USA > Maine > York County > Kittery > Old Kittery and her families > Part 17
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XIV.
HISTORICAL MISCELLANY.
OLD ROADS.
The highways ordered by court and town must not be thought of as modern roads. There were no carriages in the earliest days, and the roads were merely bridle-paths. The earliest one recorded is mentioned in court records under date of 16 Oct. 1649. The court ordered that a highway be cut from the head of Rogers Cove to the head of Braveboat Harbor and on unto the little marsh near unto Captain Champernowne's house and so to William Hilton's at Warehouse Point, the inhab- itants of Gorgeana to cut unto a cove near unto John Andrews, and the inhabitants of Piscataquack from William Hilton's to that cove, and to be done by 30 Oct. 1649. It is remarkable that the old name of the plantation of Pascataqua is used here, although this same court had made it the township of Kittery. Roger's Cove was so called, doubtless, from Christopher Rogers, to whom Gorges gave a grant of land on the southwest side of York River. This path had been traveled still earlier, for 27 June 1648, Thomas Crockett was appointed to keep a ferry at Brave- boat Harbor and to have for a freeman three pence and for a foreigner four pence per man.
Mention is made repeatedly of this road in the court records, and it was indicted in 1664 for lack of repairs. Very little work had been done upon it. It lay for the most part through primeval forest, over rocky hills and through swamps. In 1658 a road was ordered built "from Ingleby's lot in York right through the woods to Hugh Gunnisons and to some part of Spruce Creek." Thomas Crockett was allowed, in 1659, to keep the ferry "from Hugh Gunnisons to Capt. Pendletons for which he is to have six pence a p'son for his ferriage and to have the use yr of for his life tyme pr'vided he fitt conviently for itt, for the doing we'of the Town of Kittery is to take effectual care upon penalty
15
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of the losse of five pounds for y'r neglect." This ferry was in 1666 entrusted to Abraham Corbett, and he was to have for carrying a person to Great Island six pence, to Henry Sherburn's at Little Harbor five shillings, and to Strawberry Bank two shillings and six pence. In 1668 he was confirmed as ferryman and allowed to keep a house of entertainment at the Point.
June 29. 1654, the court put on record that, respecting the country's convenience for traveling from York to Newichawan- nock and from the latter to Wells, the towns of Kittery and York are ordered to cut out between them from the new bridge on the north-west branch of the York River unto Newichawan- nock and to make said way convenient for traveling in the nearest and best way : also that the towns of Kittery and Wells join to cut out and build a suitable way between Wells and Newichawannock. This was the road since called "Witchtrot Road" from the fact that Rev. George Burroughs was conducted over this road to his execution in Salem for witchcraft. Those who attended him testified that during storm and lightning as they rode this road Burroughs was calm and untroubled while all the rest were terrified, and this was allowed as evidence that the witches accompanied Burroughs.
July 4, 1659, the town of Kittery was ordered to take an effectual course for making a sufficient bridge for horse and men over the river which lies between Newichawannock and Wells, commonly called the Little River. "whereon that sawmill formerly Mr. Richard Leader's is now built."
In 1659 the court ordered that a ferry be kept at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek.
In 1671 the court ordered that a highway be built from York to the house of Thomas Spinney and that a ferry be kept from a point a little below Pulpit Rock, to connect with a road from Portsmouth to Hampton and Boston. The training men were to cut out the road and the men appointed to lay out the road were Richard Cutt, Thomas Broughton, John Davis, Mr. Weare, Charles Frost and Lieut. Job Alcock. This seems to be the road around the head of Spruce Creek, though when built it terminated at Woodman's Ferry instead of at Thomas Spinney's. The order of the court was renewed 16 Sept. 1679, and the road was to be cut from the house of John Stover in York as directly
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as possible to Spruce Creek and thence to the house of Thomas Wills. This is the old winding road from Rice's Tavern round the head of Spruce Creek to York. A part of it near Kittery Foreside is called "Lovers' Lane." The distance has been shortened within recent times by the road which crosses Spruce Creek by the bridge at the old Shapleigh, Mill.
.......
THE OLD COUNTRY ROAD OPPOSITE BENJAMIN KENNARD'S.
In 1672 Kittery was indicted for not making a good road from York bridge to Sturgeon Creek. This was probably the road that runs on the south side of Frost's Hill.
In 1698 John Shapleigh. James Emery, James Warren, Daniel Goodwin and John Leighton, Selectmen, laid out a highway "From Mr. Curtis' house along the Creek till we come to Capt. Fernald's Land and so run into the old Road that goes to Sturgeon Creek & so up the Road to Maj. Frost's, all to be four rods wide as straight as may be & on the driest Ground & so unto Nichewanick." This road from the head of Spruce Creek northward is in use still. It was laid out by the town rather than by the county.
The road on Eliot Neck was laid out in 1694 "from ve Country Road behind Stephen Paul's to Peter Dixon's, running from Mr. Remick's fence along by Humphrey Axell's orchard in that highway we have had lately, which ye sd Humphrey hath lately fenced in, and soe the highway to run from Peter Dixon's
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to Samuel ffernald's: one rod wide, from the bank as Straight as may be with convenience, and all to run by the River Side."
The Cedar Road, north of Sturgeon Creek, was laid out in 1687 and led from an old landing place, called the Cedars, through land of Nicholas Frost. the beaver trader, down to an island at the mouth of the Creek, called Banfield's Island in 1709, when the same road was laid out again by the selectmen. It
ELM AVENUE, ELIOT.
then ran from John Brooks' land at the Cedars, by land of widow Frost, across Cedar Brook, through land which Jonathan Nason bought of John Morrell, "by the south side of Richard Chick's orchard." The landing at the end of this road was long called "Tidey's Landing" and was sold by the town to David Furbish and Mehitable Stacy, single woman, in 1806.
Among the papers of Hon. Mark Dennett I found a copy of the return of a road laid out in 1806 from Portsmouth Ferry to York. It was to begin at Rice's Tavern, run past the house of Capt. Rogers, cross Spruce Creek just north of Broad Cove. then run near the houses of Theodore Parker, Nicholas Weeks, William Parker and between the houses of William Morgrage and Thomas Morgrage on to York Meeting House, which was next northwest of the Court House. Along the old road from York to the head of Spruce Creek and northwest of the meeting
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house lived in order Mr. Messenger, Mr. Lyman, Col. Preble, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Sewall, William Frost and Mr. Junkins. The distance from Portsmouth Ferry to York by this proposed new road, which was never built, was six miles and one hundred and thirty-five rods, while the distance by the old road over the head of Spruce Creek was eight miles and thirty-five rods.
OLD HOUSES.
Many of the oldest houses of Kittery and Eliot have been described in previous chapters. A few remain, and the following notices of them are taken chiefly from Dr. J. L. M. Willis' description of them.1
OLDEST HOUSE IN ELIOT, BUILT IN 1727.
The oldest house in Eliot is on the west side of the "Cross Road." near the place where the road passes over the "Great Brook." The accompanying cut shows it. It was built by John Tobey, the great-grandfather of the present owner, Miss Caro- line Tobey, in 1727. The eastern part is as originally built. Some additions have been made on the western end.
On the northeast side of the town is the house of Mr. Frederick Frost. It is a large, two-story house built in 1730 by Col. John Frost, grandson of Major Charles Frost. Near by
'Old Eliot, Vol. I. p. 33.
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1
THE SHAPLEIGH HOUSE.
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and used as a woodshed is the old Frost garrison house, which is shown on page 177.
The house of Mr. James W. Bartlett near the railroad station was built by Nathan Bartlett in 1740. It is a large two-story house and in a good state of preservation. Here six generations of Bartletts have dwelt. It stands on the site of a previous brick house, which was shattered by an earthquake.
The house of Mr. Horace Bartlett in the north corner of the town was built about 1750 by John Heard Bartlett, who graduated at Harvard in 1747. It has been recently remodeled.
On the south side of Raitt's Hill and near the East Eliot Methodist Church is a house built about 1740 by Eliot Frost,
RICE TAVERN.
grandson of Major Charles Frost. It is still in good condition and is the home of Mrs. Sarah Raitt.
The Shapleigh house, by some supposed to be the oldest in Eliot, was built in 1730 by James Gowen, Esq., and occupied by him through life. It has been called the finest specimen of colonial architecture in the town. The present chimney, though large. is smaller by two feet each way than the original one, which
-
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was shaken down by an earthquake, I Nov. 1755. This house was a little north of the school-house in district number one. It was demolished in April, 1899.
At Eliot Neck, a little to the east of the school-house and on the opposite side of the road, is the so called old Spinney house. It was built by William Welch, who fought in the battle of Bunker Hill. It is a one story house, much out of repair. It formerly stood several rods west of its present location and near the bank of the river. The old cellar still marks the spot.
The house in which Charles Shapleigh lives in Kittery, on the road that runs up the west side of Spruce Creek, was prob- ably built by Col. John Shapleigh between 1750 and 1760.
The old Rice Tavern has been standing over a century and is still a good building. It is beautifully situated close to the bank of the Pascataqua, directly opposite the city of Portsmouth. Here was the ferry landing before the days of bridges and electric roads. Then this tavern was a much frequented place. It is mentioned on the return of the road dated 1806. It is prob- ably considerably older than that date indicates.
The house built by Capt. Benjamin Remick in 1777 is still in good condition. It stands near the bridge that crosses the rail- road, not far from Kittery Depot. See page 148.
The house now owned and occupied by Dr. J. L. M. Willis was built by a Mr. Dixon and sold, about 1775, to Dr. Willis' great-grandfather, John Fogg. An old brick in the chimney bears date of 1727. The house was originally of but one story. Another story was added by John Fogg, Jr., about 1815. It was again remodeled in 1870 by Horace Parker, who married Abigail Leighton Fogg. Dr. Willis also owns the place bought of Daniel Fogg by Joseph Hammond in 1722. The old house on this place was built about 1700 and was a kind of grocery and liquor shop, common in those days, kept by Joseph Ham- mond. It is a large, one-story house with L, and still has the original shutters. It is next north of the residence of Dr. Willis.
Nearly all of the old houses are similar in architecture and were essentially reproductions of the rural houses of England two centuries and more ago. They were generally square houses or nearly so, with a huge chimney in the center or with
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one at each end. The broad gable roofs and small windows, the low. underpinning and front yards, which were usually tastefully fenced in and ornamented with flowers and shubbery, character- ize the habitations of the well-to-do old settlers.
RESIDENCE OF DR. J. L. M. WILLIS.
FOREGLEAMS OF INDEPENDENCE.
The mutterings of the American people that preceded the Rev- olution were shared by the citizens of Kittery. Oct. 13. 1765, James Gowen, Representative, was instructed by the town to oppose the Stamp Act. Two years later, or Dec. 21, 1767, it was voted that James Gowen, Benjamin Parker, John H. Bartlett, John Dennet, Nathaniel Remick, Elihu Gunnison, William Leighton. John Sparhawk and Dr. Daniel Pierce be a committee to report what they think proper to encourage industry, economy and manufactories, thereby to prevent the unnecessary importation of European commodities.
Sept. 26, 1768. the town voted unanimously to send some suit- able person to act for them in convention with such as might be sent from the several towns in this Province to join them, in order
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that such measures may be consulted and advised as the peace and safety of his Majesty's subjects may require, the proposed convention to be held in Faneuil Hall in Boston. Caleb Emery was chosen for the above purpose. He was instructed to "take all legal and constitutional measures to defend and maintain the Person, Family, Crown and Dignity of our Sovereign Lord George the Third and all and singular the Rights, Liberties, Priv- ileges and Immunities granted in the Royal Charter of this his Majesty's Province, as well as those which are declared to be belonging to us as British subjects by birthright as all other Privi- leges in said Charter specially mentioned."
At a town meeting held Jan. 7, 1773, a committee consisting of Benjamin Parker. Esq., Charles Chauncy, Esq., and John H. Bartlett, made the following report, which was unanimously adopted :
"The Inhabitants of the Town of Kittery in Town Meeting legally assembled having duly considered your letter of November 20th, containing your sentiments upon the many publick Griev- ances that we in this Province labor under, and upon the com- munication thereof to this Town find the same opinion prevailing here, as indeed must be manifest to every one who is not Blinded by Interest of some kind or another. Without going into any other particulars at this time but that which has lately took place, namely, the Independency of the Judges of the Supreme Court ; In reply to which we are constrained to say it is very alarming and cannot from ve least acquaintance we have of our Constitu- tional rights but think it a Dangerous and threatening Symptom, and from all that we can obtain are led to Suspect that their Appointment took its rise more from Party Spirit and Opposition than the Welfare of ve Province.
We shall be ready to Stand by the Respectable Town of Bos- ton in every lawful undertaking for the recovery of many Ancient Priviledges which seem to be wrested from us, and are willing to offer even our lives as a Sacrifice in the Glorious cause of Lib- erty, if there should ever be occasion. It is with gratitude we reflect upon the many struggles you have had for the common good, and rely upon your future vigilance and care of our Public Rights. May Heaven direct and succeed your Manly and Virtu- offs attempts to save a Sinking Country, and that we apprehend it
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is the cause of Truth and Justice you are engaged in may God grant that you finally Prevail." A copy of this was transmitted to the inhabitants of the town of Boston.
At a town meeting held Oct. 27. 1774, James Gowen, Nathaniel Remick and William Leighton were chosen "to act as Delegates in a County Congress to be holden some time in November next at Wells by the several towns in this County, there to consider and agree upon some proper measures for the preservation of the Peace and good order of the Inhabitants ; also to agree upon some legal and Constitutional Measures in order to defeat the arbitrary tyrannical Plans laid by our enemies to enslave us."
Jan. 16. 1775, Edward Cutts and Charles Chauncey, Esq., dele- gates to the Provincial Congress, were instructed not to "vote to assume Government, except there should be an open rupture made by our enemies or such unfavorable answer to the Petition sent to our gracious Sovereign as shall make it absolutely necessary to assume Government."
Dec. 13, 1774, the town chose twenty-five of its leading citizens to be a Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety, and a similar but smaller committee was chosen in subsequent years. It is not my intention to write a history of the part taken by Kit- tery in the great struggle for independence. That work has been well done by another.1 The entire militia was ready to march long before the alarm at Lexington. Almost every man and youth in the town capable of bearing arms was in the fight on land or on sea.
SCHOOLS.
The town records tell us little about schools in the earlier days. The Court indicted the town for "not providing school and schoolmaster for the youth, according to law." July 1673. In 1660 lots were set apart for the ministry and a school in the parish of Unity. There seem to have been no school houses. Mention is made incidentally that schools were kept in the house
'See A Record of the Services of the Commissioned Officers and Enlisted Men of Kittery and Eliot. Mame, by Lt. Oliver P. Remick. Bos- ton. 1901. L.t. Remick has collected material and has in mind the pub- lication of the history of Kittery in other wars. This is my reason for not writing a long chapter on the military history of Kittery.
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of James Webber, which was earlier the house of Rev. William Scriven, also in the house of Capt. William Fernald. May 16, 1734, it was voted "to pay thirteen shillings to Joseph Hill for the use of his house to keep school in." There was but one school, and this was a movable one. It was held in one part of the town for a few months and then in another part, for the convenience of widely scattered inhabitants. About all that was taught was to read, write and cipher. In 1743 it was voted that twenty-five pounds be paid for a Grammar School. This was continued for many years at Kittery, and here youth might fit for college. It corresponded somewhat to the modern High School. It was not till 3 March, 1802, that the town voted to divide the town into school districts. The division was accepted 10 June 1803. From that date to 1810, when Eliot was made a separate town, five hundred dollars were annually raised for schools in addition to the expense of the Grammar School.
A few names of the old teachers appear in the town records. Rev. John Newmarch was one of the first. Ministers then could teach all the week, carry on a farm and preach twice or three times on Sunday. Robert Reed is mentioned as a school master in 1708: Benjamin Gibson in 1719; Simon Frost in 1729; Abner Bailey in 1737: Nathaniel Rust in 1739: John Rogers, son of Rev. John Rogers, in 1741 ; Andrew Higginson in 1745 : John Wheelwright in 1746; Eugene Lynch in 1718; Noyce Pariss in 1723: Christopher "Shergant" in 1725, "if he will accept £45 for a year and pay his own board:" Robert Eliot Gerrish in 1755: and John Parry in 1754 and in subsequent years.
When Eliot was made a separate town in 1810, there were six school districts, and the seventh was divided from the sixth in 1823. District number eight was divided from number five in 1841. None of the school houses existing at the formation of the town is standing except that of district number four. An old school house of district number two, now unused for school purposes, is here presented and sufficiently illustrates the type of "knowledge box" of the past. It is a short distance from the residence of Joshua Frye. Here Gov. John F. Hill began his education, and many others will recall the happy school days spent here.
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In 1824 the whole number of scholars in Eliot was seven hundred and the number attending school was three hundred and forty. The school committee received a compensation of from three to five dollars annually for their services, and the teachers got from fifteen to eighteen dollars per month. The length of the school term was about four months. Graded schools were then almost unknown, and the modern methods of
OLD SCHOOL-HOUSE, DISTRICT NO. 2, ELIOT.
instruction of the Normal Schools were uninvented. The teachers just taught without any particular methods, and the scholars took their books home at the close of each day and spent the evening around the fireside in study. They thus made fully as good and rapid progress as do the boys and girls in the schools of to-day.
Eliot used then to expend two hundred and fifty dollars annually for schools, with usually one hundred and seventy-four dollars for a Grammar School of six months. No female
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teachers were employed till after 1840. Prominent among thie teachers were Parson Chandler, William Hammond, William Randall, Alpheus Hanscom and George C. Bartlett.1
Eliot Academy was built in 1839 and was burned in 1875. The first catalogue was printed in 1840 and the school was con- tinued till 1870. Then the multiplying High Schools and Academies of neighboring towns made this institution no longer necessary to meet the requirements of Eliot inhabitants. The first Principal of the Academy was Israel Kimball, who was born in Wells, 26 Jan. 1812, graduated at Bowdoin College in 1820, became an employee in the Treasury Department at Washington and died 10 Dec. 1890. The number of pupils under his instruction was ninety-six.2 Prof. Moses G. Farmer suc- ceeded Mr. Kimball as Principal of the Academy.
The present town of Kittery is rejoicing in the immediate prospect of an Academy of its own. Robert W. Traip by his will in 1863 provided for the maintenance of a brother and two sisters during their life time. At their decease the balance of his property was to be used for the endowment of an Academy in Kittery. In 1897 the last survivor of his family died, and the fund became available, but as it seemed small for the purpose there has been a disposition to delay the erection of a school build- ing on the part of the trustees. A lot has recently been pur- chased for $3,000, about an eighth of a mile east of the Public Library and near Crooked Lane. The trustees appointed by the Probate Court are John Wentworth, Calvin S. Hayes, Horace Mitchell, Franklin H. Bond, and James H. Walker, all of Kittery.
GREEN ACRE.
Even in such a brief sketch of the educational history of old Kittery as can here be given mention must be made of Green Acre, on the bank of the Pascataqua, in Eliot. From being at first a summer resort for rest to body and soul, it has become a place for the cultivation of intellectual and spiritual life.
'See article in "Old Eliot" Vol. II. p. 3. by Joseph H. Dixon.
See reprint of first catalogue in "Old Eliot." Vol. II. p. 148-151.
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GREEN ACRE.
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Its originators were Professor and Mrs. Moses Gerrish Farmer and their daughter, Miss Sarah J. Farmer. To them were added in proprietorship Lieut. Col. Francis Keefe, Dr. J. L. M. Willis, G. Everett Hammond and Martin Parry Tobey. The house, shown in the cut, was built in 1890, "in the midst of a rural paradise," as Neal Dow expressed it. The grounds were selected because of the natural beauty of field and river and because of their historic traditions. This was the ancient homestead of Major Joseph Hammond, and his garrison for protection against the Indians stood a little to the north of the inn. Later, on the bank of the river, the Hanscoms, a race of shipbuilders, launched many a sturdy vessel.
In 1894 Mr. and Mrs. Farmer had passed beyond, and their daughter opened a new chapter in the history of the place. A series of lectures and classes was begun. the object of which was stated by a writer of that date. "To review the progress already achieved in the world, state the living problems now awaiting solution, and suggest the means of further progress." The aim has been to make this a place where people could gather. "who are eagerly seeking the truth that is to bring unity throughout the earth." Thus is seen the greatness of the desire that prompted this institution. Some may call its aim visionary, but all real visions are immense in their scope. The boldness of this one has attracted the attention and the presence of many prominent per- sons. One of the earliest guests was John Greenleaf Whittier.
The weeks of assemblage, each year, have been given to the comparative study of religion, philosophy, ethics and sociology. Discussions are avoided. Convictions are sought. Love is the controlling motive. The man or woman who can point out a nobler and happier way of living is the one sought. Truth is uni- versal : it cannot be sectarian. There is here no room for rivals in religion.
Moses Gerrish Farmer was for years Professor of Electrical Science at the Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island. In 1897 there was commemorated at Green Acre the fiftieth anniversary of his use of the first electric railway, an invention of his own. The Institute of Electrical Engineers held their annual meeting here. Professor A. G. Dolbear of Tufts College gave an address on "Moves Gerrish Farmer as an Electrical Pioneer."
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