USA > Maine > Washington County > Machias > Narrative of the town of Machias, the old and the new, the early and late > Part 24
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The town clerk agreeable to custom posted intentions of marriage three weeks in succession in the church vestibule.
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MUNICIPAL LIFE.
AN OFFERING TO LOCAL HISTORY.
East Machias was settled in 1765, known as Eastern Falls, 'till 1826.
Peter Talbot came to Machias in 1781 from Stoughton. Mass. His wife was Lucy Hammond of Brookline, Mass. They were among the first settlers of the town of Machias and lived to an advanced age.
Washington Academy was located in East Machias and opened, A. D. 1823. The building and land upon which it stands was given by the inhabitants of East Machias.
The town of Machias was divided into three towns, A. D. 1826.
In the month of January, 1827. a Temperance Society was formed in East Machias, being the first Society for the pro- motion of the cause of temperance in this section of the country.
Prof. Roswell D. Hitchcock, of the Union, Theo. Seminary New York City, was born at East Machias. received his Academic education at Washington Academy in his native village.
Prof. Samuel Harris of Yale College, is a native of East Machias and received his Academical course of study at Washington Academy.
Wmn. C. Talbot, merchant, of San Francisco is a native of East Machias.
Andrew J. Pope of San Francisco recently deceased was born at East Machias and lived in that village with his parents, until his removal to San Francisco; died in 1879. He was a millionaire
Frederic Talbot merchant of New York city is a native of East Machias son of the late Peter Talbot, Jr. Stephen C. Talbot and Lowell Talbot, brothers and business partners in New York city were born and educated in East Machias.
P. Foster Folsom, merchant at Boston, Rev. M. J. Talbot. D. D., at Providence, R. I., Rev. Henry L. Talbot of Durham, N. H., are natives of East Machias.
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HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
Thos. H. Talbot of Brookline, Mass., and George F. Talbot of Portland, Maine, brothers and Counsellors at Law, are natives of East Machias.
Leonard Scott, of the Leonard Scott Publishing Company, New York city, is a son of Mark Scott, long since deceased whose father was one of the early settlers of Machias whose homestead was burned by the English, before the Revolution at East Machias near a locality called the Rim.
Stephen C. Foster, who died in 1876 in Pembroke, Maine, was a native of East Machias and lived there until a few years previous to his last illness. He was a member of Congress representing the District of Maine four years.
The business of this town is lumbering and shipbuilding; the vessels built being largely owned by the inhabitants of the village.
The timber on this river is now pretty thoroughly out and destroyed by wasting fires.
The attention of the people has therefore been of late directed to agriculture.
The soil is good for grass, wheat, potatoes and other products.
The raising of wheat was increased during the years, 1877 and 1878 more than four fold.
People are intelligent, industrious, temperate, economical and thrifty.
A factory for Fern Extract intended for tanning purposes was erected and put in operation at the expense of $25,000, during the year 1877. After being in operation two or three months, the Agent found his efforts in securing a market for the extract ineffectual: the work ceased and the mill closed. Since which there has been nothing done: the enterprise being considered a total failure.
The first school teacher was Mrs Elizabeth Foster, whose maiden name was Scott, wife of Col. Benjamin Foster. The second teacher was John Walker, an Englishman. The third teacher was Capt. Benjamin Crocker, whose father was an orthodox minister at Taunton, Mass. He had two sisters living here, Mrs. George Stillman and Mrs. Ralph
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MUNICIPAL LIFE.
Hart Bowles. Capt. Crocker was an uncle to the late Deacon Wm. A. Crocker of Machias.
The first School house was built opposite the present Congregational Vestry on Main street ; it was finished with rough boards and benches.
The fourth teacher in East Machias was Arthur Hill Gillmor, who taught the first school in this school house, the previous schools before mentioned were kept in dwelling houses.
The first church or meeting house as then called was built near James O. Robinson's dwelling house. and is now standing, having been transformed into a grocery and dry goods store, and is now, 1879, owned and occupied by Mr. Robinson. Religions services were held in this building, and the few early settlers of the village assembled regularly on Sabbath days. Among them was Deacon Libbey, who was leader in singing psalms and hymns. He then lived in that part of Machias now named Machiasport, about half way between present village of Machiasport and Machias.
The first regular minister was Rev. Mr. Lyon, who preached alternately at West Falls and East Falls. He was a Congregationalist and lived with his family at West Machias, then called.
He was succeeded by Rev. Clark Brown, a native of Massachusetts. His Parish was the whole original town of Machias now ( 1879) constituting five separate towns.
The next minister was one Murphy, who came from the Province of Nova Scotia.
It is as true as it seems strange, that many families and many persons who endured the experiences and privations of the War of the Revolution should be living and called to pass through a second war and with the same Nation as the first, but such was the experience of the people of Machias.
The war of 1812 -'14 was severely felt on the coast of Maine. Machias being largely a lumber and shipbuilding place, by embargo acts. blockades of ports and the over- powering work of the extensive Br. navy, put a stop to shipping, contracted and suspended the manufacture of
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HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
lumber and hedged trade in narrow confines, so that "trying times" prevailed several years during and after the war.
Prosperity hardly regained its former foothold until 1820 or later. After this business activity became manifest.
A new building was erected for the County Courts, the same as now standing opposite the Cong. church, Centre street. The Courts were held here 'till Jannary, 1855. A few individuals built and owned the house, renting it to the County, by the term or annually. About the same time ' the "Toll Bridge" was built. This shortened the distance between Machias and East Machias by two miles, as the travel had been by way of Middle River since the town was settled.
Several new dwellings were built along in the decade end- ing in 1830; a better class of houses than had before been in use. Notably the one built by the late Obadiah Hill, now occupied by his grandson, Samuel W. Hill. This was provided with a furnace the first in the town, also with water supply running through pipes from a spring a fourth of a mile distant. This was the first water service in the place.
The first settlers of Machias did not prove to be farmers though they left a section of Maine where farming was a leading industry. In some of the Petitions to the General Court they acknowledged themselves short of agricultural products much of the time, being "lumbermen they had no time for farm work.
The extensive forests of timber, notwithstanding the ravages of fire, have afforded employment and livelihood for a large per centage of the population. At this time lumber- ing is the chief industry. There are but few, not a half dozen on the old Machias territory, that are paying farms. It may be the soil is not adapted to tillage. but it is more probable that the quick returns from cutting in lumber proves more satisfactory.
For a period of fifty years ending 1900 the lumber operators were a thrifty class of men. Many of them com- bined shipbuilding with lumbering, so that one time along
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MUNICIPAL LIFE.
OBADIAH HILL HOMESTEAD-BUILT IN 1824.
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MUNICIPAL, LIFE.
in the seventies, the tonnage owned by residents of Machias was valued at $200,000.
During the above period the saw mills on the river and timber-lands were nearly all owned by resident operators; these same men owned or controlled a large fleet of coasting vessels, hence, not only the current expenses of carrying on the business, but the entire profits were retained for use in the local community.
The same was true of East Machias. Notwithstanding the population showed no gain the valuation was notably in- creased. Machiasport became a shipping port. Vessels loaded at Machias or at East Machias would call at Machias- port and wait orders. After 1842 when the Whitneyville and Machiasport Railroad was completed the shipping business became extensive, -all the lumber made at Whitney- ville was carried by cars and loaded into vessels "at the Port." At that time there were ten single saws on the dam in Whitneyville, all in operation, besides lath and shingle machines. The R. R. was continued in operation by proprietors of the mills in Whitneyville, until 1894, when the business became limited, not sufficient to meet cost of re-building and repairing the road. Until the fire of October, 1902, Mr. C. Sullivan, the proprietor run a gang, single saw. lath and shingle mill, drawing the products to Machias by teams of horses as the nearest shipping port. Sixteen to twenty horses were thus employed.
The speculation years 1837, -- '38 resulted in a change of considerable real estate. This change of titles operated to introduce new, rather than increase of business. In 1841 -- '42 the upper dam was built and machinery placed, known as "Harwood Mills" owned at first by a stock company, residents of Boston and Machias. About 1856 S. W. Pope & Co. bought the mills and operated until they closed their business on the river, when the late John K. Ames became successor. Mr. Ames continued the lumber business until the formation of the Machias Lumber Co., 1900, when the Harwood property, mills and timber-lands, later the Pope
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HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
firms with all the saw mills on the Lower Dam were merged in the M. L. Co.
In 1902 the Pope -Ames mills, all except the "stream gang" were demolished and a new mill run by steam placed on the site.
A TOWN THAT IS OR WAS TO BE.
A pamphlet in 1836 was circulated among the capitalists in Boston and other places of which the following is a text. Very few people ever knew how near Machias came to be a large town. I give it place as a matter of record :
Machias Water Power and Mill Company.
A statement of the Water power, real estate, and facilities belonging to the Company and their proposed operations.
Boston: Printed by John Ford, 1835.
The following estates are on the Machias Waters, one of the first rivers in the State of Maine, having an abundant supply of excellent pine and other lumber, and a never fail- ing stream of water, with an abundant head and fall for manufacturing purposes.
The Water power and estates exhibited by the plan here- with, extend from twenty feet of navigable water about four miles on the river, comprising the most valuable property in the center of that thriving town. This river is navigable for ships or vessels of any burthen; and they may come up in safety and load within a few feet of the lower mills, at all seasons of the year, excepting only a few days when ob- structed by ice. It will be recollected that Machias is the Shire town of the County of Washington, and is fast in- creasing in population and wealth. It is very justly ad- mitted, by those best acquainted, that this river combines more and greater advantages than any other in the State and these estates are situated at the head of ship navigation, as will be seen by the plan.
It is proposed to put the following property into stock and form a Joint Stock Company, with a capital of three
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MUNICIPAL LIFE.
STEAM SAW MILL-BUILT IN 1903.
Length of the new mill 184 feet; width 53 feet Boiler and engine house 50x32 feet; boiler 250 horse power : band mill with all modern improvements, including "live rolls." The plant consists of band saw for long lumber, two shingle ma- chines, one lath mill, clapboard mill, one box machine; two planers-can plane a timber 24x12 four sides at once-in addition there is the old "stream gang," edger and planer. The capacity for sawing is sixty thousand, daily, long lumber, thirty thousand laths, thirty thousand shingles.
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MUNICIPAL LIFE.
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, in transferable shares of one hundred dollars each.
The estates and Water power on plan $220,000,00 Expense of building 38 saws and 19 lath machines, estimated to cost $1,500, each including dams, piers and booms, 57,000
Expense of purchasing 79-16 saws and lath machines now on the river, at $8,000. 60,500,00
$337,500,00
Which. including 7 1-6 in the estates above, make 46 saws and 23 lath machines, viz:
Dam No. 1, 10 saws.
“ 2, 16
3. 10
4, 10
giving one lath machine to two saws; a total of ten dams and 46 saws. (Some Machias wag wrote on the margin of the phamphlet. - "Ten dams, 46 curses. )
Then there is water power to spare for about twenty saws, that may be used by the company or rented.
INCOME.
46 saw mills will rent $1,000 each, clear of repairs.
$46,000
23 lath machines will rent $500. each, 11,500
Rent of buildings now on the land, 1.200
Rent of mowing, pasture and tillage lands,
1,000
Rent of Grist and fulling mill, per annum,
400
Annual merensed value of 800 lots at $200 each at six per cent, 9,600
$69,700
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HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
Amount forward, $69,700
Less officers salaries and contingent
expenses, 4,700
$65,000
Dam No. 1, 10 saws at $8,000, $80,000
Dam No. 2, 16 saws at $8,000, 128,000
66 3, 10 66 " $7,000, 70,000
4.10 " $6,000, 60,000
Eight hundred building lots,
+ acre each, at $200, 160,000
Dwelling houses and buildings on premises, 20,000
Grist mill and fulling mill
with water privilege, 3,600
Remainder of Machias estates, 1250 at $30, 37,500- 221,100
$559,100
Many of the above lots will now sell for $5,000 each, and a fair average value may be estimated at $3,000 each, amounting for the 800 lots, to $240,000.
It is to be seen that the Company at the above low value, may sell property to the amount of $221.100, which will leave the 46 saws and 23 lath machines, with the entire river and water privileges, at a cost to them of $116,400, paying an annual income of $57 900,-subject only to officers salaries and contingent expenses.
It is believed by those best acquainted with the property that the afore mentioned 800 lots, may be fairly estimated at $300 each, at which price when sold, the entire cost to the company of all the mills and privileges would be reduced to $33,400, paying a yearly income of $57,000, being nearly 175 per cent on the actual cost. And, it is believed that the foregoing sales can, at least be made and realized in season to meet the second and third payments for the stock.
The foregoing income is based on each saw cutting one
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MUNICIPAL LIFE.
million feet per annum at one dollar per thousand feet, and the usual price of the country will show as follows viz:
Forty saws will ent 16 millions of lumber-the saws to be supplied by purchase of lumber in the log, which can be made at the mills at $7. per thousand feet, allowing $2. per thousand saw rent and sawing, makes the lumber when sawed and piled at the mill, to cost $9. per thousand feet, the present value of which is $12. per thousand, leaving $1.000, per year for rent per saw. But suppose it to fall to $10 per thousand, then $2,000 a year for each saw would be the result, -just double the foregoing estimated rent. In proof of this, take the lumber from the tree, and the result would be thus :-
Stumpage, $3 per thousand : cutting, hauling and driving. $3 per thousand : sawing. $1 per thousand, making $7. Value of the lumber at the mills $10, leaving $3 per thousand, for rent of the saw, or $3.000 a year and the price assumed in this calculation for cutting, hauling and driving, may be reduced to $2. per thousand, leaving $4,000 per year rent for the saw, aside from the income of the lath machines, which is universally known to be supplied from the slab of the log, that would otherwise be of no value.
There is on the river that must come into it about thirteen townships of pine timber, equal in quality and value to any in the State, besides other timber that may come into these. or other waters, as may be seen by the map: and it re- quires no argument to show that at the present high prices at which these lands are now held. the holders must operate immediately and extensively to keep down the interest on the cost-and to do so they must command all of this water power, even at an advance of the foregoing estimated rent.
It will be borne in mind that this water power is situated next adjoining tide water, and of course is far more valuable than any other on the river above it, of which there are but two sites, the one about four and one half miles (Whitney- ville) from the tide and the other (Hohne's Falls) about nine miles.
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HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
There is now on the river a stock of logs sufficient to em- ploy the present saws three years. The holders of the timber-lands cannot operate for that length of time unless they command the present unimproved water power. In any view of the case, it is clearly the fact that the water power effectually locks up and controls that immense quantity of timber, that must come into the river to be sawed.
The Stock being all subscribed, the Company was organized at Boston, October 31, 1835.
SALEM TOWNE, SAMUEL A. MORSE, EDWARD ELDRIDGE, Trustees.
THOMAS A. DEXTER, Treasurer.
Genealogy.
IN preparing genealogy of Machias families, and bio- graphical notices, I have called to my aid the services of some member of the family. or of some friend and ac- quaintance, to furnish the same as much in detail as space would permit.
In the main it is hoped the reports will be found correct.
Errors no doubt have been made, as no labor of the kind can be extensive and complete.
Some families may feel disappointed in being left out. In most cases it came through indifference. Some one of the earliest and older families, resident and non-resident, were called on either by letter, by advertising in newspapers or by both for a report. The omission cannot fairly be placed as neglect on part of the author of this book.
THE AVERY FAMILY.
Avery James, b. Nov. 29, 175S. a native of Connecticut ; m. Rebecca Edes, b. in Boston, Nov. 52, 1761; m. Dec. 15. 1781. James Avery was elected the first Town Clerk of Machias, 1784: also the first town Representative in the General Court of Massachusetts.
James and Rebecca's children: George Halleburton, b. Oct . 14, 1752; Rebecca, b. Feb. 11, 1785; James Edward, b. March 20. 1787: John G. W., b. May 23, 1789; Sally, b. 1791. d. 1873: Elizbeth Carter, b. 1793, d. May 14, 1836.
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HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
James Avery died in 1798 at the age of forty, at Machias, on the farm near the Rim, where he lived and where his family were born. The Avery house was occupied by descendants many years after his death. His widow married Major Lemuel Trescott, whose first wife was a sister of James Avery. After this she lived in Lubec and died there at the age of seventy-five.
George H. m. Elizabeth Foster of East Machias : children : Susan, James, L. Trescott, Elizabeth A., Rebecca, Mary, Caroline, Levi.
Sarah m. - Libby; one child, George. Susan m. James Stuart; children : Joseph, Lucinda, Edgar, Elmer, Frank. Susan died in California; Joseph moved to California : Lucinda m. Harlan P. Smith of Machias: children : Susan, Frank, Lillian. Susan m. George Rice : Frank m. : Lizzie m. : no children ; all live in San Francisco.
James of James\ m. Abagail Hoyt of Machias; three children : Halleburton, Amanda, --; moved to New York.
L. Trescott m. Zarah A. Hoyt; four children: Hender- son, Miranda, George, Edwin. Henderson, m. Maggie Cosseboom ; one child: Henderson, who was lost at sea. His family moved to Franklin, Mass.
Miranda m. Henry Raymond and moved to White's Point, Wisconsin.
Edwina of L. Trescott mn. George W. Pope of East Machias; children : Grace B., Edith, Georgia. Grace m. Capt. Benno von Heineceina, of the Prussian army, they live in Berlin, Germany ; no children. Edith m. Wallace Buell; children: Geo. P., Trescott A., Wallace; they live in Sydney, C. B. Mrs. Pope and daughter Georgia live in Brookline, Mass. George W. Pope died Dee. 9, 1875, aged 43.
Elizabeth m. -- Gardner; one child: Theophilus.
Mary m. Joseph Miles; children : William. Mary of James m. -, lived and died in Brooklyn, N. Y.
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GENEALOGY.
Rebecca of James, m. Luther W. Pope of East Machias; children : Rebecca, Harriet. Abagail. Louisa, James.
Rebecca of Luther m. --- West of Machias: children : O'Brien. Mary. James. Mary m. --- Wiswell: family moved away.
Harriet m. Albert Cushing: children : George H .. James W. George m. Sarah MoGurk of Eastport ; children : Mollie, Georgia. Mollie m. Frederic Harrington : two children.
Georgia in. Oscar Young of Eastport. George H. m. 2nd. Mrs. Ada (Pike) McAllep of Unbee. He has been operator in telegraph office at Eastport thirty-six years.
James W. lives in New Haven. Com.
Louisa m Josiah P. Davis of Lubec: children : Samuel, Thaddeus. Andrew J., Harriet. Cyrus, Silas, Ursula, Orlando, Omer.
Samuel m. and moved to a western state. Thadeus died in New Brunswick. Andrew m. Louisa Fenwick : three children : he died at sea
Harriet m. Joseph Allen. moved to Kalamazoo, Mich. : five children. One of Louisa's daughters m. E. M. Lawrence of Lubec: Abagail m. Neal Pettegrew: several children. Moved to Wisconsin.
James went away when young and was never heard from. Rebecca of JJames m.
- She died in Lubec leav- ing a family of small children.
James E., son of James went to Boston, was in business there: died when a young man.
John G. W. Avery, fourth child of James, died in Enbec May 18, 1860: m. Persis Reynolds of Pembroke: one daughter, Persis; m. Frank Tyler, moved to Sparta, Wis. : children : Walter, Lillie, Rose. John m. 2nd. Mary Huckins of Lubec; children : Charles, James, John G. W., George H., Rebecca, Albion. Charles m. Lydia Pike of Eastport: children: Gertrude, Ruth, Charles. Charles died in Eastport aged thirty-seven. His family moved to Boston. James died in Lubec in 1885: m. Jane Pulsifer of N. B., no children. 2nd m. Lovina Webber of Lubec.
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HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
children : Jennie, John. Jennie m. Frederic Kennedy of Lubec; four children : John m. Annie Bradshaw, Boston, one child.
John G. W. was born in Lubec. 1827, died in Belleville, Ill., 1876. buried in B., Ill. m. Abagail Leeds. Cape May. N. J. 2d., Sally Eberman, St. Louis, Mo .: children : Camelia, Gertrude. John G. W. served in the Civil War, was with Sherman in his "March to the Sea."
George H. was born in Lubec, 1830, died Jan. 25, 1903; m. Eunice Schofield, Lubec; children : Lizzie, Edward, William, Lillie, Lottie, Halleburton, Clarence, Henry. Mattie, Albion.
Lizzie m. Edward Steadly of Berwick; two children. Edward m. Nancy Clark of Lubec, four children. William mn. Bertha Small of Lubec. three children. Lillie m. Albert Webber of Boston, one child. Lottie m. Chester Pike of Lubec, two children. Halleburton m. Myra Bithea, Linneus, Me., two children. Clarence m. Addie Green, Lubec. Henry m. Susie Whalen, Lubec, four children. Mattie m. Henry Ramsdell, of Lubec, live in Portland. Albion lives in Lubec with his mother.
Rebecca T. was born in Lubec, July 30, 1834; m. Captain N. C. Huckins of L., eight children : Gertrude, Avery, Ada, Albion, Frank, Charles, Ida, Ina.
Ada m. Captain L. G. March of Ellsworth, live in Ballard Vale, Mass.
Frank m. Pearl Guptill, Grand Manan. N. B. ; children : Ina lives in Lubec, other two children are young. Albion, born Nov. 20, 1840, enlisted in the 17th U. S. Infantry, March, 1862, in the War; was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg Dec. 14, 1862.
Sarah of James m. John Small of Lubec: children : Sarah, John. Sarah m. Walter Dewey, one child, Edna, live in Massachusetts. John m. Sarah Phelps, Lubec; children : Halleburton, Addie, Rose, John, Maggie. John was lost at sea-his family live in Providence, R. I.
Sarah, fifth daughter of James, died in Lubec, 1873.
1
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GENEALOGY.
Elizabeth C., sixth child of James, m. Samuel A. Lawrence, Cherryfield: children: Samuel, L. Trescott, Mary, William. George. Samuel m. Christiana Watts, Lubec. one child. Willard. L. Trescott, m. Sarah Lane, Red Beach : children : Lizzie, George. Lizzie m .-- Bunker live in Boston. George m. - -, live in Calais. Mary m. JJoseph Long. live in Cherryfield. William m. Mary A. Fowler: children : Mattie, Charles, Walter, Willie. George was drowned, aged 22.
James Avery of Machias had two brothers, three sisters : Susanna. Annie, Ruth, Jchn. Robert. Annie m. George Halleburton. lived at Windsor, N. S. Ruth m. - McCurdy, St. Andrews, later moved to Connecticut. John m .- , moved to a western state. Robert, on his passage from Connecticut to Machias, was taken a prisoner ont of his sloop by Captain Moor of the Margaretta placed in an exposed position in the rigging, thinking the people of Machias would not fire on them, but Robert received a deadly shot and died on the deck of the Margaretta. June 12. 1775.
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