USA > Maine > Oxford County > Porter > Porter, as a portion of Maine: its settlement, etc. > Part 2
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The committee's deed is all the evidence we have that Rankins ever had a settlement in the plantation. Stephen Libby and Francis Mathews state in their affidavits, recorded among the town records, book 3, page 110, that Michael Floyd first settled upon this lot, and that it was granted to him as a settler prior to Jan. 1, 1784; and in the deed to Daniel Knowles this lot is described as " the one first inhab- ited by Michael Floyd and sold by him to James Rankins." If Rankins had been an actual settler here, the fact would have been well known, not only to Libby and Mathews, but to all the early settlers ; but he was never, to my knowledge, spoken of by them as one of their number, neither is his name
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
found on the plantation records. Hence I conclude that Ran- kins' settlement was a mere paper one, and that Michael Floyd was the fourth settler. After a few years' residence here, Floyd went to Parsonsfield, where he died. His widow died in Porter.
Meshach Libby, May 22, 1792, sold his lot to David Moul- ton, " for sixty pounds, lawful money," and bought that of his brother Stephen. Meshach remained on the lot purchased of Stephen until his death. Stephen, after the sale of his farm to his brother, bought a tract of land adjoining, and east of, David Moulton's, embracing the present homesteads of Truworthy C. Libby, Hanson Libby, Henry M. Libby, John Weeks, a lot of about forty acres owned by Samuel Ridlon, jr., a part of John C. Mason's farm, and about thirty acres of the farm of Moses S. Moulton, and made his home thereon many years.
FAMILIES OF SEVERAL SETTLERS WHO ESTABLISHED THEIR RESIDENCE BEFORE 1800.
MESHACH LIBBY, who was born about 1750, and died in March, 1829, married, first, Deborah Elv, and second, Hannah Cram. The children of Meshach and Deborah were, Sarah, who was born in 1771, and married in June, 1793, Gideon Mason ; Mary, who married William Hill; Meshach, jr .; Elsy, who married Edward Hill ; Elizabeth, who died in childhood ; and Eunice, who married Jacob Hurd. Elizabeth and Eunice only were born after Mr. Libby's settlement here. Elizabeth was the first child of European descent born within the limits of Porter, and was buried upon the border of her father's garden, a few rods westerly of the workshop of Moses S. Moulton. Widow Lamson, the mother of Ben- jamin Ellenwood's wife, is said to have been the first white person dying in town. Her burial place is on the farm of Simeon Day. Elizabeth Libby was born between 1781 and
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
1786. None of the children are supposed to be now living. Their father was buried in the family burying-ground, north- westerly from the house of Meshach Mason and sons, and south from the house of George W. Ridlon. Peregrine White, son of Mrs. Susanna White, who came over in the Mayflower, was born the last of November, 1620. He was said to be the first child of European extraction born in New England.
JOHN LIBBY and wife died, it is said, about twenty years after their settlement in the plantation, and were buried a few rods westerly from their house. There is no record evi- dence of the time of their birth or death. Their children were Meshach, Enoch, John, jr., Simeon, Jonathan, Stephen, Kezia, who married Sargent, and Mary, who married Daniel Knowles.
STEPHEN LIBBY first married Mary Knowles. She was born March 1, 1768, and died in October, 1816. Their children were : 1, James, b. June 5, 1784, m. Phebe Benson ; 2, Daniel, b. April 3, 1786, m. Mary Rundlett; 3, Josiah, b. March 23, 1788, d. June 8, 1788; 4, Mary, b. July 30, 1789, m. Josiah Weeks ; 5, Jemima, b. August 22, 1791, m. Joshua Weeks, and d. May 12, 1879 ; 6, Stephen, jr., b. May 21, 1793, m. Dorothy Blake, and d. Dec. 4, 1868 ; 7, Sally, b. Jan. 20, 1795, m. Jordan Stacy ; 8, John, b. Feb. 20, 1797, m. Nancy Libby, and d. Jan. 21, 1878; 9, David, b. Jan. 16, 1799, m. Betsy Towle ; 10, Aphia, b. Dec. 6, 1800; m. Ralph King; 11, Olive, b. July 5, 1802, m. William Hodsdon. His second wife was Nancy Mathews, b. Dec. 13, 1788, m. Jan. 9, 1817, and died Jan. 9, 1818, leaving one daughter: 12, Lydia, b. Dec. 23, 1817, m. William Perry. His third wife was Sally Mathews, a sister of Nancy, who was born May 13, 1793, m. March 17, 1818, and d. Dec. 16,
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
1866. Their children were : 13, a son that died in infancy ; 14, Daniel, b. March 19, 1821, m. Almira Howard; 15, AI- bion, b. June 9, 1823, m. Harriet Bragg; 16, Nancy, b. April 28, 1825, m. Ezekiel Jenness ; 17, William T., b. Dec. 23, 1827, m. Susan Marston ; 18, Thomas, b. Dec. 23, 1827, and d. March 23, 1828; 19, Gideon, b. June 19, 1830, m. Catharine McMann. The second son, Daniel, was the first male child born within the limits of Porter. None of the nineteen children are now living, except Olive, William T., and Gideon. Their father was born April 26, 1763, died Oct. 25, 1855, and was buried in the family burial ground of the late Jacob French. His first and second wives were buried in the lot owned by M. S. Moulton.
DAVID MOULTON was b. in Hampton, N. H., June 18, 1760, m. Feb. 16, 1794, Dorothy Moulton, of Portsmouth, N. H., and d. Oct. 18, 1838. His wife was b. June 22, 1770, and d. Jan. 19, 1853. Their children were : 1, John, b. Dec. 7, 1794, m. Jane Coffin, and d. March 4, 1876; 2, Joseph, b. July 23, 1797, m. Abigail G. Beal ; 3, Sarah, b. Dec. 18, 1799; 4, David, jr., b. Aug. 23, 1802, m. Phebe Wentworth, and d. June 13, 1867 ; 5, Mary, b. Jan. 28, 1805, m. Moses Swett, and d. Dec. 16, 1836 ; 6, Thomas, b. Aug. 15, 1810.
DANIEL KNOWLES was one of our oldest settlers, his birth having probably been as early as 1740. He had three wives. The name of the first is unknown ; that of the second was Mrs. Pottle, and that of the third, Mary Libby. The second wife lived about one year after her marriage. Children by first wife were : 1, Mary, b. Mar. 1, 1768, m. Stephen Libby ; 2, Hannah, m. Simeon Libby; 3, Jemima, m. Elijah Fox ; 4, Isaac ; 5, Sally, m. - - Watson ; 6, Experience, m. Josiah Kezar ; 7, Rachel, m. Jonathan Hodsdon. Children by third wife : 8, Comfort ; 9, Olive ; 10, Tryphene.
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
SIMEON LIBBY m. Hannah Knowles. Their children were: 1, John ; 2, Samuel ; 3, Hannah, m. Levi Libby ; 4, Isaac ; 5, Josiah ; 6, Simeon, jr. ; 7, Job ; 8, Daniel; 9, Abram, b. April 11, 1805 ; 10, Lemuel Rich ; 11, Mary, b. 1810, m. Aaron Houghtaling ; 12, Julia Ann ; 13, Jesse W. D.
GIDEON MASON was born in Pittsfield, N. H., June 22, 1772, and m. in June, 1793, Sarah Libby, daughter of Me- shach, who was born in 1771. Their children were : 1, Isaac, b. in Porter, Sept. 4, 1794, and d. Jan. 15, 1867; 2, Me- shach, b. April 6, 1797; 3, Betsey, b. March 25, 1799, and d. unm. May 5, 1835; 4, Jonathan, b. Feb. 22, 1802, d. in Lovell ; 5, Simon, b. June 13, 1806; 6, Susan, b. Dec. 13, 1808, m. Abraham Chapman.
JOHN MASON, brother of Gideon, was born Aug. 21, 1774, m. Aug. 7, 1793, Tryphene, daughter of David Allord, d. Oct. 12, 1867. She was born Aug. 25, 1775, d. May 1, 1852. Their children were : 1, Jacob, b. Jan. 1, 1794, d. Oct. 26, 1813; 2, Sally, b. July 8, 1795, in Porter, m. David Col- cord, and d. Feb. 7, 1877 ; 3, Abraham, b. Oct. 25, 1797 ; 4, Jolın, jr., b. Dec. 19, 1799, and d. March 20, 1879; 5, Henry, b. Feb. 12, 1802; 6, Lydia, b. Oct. 30, 1804, m. Rufus Brooks ; 7, Mary, b. Oct. 8, 1806, m. Ralph McCartee, and d. Feb. 10, 1851; 8, Thomas, b. Jan. 30, 1809, and d. Nov. 16, 1865; 9, Tryphene, b. April 23, 1812, m. E. C. Pillsbury; 10, Joseph, b. July 3, 1814; 11, Abigail, b. April 14, 1816, m. John Lord.
HENRY FLOYD m. Betsey Bickford, and d. Sept. 20, 1827. His wife was born in Rochester, N. H., Feb. 27, 1775. Their children were: 1, Michael, b. in Porter, Oct. 4, 1794; 2, Sally, b. Jan. 2, 1796, m. Andrew Varney ; 3, Lovina, b. Feb. 17, 1798; 4, William, b. Dec. 13, 1803; 5, Henry, jr.,
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
b. July 13, 1805 ; 6, Lovell, b. Aug. 31, 1807 ; 7, Betsey, b. May 2, 1809; 8, Jacob, b. Nov. 2, 1812; 9, Ira, b. Oct. 12, 1815.
WILLIAM FRENCH was born Sept. 15, 1776, m. March 11, 1797, by Elder Benjamin Randall, the founder of the F. W. Baptists, to Kezia, daughter of Isaac Libby. His wife was born March 28, 1776. Their children were: 1, James, b. Sept. 24, 1798; 2, William, jr., b. Dec. 3, 1801; 3, Isaac, b. April 26, 1803, and d. June 17, 1827; 4, Ruth, b. Dec. 10, 1806, and m. Joseph G. Towle ; 5, John Moulton, b. May 21, 1813, d. March 11, 1818.
JOHN FRENCH, b. Sept. 26, 1775, m. Sally Trefren, and d. Aug. 21, 1836. His wife was b. Sept. 14, 1774, and d. March 12, 1856. Their children were : 1, Benjamin, b. in Farmington, N. H., Feb. 7, 1796; 2, Jacob, b. in Porter, March 1, 1798, and d. Feb. 16, 1878 ; 3, Sally, b. March 23, 1800, m. Nehemiah F. Towle; 4, Aaron, b. April 7, 1802 ; 5, Mary, b. Augnst 5, 1804, d. unm. Feb. 21, 1838 ; 6, John, jr., b. Dec. 6, 1806 ; 7, Kezia, b. May 25, 1809, m. Alexan- der Berry ; 8, Lucy, b. August 13, 1811, in. Jesse Bickford, and d. Jan. 7, 1878.
CHARLES NUTTER, b. in Portsmouth, N. H., Dec. 27, 1783, m. Mrs. Olive Durgin, daughter of Ebenezer Taylor, and d. May 1, 1845. His wife was b. Jan. 9, 1778, and d. Aug. 24, 1846. Their children were: 1, Almira, b. Feb. 15, 1808, m. James Perry ; 2, Charles, jr., b. Aug. 28, 1810, d. Sept. 14, 1874; 3, Cordelia, b. Oct. 28, 1812, m. Richard Cosins ; 4, Eben. T., b. March 12, 1815 ; 5, Sarah Ann, b. Jan. 20, 1818, m. Alvan Pride ; 6, Henry, b. Jan. 17, 1821.
JOSEPH PEARL m. Catharine Clark, and d. in 1813.
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
Both were of Rochester, N. H. Mrs. Pearl d. May 4, 1837. Their children were : 1, Polly, who m. William Moulton ; 2, Simeon ; 3, Betsey, m. Ichabod Bickford ; 4, Benjamin, d. June 1, 1830; 5, Sally, m. Jonathan Quint ; 6, Diamond ; 7, Anna, m. James Stanley ; 8, John; 9, Joseph, jr. ; 10, James, b. Feb. 26, 1804.
FAMILIES OF PERSONS WHO JOINED THE SETTLEMENT AT A LATER PERIOD.
JOSEPH TOWLE, b. Feb. 18, 1747, m. Oct. 2, 1769, Eliz- abeth Coffin, and d. April 1, 1820. His wife was b. March 7, 1753, and d. Feb. 17, 1829. Their children were : 1, Amos, b. Oct. 1, 1770 ; 2, Joseph, jr., b. Sept. 3, 1772, and d. Dec. 27, 1848 ; 3, William, b. July 18, 1774, d. April 25, 1841; 4, Ezra, b. Feb. 14, 1776, d. June 4, 1802; 5, Nan- cy, b. April 24, 1778, m. Eben. Blazo, d. Dec., 1801; 6, Daniel, b. Jan. 24, 1780, d. March 25, 1875; 7, Elizabeth, b. Aug. 27, 1783, m. James Garland ; 8, Sarah, b. March 26, 1785, m. Samuel Taylor, d. April 10, 1866; 9, David, b. Dec. 27, 1787, d. Aug. 7, 1860; 10, Simon, b. May 16, 1794, d. Oct. 4, 1814.
JESSE COLCORD, b. in Newmarket, N. H., Feb. 9, 1769 m. first, Elizabeth Nason, and d. April 3, 1835. Child : John N., b. in Sanford, April 18, 1793, and d. May 25, 1852. Mr. Colcord m. April 6, 1794, second, Betsey Emery, who was b. Oct. 21, 1771, and d. Dec. 6, 1829. Children : Elizabeth, b. Nov. 30, 1794, d. April 19, 1795 ; David, b. April 28, 1796, d. June 9, 1867 ; Mary H., b. April 27, 1798, m. John Pearl, d. August 28, 1876 ; Betsey, b. July 13, 1800, d. Dec. 8, 1800; Rhoda, b. Mar. 16, 1802, d. April 27, 1802 ; Jesse, jr., b. April 8, 1803, d. Nov. 25, 1825; Phineas, b. Feb. 8, 1806, d. Aug. 21, 1846; Susan N., b. in Porter, Dec. 4,
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
1808, d. July 18, 1832; Isabella, b. June 5, 1811, m. Ste- phen Brooks ; Caleb E., b. Mar. 4, 1814, d. Aug. 20, 1853 ; Charlotte S., b. Feb. 18, 1817, m. Peter H. Hatch, and d. in Oregon City, June 30, 1846.
JAMES COFFIN, b. in Biddeford, m. Jane McMillan, and d. March 11, 1823. His wife was b. in Conway, N. H., and d. May 27, 1859. Children : James, jr., b. in Biddeford, Jan. 24, 1799, d. July 8, 1833 ; Jane, b. Oct. 31, 1800, and m. John Moulton ; Hannah, b. Sept. 12, 1802, m. James W. Thomp- son ; Martha, b. April 18, 1804, m. William Rice; Andrew McM., b. Feb. 7, 1806 ; Catharine, b. in Porter, Dec. 21, 1807, m. Stephen Berry ; Shuah T., b. April 11, 1810, m. James Norris ; Edmund, b. July 11, 1812; Sophia Ann, b. Sept. 25, 1815, m. Addison Prentiss.
JOHN Fox, b. in Gilmanton, N. H., May 26, 1760, m. first, Deborah Gilman, and d. April 17, 1834. His wife was b. Nov. 13, 1760, and d. July 26, 1810. Children : 1, Nathan- iel, b. Nov. 30, 1786, d. Feb. 6, 1853; 2, Deborah G., b. Oct. 4, 1788, m. Thomas Howard ; 3, Sarah, b. May 25, 1791, m. Isaac Bickford; 4, Mary G., b. Sept. 2, 1793, m. John Libby, and d. Sept. 4, 1865 ; 5, Anna, b. Dec. 7, 1795, m. Jonathan Peare, d. July 17, 1865; 6, John, jr., b. Dec. 7, 1795, d. May 6, 1852; 7, Lydia, b. March 5, 1798, and d. Oct. 21, 1825; 8, Charlotte, b. Nov. 29, 1800, m. Ezra Bickford ; 9. Ruth P., b. Aug. 9, 1803, m. Job Libby. Mr. Fox m. second, Susan Mills. Their children were : Andrew G., b. Jan. 20, 1813 ; William, Edward, Susan, and James.
TOBIAS LIBBY, b. in Rochester, April 2, 1783, m. Sept. 29, 1805, Abigail Randall, and d. June 30, 1858. His wife was b. in Lee, N. H., March 8, 1788, and d. Feb. 19, 1868. Children : John M., b. Aug. 21, 1806, and d. March 29, 3
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
1865; Isaac, b. Sept. 5, 1809; Nancy, b. July 24, 1811, m. John Stanley, and d. Aug. 13, 1873 ; Randall, b. Oct. 31, 1815; Tobias, jr., b. Jan. 27, 1821, and d. Oct. 31, 1868 ; Edwin B., b. July 11, 1825, and d. 1854; Abigail, b. June 17, 1829, m. Joseph T. Rice.
JOSEPH STANLEY, from Shapleigh, m. first, Betsey Parsons ; second, Eunice Stone; third, Sally Palmer; fourth, Mary Nason. Mr. S. d. Sept. 18, 1843. Children by first wife : Charles, Samuel,and Olive, who m. Samuel Hooper. Chil- dren by second wife : Betsey, b. Dec. 28, 1802, m. Caleb Thompson ; James, b. March 2, 1804; Joseph, jr., b. Dec. 21, 1806 ; John, b. May 13, 1808 ; Eunice, b. April 4, 1810, m. William Ridlon, d. May 7, 1854. Children by fourth wife : Mary, b. July 24, 1824, m. Charles Hadley ; Benja- min, b. Sept. 11, 1827.
JOHN STACY, b. at Berwick, Feb. 20, 1764, m. Ruth Gould, and d. May 18, 1837. Children : Oliver, b. Sept. 30, 1792; Salome, b. Sept., 1793, m. Jonathan Fox ; Jordan, b. March 5, 1796 ; Hannah, b. 1799, m. John Mason ; George, b. Nov. 9, 1804, d. April 3, 1876 ; Ruth.
SAMUEL TAYLOR, b. in Hampton, N. H., March 27, 1781, m. Aug. 22, 1803, Saralı Coffin, and d. Aug. 31, 1846. His wife was b. in Epsom, N. H., March 26, 1785, and d. April' 10, 1866. Children : William T., b. April 24, 1810; Sam- uel, jr., b. March 23, 1812, d. March 9, 1855; Simon, b. April 16, 1815, d. Feb. 16, 1853 ; Eliza Ann, b. July 22, 1820, d. Sept. 17, 1842 ; Daniel, b. March 4, 1823; Jose- phine, b. June 16, 1825, m. John Sutton ; David, b. March 17, 1829, d. Oct. 23, 1868; Amos, b. March 17, 1829.
WILLIAM TOWLE, b. in Epsom, July 18, 1774, m. Mercy
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
Garland, and d. April 25, 1841. Children : Hannah, b. Dec. 18, 1797, m. James Coolbroth ; William, jr., b. Oct. 3, 1801 ; Joseph G., b. March 22, 1806, d. Dec. 28, 1875; Mercy, b. May 8, 1809, m. Benjamin Larrabee ; Nancy, b. August 8, 1812, m. Nathaniel Bedell ; Maria, b. April 7, 1819, m. John Kezar.
SETTLERS OF A LATER PERIOD THAN 1792.
The following-named persons had a residence in the town, as early as 1803, and when there is evidence of an earlier settlement, the words "as early as " are to be supplied by the reader, before the year annexed.
Josiah Bridges, who lived at Porter Village, near the spring called " The Bridges Spring," Benjamin Bridges, probably a brother of Josiah, who lived and died on the farm occupied by the late William Floyd (the cultivation of this farm was his chief employment, but a portion of his time was devoted to turning out, in a rudely constructed lathe, bowls and mortars, then an essential part of household furniture), Josiah Bridges, jr., James Bridges, Jonathan Blazo, 1802, Samnel Brooks, Hezekiah Bickford, who was the second eap- tain of the military company first organized in the plantation, Jonathan Cook, Abraham Cook, Nathaniel Cook, John and William French, from Farmington, N. H., 1796, Jacob French, 1802, John Fox, 1801, Edward Fox, Elijah Fox, Henry Floyd, 1794, John Hayes, an emigrant from Ireland, where he had been employed as a weaver, David Hodsdon, Daniel Knowles, 1793, Isaac Knowles, Simeon and Jonathan Libby, John Libby, jr., who, it was said, had so retentive a memory that, having heard a lengthy sermon, he could repeat the whole of it, imitating very accurately both the tones and gestures of the speaker (aside from memory he was not en- dowed with superior mental powers), Meshach Libby, jr.,
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
Hanson and Tobias Libby, and Isaac Libby their father, Gideon Mason, 1794, John Mason, 1795, Francis Mathews, 1802, Charles Nutter, 1797, Joseph Pottle, 1793, who was the first captain of the plantation company, David Pottle, 1793, Joseph Pearl, 1793, Thomas Randall, the father of the poet, Samuel Richards, Samuel Richards, 2d, and John Thompson.
The following-named persons settled later, but before the incorporation of the town : Job Bailey in 1806, James Coffin in 1806, who was the first justice of the peace in the town, Samuel Hodsdon, 1805, William Stanley, 1805, Joseph and Elisha Stanley, 1806, John Stacy, April 8, 1804, Ebenezer Taylor, 1806, Henry Tibbetts, 1805, and Richard Young, 1805.
Jonathan Blazo, Elijah Fox, John Hayes, Jonathan Libby, Meshach Libby, jr., Joseph Pottle, Thomas Randall, Samuel Richards, 2d, Job Bailey, William Stanley, and Richard Young, were not permanent settlers. Daniel and Isaac Knowles and Simeon Libby removed to the State of New York in 1817.
PLANTATION RECORDS.
The plantation meetings were held at the dwelling houses of Wm. Broad, Daniel Brooks, John Wentworth, Abraham Cook and Josiah Bridges, jr. The first meeting was held July 12, 1802, at the house of Wm. Broad. At this meet- ing, Nathaniel Merrill, an original proprietor, was chosen moderator, and it was voted " to raise twelve pounds for the plantation's use, to give the collector, John Merrill, two shillings per pound for collecting, to raise $200.00 in labor for repairing roads, and not to have any gates or bars across the county road after this season, and to keep gates or bars across the other roads till next March meeting."
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
At a meeting held Aug. 23, 1802, a road previously laid out " from the north side of Libby's Settler's lot " (the lot orig- inally granted to Stephen, but then owned by Meshach Lib- by) " to the county road in Pottle's mill yard " (at Porter village), was accepted. This was the first highway built by taxation, in the plantation, the county road having been built by the proprietors, in accordance with a contract referred to in their deed. At the same meeting, the road laid out from Porter village, through the western part of the town, to Free- dom line, was accepted ; also " a road from Jonathan Blazo's " (where Geo. E. Stacy now lives), "to the county road " ; and at a meeting held Sept. 7 of the same year, a continuation of the first-named road over the hill, to the house of Stephen Libby (now T. C. Libby) was accepted. At a meeting April 4, 1803, it was voted " that the assessors shall have 75 cents per day for their services, and the treasurer one dollar for his services the past year, that good gates may be kept across the roads, except the county road, and that the annu- al plantation meetings shall be held on the first Monday of April." At a meeting held June 13, 1803, the plantation was divided into five school districts, three of which were within the present limits of Porter, and two within the lim- its of Brownfield.
The following is the list of names as recorded in the three districts :
FIRST DISTRICT. SECOND DISTRICT. THIRD DISTRICT.
Thomas Randall,
David Moulton,
Isaac Knowles,
Samuel Richards, Simeon Libby, Samuel Brooks,
Sam'l Richards, 2d, Stephen Libby, Henry Floyd,
Joseph Pottle, Edward Fox, Hezekiah Bickford,
John French, Meshach Libby, jr., Joseph Pearl,
Wm. French, John Mason, John Hayes,
Hanson Libby, Jonathan Libby, Jonathan Cook,
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
Tobias Libby,
Elijah Fox,
Nathaniel Cook,
Daniel Knowles,
John Fox,
James Bridges,
Francis Mathews,
Gideon Mason.
Josiah Bridges, jr.,
David Hodsdon,
Meshach Libby,
Jacob French.
Abraham Cook,
John Thompson.
At this time there were no settlers in the eastern part of the plantation, south of the present limits of Brownfield. If we suppose a line drawn from the Ossipee river due north, to the south line of Brownfield, and about one mile east of our Town House, all the permanent settlers then resided west of it. The first school district embraced the families in' the southern part, the second, those in the middle, and the third, the families in the northern part. At the previous annual meeting, April 4th, it was voted to raise $200.00 for the support of schools. Thus early did our ancestors appreciate the value of our public schools. At the presidential election held at the dwelling house of John Wentworth (the only presidential election held under its plantation organization), Nov. 5, 1804, nineteen candidates for electors were voted for, viz. : two for electors at large (James Sullivan, then of Boston, and Elbridge Gerry of Cambridge) ; thirteen for that number of congressional districts in Massachusetts, and four for the Maine districts, to wit : Cumberland county form- ing one, York county, one, Kennebec, Hancock and Wash- ington, one, and Lincoln, one. From the first Maine dis- trict (Cumberland county), Charles Turner of Turner was the candidate ; from the second district, John Woodman of Buxton ; from the third, Thomas Fillebrown of Hallowell ; and from the fourth, John Farley of Newcastle. Each can- didate received thirty-seven votes, except Farley, who had thirty-six. These nineteen candidates having been chosen, voted for Jefferson for President and George Clinton for
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
vice-President. In the record of a meeting, April 1, 1805, this contract is stated : "The collector, William Boynton, agreed to collect the taxes for 193 cents upon every three dollars and 33 cents, i.e., for 19} cents per pound, New England currency. The change from pounds, shillings and pence, to dollars, cents and mills, was to many an undesira- ble innovation. The proposed Metric System of weights and measures is destined to meet a more formidable opposi- tion. At a meeting, Aug. 5, 1805, it was voted " to have the plantation of Porterfield incorporated " [as a town ], " and to have it called Denmark." The town of Denmark was not incorporated until 1807.
At the last annual plantation meeting, held April 7, 1806, James Sullivan had forty-two votes for governor, and Caleb Strong, one. On the same day it was " voted to allow Han- son Libby $1.50 for his services as treasurer the past year, and Samuel Wentworth 82 cents for his services as planta- tion clerk."
INCIDENTS OF THE TIMES.
In one respect, the period of our town's settlement was fortunate. The question of supremacy as between England and France had been settled by Gen. Wolfe, on the plains of Abraham, in 1759. The Indians under Paugus, in 1725, had been driven by Capt. Lovell and his valiant band, from their hunting grounds on the Saco and Ossipee, and the power of the more distant tribes, that had devastated so many New England settlements, was utterly broken. But if mar- tial prowess was not then needed, other manly virtues were, and in these our early settlers were not wanting. It is true, they were generally poor, but they were hardy, energetic, self-reliant and honest. On their arrival, the first labor for
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HISTORY OF PORTER.
them was a combat with the giants of the forest. Many of them were experts in such a contest.
"Deep echoing groaned the thickets brown, Then rustling, crackling, crashing, thundered down."
His acre per day was not then, as now, a feat for the axe- man to boast of. A clearing made, shelter for himself and family must next engage his energies. Although the for- ests afforded abundant timber, no friendly sawmill was at hand to cut it into boards. These had to be transported on a drag made for the purpose, from a distant town, over a road, of which the construction and repairs consisted mostly in spotting the trees for the guidance of the teamster. At length industry and perseverance conquer. A dwelling deemed comfortable, if not elegant, is ready for the family. The walls of the house, first occupied by my father, were made of nicely hewn pine timber, locked together at the corners. The house was of sufficient size for three rooms be- low. Above stairs were the dormitories for the bairns and occasional lodgers, but " the spare-bed " occupied a more de- sirable situation below. The fire-place and lower part of the chimney were built of carefully selected stone, and the continuation sky-ward was constructed of sticks and clay mortar. This house was occupied as a dwelling until 1809, and afterward as a workshop, until about 1830, when it was torn down. At first a rude hovel was all that could be af- forded for the shelter of gentle " Brindle " and her associates. · Clearing up the forest and building rude dwellings were not all that was required of the pioneer. His increasing family must be fed, clothed and educated to the extent of his means, and all was to be done, not by the use of ready capi- tal, but by his own untiring industry. The soil is hard and rugged, his implements of husbandry are rude, his flocks are assailed and diminished by the prowling wolf and bear,
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