Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 66

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 66

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).

Hannibal D. Littlefield, born in 1827, in Belgrade, is a son of Charles and Betsey (Blanchard) Littlefield, and grandson of Asahel and Han- nah (Penny) Littlefield, who came to Belgrade from Wells, Me., in 1804. Hannah died in Winslow, January 5, 1868, at the remarkable age of 106 years and 5 months. Mr. Littlefield came to Winslow in 1855, and he is a farmer. He married, first, Charlotte A. Crowell, who left one son, Alonzo C. He married, second, Harriet F. Coleman, by whom he has one son, Charles D. E.

Stephen Nichols, born in 1831, is a son of Stephen (1769-1853), who came to Vassalboro from Berwick in 1798, and was married three times, his last wife, the mother of Stephen, being Hannah Pinkham. Mr. Nichols, in 1861, came from the homestead farm in Vassalboro to his present home, which was a part of the Remington Hobby farm. He married Louisa J., daughter of John and Phebe (Cook) Hobby, and granddaughter of Remington, whose father, Rev. William, was a son of John Hobby. Remington Hobby married a daughter of Dr. Syl- vester Gardiner, and settled in Vassalboro in 1771. He was a graduate of Harvard College, and some years after coming to Vassalboro he joined the Society of Friends. Mr. Nichols has four children: John Edward, Sarah Louise, Annie May and William Hobby.

Seth Nickerson is a son of Seth, and grandson of Reuben Nicker- son, of Cape Cod, whose ancestor was one of the Mayflower pilgrims. Reuben Nickerson came to Swanville, Me., where his son, Seth, mar- ried Mary, daughter of Simeon Haines, a revolutionary soldier. Their children were: Margaret, Aaron, Mehitable, Seth, Simeon, Hannah and Franklin S., who was colonel of the 14th Maine regiment. Seth Nickerson was born in 1812, and married in 1836, Flavilla, daughter of Josiah Priest. He came to Vassalboro in 1837, where he bought land, built houses and dealt in real estate. For the past fifty years he

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

has run an accommodation team through Winslow, between North Vassalboro and Waterville, and is still hale and hearty.

Lemuel Paine, son of Lemuel Paine, of Foxboro, Mass., graduated from Bowdoin College in 1803, and was soon after admitted to the bar. He married Jane Warren, of Foxboro, niece of General Joseph War- ren. He came to Winslow in 1805, and settled on the place where his son, Edward A., born in 1816, was a farmer until his death, in 1884. His wife, who survives him, is Sibyl, daughter of William Stratton, of this town. Their children are: George S. and Lucy C., who, with their mother, occupy the homestead. George S. graduated from Colby in 1871, and in 1874 was admitted to the bar of Michigan, and two years later he went to Ottawa, Ill., where he practiced until 1884, when he returned to Winslow, where he is a farmer. He married Isa M. Randall, of Riverside, Me., and their children are: Rosco R., Edward W. and Mildred S.

Henry W. Pollard, born in 1842, is a son of Levi and Melvina (Rey- nolds) Pollard, and grandson of Barton Pollard, of Albion. He was river driver and dam builder until 1869, and since that time has been a farmer. He served three years in the late war in Company G, 3d Maine. He married Addie, daughter of Benjamin T. Brown. Their children are: Fred S., Effie, Florence, Iva, Edith, Belle, Albert, Edwin, Arthur and Victor. They lost two: Scott and Lena.

George W. Reynolds, born in 1842, is a son of Vose and Lucinda (Withee) Reynolds, and grandson of Thomas Reynolds, who came from Brockton, Mass., to Winslow. Mr. Reynolds is a farmer, and for the last thirteen years has carried on a wholesale and retail meat busi- ness. In 1887 he built a residence, refrigerator and slaughter house at Winslow village. His first wife, Aun Spaulding, left two children: Zana and Selden. His present wife was Mary Lubie, by whom he has four children: Bertha, Annie, Carrie and George W., jun.

Walter G. Reynolds, born in 1865, is a son of Timothy and Hannah (Hodges) Reynolds, grandson of Leavett, and great-grandson of Tim- othy Reynolds. He has for several years been employed in the meat business, and in 1891 he bought of George W. Reynolds the retail meat business which he has since run. His wife is Nellie F., daugh- ter of Rufus Holt.

Jonas B. Shurtleff, son of Benoni Shurtleff, was born in 1805, at Keene, N. H. He learned the printer's trade when a boy, and in 1826 he went to Beaver, Pa., where he published the Tioga County Patriot until 1844. He was one term on the governor's council of Pennsyl- vania, also a member of the governor's staff. In 1847 he came to Waterville and kept a book store for two years. He then came to Winslow and bought the Cushman homestead, where he died in 1863. In 1845 he wrote a text book, Governmental Instructor, which had a wide circulation. The last fourteen years of his life he was traveling

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TOWN OF WINSLOW.

agent for text book publishers. By his first marriage he had seven children, two of whom are living: John T. and Edward S. His second wife, Marietta G. Ames, and their two sons-Albert T. and Warren A. -occupy the home place and the boys are farmers and small fruit raisers. Albert T. is captain of Company H, 2d Regiment, Maine Volunteer Militia.

Daniel W. Simpson, born in 1841, is a son of Winslow and Hannah (McCausland) Simpson. grandson of Reuben, and great-grandson of John Simpson, who came to Winslow about 1790. Mr. Simpson served three years in the late war in Company K, 1st Massachusetts. He re- turned to Winslow in the fall of 1864, where he has been farmer and truckman. He married Georgiana, daughter of Henry Getchell. Their children are: Hollis A. and Eva L.

John H. Simpson, farmer, born in 1830, is a son of George and Permelia (Davis) Simpson, grandson of Reuben, and great-grandson of John Simpson. Mr. Simpson served in Company E, 17th Maine, from July, 1863, to May, 1865. He married Margaret N. Freeman, who died leaving seven children: Horace F., Mary L., Annie F., Wal- ter R. and three that died-Lizzie P., Jessie F. and Howard W. His present wife is Ruth T. Paine, and they have four children: John H., jun., James L., Edgar R. and Ruth F.

Samuel Perry Smiley, born in 1834, is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Ellis) Smiley, and grandson of Alexander Smiley. His father came to Winslow from Sidney in 1825. Samuel P. is a carpenter by trade, and also a farmer. He first married Sarah J. Kates. His present wife is Laura, daughter of Samuel Greeley, of Belgrade. They have two children: Cora B. and Frank A. The latter, who is also a carpenter, married Ella M. Wrigley, of Rolling Dam, N. B., May 13, 1891.

Elmer E. Smith, born in 1861, in Bristol, N. H., is a son of Charles G. Smith. He lived in Haverhill, Mass., from 1869 until 1886, then went to Lowell, and in 1888 he came to Winslow, where he is a farmer. Previous to coming here he had been engaged in manufacturing heels and inner soles for the shoe manufacturers of Massachusetts. He married Emma I., daughter of Amos B. Poore, of Haverhill, Mass.

Hezekiah Stratton (1746-1834) came from Concord, Mass., to Wins- low in 1768, and settled on the east side of the Sebasticook river, where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Eunice Hay- ward, and their son, William (1781-1849), married Abigail May Clark, and was a farmer on the home place, where he raised twelve children, fonr of whom are living: Sibyl (Mrs. Edward A. Paine), Mary (Mrs. Sid- ney Howard), Charlotte (Mrs. Joseph H. Lunt), and Robert F. Mr. Lunt is a farmer, and owns and occupies the old homestead. His only child, Emily J., is now the wife of Guy W. Horne, who is a farmer and milkman. He came to Winslow from Massachusetts in 1885. They have one son, Robert S. Horne.

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Elbridge G. Taylor (1808-1888) was a son of Amos, and grandson of John Taylor, who came from Massachusetts to Vassalboro. Mr. Taylor married Mary Ann Hayden, and of their ten children, eight lived to maturity: John M., Lura C., Daniel H., Zenno E., George C., Jefferson, Fred P. and Frank C. John M., born in 1831, was educated in the schools of Vassalboro and Oak Grove Seminary, and has been a farmer and teacher. He came to Winslow from Vassalboro a few years ago, and is now supervisor of schools.

James P. Taylor, born in 1833, is the eldest child of Calvin and Harriet (Priest) Taylor, and grandson of Abraham Taylor, who, with his brother, Abner, came to Vassalboro from Cape Cod, Mass., where he had been a fisherman. Mr. Taylor spent several years in Minne- sota, and in 1866 settled on the farm where he now lives. He married Helen, daughter of William E. Drummond, and they have two daughters: Sarah May and Ina S.

B. F. TOWNE .- Esquire Ephraim Towne, born at Oxford, Mass., in 1754, came to Maine with an older brother, Sherabiah Towne. The former settled in Hallowell, and the latter in Winslow, where he died in 1784. After the death of Sherabiah, Ephraim came to Winslow, where he was a farmer until his death in 1837. He was a justice of the peace and deputy sheriff for many years. His first wife was Lucy Ballard, by whom he had ten children. His second was Eunice Stack- pole, who bore him four children, three of whom died young.

Ephraim, one of the children of this second marriage, was born in 1804 on the homestead. He, like his worthy sire, followed the voca- tion of a farmer, and owned and occupied the homestead where he died in 1884. His wife, Sarah P. Flagg, bore him eight children: George S. (deceased), Eliza A. (Mrs. Albion Richardson), Henry (de- ceased), Albert (deceased), Harriet (Mrs. Silas A. Plummer), Edwin, now a merchant of Waterville; Benjamin Franklin and Elmira (Mrs. Samuel L. Gibson), now deceased.

Benjamin F., the seventh child and youngest son, was born May 29, 1846. He spent his boyhood and youth on the farm, attending the schools of his native town. On attaining his majority, he turned his attention to the carpenter's trade, and followed that vocation until 1876. Since that time he has been a farmer on the homestead, which has been in the family more than a century. The present set of sub- stantial and attractive farm buildings shown on the opposite page have all been erected by Mr. Towne. Since 1887 he has supplied a milk route in Waterville, and in that connection keeps a twenty-five cow dairy. He has taken time from his active and successful farm operations to serve his town three terms as treasurer and collector, and two as selectman. He was married December 7, 1876, to Lottie D., daughter of Percival L. Wheeler. Their children are: Charles F., Alice E., Della M. and Marion Wheeler Towne.

RESIDENCE OF Mr. B. F. TOWNE, WINSLOW, ME.

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TOWN OF WINSLOW.

Erastus Warren, born in 1818, is the only surviving son of Andrew and Catherine (Richards) Warren. He was engaged in running long boats from Benton Falls to Bath, from 1837 until the railroad was built. He was collecting logs on the river for some time, and since that has been getting out timber, moulding ship floors, and building boats. His first wife, Mary Miller, died, leaving three daughters: Hattie (Mrs. A. E. Ellis), and two that died-Mary and Clara. His second wife was Helen Savage, and his present wife is Laura J. Morrell.

William P. Warren, born in 1850, son of Samuel and Avis (Rey- nolds) Warren, and grandson of Andrew and Catherine (Richards) Warren, is a farmer on the Stephen Abbott farm, which he bought in 1873. He married Augusta, daughter of Henry Dinsmore, of China. They have one son, Ruy W.

Charles E. Warren, born in Winslow in 1853, is the youngest son of Samuel and Avis (Reynolds) Warren, and grandson of Andrew and Catherine (Richards) Warren. Mr. Warren is a farmer on the farm which has been the family homestead since 1855. He has represented his district one term in the legislature, and has been several times elected selectman. His wife is Flora F .. daughter of Freeman W. Getchell, of Winslow. Their only child is Etta B.

Charles L. Withee, born in 1856, is a son of Lauriston and Vesta (Reynolds) Withee, and grandson of Samuel Withee. Mr. Withee is a farmer, and for several years carried on a retail meat business. Since 1890 has been in the wholesale meat business. He married Fan- nie, daughter of Isaac Spencer, and their children are: Blanche, Arthur and Amy.

CHAPTER XXII.

CITY OF WATERVILLE.

BY HENRY D. KINGSBURY.

Ticonic .- Waterville .- Incorporation .- Prominent Men .- Localities .- Taverns. -Tax Payers, 1809 .- Licenses .- Traders. - Village of Waterville. - Fire Companies .- Ticonic Village. - Messalonskee Mills .- River Mills .- Lock- wood Company .- Churches.

O LDER than the finding by white men of the Kennebec river, is the name Ticonic, which the native American Indians-the most mysterious race in history-had given to the falls in the river at this point, and to a considerable section of surrounding coun- try, including the larger part of what is now the city of Waterville. Who were the very first settlers here, we have no means of knowing. Clark & Lake had a trading house on this side of the river, between 1650 and 1675, and are the first white men who did business or work here, of whom any record is left.

The pioneers knew no name but Ticonic for the settlement on the west bank of the river, and were tenacious of the name long after the incorporation of the old town of Winslow in 1771, which included the present city of Waterville. There are strong proofs that the popula- tion of the west side of the river early exceeded that on the east side. Perhaps the strongest is that the first doctors, who always choose the most central point, settled here. Another proof is that very early saw and grist mills were built by Doctor McKechnie and Asa Emer- son on the Messalonskee. The third is, that when the names of citi- tizens in civil or business records begin to appear, the larger part were clearly westsiders. E. A. Paine gives the population of the whole town of Winslow in 1791 as 779, of whom about 300, he thinks. lived on the east side.

The greater portion of the old town lay on the west side of the Kennebec, and in the nature of things, divided by a river with no bridge, a separation would in time ensue. The first proposition on record to divide the town was at the annual meeting of 1795. The town meeting of 1796 was "held at the dwelling house of Elnathan Sherwin," to whom was also voted in 1798 £30, for use of his house

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CITY OF WATERVILLE.

for preaching. This was undoubtedly for several years' use. The town meeting house on the west side was built in 1797, and first used March 5, 1798. It will be noticed that Asa Redington in his warrant honored the old name, and directed the voters to meet in Ticonic vil- lage. It would have been excellent taste and sense, if the new town had been christened Ticonic. The red man's name is more liquid and flowing than the white man's.

In the year 1791 the following men lived and paid taxes in that part of Winslow that is now Waterville: Benjamin, James and Ebe- nezer Chase, John Cool, Joseph Cally, Captain Abraham and his son, Abraham Copland, Jonathan J. Cool, Nathaniel and Joseph Carter, James Crommett, James and John Collar, Thomas Cook, James McKim, Lieutenant Thomas and John McKechnie, Samuel McFarland, John Hartford, Nathaniel and Jonathan Low, Thomas, jun., John and Will- iam Lewis, Abraham and Joseph Lander, Solomon and Samuel Parker, Eleazer, Thomas, Thomas, jun., and Phineas Parker, Jonathan Priest, John Pierce, Nehemiah A. Parker, Benjamin and John Rose, John Sarle, Samuel Shores, Jonathan and Asa Soule, Captain James Stack- pole, Samuel and James Stackpole, jun., William Sennet, Ebenezer Turner, Ager Stillson, Peleg Tupper, Simeon and Elias Tozer, Isaac Temple, David Webb and David, jun., William Phillips, grandfather of G. A. Phillips, David Ware, Jonathan Wright, Micah Ellis, Thomas Leeman, William Pitt, Ensign William and Joseph Richardson, and Hezekiah Stratton.

The act incorporating the town of Waterville, June 23, 1802, pro- vided that " all that part of the town of Winslow which lies on the west side of the Kennebec river. as known by its present bounds, be and is hereby incorporated into a separate town by the name of Water- ville." It also provided " that the monies assessed for building a meeting house in the West Pond settlement shall be paid and exclu- sively appropriated to that purpose and subject to no demand of the town of Winslow," and that " all future state taxes which may be levied on the two towns aforesaid previous to a new valuation, shall be assessed and paid in the proportion of two-fifths to the town of Winslow, and three-fifths to the town of Waterville."

The warrant for the first town meeting was issued by Asa Reding- ton, justice of the peace, and directed to Moses Appleton, physician, requiring him to notify the inhabitants of Waterville to meet in the public meeting house in Ticonic village on Monday, July 26, 1802, for the purpose of electing officers for said town. At this first town meeting Elnathan Sherwin was chosen moderator and first selectman -the other two selectman being Asa Soule and Ebenezer Bacon. Abijah Smith was elected town clerk. The August meeting voted to hold town meetings alternately in the two meeting houses. Voted in November, " fifty dollars to pay for preaching." 1803. " Voted the sum of fifty dollars to procure a stock of ammunition for said town."

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

In 1814 the town built a powder house on the plains, in which traders were also allowed to store powder.

The selectmen of Waterville while a town, with the dates of their election and the number of years each served, were: 1802, Elnathan Sherwin, 2, Asa Soule, 5, Ebenezer Bacon, 11; 1803, Abijah Smith, 3; 1805, Samuel Downing, 10; 1807, Moses Dalton, 9, Ebenezer Sherwin; 1810, Jonathan Combs, 4; 1811, Micah Ellis, 4; 1813, Daniel Wells, 3; 1815, James Hasty, 2, Baxter Crowell, 7; 1819, Asa Redington, 6; 1821, Captain Nehemiah Getchell, 4. Joseph H. Hallett, 3; 1822, James Stack- pole, 2; 1823, Richard M. Dorr; 1824, Perley Low, 6; 1826, Alpheus Lyon, 8, Joseph Warren; 1827, Hall Chase, Benjamin Corson, 3; 1830, Hiram C. Warren, 3; 1831, William Pearsons, Joseph Hitchings, 8; 1833, Eben T. Bacon, 2, Jonathan Combs, jun., 5; 1834, Ebenezer Bolk- com, Hiram Crowell, Isaiah Marston; 1837, Isaac Redington, Solomon Berry; 1839, Daniel Paine, Sewall Benson, Enos Foster; 1840, Samuel Appleton, 8, Samuel Doolittle, 9; 1842, Theodore O. Saunders, 4; 1844, Thomas J. Shores; 1845, Charles Hallett, 7; 1847, Johnson Williams, 2, Levi Ricker, 2; 1849, Elbridge L. Getchell, 3, Alfred Winslow, 2; 1852, Charles H. Thayer, 5; 1854, George Wentworth, 4, Llewellyn E. Crommett, 5; 1858, Joseph Percival, 4, Benjamin Hersom, 3; 1860, John M. Libby, 7, Noah Boothby, 9; 1864, Charles A. Dow, 2; 1866, Will- iam H. Hatch, 2, T. W. Herrick; 1868, Samuel Blaisdell; 1869, William Ballentine; 1870, A. P. Benjamin, 3, George Rice, 2; 1872, Winthrop Merrill, 5, George E. Shores, 2; 1873, Reuben Foster, 3; 1874, Charles H. Redington, 5; 1876, Martin Blaisdell, Willard B. Arnold; 1877, Charles E. Gray; 1878, C. K. Matthews, Charles E. Mitchell, 7, L. E. Thayer, 4; 1879, S. I. Abbott, 3; 1880, George Jewell, 3; 1883, Fred Poole, 2; 1884, Nathaniel Meader; 1885, Dean P. Buck. 2, John F. Mer- rill; 1886, George W. Reynolds, and in 1887, Howard C. Morse.

Abijah Smith was elected town clerk of Waterville in 1802; Thomas C. Norris in 1809; and Abijah Smith again from 1812 to 1834; Isaac Redington served till 1837, and Augustus Perkins till 1847; Jones R. Elden was elected in 1847; John B. Bradbury, 1850; Elbridge L. Get- chell, 1852; Solyman Heath, 1856; John B. Bradbury, 1861; Everett R. Drummond, 1862; Leonard D. Carter, 1877; and Sidney M. Heath in 1883.

The succession of treasurers, with year of election, includes: David Pattee, 1802; Russell Blackwell, 1816; Dr. Daniel Cook, 1817; Abijah Smith, 1822; Asa Redington, 1824; Asa Redington, jun., 1825; James Burleigh, 1826; Asa Redington, 1828; Asa Redington, jun., 1830: James Stackpole, jun., 1831; Asil Stilson, 1833; James Stackpole, jun., 1834; Nathaniel D. Crommett, 1835; Augustus Perkins, 1836; Eben F. Bacon, 1838; James Stackpole, jun., 1839; Elbridge L. Getchell, 1843; Oliver Paine, 1845; Nathaniel Stedman, 1847; Elbridge L. Getchell, 1851; Ira H. Low, 1856; Charles R. McFadden, 1860; Ira H. Low, 1868; William

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Macartney, 1870; Charles H. Redington, 1873; L. A. Dow, 1874; M. C. Percival, 1875; Joseph Percival, 1876; John Ware, jun., 1877; Edward H. Piper, 1878; and Charles F. Johnson, 1887.

No early settler of Waterville was more active or useful, or more entitled to respectful memory than Dr. John McKechnie. He was an educated physician, a civil engineer and land surveyor, and possessed sound practical judgment wherever he was placed. He was a Scotch- man and came to this country in 1755, to Winslow in 1771, and in 1775 settled on this side of the river. It is well known that he built a saw and a grist mill on the Messalonskee, near the present water works building, before 1780. He also built a house and lived in it long enough to have three children born, and then built a new house in which his last child was born in 1781, and in which he died in 1782. He was buried on the south side of Mill street, on the top of an eleva- tion that descends sharply each way. Doctor McKechnie's wife, who married David Pattee for her second husband, the first Simon Tozer and his son, Obadiah, Abraham Morrill's two wives, the elder McGrath, and many other old settlers were also buried here. The present indi- cations are that the spot will receive no more attentions as a burial ground, although it is the oldest in town.

Although the doctor did not make a business of his medical pro- fession it is said he was physician to Arnold's army when it was at Fort Halifax in 1776. He was the first owner of lot No. 103, under the Plymouth Company. The next settler south of him was John Cool, a revolutionary soldier, on lots 100, 101 and 102. On the north Dr. Obadiah Williams owned lot 104, Samuel Temple, 105, and John Tozer lot 106. This was afterward the James L. Wood lot, on a part of which the Elmwood Hotel stands. Next north were Timothy Bou- telle, Nathaniel Gilman, George Jackins, James Stackpole, Reuben Kidder, Captain E. Bacon, Levi Dow, Samuel Emery, N. B. Dingley and George Clark.

Beginning at the first lots that border on the Kennebec in the southern part of the town, according to Doctor McKechnie's survey, the original settlers were: Wellington Hamblin, lot 82: Jaines Crom- mett, 83; Nathan Lowe, 84 and 85: Isaac Stephens, 86; Edward Blanch- ard, 87, and after him Deacon Thomas Parker and David Parker, brothers; Edward Dillingham, 88; Peltiah Soule, 89; Jonathan Soule, 90; David Webb, 91; Samuel Webb, 92: Silas and Abijah Wing were probably the owners of lots 94 and 95; William Colcord and Herbert Moore, 96; Asa Redington, 97; Reuben Kidder, 98, and Asa Emerson, 99. Other old residents on the river road were: Gilbert Whitman, Oliver Welch, Sullivan Soule, William Ballentine, Moses Ricker, Per- ley Lowe, Oliver Trafton and Abial Moore.

The memory of Dr. Obadiah Williams is interwoven with the early history of Waterville. A native of New Hampshire, he was a

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

surgeon in the revolutionary army and served at Bunker Hill. He came here from Sidney in 1792, and the same year built the first frame house-still in good preservation -- on this side of the river. In 1791 he gave the land for the first meeting house, now the City Hall Park, and was a valuable public spirited citizen. He died in 1799.

A not less prominent character was Dr. Moses Appleton, who originated in New Ipswich, N. H., graduated at Dartmouth College, studied medicine and taught school in Boston, and came to Waterville in 1796. He opened the first drug store in Ticonic village and was for many years the most noted physician in this section. The doctor wore his hair hanging down his back in an old fashioned queue, that came to an untimely end. A colored barber named Decator was located on Water street, on whom the doctor called one day to have his hair trimmed and dressed. While in the midst of the operation, the doctor feeling a sudden apprehension, exclaimed " Look out for my queue !! " Decator gently replied, " You're too late-its gone." It was a quicker and more painless amputation than the doctor ever made. His old account book had some curious entries. "Oct. 1797 -- Agreed with Jonathan Clark to doctor his family, and Clark to supply the Dr. with good shoes and boots for two years." " Jan. 1799-It is agreed with Jabez Mathews that he pay me at the rate of two cords of wood per annum in consideration of being supplied with materials for curing the itch in his family."

Waterville had one early settler, John Clark, who attended that most historic tea party that ever met in America, and helped turn the British tea into Boston harbor. His grandson, George C. Clark, a youth during the stirring events of the war of 1812, living near where the college buildings stand, wrote, in 1882, for the Waterville Mail, an account of the battle of Ticonic Falls with the Indians in 1814, that never occurred. The town was in a great commotion one morning over a report that the Canada Indians were close at hand. George shouldered his gun and went with a motley crowd to meet the foe. Captain Bangs was in command, the brass cannon was hauled out, a flag of truce was in readiness to send out in case it was needed, the advance guard was ferried over the river and ordered to Sebasticook falls. After a brave march of two miles they met-not the Indians, but a squad of the crew of the U. S. Frigate John Adams, who had come through the woods from the Penobscot river, where they had burned their vessel rather than have it fall into the hands of the Eng- lish, who were in hot pursuit. They said that when they came in sight of the settlements the people mistook them for Indians, and thus started the alarm that spread clear to the Kennebec. The tired crew, numbering about seventy, were kindly cared for and sent on their way. In the meantime the heroes of the scare were tenderly treated, "Simeon Mathews, Jediah Morrill, James Hasty, and others

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Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 66

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