Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 58

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 58

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old South church and a good man. Captains Shubael and William West were engaged in trade and navigation when " Joppa " was the busiest part of the town. The latter lived at the foot of Heard's lane and the former on land adjoining. They were packet masters and plied between Hallowell and Boston. William Dorr, of Roxbury, Mass., married Jane, daughter of Thaddeus Partridge, and came to Hallowell in 1788. He had eight children, among whom was John Dorr, a printer and newspaper publisher.

Nathaniel Dummer, of the Essex county, Mass., noted family of this name, was born at Newbury, Mass., March 9, 1755. He was edu- cated at Dummer Academy, married Mrs. Mary (Owen) Kilton, and came to Hallowell in 1789. He engaged in trade, was the first repre- sentative from Hallowell, was much in town office, and served as a member of the executive council. He afterward served on the bench of common pleas. He was a man of good common sense and of a 'practical turn of mind. He died September 15, 1815. He had sons, Joseph Owen and Gorham, and two daughters. Joseph O. Dummer married his cousin, Judith G. Dummer, and had Nathaniel, who set- tled in Weld, Me., and has descendants there, and Hannah, who mar- ried and settled in Dixmont. Gorham Dummer married Sarah Ab- bot, of Concord, N. H., and died in Hallowell January 1, 1805, leaving a daughter, Lucy G., who became the wife of Samuel K. Gilman, of Hallowell. The Dummer name is now extinct in Hallowell, and the old and elegant mansion was bequeathed by the last representative of the family to Bowdoin College.

Tristram Locke, born in Hollis October 18, 1771, married Anna Lord, of Gardiner. He was the son of Caleb and Elizabeth (Dyer) Locke. They had eight children born in Hallowell between 1795 and 1812. Samuel Locke, brother to Tristram, known as " Master Locke," came here as a schoolmaster in 1810. He married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Isaac Stanwood and widow of Hale Waite, and had seven chil- dren, all born in Hallowell.

John Merrick, a prominent and influential man in Hallowell, was born in London in 1766. After obtaining a first class education he preached for a time, and then became a tutor in the family of Dr. Benjamin Vaughan and came with them to Hallowell in 1796. He returned to England, and having married Rebecca, a sister of Doc- tor Vaughan, he came back to Hallowell. He surveyed the route to Canada by way of the Chaudière in 1810, was cashier of a bank at Hallowell until 1821, and agent of wild lands in eastern Maine. He died October 22, 1861, leaving six children. His age was over ninety years.

Daniel L. Dole, born in Newbury, Mass., November 22, 1775, mar- ried Nancy Gove, of Edgecomb, and moved to Hallowell. They had six children, the oldest, Ebenezer G. Dole, being a prominent anti-

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slavery man. Jacob Abbot, jun., born in Wilton, N. H., October 20, 1776, married Betsey, daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth (Chandler) Abbot, of Concord, N. H., and came to Hallowell in 1800. He was the father of Jacob and John Stevens Cabot Abbot, the distinguished authors, the former of whom was born in Hallowell and the latter at Brunswick. Mr. Abbot had seven children. David Thomas was of Hallowell and moved here from Georgetown. His first three chil- dren were born in Georgetown and the last five, the oldest of whom was born December 15, 1765, in Hallowell. James Burns, born in Amherst, N. H., August 15, 1771, married Betsey Greeley and came here in 1800. They had eleven children.

Isaac Lord, born in Berwick, Me., January 1, 1779, married Mary McGrath, of Kittery, and came here in 1800. They had eleven chil- dren. Samuel Freeman, born in Sandwich September 21, 1736, mar- ried first Abigail Dillingham, second Surviah Crocker, and third Mrs. Rebecca Jackson. He, with his three sons, came here in 1800. Na- thaniel Colcord came to Hallowell in 1794. He was born in Newmar- ket, N. H., March 2, 1755, and married Rachel Whidden. Of their seven children. the last two were born in Hallowell in 1796 and 1799. Martin Brewster, mariner, came here from Kingston, Mass. His wife was Sally Drew, and the first of his children born here, was July 26, 1796.

John Patrick Egan was born at Kilcullen Bridge, Kildare county, Ireland, March 17, 1755, married Catherine Fleming, came to this country in 1793, and to Hallowell in 1797. He died February 19, 1829. They had seven children, the last three born in Hallowell. Peter Os- good, born in Tewksbury, Mass., January 5, 1782, married Lucia Drew, of Kingston, Mass., and came here in 1797. They had four children. William Winslow married Betsey Gilman, of Loudon, N. H., and came here in 1811. Of their three children, the youngest only was born here. James Partridge married Polly Winslow, and had ten children born here between 1797 and 1816.

Obadiah Harris, the first deacon in Hallowell, born in Wrentham, Mass., July 7, 1736, married Lois Ellis, of Dedham, and came here in 1785. He died July 5, 1800. Philip Lord, born in Ipswich, Mass., December 4, 1774, came to this town in 1797, and married Abigail Nye. Their seven children were born here. John Russell, born in Lyndeborough, N. H., June 21, 1789, married Elizabeth Winslow, of Industry, and had four children born in this town. Nathan Sweat- land, born in Attleboro, Mass., November 27, 1754, married Rebecca Tarr, of Georgetown, and moved here, where he died April 2, 1814. They had eight children.

James Sherborne, born in Barrington, N. H., December 29, 1776, married Zerviah Sweatland, of Hallowell, and had six children. Will- iam Drew, jun., born in Kingston, Mass., May, 1767, married Charity,

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daughter of Micah Allen, of Halifax, Mass. The births of three chil- dren are recorded on Hallowell records, the second of whom was Rev. William Allen Drew, born December 11, 1798, founder of the Gospel Banner, and a man of marked ability. Shubael West, born at Martha's Vineyard August 14, 1772, married Mary Edmondson, and moved to Hallowell. They had eleven children.

John Hesketh, jun., born in Knowsley, England, married Mar- garet Lyers, of Ford, England, and came to this town in 1798. He died June 8, 1845. They had ten children, the last eight born in Hal- lowell. Benjamin F. Melvin, son of Benjamin Melvin, of Readfield, married Louisa Cram. Samuel Melvin, brother of Benjamin F., mar- ried Mary Gove, of Readfield. These two families lived in Hallowell, and the former was a prominent citizen. Nathan Knight married Lucy Dean, and had seven children. Their eldest son, Austin Dean Knight, came to Hallowell, and is cashier of the Hallowell National Bank.

Sarson Butler, born in Edgarton, Martha's Vineyard, October 13, 1761, came to Augusta, and died June 20, 1842. His wife was Susanna Young. They had ten children. Joseph White was born in Roches- ter, N. H., married Sally Gardiner, of Boston, and died in Hallowell October 26, 1798, aged 30, leaving two children. Robert Francis, son of Jeremiah Francis, born in Creighton, England, married Mary Ben- nett, of Middleboro, Mass., and died March 3, 1851, leaving four children. Elisha Nye married Nancy Young, of Hallowell. He was lost on the passage to Boston December 3, 1813. He had six chil- dren.

John Hains, born in Exeter, N. H., October 6, 1738, married Mary Dudley, and came to this town in 1785. He had eleven children (the last two born here), and died May 6, 1809. Nathaniel Cheever, printer and stationer, born in Reading, Mass., August 20, 1778, married Char- lotte Barrell, came to Hallowell, and died March 5, 1819. They had seven children, the second of whom was Rev. George Barrell Cheever, born April 17, 1807, member of the famous 1825 class of Bowdoin Col- lege, and a celebrated preacher. James Norris, born in Chester, N. H., May 21, 1743, married Mary Towle, and moved here from Ep- ping, N. H., in 1791. He died February 9, 1809. Of their nine chil- dren, James, Hannah and Mercy settled at Monmouth, Polly in New Sharon, and Thomas, Francis and Simeon in Hallowell. Mark died in the army in April, 1814.

BUSINESS INTERESTS .- It may be remarked in passing that soon after its settlement, Hallowell became the most important place of business on the Kennebec above Bath, and continued so for many years. The early settlers therefore who came were generally trades- men, mechanics or manufacturers, and but few of them engaged in agriculture. Ship-building was carried on to considerable extent, and

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a large trade was carried on between this place and Boston, New York and the West Indies. In 1820 upwards of 4,000 tons of shipping were owned in Hallowell, ships generally of small tonnage and en- gaged largely in the coasting trade. Hallowell was thus the market for a large territory, embracing central Kennebec, eastern Oxford and nearly all of Franklin county, beside some of the present Androscoggin county towns. Farm products and short lumber were brought to Hal- lowell as a shipping point in large quantities, and the wharves pre- sented a busy appearance. At this time this town had strong hopes of becoming the metropolis of the state, and made efforts to divert the trade of Coos county and the Canadian towns beyond, from Port- land to the Kennebec. The building of the Atlantic & St. Lawrence railroad took away the trade of Oxford county, and destroyed all hopes of changing the direction of the markets for upper New Hampshire and Canada; the construction of the railroad to Farming- ton carried the Franklin county trade into another channel, and the building of the railroad from Waterville to Lewiston, by way of Winthrop, still further restricted the trade of Kennebec river towns and left them little more than a mere local business.

The book publishing business, which was at first started in Hal- lowell on a small scale, in process of time assumed large proportions. The founder was Ezekiel Goodale, whose book store stood where Leigh & Wingate's store now is. Mr. Goodale came here in 1802, and at this time there was no similar store between Portland and Bangor. To his business he added a printing office in 1813, which was in a building at the foot of Academy street. In 1819 he commenced the publication of the Maine Farmer's Almanac, an annual still issued by his successor. In 1820 he took in as a partner, his nephew and clerk, Franklin Glazier. Three years later Andrew Masters and Justin E. Smith were taken into the firm and the name and style became Mas- ters, Glazier & Smith. At one time Mr. John Merrick appears to have been in some way connected with the firm.

In 1857 Mr. Glazier retired from the firm, and from that time to 1880, the business was conducted by Andrew Masters and Danforth P. Livermore, under the firm name of Masters & Livermore. In 1880 the office, including the Maine Farmer's Almanac, was sold to Charles E. Nash, and soon after moved to Augusta. The books bearing the imprint of these several firms are very numerous, and probably ex- ceed in number those of any other firm in the state. They printed the Maine Reports, the Revised Statutes and many other law books, school books in great variety, town and other histories, volumes of poems, hundreds of pamphlets, and miscellaneous books of various kinds. They published Williamson's History of Maine and Perley's Digest of debates in the convention that framed the constitution of the state. They did their work thoroughly as the test of time abund-

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antly shows. Connected with their establishment was a bindery, which in the various styles of binding, kept abreast of the times.

One of the lost industries of Hallowell, and a very important one at the time, was the manufacture of pot and pearl ash. Wood was the only article of fuel used, and the sale of wood ashes was an im- portant source of income to farmers and others living in this vicinity. William Livermore manufactured and shipped very large quantities of the salts of potash in his day.

The power for propelling machinery in Hallowell is furnished by Vaughans stream, better known as Bombahook brook. This stream is naturally small, and in modern times, steam power has been exten- sively used to supplement its limited capacity. In ancient times the Vaughans had a brewery and a distillery at Sheppard's point, and also a cotton mill, but none of these enterprises proved successful. The cotton factory building was long used by William Stickney and Simon Page as a whiting mill, and a portion of the building was cut away a few years ago because it interfered with the road. There was also a rope walk at Sheppard's point, conducted by Mr. Harlow. There was a linseed oil factory on Bombahook brook many years ago. Fuller's and McClinch's foundries now occupy the place. George Fuller started the foundry business, and now his five sons are continuing the business and prospering. They also own the whiting mill on the Litchfield road.

Isaiah McClinch came here from Mt. Vernon and at first established a blacksmith shop. He then built an iron foundry, in which he did an extensive business. His son, George B. McClinch, and Mr. William A. Winter now conduct the business. The latter is now mayor of the city.

An important industry of Hallowell in the olden time was its fisheries. Herring, shad and salmon were taken here in immense quantities, and the nicest salmon sold for from four to six cents per pound. The fish left the Kennebec at this point many years ago, when the lumber mills were erected.

The oilcloth works on Hinckley's point were first put in operation in 1840, by Samuel L. Berry. In 1852 they were operated by Stickney & Page, in 1859 by Stickney, Page & Co., in 1868 by Page, Wilder & Co., and since 1872 by A. Wilder & Co. Since Dr. Amos Wilder be- came connected with the industry, great additions and improvements have been made and its products now take very high rank.

The oilcloth factory operated by the four Sampson brothers, Ed- ward, Henry, E. Pope and Alden, was started in 1840 by their father, Alden Sampson, who also operated large works in what is now Man- chester. Associated with him here was Elisha E. Rice, and his brother, William Sampson. The factory building was burned and re- built in 1847. It gives employment to forty-five men.

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

The tanning business has been an important Hallowell industry. John Atkins and Phineas Sweetser were early engaged in the busi- ness. Frank Atkins is still engaged in tanning. Archibald Horne was a noted man in this line of work, and was highly prosperous. He lived on Loudon hill, in the house now occupied by Samuel Walker.

A cotton mill, now idle, was erected at Hallowell in 1846, and with the exception of four years during the civil war and four other years since, has furnished employment there to a large number of families. Among the early promoters were Justin E. Smith, John P. Flagg, Eben G. Dole, Captain Lawson Watts and C. D. Bachelder. In 1886 the property passed into the hands of Samuel R. Payson, of Boston, and since 1887 has been known as the Kennebec River Mill. The building is a substantial brick, with 15,616 spindles, requiring 200 operatives. The looms have been chiefly run on regular sheetings. .Charles K. Howe, of Hallowell, became agent in 1890.

A large wire factory was started on Bombahook brook a few years ago. Rev. H. F. Harding and Simon Page were the movers in the enterprise, which did not prove a success and was soon closed out.

Benjamin Tenney started the manufacture of sand paper here a few years ago, and the business is still carried on by him and others as a corporation. The business has been highly prosperous.

Charles and Elias Milliken built a steam mill on Sheppard's wharf, and the same is still operated by Elias Milliken & Sons, on an exten- sive scale.

The number of wharves in Hallowell, many of which are now going to decay, give some idea of the great amount of business done here in by-gone days. Beginning at the south end of the city proper there was Sheppard's, afterward Vaughan's wharf, upon which the steam lumber mills now stand. Next above is Lowell's wharf, owned by Abner Lowell. The next was known as West's wharf, and the next, Clark's. David Sewall owned the next one, and William Livermore the next. The next above was called Kennebec wharf, owned by the proprietors of Kennebec Row, and a packet line between here and Boston. Here also was the town landing. The next was Dummer's wharf and here was the ferry. Next and last was Wyman's wharf, which was private property. Lovejoy's, afterward Bachelder's wharf, has since been built.

The first stone from the Hallowell quarries was taken out by John Haines in 1815, and was used for millstones. In 1820 the first of the product of the quarry was shipped and carried out of the state to be used for cornices of the Quincy Market, in Boston. Much of the ma- terial for the state house in Augusta was taken from Haines' quarry. From John Haines the property descended to his son, Jonathan Haines. In 1828 the property was sold to Winslow Hawkes, Levi Thing, John Gardiner and John Otis, the last named of whom finally

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obtained it, and at his death it was sold to A. G. Stinchfield, who dis- posed of it to J. R. Bodwell, Charles Wilson and William Wilson .. The southwest quarry was once worked by Dr. John Hubbard and Samuel Longfellow and was known as the Longfellow quarry. Long- fellow sold a large tract of land, including the quarry, to Mr. Bod- well. The Hallowell Granite Company was organized in 1871. This company and its successor, the Hallowell Granite Works, are noticed at page 184.

The Hallowell Savings Bank was chartered in April, 1854, and or- ganized for business on the third of July. The first president, Doc- tor Hubbard, was succeeded by Andrew Masters, and Justin E. Smith, who served until six years ago, when Eliphalet Rowell became presi- dent. The treasurer is the venerable Judge Henry K. Baker, who has served since the bank was organized. Eliphalet Rowell is now president and trustee, the other trustees being H. K. Baker,. J. H. Leigh and Ben Tenney.

The Northern National Bank of Hallowell was chartered as No. 532, on the 13th of October, 1864, with an authorized capital of $100,000. Alden Sampson, the first president, was succeeded by Simon Page, who served until 1879, when Justin E. Smith was elected, and served until January before his death, in April, 1888. Since January, 1888, James H. Leigh has been the president. When Justin E. Smith be- came president the cashiership, which he had held from the organiza- tion of the bank, passed to his brother, George R. Smith. In January, 1890, George A. Safford, who had been clerk in the bank, was made assistant cashier.

The American National Bank was chartered in 1864, and began business as No. 624 of the national series, with a capital stock of $75,000. Austin D. Knight was its president until 1871, when Peter F. Sanborn was elected. Mr. Sanborn held the office at the time of his death in 1883, when John Graves was elected president. Mr. Knight, who had from the first given much attention to the manage- ment of the bank, succeeded A. H. Howard, the first cashier, in 1872, and held that position until the close of 1888, excepting a short inter- val filled by his nephew, Austin Perry. On the first of January, 1889, Wallace H. Perry became the cashier. He had been formerly assistant to his uncle, Judge Knight, and has been in the bank since 1887. At the expiration of the charter in 1884, instead of running it under the same name it became the Hallowell National Bank, No. 3,247, with a capital of $50,000, but with the same officers and essen- tially the same directors and the business continued at the same loca- tion.

POST OFFICE .- The first post office here was probably established in 1794, as Hallowell Hook, with Nathaniel Dummer as postmaster. James Burton was appointed early in 1795, postmaster at Hallowell ..

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His successors have been: Joshua Wingate, appointed February 16, 1802; Amos Nourse, June 26, 1822; Ichabod Nutter, June 15, 1841; David H. Goodno, July 23, 1845; Thomas Hovey, May 9, 1849; Francis J. Day, February 23, 1853; Thomas W. Newman, March 30, 1853; Thomas Hovey, April 10, 1861; Eliphalet Rowell, July 13, 1866; James Atkins, jun., March 3, 1879; E. Curtis Stevens, February 24, 1883; Jacob B. Thomas, April 3, 1883; Orlando Currier, January 16, 1888, and Denny K. Jewell, April 23, 1889.

HALLOWELL SOCIAL LIBRARY BUILDING.

SOCIETIES .- What is now the Hallowell Social Library was estab- lished at a meeting of citizens February 5, 1842. Andrew Masters was chosen president, Edward K. Butler, treasurer, and Henry K. Baker, secretary and librarian. The library commenced its career of usefulness with 519 volumes, obtained, part by gift and part by pur- chase. In 1859 it received a donation from the heirs of John Merrick, and also from the library of George Merrick. About this time, Charles Vaughan conveyed to the library a brick store, the rental of which

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was devoted to the purchase of books, and when the building was sold, the proceeds were invested as a permanent fund to be devoted to the increase of the library. In 1878 a Library Building Associa- tion was organized, and in two years, the fine granite structure was erected, and dedicated March 9, 1880. The exercises consisted of a historical sketch, address by Rev. H. V. Emmons, and a poem by Emma Huntington Nason. Generous donations toward the building were made by Joseph R. Bodwell, the Messrs. Fuller and others. An- nie F. Page is the librarian. The library now contains not far from 6,000 volumes, many of them rare and valuable.

Kennebec Lodge, No. 5, Free Masons, was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1796. Nathaniel Dummer was the first master, and John Stratton the first secretary. The following are the masters who succeeded Mr. Dummer: Benjamin Page, Samuel Colman, Jonathan Bond, Elias Bond, Dr. Ariel Mann, Henry W. Fuller, Eben T. Warren, Jesse Robinson, Peleg Sprague, George Farrell, Amos Nourse, Samuel K. Gilman, Andrew Masters, Thomas Dennis, E. H. Lombard,.William Nye, Francis J. Day, Stephen Lord, Greenlief Rob- inson, Daniel Russell, Thomas W. Newman, James M. Sanborn, B. F. Warner, James Atkins, jun., James J. Jones, F. H. Weymouth, Or- lando Currier, John D. Hodgdon, H. L. Grindell, E. W. Whitcomb, Hadley O. Hawes, Ai C. Harrington, E. Curtis Stevens, A. M. Spear, Marshall A. Nash, Charles K. Tilden, Silas H. Runnels and Isaiah B. Hosken.

Jerusalem Royal Arch Chapter, K. T., was chartered January 1, 1820. The following is the succession of high priests: Gideon W. Ol- ney, Lawrence Sprague, James L. Child, Ariel Mann, Eben T. Warren, Jesse Robinson, Peleg Sprague, Amos Nourse, Samuel K. Gilman, Stephen Lowell, Andrew Masters, Daniel Wadsworth, Stephen Web- ber, Leroy Bacon, E. A. Chadwick, C. W. Whitmore, M. F. Marble, Orlando Currier, Daniel C. Stanwood, Austin D. Knight, David Car- gill, John W. Toward, B. F. Warner, Samuel W. Lane, John W. Rowe, James Atkins, jun., Milton M. Stone, James A. Jones, Elhanan W. Whitcomb, Hiram L. Grindell, Hadley O. Hawes, Charles K. Tilden, Ezra Curtis Stevens, Ai C. Harrington, Marshall A. Nash.

Alpha Council, No. 3, Royal and Select Masters, was instituted in Hallowell in 1869. Those who have occupied the chair since are: David Cargill, John W. Rowe, Samuel W. Lane, James J. Jones, H. L. Grindell, Hadley O. Hawes, Charles K. Tilden, Marshall A. Nash and James E. Blanchard.

Sanborn Lodge, No. 93, I. O. O. F., was organized October 5, 1882. Its noble grands have been: Fred E. Beane, Nelson L. Nye, Charles F. Kilbreth, L. D. Merchant, H. W. Flagg, Mahlon S. Spear, John P. Jewett, Eugene R. Lewis, Arch Campbell, George A. Winslow, Na- thaniel Niles, John H. Lord, D. K. Jewell, Edward K. Bacon, Augus-

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tus Littlefield, Elbridge E. Lehr, George F. Winter, W. A. Emery and George A. Steward. The present incumbent of the office is Frank E. Greeley. Daniel Hanscom has held the office of treasurer since the Lodge was organized.

Crescent Lodge, No. 3, A. O. U. W., was chartered at Hallowell June 19, 1880. The following have served as master workmen: Will S. Thompson, Reuel K. Marriner, William Crush, Daniel B. Lowe, William H. Foss, Joseph F. Clement, Albert M. Spear, E. R. Lewis, Frank Atkins, Fred E. Beane, Charles H. Richards, Charles W. How- ard and John Leighton.

Granite Lodge, No. 50, K. of P., was instituted at Hallowell in 1885. Those who have served as councillors down to and including 1892, are: Fred E. Beane, William Hosken, Frank C. Atkins, Charles H. Richards, Edward E. Barker, Herbert L. Heald, John S. Hamilton, George W. Taylor, Edwin W. Maddox, George White and Remington D. Capen.

SCHOOLS .- The cause of education in Hallowell, as elsewhere in Maine, has been progressive. Sixty-five years ago there were two schools in the city proper-one in the old brick school house, torn down in 1840, and the other in a building opposite the South church, now used as a dwelling. Master Locke taught in the brick building, and the other was for small children. Some years later there was an attempt at graded schools, and J. C. Lovejoy taught for one season a school in the South school house. Still later, the town house was. built, and a school room was fitted up on the first floor. The wealthy families sent their children to the academy. Mr. John A. Vaughan opened a female academy where the granite offices now are, which continued a number of years.

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Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 58

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