Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 94

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 94

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Not far from 1806 Joseph Chandler opened a store at North Mon- mouth, in a building that has been removed to the foot of Robinson's hill and is now occupied as a dwelling by S. H. Folsom. Nearly twenty-five years later a Mr. Crowell erected and occupied for a short time as a store the house where R. M. Frost now lives. He was fol- lowed by a Mr. Gage, who built the house now occupied by Mr. With- ers. About 1834, Daniel Packard built a small store on what is now the door yard of George Robinson, in which he traded about seven years. Near 1845, J. A. Tinkham built the store now occupied by J. W. Foss. It was first occupied by Samuel King. Following him came Ezra Whitman, Bailey Jacobs, Jairus Manwell and Artemas Kimball. A little earlier than 1860 a firm composed of J. A. Tinkhamn, Seth Fogg, J. B. Fogg and T. L. Stanton, traded in a building which they erected for the purpose. At about the same time Sylvester King remodeled a building which was erected for a boarding house nearly twenty years before, into the store now occupied by W. F. Miller. It was first used as a store by Mr. King; subsequently by Benjamin Manwell and G. W. King, who occupied it about 7 and 24 years respectively, from 1858 to 1889. The store near the Union church, now occupied by Lindsay & Sanborn, was erected in 1886 by C. A. Libby. John B. Fogg was the first postmaster. The office was established December 20,

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TOWN OF MONMOUTH.

1849. Fogg was followed by John A. Tinkham, February 16, 1852; Benjamin Morrill, October 2, 1866; George W. King, May 6, 1865; John W. Foss, December 15, 1882; David I. Moody, January 18, 1886; Charles F. Brown, April 12, 1889.

In 1815 the entire territory included in the Center village held but three dwelling houses, all of which are still standing. They are now occupied by A. M. Kyle, H. C. Frost and William B. Brown. On the spot now covered by Woodbury's store stood Daniel Witherell's black- smith shop. The old Arnold house, now occupied by Andrew B. Pink- ham, was built not far from 1820, by John Hawes, and half a dozen rods north, near the site of the moccasin shop, stood his blacksmith shop. Accompanying the erection of a few dwellings followed a tav- ern, built by Captain Judkins, near where the railway station now stands. This building was subsequently removed to the south end of the village, and is now occupied as a dwelling by D. C. Perry.

A little west of the spot now covered by the freight depot, on the other side of the stream, was a tannery built by Captain Judkins. The stream originally ran in a diagonal course from a point near the small house back of the Clough store to its point of emergence on the opposite side of the street, Captain Judkins, to accommodate his busi- ness, turned it from its course by means of a canal, carrying it south several rods and across the street at a right angle. Near the tavern was a potash factory built by General Chandler. This building was moved back toward the pond and used for a variety of purposes. It is now occupied by Simon Clough as a dwelling. A little farther down the stream, near where Mr. Wadsworth's house now stands, was another tannery and bark mill, built by Ard Macomber about 1812. Between the tanneries was a brick yard owned by John Welch, jun. This covered the ground on which the Edwards & Flaherty store stood before the fire, and that covered by the new blacksmith shop.

The first store opened at the Center was built by Ard Macomber for Colonel Jesse Pierce. It stood on the corner of Main and Maple streets. For many years prior to the fire of 1888 it was used for a hotel. That much quoted individual, "the oldest inhabitant," is authority for the statement that, in its early days, a barrel of rum per day often passed out of its doors during the haying season. Among those who afterward traded in the building were Hiram Allen, Alan- son Starks, Samuel Brown and Leander Macomber. In or about 1840 Alanson Starks built a store on the now vacant lot. where the store of Edwards & Flaherty stood before the fire. Subsequently it was moved across the railroad and sold to Eben Arnold, by whom it was occupied as a dry goods and grocery store. Since then it has passed through several hands and has served a variety of purposes. It is now owned by Simon Clough. The upper story is used as a Grand Army hall; the lower is now occupied as a grocery by Plummer & Thompson.

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

The house south of Brown's hotel, owned by G. W. Norris, was built for a store, and as such occupied by Josiah Richardson.

On the school house lot a carpenter's shop built by William Frost, not far from 1840, was remodeled and first used as a store by Hiram Allen. Ebenezer Blake and a Mr. Elwell occupied it later. The build- ing was purchased by Daniel Boynton and William Welch and re- moved to a site near the railroad. Above was a hall used by the Good Templars and Sons of Temperance. Among those who traded there were Nelson P. Barker, James Blossom, Hendrick Judkins, Rev. S. O. Emerson and C. E. Richardson. A little more than twenty years ago it was again remodeled, and until the fire was used as a dwelling house by H. A. Williams. On the spot where W. W. Woodbury's store now stands Daniel Boynton erected a store a little later than 1850. It was for many years occupied by William G. Brown and others as a store and clothing manufactory, and at the time of the fire, by W. W. Woodbury. The same year Charles S. Norris erected the store in which Gilman & Beale traded in 1888. Some of the firms in trade there were Blake & Judkins, Judkins & Dudley, Daniel Lucas and C. D. Starbird. As a clothing manufactory it was controlled by several firms. A few years before the fire a story was added and fitted for a tenement, while the lower floor was used as a hardware store by George W., Luther O. & M. E. King, A. A. Fillebrown and Rowe & Morrill.

Another old building was the Blossom & Judkins store, which stood a little south of Dr. M. O. Edward's new drug store. Like nearly every other building in the village, it was remodeled and put to another use years ago. With one or two exceptions these buildings, with the Goodwin & Andrews store, which stood about where E. A. Dudley's new store now stands, and was long occupied by William Arnold, and more recently by Ambrose Beal and Dudley & Blake; the store that stood where the meat market now stands, used by Henry S. Blue as a harness shop, and by C. L. Owen and others as a boot and shoe store; the drug stores erected by Alpheus Huntington and Watts & Andrews, all were consumed in the terrible conflagration of April 19, 1888, and the less extensive one of September 18, 1885.

William G. Brown was the first postmaster, after the Monmouth post office was removed to this village. His commission dates from June 16, 1849. He was succeeded by: James R. Norris, November 11, 1857: Henry A. Williams, February 24, 1859; John E. Cochrane, April 4, 1861; Henry A. Williams, January 15, 1863; Cyrus L. Owen, April 29. 1863; George H. Andrews, December 22, 1873: Ambrose Beal, March 9, 1874; Frank H. Beale, August 5, 1834; Merton O. Edwards, July 31, 1885; Edwin A. Dudley, April 9, 1889.

The first trader at South Monmouth was John Meader, who opened a store in 1834. He was succeeded by Staple Chick, A. Huntington,

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TOWN OF MONMOUTH.

Mr. Smith, W. & B. Witherell, Levi Day in 1854, W. Potter, B. Walker, J. W. Jordan in 1877, Buker Brothers 1884, C. A. Buker 1885, A. F. Tinkham 1887. At " Hall's Mill," the corner where the residence of Joshua Stover now stands, was a store occupied by Robert Randall and others. The first postmaster at South Monmouth was Lafayette W. Witherell, whose commission bears date December 22, 1856; Bar- zillai Walker succeeded him April 22, 1858. The office was discon- tinued January 5, 1871, and reestablished May 8, 1871, with L. W. Witherell again postmaster. His successors were: Levi Day, April 15, 1872; John W. Jordan, February 7, 1878; Clarence A. Buker, January 16, 1884; L. W. Witherell, June 22, 1887; Algene F. Tinkham, Decem- ber 6, 1887.

SOCIETIES .- The earliest society of which any authentic account has been preserved, was a temperence organization which was founded prior to 1830, through the influence of Nehemiah Pierce. A division of the Sons of Temperance was organized in 1849. Nine years later a society which admitted both sexes was established with a large membership. These, like the Good Templars chartered in 1879, were of comparatively brief duration. The most far-reaching institution in its influence on the morals of the town was the Reform Club, which was organized in 1875, and in ten years reached an aggregate mem- bership of above six hundred.

A dispensation was granted Monmouth Lodge, No. 110, A. F. & A. M., May 21, 1861. The thirteen names that appear on the charter are: John A. Pettingill, W. M .; A. S. Kimball, S. W .; Richard C. Dodd, J. W .; Granville P. Cochrane, Greenleaf K. Norris, George H. Billings, John B. Fogg, Henry A. Williams, William G. Brown, Nathan Ran- dall, Joseph R. King, Rev. Jedediah B. Prescott and Jonathan Jud- kins. The annual meeting is held in September. The successive worthy masters have been: John A. Pettingill, 1861; A. S. Kimball, 1867; Nahum Spear, 1868; S. P. Bamford, 1870; Nahum Spear, 1872; Charles H. Berry, 1874; Nahum Spear, 1875; Jeremiah Gorden, 1876; Charles H. Foster, 1878; Daniel P. Boynton, 1882; John C. Kingsbury, 1884; Timothy F. Flaherty, 1886; Edward A. Prescott, 1887; Edwin A. Dudley, 1890.

Monmouth Lodge, A. O. U. W., was organized April 13, 1885, with C. C. Richmond, master workman; H. S. Blue, recorder. Mr. Rich- mond's successors have been: George M. Clough, 1888-9; Fred C. Pike, 1890; J. H. Norris, 1891.

A local division of the United Order of the Golden Cross was insti- tuted in 1888. The presiding officers have been: A. G. Smith, Henry Smith, George M. Clough, E. A. Dudley, and George O. Longfellow.

The W. C. T. U. was organized in 1890.

A mutual insurance association, which for a period of many years conducted a large business in all parts of the state, was incorporated

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

about the middle of this century as the Monmouth Mutual Fire In- surance Company.

MILITARY HISTORY .- The exact date of organization of the mili- tary company, whose officers, from the peculiarity of their dress, were known as Captain Tow-coat, Leftenant Bob-coat and Ensign No-coat, is not known, but it is probable that it was formed in 1781, when the military law was passed. A time-stained paper in the hands of the writer, bearing the date July 4, 1806, shows that the cavalry at this time consisted of 144 members, with Captain Sewall Prescott, Lieu- tenants James McLellan and James F. Norris in command. Two foot companies, A and B, 3d Regiment, 1st Brigade, 2d Division, continued in regular drill until 1843. Company B, Monmouth Artillery, attached to the same regiment, was organized in 1795. This company sup- ported two brass field pieces, one of which was taken by the govern- ment at the opening of the civil war. The other, secreted for a long time under a barn, was brought from its hiding place as soon as peace was declared, to keep people from oversleeping on the great national holiday. It burst in 1884, in a premature attempt to ratify Blaine's election to the presidency. The gun house stood a few rods south of Captain Prescott's tavern, on the opposite side of the street. After the " Fogg school house " was burned, in 1851, it was remodeled and used as a school house nearly twenty years. It is now, after a com- plete renovation, occupied as a dwelling house by L. S. Goding. Dur- ing the war of 1812 the companies called into service are noticed at page 116. In 1839 the few who were not suddenly stricken with sci- atica, heart disease and other disabilities were forced to the seat of the bloodless Madawaska war.

INDUSTRIES .- The first intimation of anything in the line of local manufactories that can be deduced from either authentic record or tradition begins with the establishment of a " potash " by Captain Peter Hopkins. About the same time the grist mill that now stands on the Cochnewagan stream, at the Center, was built by General Henry Dearborn, John Welch and Captain James Blossom. In recent years it has been increased in length and apparatus for bolting wheat added.

A grist mill was built on Wilson stream by Jeremiah Hall not far from 1780. He sold it, after a short time, to Benjamin Stockin and Robert Hill, who, in the course of a few years, relinquished his claim to Stockin. Prior to 1794 a saw mill was built at the Center, by Wil- liam Allen and Ichabod Baker, one on Wilson stream by Robert Hill and one at the outlet of South pond by General Henry Dearborn, Na- thaniel Norris and others. In 1794 a saw mill on Wilson stream was. taxed to George Hopkins, Caleb Thurston, Dudley Thurston and Jonathan Thurston. The following year Jeremiah Hall was taxed for similar property on the same stream. In 1797 Phineas Blake, Phineas

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TOWN OF MONMOUTH.

Blake, jun., and Dearborn Blake had a saw mill in operation at East Monmouth.

Isaac Clark, jun., who settled in the eastern part of the town in 1804, was a man of much spirit and enterprise. He built mills on the Cobbosseecontee stream and started a plant which, but for his prema- ture death, would undoubtedly have developed into a large manufac- tory. He built and occupied the house now owned by J. Henry Norris. Through the enterprise of Captain John Arnold, who succeeded Mr. Clark as proprietor of the mills at the " East," business all through the town was accelerated to a pitch unknown either before or since. Mr. Arnold removed from Connecticut to Hallowell several years be- fore he came to this town. He drove into the settlement with the first carriage that ever crossed the town line. The roads were not built for fancy vehicles, and but for the assistance of farmers with ox-teams he could never have drawn his chaise through the bog holes. He en- larged and made extensive repairs on the saw mill, and established in connection with it a fulling mill and a mill for the manufacture of linseed oil. Raising flax to supply this mill became an industry of some importance, but by no means as considerable as the lumber trade which he built up. From his mill on the Cobbosseecontee he rafted lumber down to the pond and up to the point now known as Hammond's Grove, in Manchester, where it was landed and drawn with teams to Arnold's wharf on the Kennebec, and there loaded on his ships and carried to Boston and the West Indies. Timber cut on the banks of the Jocmunyaw was rafted down to the Cobbosseecon- tee and thence carried to Hallowell overland or through intervening streams to the Kennebec. His mill was furnished with a gang-saw arrangement that possessed great advantages over the ordinary saw then in use.

A few years later Mr. Arnold built a mill on the Cochnewagan stream a few rods to the right of the bridge that spans it on the road leading from the Center to East Monmouth. This was not a very suc- cessful project, as a reservoir could not be constructed with sufficient head to carry a large wheel without flooding a large tract of valuable land near the Center. It was very appropriately dubbed " Mud Mill." This mill was set on fire in later years by men spearing pickerel be- neath it by torchlight and totally destroyed.

A saw mill was built by Isaac Hall at South Monmouth early in this century. The location was poorly chosen and the mill was, from necessity, suffered to go to decay. In 1808 Major Elijah Wood and Nathan Howard, of Winthrop, built a fulling mill on the Tinkham brook at North Monmouth. Amasa Tinkham purchased it about three years later and converted it into a tannery. The business then estab- lished was conducted by his son, John A. Tinkham, until his decease

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

in 1860. Since then it has passed into the hands of Jeremiah Gorden, S. H. King and Moses Stevens, who now control it.

The mill in this part of the town now used by Mr. McIlroy in the manufacture of woolen goods, was erected in 1829. The dam was built by Levi Fairbanks four years earlier. In 1835 it was used as a peg factory. Sylvester Fairbanks, about this time, invented a machine for their manufacture. Prior to this they had been made by hand throughout the country. Later, Joseph Fairbanks occupied one half of the building in the manufacture of horse-powers, the other end be- ing used by Thomas L. Stanton for weaving tape. The tape industry was started on a small scale by Aaron Stanton. He, for many years, manufactured this article by hand in a small shop that has been moved and remodeled into the dwelling house now occupied by Ed. Donnell. Later, the MeIlroy mill was occupied by George S. Fair- banks as a heel-iron factory, and, subsequently, was supplied with machinery for spinning woolen and cotton yarn. The brick mill near by was built by William H. King, in 1846, for a starch factory. Ma- chinery for the manufacture of boot webbing was substituted by his father, Samuel King. The grist mill on Wilson stream, long known as " Moody's mill," now owned by Jeremiah Gorden, was built by David Moody in 1834, and for many years operated by him and his son, Rufus G. Moody. The axe and shovel factory now owned by Emery, Waterhouse & Co., was established by Spear & Billings about 1846.

In 1841 the mills in this village were destroyed by fire. Catching accidently in a shingle mill owned by Tinkham, Blaisdell & Pettin- gill, it spread to a saw mill owned by the same parties, and a webbing mill owned by Thomas L. Stanton.

Various manufactories have flourished for a brief period in the eastern part of the town. An oil cloth factory operated by Norris & Blake, subsequently purchased by the Baileys and moved to Winthrop, a moccasin boot manufactory established by Charles P. Blake, a bleachery, and a toy factory have all had their day. Tanneries of minor importance have existed at different periods in all parts of the town. At the Center, the only industries of importance that have ever existed are the moccasin boot and shoe manufactory established about 1870, by Blake, Judkins & Woodbury, and the one started a little later by Judkins, Dudley & Co., and now operated by M. L. Getchell & Co. Nearly half a century ago, a shovel and hoe factory operated by Mr. Earle was erected by Otis Welch on the Cochnewagan stream. Later, the building was used in the manufacture of knobs, and in comparatively recent years, as a sash and blind shop, by Spring- er, Owen & Co. and others. It was burned in 1880. A mill for grind- ing salt was built on the same power by the Labree Brothers a little earlier than 1870. The manufacture of coats for Boston and Provi-

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TOWN OF MONMOUTH.

dence firms has for twenty-five years furnished employment for a large number of women. The business was established by R. G. King. He was followed, on a larger scale, by the firms of Brown & Luce, Brown, Walker & Co., Starbird & Luce, Luce, King & Woodbury and others, and it is now conducted by W. W. Woodbury.

The water power furnished by the numerous ponds is sufficient to run several large manufactories. There are nine powers, any one of which conld, with little expense, be increased to double its present capacity. Two of these have been utterly abandoned. From the earliest days until 1860, when the maximum of 1,854 was reached, the population steadily increased. Since that date it has as steadily decreased to the present showing-1,362 *.

PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS.

Henry Allen, born in Monmouth in 1815, is a son of Woodard and Elsie (Alden) Allen, and the only one living of eleven children. He married in 1836, Diana, daughter of Aaron and Sabra (Howard) Wads- worth. They had seven children, now all deceased except Sabra and Dasia (Mrs. Henry Norris). Mr. Allen bought the farm where he now lives in 1875. His wife died in 1881, since which time Mr. and Mrs. Norris have lived with him.

George H. Andrews, son of Ichabod B. and Margaret (Fogg) An- drews, was born in Monmouth, in 1826. He was for over thirty-five years engaged in mercantile business. He has filled various town offices, ably represented his town in the state legislature from 1856 to 1859 inclusive, and has been an efficient member of the board of county commissioners for thirteen consecutive years. He married Sarah H. Safford, and they have had six children. The three living are: Helen F. (Mrs. A. M. Spear, of Gardiner); Charles L., of the law firm of Spear & Andrews, Gardiner; and Lester M., bookkeeper for Emerson, Stevens & Co., Oakland.

Otis Andrews, born in Wales, October 7, 1788, bought the farm in 1812 on which he lived till his death, March 13, 1873. He married Rachel Thompson, of Topsham, Me., February 11, 1813, coming di- rectly to the farm above mentioned, at which time there was only a bridle path. This section of the town has always been known as the " Ridge." There were born to them ten children, two of whom died in childhood. The others were: Harriet E., Sophia A., Olivia H., Maria C., Lydia A., Jane R., Otis W. and Leonard C. The following are living: Sophia A., now Mrs. Hooker, of Gardiner, Me .; Lydia A., now Mrs. Goodwin, of Monmouth; Otis W., who resides on the old homestead, and Leonard C., who lives on the adjoining farm.

Jabez S. Ballard, born in Augusta, Me., in 1839, is a son of Eph- raim and Pheba (Sawyer) Ballard, and grandson of Jonathan Ballard. * Mr. Cochrane's responsibility for this chapter ends here .- [ED.

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HISTORY OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of John O. and Harriet Gilman, and has one son, Orrin A. Mr. Ballard has been a hotel keeper in Win- throp and Augusta. He came to his present place in Monmouth in 1878, where he keeps summer boarders.

Mathias A. Benner, born in Nobleboro, Me., in 1832, is a son of Nathaniel and Mary (Barstow) Benner. His first wife was Rebecca J., daughter of Rev. Mark Getchell. She died in 1879. They had three children: Delbert M., E. Merton and Winetta R., who died in 1878. His second wife was Amanda B., daughter of Benjamin Potter. 'They have two children: Percy G. and Winifred A. Mr. Benner came to Monmouth in 1852, to the farm where he now lives, where he has been a farmer and speculator.

Ephraim S. Besse, born in Wayne in 1827, is a son of Jonathan and Acanath (Smith) Besse. He married in 1849, Julia A., daughter of Ebenezer and Sally (Raymond) Besse, of Wayne. She died in 1865, leaving eight children: Julia, Bethiah B., Sarah A., Emily A., Augusta A., Ephraim L., George W. and Charles E .; all deceased except Bethiah B., Emily A. and George W. He married for his second wife Mrs. Mary A. Williams. He is a hoe forger, and worked for twenty-two years for Plimpton, of Litchfield; five years for G. H. Billings, Mon- mouth, and one year for D. B. Lord, West Waterville. Since 1882 he has been a farmer on the farm where he has lived since 1864.

Charles E. Brown, born in Monmouth in 1856, is one of two sons of Joseph and Lucinda (Bradford) Brown, and grandson of Abraham Brown, who came from Massachusetts and had three sons: Charles B., George W. and Joseph, who was born on the farm where Charles now lives, in 1822. Charles E. has one brother, William R. Their mother died in 1890.

Charles F. Brown, born at Kennebunkport, Me., in January, 1836, is a son of Warren and Phebe (Hawkins) Brown. He graduated from commercial college in 1875, was for two years in Washington, D. C., for the government, and at the same time attended medical lectures. He was for two years in business at Kennebunkport, Me., and was one year in Minnesota as bookkeeper. He came to Monmouth in 1881, where he married Mary E., daughter of Seth Martin, and has one daughter, Lillian E. He collected taxes in 1888, '89 and '90, was super- visor of schools in 1889 and 1891, has been deputy sheriff for three years, and postmaster since 1889 at North Monmouth. His father was a lawyer and doctor, but was in the government service in Washing- ton, D. C., from 1862 until 1877.

Lewis M. Brown is the only son of Chase Brown and Rachel, who was a daughter of Jonathan Marston, who came from Deerfield, N. H., to Monmouth about 1770. Chase Brown came to the farm where Lewis now lives in 1859, dying there in 1888, since which time Lewis and his mother have conducted the farm.

RESIDENCE OF Mr. CHARLES M. CUMSTON, MONMOUTH, ME

Chas. m. Cumston

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TOWN OF MONMOUTH.

CHARLES M. CUMSTON, LL.D., was born in Scarborough in 1824. being the son of Henry Van Schaick Cumston and Catharine Mc- Laughlin. His grandfather, Captain John Cumston, together with his twin brother, Henry, made the campaign of Quebec under Arnold. On his mother's side, he is descended from William McLaughlin, an Ulsterman, who settled in southwestern Maine in the early part of the last century, and founded a family which has been prominent in Maine for several generations.

In 1834 Mr. Cumston's father moved to Monmouth, having bought a portion of the farm on which General John Chandler, the first Uni- ted States senator from Maine, had lived many years. It was chiefly through the influence of the general that Monmouth Academy was founded. In it Mr. Cumston began his classical studies, passing suc- cessively under the tuition of William V. Jordan, Nathaniel M. Whit- more, and Nathaniel T. True, three of the finest scholars and most thorough teachers in New England. From there he went to Water- ville Institute, and thence to Bowdoin College, where he graduated at the age of nineteen, in the same class with that distinguished scholar, the late Dr. John O. Means, his steadfast friend in after life. During the winters of his college career he taught school at Monmouth and Litchfield. After graduating, he taught in the towns of Turner and Gray, and was principal of Alfred Academy in the latter part of 1844 and in 1845. He then went to Massachusetts and taught successively and successfully at Reading, Woburn, and Salem.

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Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 94

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