Hun- ter; Pitt M. Whitten, who, about thirty years ago, lived in the house now occupied by Alfred Roundy: and Daniel Moody, who, from about 1862 down to within a few years, had his office in the house now be- longing to Morris McNally.

The law was not invoked so frequently among the early settlers as among their more beligerent descendants, and no record is found of a law office being established in the town until about seventeen years ago, when Mark P. Hatch " hung out his shingle " over the store now occupied by E. E. Merrill, and five years later, when Everett Ham- mons opened temporarily an office over the present post office.

The oldest living teacher in the town is Sylvester Powell, who was. born near the village about sixty five years ago, and who has "taught around" for the last forty years.

The first tavern at the village was built by Alfred Hunter, about 1834, and is now known as the Clinton House. Hunter kept the tav- ern until his death, in 1880, after which his widow presided over it until, in April, 1881, it was purchased by the present proprietor, Cush- man Brown. About 1836 William Weymouth built the house now owned by Elbridge G. Hodgdon. It stood at first about a mile above James Weymouth's present dwelling, on the Bangor road, but its owner afterward moved it down to the village, added to it a story and an ell and opened it as a tavern. About 1860 Randolph Goodwin kept the house for a few years; then Emery Whitten ran it for about four

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

years; and in 1867 Mr. Hodgdon bought it, made extensive internal alterations in it and has since occupied it as his residence.

About 1860-65 Franklin Hunter kept a tavern for a number of years in the house now occupied by Stephen A. Robinson. The Vil- lage House, in Church street, was built by George Snow about 1869. He conducted business there for a few years and then sold out to Wil- liam Roundy. In 1879 the present landlord, Arnold F. Worthing, purchased the property.

About 1833 David Hunter, 1st (" King David "), David, 2d, and James, his brother, built the first saw mills where the present mills now stand; and in 1834 David Hunter, 1st, David, 2d, and Jonathan Brown erected a grist mill on the site of that now in operation. The former mill site is owned by William Lamb, who, in addition to his saw mill, has added a factory for the manufacture of croquet sets; and the latter mill site is the property of Hodgdon & Smith.

At the foot of the dam of these mills, previous to 1836, herring were caught in large numbers, and the privilege of taking the fish was sold at auction, after the manner related of the same industry in the chapter on the town of Benton.

On the island opposite the village was once, in 1836, a shingle ma- chine owned primarily by E. G. Hodgdon, David Hunter, 1st, and others, but afterward run by James Spaulding. About 1850 it was changed into a brush factory, the owners being two Vermont men. After three or four years they sold to Justin Brown, who for a time manufactured staves in the building. Brown sold to A. R. Mitchell & Co., who erected a large building for the manufacture of croquet sets and brush handles. This firm failed, however, and the factory was set off to the creditors. Shortly after, about 1875, it was burned, and no building has since been erected on the island. In 1884 Arthur Mc- Nally bought the land and the privilege.

Previous to 1836 William Weymouth built the first blacksmith shop at the village. It stood on the site of the store now owned by E. G. Hodgdon and occupied by E. E. Merrill.

As early as 1840 a carding mill was built by Billings & Stinchfield, near the old Hunter grist mill. Billings afterward bought out Stinch- field and conducted the business until he died, about ten years ago. Jesse Dorman bought the plant and ran it until 1890, when he sold to William Lamb, who has run it only occasionally since, the business having much declined.

The blacksmith shop on Railroad street, near Main street, was built by Japheth M. Winn in 1843. He ran it until 1869, when he sold to Rutherford B. Thompson & Henry J. Hussey. They conducted the business jointly until 1874, when Thompson purchased Hussey's inter- est. He ran the shop alone until early in 1892.

Among the first general stores built in the neighborhood was that

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TOWN OF CLINTON.

erected by David and Moses Brown, and James and Alpheus Hunter. It stood on the present farm of James Weymouth and in 1833 was hauled down to the village center. A part of the old building is now occupied as a store by Manly Morrison.

About the same time that the above mentioned building was moved to the village Israel Owen erected a store on the spot where the old cistern stands, opposite the Clinton House. It was burned about 1843. The drug store now occupied by Charles Wentworth was opened as a general store by Nathan Merrill about 1839. He shortly afterward sold out to Dudley Sinclair.

In 1853 E. G. Hodgdon built a small store on part of the land now occupied by E. E. Merrill's store, the latter being built by Mr. Hodg- don in 1866. In 1853-4 Daniel Billings put up a small building oppo- site Hunter's mills, in which he ran a shoemaker's shop. He sold to Zimri Hunter, who kept store there until his death, six years ago.

Three important industries in the village of the present time are the creamery, the tannery and the new shoe factory. The creamery was built in 1888, largely through the instrumentality of the Patrons of Husbandry. It is located on Weymouth hill and is owned by a stock company, of which William Lamb is president and C. H. Greely, treasurer. The tannery, a large building near the railroad station, was erected by Jonathan B. Besse & Son in 1890. The works are operated by steam power and employ fourteen hands. Russet linings only are manufactured, the weekly capacity being 1,000 dozen skins. In July, 1892, the Clinton Village Manufacturing Association, incor- porated with a capital of $10,000, began the erection of a large wooden building, 40 by 100 feet, for the manufacture of boots and shoes, in which one hundred hands will be employed. Elbridge G. Hodgdon is president of the company and Japheth M. Winn, treasurer.

The early settlers of Clinton were a God-fearing people, and a regular religious society was established soon after the incorporation of the town. The form of worship observed was that of the Methodist Episcopal church, which has had an organization in Clinton for over ninety years. The name of Jonathan Brown is gratefully remem- bered in the early history of this church. He was the first class leader in the society, and was ardently devoted to the cause. The charge of this circuit received the labors of the fathers of the conference, includ- ing Reverends Daniel B. Randall, James Farrington, Theodore Hill, Benjamin B. Byrne and others.

The society has an interesting and successful history; it is the old- est and largest religious organization in the town. September 27, 1866, the erection of the present commodious and attractive edifice in Church street was begin: it was dedicated in the following year. In 1884 over $3,000 was expended in enlarging and beautifying the build- ing, erecting a chapel, and buying the present convenient parsonage,

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

which stands on the society's land. Of this amount, the larger part was generously contributed by Willianı W. Brown, of Portland, and a fine memorial window added in remembrance of his parents, Jona- than and Betsey Brown.

The Sunday school of the church has a membership in excess of 100.

The following have been the regular pastors since a record has been kept: Reverends Hyram Murthy, 1857: Theodore Hill, 1858; Jesse Harriman, 1859; B. B. Byrne, 1861; Lewis Wentworth, 1863; H. P. Blood, 1864; D. M. True, 1867: G. G. Winslow, 1868; C. H. Bray, 1871; J. A. L. Rich, 1873; Sylvanus L. Hanscom, 1875; Pascal E. Brown, 1878; William T. Jewell, 1881; Charles E. Springer, 1882: Jesse R. Baker, 1883; Justin S. Thompson, 1886, and William L. Brown, 1888.

The first church edifice erected in the village was the Union church-built about 1847-which stands across the street opposite the Methodist church. It was a plain, unpretentious structure. It was jointly occupied by the Methodists, Congregationalists and Universal- ists, until the Methodists erected their building, when the Congrega- tionalists and Universalists occupied the Union church more or less frequently for many years. Now the building is rarely used, and then only by the small remainder of the Universalist society. The Congre- gationalists, as an organized church body, have disappeared from the village altogether.

The Freewill Baptist church, organized with fourteen members in February, 1888, has now a membership of sixty-three. In August, 1888, the corner stone of their present attractive church home was laid in Western avenue. The building, which cost about $4,000, was dedicated in August, 1889. The bell was donated by Mrs. Ruth Taft, of Massachusetts; the chandelier by John F. Lamb, of Auburn, and the Bible by the late Mrs. Cynthia Brown, all former residents of Clinton. Rev. Albert D. Dodge, pastor since April, 1888, preaches also at Pishon's Ferry. The Sunday school of the church, established in the spring of 1889, now numbers about ninety scholars. William Lamb was superintendent the first year, and was succeeded by George P. Billings.

The village cemetery stands on a slight eminence south of the vil- lage, and contains some thirty or more monuments, some of them of very handsome design. The ground is well fenced, and is entered through a wide portcullis gateway, just south of which is a substan- tial stone receiving vault. The cemetery was laid out previous to 1833 by an association of citizens, from whom, some years afterward, the town purchased half of the ground. Enlargements have been made at various times by the association until the cemetery now covers about two acres, only one-third of which belongs to the town.

The most interesting monument in the cemetery is that which

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stands in the northwest corner of the ground, erected in memory of Betsey (Chase) Low, " the first female white child born in Clinton." The date of Mrs. Low's birth, probably about 1780-85, is not given, and is not exactly known by her descendants. Other old inhabitants of the town who are buried here are: Jesse Baker, b. 1748, d. 1835; Job Roundy, b. 1763, d. 1837; Sarah, wife of Abner Woodsum, b. 1768. d. 1844; Francis Elder, b. 1775, d. 1854; Jonathan Brown, b. 1779, d. 1862; Abram Frees, b. 1781, d. 1840; Abigail Hunter (wife of David, 1st), b. 1785, d. 1858; John Hall, b. 1787, d. 1860; James Hunter, b. 1790, d. 1875; Charles Brown, b. 1790, d. 1842; Daniel Greeley, b. 1797, d. 1879, and Samuel S. Foster, b. 1799, d. 1885.

PISHON'S FERRY .- Charles Pishon came to Clinton previous to 1800, and established the ferry that still bears his name. He died about fifty years ago at the age of eighty.

On what is now Asa Pratt's farm, south of the ferry, was born Betsey (Chase) Low. She was mother of Francis, and grandmother of James, the latter an active farmer, living about a mile south of the Pratt farm.

Previous to 1790 Samuel Varnam settled at the ferry on the farm now occupied by Charles Rowe. David Pratt settled, about 1802, on the farm now owned by Asa Pratt. Abram Frees, an old time physi- cian, began practice at the Ferry about 1815; and beginning some years later, an old teacher, Elbridge G. Rideout, instructed the youth of this and other districts for many years. Another old settler at the Ferry was John Totman, who died three years ago at the age of eighty- two.

The first tavern at the Ferry was kept, previous to 1815, by a man named Burrill, in the house in which William Totman now lives. It was afterward run for a number of years by the late Gideon Wells, who came from Vienna in 1800. About this time David Pratt and Joseph Mills also kept taverns south of the Ferry, on the river road. Pratt's tavern was in the house now owned by his grandson, Asa; and Mills' tavern was in the house now owned by Daniel Cain.

About 1815 Benjamin Chase settled at the Ferry and built a saw and grist mill on Carrabassett stream. He afterward went to Illinois, where he died, about 1820. His sons, Benjamin and Amos, sold the property to Benjamin Caford, and after a year or two the latter sold to Benjamin Reed. About 1827 Reed sold to Milton Philbrook, who sold the mills to Hiram Burrill, and later George S. Ricker bought the privilege of the Philbrook heirs. About thirty-five years ago. when Burrill owned the mills, they were burned. He rebuilt them, and about twenty years afterward they were again burned. The present mills were built by Mr. Ricker in 1889.

On the same stream, near these mills, Levi Maynard built a card-

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ing mill, about 1832. It stood in the present garden of Israel H. Richardson. Higher up the stream, an old forge, the remains of which are still visible, was established by a Mr. Peavy, previous to 1824. Peavy made iron out of bog ore obtained on the spot. He failed about 1826, since which time the forge has never been worked.

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Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 143

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