USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > Sketches of the history of the town of Camden, Maine; including incidental references to the neighboring places and adjacent waters > Part 7
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1[05. The expenses of the town for this year may be seen by the following sums voted for said purpose : " twenty pound3
* Town Records, p 47.
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for the necessary charge of the town;" "30 pounds for the support of school ;" " 80 pounds for highway ;" and, after mature deliberation, undoubtedly, it was voted, also, to raise " 30 pounds for the support of the Gospel." Who the preacher was, that was hired for the said " 30 pounds," we cannot now ascertain.
Feb. 4, 1793, the " 20 Associates of the Lincolnshire Com- pany" donated to the town "the ministerial lot, No. 57," (where the first church was subsequently built,) and . the school lot, No. 58." (which was adjoining the other lot.) for which the town tendered a vote of thanks to said Company.
During this year, John Bowers erected the building subse- quently known as the " Foote house." It was occupied as a hotel by Mr. Bowers from 1795 to '97 : by Ebenezer Pain in '97 ; Philip Crocker 1797-98, and by Capt. Edward Payson until 1800, during which year he died. It afterwards passed into the hands of Col. Erastus Foote, during whose ownership it was used as a tavern, dwelling house, &c. In was torn down in 1853 by Mr. Joel Thomas, who purchased the house and land. The land on which it stood is now owned by Wm. Merriam, Esq., and sons, who contemplate the erection of a brick block on the spot.
At a meeting held the 7th of March, 1796, it was voted to raise "$130 for the support of school," and "$100 for the sup- port of the Gospel." The latter sum was evidently bestowed upon transient religious teachers.
Among those who used to preach here about this time, we might mention the following reverend gentlemen : Elisha Snow, (of St. George,) Isaac Case, Jno. Whitney, Joseph Richards, (of Camden)-Baptist. Paul Coffin, (of Buxton.) Jno. Lath- rop, (of Boston.)-who was an agent for the Tract Society- Phineas Pillsbury .- Congregationist. Joshua Hall, Joshua Wells, Robt. Yellalee, Aaron Humphrey, and Ephm. Stinch- field, * Methodist.
Rev. Paul Coffin, D. D., who kept a journal of bis travels while in the employ of the Missionary Society, (of the Congre-
· Mr. Stinchfield afterwards became a Free Will Baptist.
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gationist order, we think,) made the following entry when at Camden, under date of Aug. 15, 1796: " Camden, formerly Megunticook. Squire MeGlathry treated me with true and simple politeness, and hospitality. This is a place beautiful for situation, and promising for trade. The harbor: a mill for boards and corn on a fresh stream, and the adjacent gently rising lands made a good appearance, and are quite convenient. The back country, east and west, have no market but this. One ship and a schooner have this year been launched here, and six or seven heavy vessels are on the stocks. The roads are here beaten and worn. The place looks more like home, and a seat of trade, than Ducktrap, Northport, or Belfast. Eight years have done all this. The Squire has sold one-fourth of an aere of land for $100. About fifteen neat houses, some large, with other buildings, make the appearance of a compact town. The harbor is full of pleasant islands."* During this year a library was instituted in town, called "the Federal Society's Library." It contained 200 volumes, and after an existence of 34 years, the affair was closed by selling the books at public vendue.
. ". At a legal meeting." held the 7th of Nov., 1796, it was " Voted, to build a Meeting House at the crotch of the roads on Mr. Isaac Harrington's land, Provided said land is gaven to the town." The project, from some.cause or other, failed, and said meeting house was not built at the time and place designated.
Until the elections of 1796, candidates for political office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts-in which this State was then included-were generally elected without any opposition, and if an aspirant for a place within the gift of the people had the fortune to be nominated, he was quite sure the choice would be unanimously ratified at the ensuing election. At this period party lines were drawn, when the Federal and Demo- cratic parties marshalled their forces and appeared at the polls with their respective candidates. At the spring election, Sam'l Adams, the Federal candidate, was elected over his opponent, Increase Sumner, by a handsome majority. In this town,
* " Missionary Town in Maine in 1796," in the Me. Hist. Coll., IV., P. 328. 1
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the vote for Adams was unanimous, he receiving 40 votes and Sumner 0. At the November election the choice of the town was for a " Federal representative," without a dissentient vote.
In fact, there existed such harmony on politics for a number of years that no other than a Federalist was expected to cast a vote, as the following article in a warrant for a meeting for the election of State officers, Oct. 24, 1796,) illustrates: "To bring in there Votes for the choice of a Federal Representative." A unity of sentiment existed on political matters until about the year 1806, when a change occurred by which elections were ever afterwards contested.
1797. Agreeably to a law of the Commonwealth, every citizen was required to pay a tax for the support of the stand. ing religious order of the place where he resided, unless his in - tentions were duly recorded to the effect that he belonged to some other denomination and contributed for the sustenance of the same. Accordingly, under date of Feb. 14th, we find the following protest filed, signed by nine non-conformists :- " To the Inhabitants of the town of Cambden, members of the annual meeting of said town: Gentlemen, we, the subscribers, citizens of America, willing to bair our Proportionable part of charges for the support of Religion and civil Government, and belong- ing to the Denomination of Baptists do Request ot you Brethren an Exemption from being taxed for the support of any Preacher of the Gospel, but those of our own denomination, and for your health and happiness as in Duty bound we shall ever Pray."" After this year, similar protests are of frequent occurrence upon the town records from persons of the Baptist, Free Will Baptist, Methodist, and Universalist orders.
At a " legal meeting," held in May, the question of separation from Massachusetts was acted upon when the vote stood 26 yeas, 4 nays.
In September the town was indicted for not having a supply of "military stores," and John Hathaway, Esq., t was chosen to defend the town at the county court.
*Town Records, page 59.
+ Mr. Hathaway was the first lawyer in town.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN.
1798. At a meeting held in March it was voted, "Not to Rase money to the gospel this year."
May 7, 1798, a meeting was called for the election of a town representative to the General Court of Massachusetts. The meeting was held at the house of Philip Crooker at the Harbor village. After a moderator was chosen, it was " Voted, to adjourn for half an hour and to meet at Benj. Cushing's store." The object of this adjournment is not stated, and it is accordingly left for posterity to conjecture concerning it. On resuming the business of the meeting, it was " voted, that Sam'l Jacobs be representative." This was the first time this town was represented at the General Court. In the following year it was " voted not to choose a representative to send to Court."
Jan. 2, 1799, the Masonic fraternity held their first meeting and effected a temporary organization by making choice of the following officers: Philip Ulmer, Master ; Jno. Hathaway, Secretary. A committee was then chosen " to address a petition to the Grand Lodge for a Charter." At a meeting of the Fraternity, Jan. 30th, it was " voted, that the title of the Lodge be, the Federal Lodge." $50 was then raised for the pro- curement of the Charter. It appears that the Grand Lodge did not think that the name of a political party well accorded with the object of the Order, and so instead adopting the ap- pellation presented, of the more euphonious one of " Amity," was affixed to the charter ; which was given at Boston March 10th, 1801.
Apr. 23, 1801, the Lodge met at Benj. Palmer's hall, (in the house now owned by Capt. Jas. Clark.) where they made choice of the following permanent officers : Geo. Ulmer, M .; Hezekiah Prince, S. W .; Samuel Thatcher, J. W .; Erastas Foote, S .; Wm. Gregory, Jr., T .; Benj. Cushing, S. D .; Joshua Adams, J. D .: Simon Barret, S. S .; Bela Jacobs, J. D .; Christo- pher Dailey, Tyler. On the first night of the meeting, the names of 18 petitioners were received. The installation address was delivered July30, 1801, by the Rev. Thurston Whiting, of Warren. *
On the Town Records (p. 82.) under date March 4, 1799, we
· Records of the Order.
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find the following vote recorded : " Voted, John Gregory, constable, to collect for nothing." Cheap enough !
In the Town Records of March 4, 1800, we see the following article inserted in a town meeting warrant : " To see what the town will do in regard to setting off a part of Camden join- ing the northerly part of Thomaston to make another town." A committee was appointed to make the necessary survey, and report. The dividing line was to commence between Goose River and Clam Cove, and run northerly to the Hope line. The report of the committee was accepted, but it appears no definite action was afterward taken upon the matter, and thus the scheme was abandoned, by merited neglect.
In 1790 a meeting house was erected by the munificence of private individuals. It was situated on the old post road exactly half a mile from J. H. Curtis, Esq.'s, store. It had a vestibule on the front end which extended to the eaves. The roof was flat, and in the centre was a belfry that rose to an altitude of about twenty feet, and was pointed at the top. The outside was clap-boarded and painted yellow. The house was entered through the vestibule, the door of which opened into the central of the three aisles. The body of the church con- tained 75 pews, which were of the high old, fashioned kind, The gallery which encircled the room, was entered by a flight of stairs leading from the porch. In the gallery directly in front of the pulpit, was the singing seats. The pulpit was nearly on a line with the topping of the gallery, thus placing the preacher in a lofty position enough to scan his whole audience.
Directly over the pulpit was a sounding-board of the size and shape of a mill stone, which was suspended by an inch and a half iron bar. Among the juvenile hearers it used to tend to enforce the precepts given by the preacher from the fact that they (as one of them avers) used to reverently believe that if the incumbent of the sacred desk deviated from the truth dur- ing his ministrations therefrom, said sounding-board would fall upon his head " instanter," as a token of Divine disapproval !
This meeting house was used as a place of worship until the Congregational church was erected, in 1834. It was afterward sold, and as it was much dilapidated ; it was torn down about the year 1838.
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Number XIII.
An aquaduct laid-Rev. Mr. Pillsbury-Efforts to procure a Minister- Town expenses-The Turnpike-The Mountain Pass-Its scenery-Mode of making the Turnpike-An Incident-Cost of the Turnpike-Purchased by Camden and Lincolnyille-Daniel Barrett-Picturesque scenery-Rev. Joshna Hali preaches, and teaches school here-Members of his Society- The Log school House-Goose River Bridges.
A PRIL 7th, 1800, Micah and Wm. Hobbs came to Camden from Princeton, Mass. ; soon after which, they con- tracted with Jacob Reed to lay an aquaduct at the Harbor village. The pipes were made of hemlock, spruce, and cedar, in sections of about ten feet in length, connected by chamfering the ends so as to fit one into the other. The conduits led from a spring at the base of the mountain, (directly back of S. G. Adams, Esq.'s, house,) and supplied several houses on the northerly side of the bridge, and crossed the stream between Mr. Chase's smith shop and the Bowling Alley, and thence branched off in different directions to the houses on the southerly side of the bridge. Between the years 1812 and '18 another aquaduct was laid, leading from a spring in Mr. Jas. Richards' tield, from which the more southerly part of the village was supplied with water. It appears to have been a stock concern, of which Mr. Reed was the principal owner, and director. The pipes were only conducted to such houses as complied with the terms of the company. # Some of the oll conduits may be seen near the north easterly end of the Megunticook House, where they have become exposed to view.
In the town meeting warrant for Oct. 16, 1800, an article was inserted to see if the town would consent to settle one
* By an act of the Legislature, passed April 6, 1-72, n similar company was incorporated in town, called the Megunticook Water Company, but as the proprietors did not meet with deserved success in obtaining subscrip. tion to their stock, the enterprise failed.
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"Rev. Mr. Pillsbury " as a religious teacher to attend to the spiritual wants of the community. The article was passed over, and consequently the invitation was not extended to him. April 6, 1801, $150 was voted to be raised " for the sup- port of the ministry," and a committee of three was appointed " to procure a preacher." It was voted also that " The candi- date shall have sufficient credentials or not be employed." Said committee corresponded with several ministers on the subject, but they did not chance to find the kind of a man they were in quest of.
1802, April 5th, the town voted to raise $2,400, as follows : $1,200 for repair of the highways; $300 for the necessary charges of the Town; $100 for the support of the ministry ; $800 for the expense of schools.
During this year, Dan'l Barrett obtained of the General Court of Mass. a permit or charter, to make a turnpike, follow- ing the base of Mt. Megunticook, from his land, (now owned by bis son, Wm. Barrett,) to Smelt Brook .- one mile in length.
Previous to this, the road or path leading from Camden to Lincolnville Centre, passed over Megunticook mountain, and was entered near where Wm. Barrett now lives. The path in some places was through a defile of the mountain, and was so narrow that it could not be used by a vehicle, and was difficult, sometimes hazardous, even with a horse. Its cliffy and danger- ous sides always made it a dreaded pass to those who were necessitated to travel it. . In some places a miss-step might precipitate the traveler hundreds of feet in the chasm below. Its romantic picturesqueness, however, constituted it a lovely place for the admirers of Nature, who could there gratify their taste for the sublime and beautiful to its fullest extent.
It may at once be perceivedl what a great benefit a turnpike would be, when so much uanger and difficult traveling would thereby be avoided. The conception of the plan was as great as it was humane, as will be conceded by all who are acquainted with the place. The cilffy base of the mountain formed the margin of Canaan Pond from the commencement, to the end of the road.
Such were the obstructions to be overcome. The plan Mr.
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Barrett devised was to roll large rocks from the mountain to make a wall, and then form the road by filling in with debris and dirt. Every common expedient was used in detaching rocks, undermining boulders, and blasting granite. Among the workmen employed, were four manumitted slaves : of one of them the following incident is related, tending to illustrate the manner, and hazardousness with which the work was often wrought : A very large rock had been undermined, and one prop after another, which were placed under it to shore it up, were taken away, until it rested upon one support. This stay required to be knocked from under by a workman. The crew at work at the time numbered about forty, but when the proposition with a liberal offer was made them, not one was found willing to risk his chance of life for the reward offered. The silence was finally broken by Sambo, who stepped forward and said to Mr. Barrett, " Massa, dare 's only one ting I axk ; if I dies in de venture, just gib me a decent burryin and dat'll do." Being thus assured, Sambo shouldered an ax and boldly marched up the slope to the rock, watched from below by the workmen, who observed his movements with fear, expecting to soon see him crushed beneath the mass. Dealing a few heavy blows, the prop soon gave way, and the rock started from its bed, when Sambo quickly sprang aside, and just escaped it as it went with a loud crash down the declivity into the pond below. As the dust cleared away, Sambo was seen displaying his ivory with a broad grin, and in great glee he cheered lustily, as the workmen beneath sent up their hurrahs with simultaneous voice at the favorable result.
The number employed on the Turnpike varied at different times ; sometimes there were as many as fifty, at other times as few as four or five. Many from Camden and Lincolnville worked an allotted time for a perpetual free passport, and others for a limited length of time. It is said to have occupied five years from the commencement to its completion, and to have cost on the average $1,000 a year. *
* Another authority,-one of the Selectmen of Lincolnville,-says it took about three years to make it, aud that it cost about $6,000: the former statement comes from a more direct source, and thua may be considered the more reliable one.
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The toll house and gate was opposite to where Wm. Barrett now lives. The old toll house is still to be seen near where it formerly stood. The toll rates [were as follows: 3 cents for a foot passenger ; 8 cents on horseback; 12 1.2 cts. horse and wagon ; horse and chaise, 17 cts .; 1 ct. apiece for sheep and swine; and so on.
It was used as a toll road until about the year 1834, when it was purchased by Benj. Cushing and Ephraim Wood, of Cam- den, and Moses Young, of Lincolnville, for $300. This town became responsible for the $200 paid by Mesers. Cushing and Wood, and Lincolnville for a part of the sum advanced by Mr. Young. The Turnpike proved to be a poor investment for Mr. Barrett's money, as it did not near pay the interest ; and as it required much attention and expense to keep it it repair, it was accordingly sold as above. The name of Daniel Barrett, by being associated as it is with the history of the Turnpike, will go down to posterity as one ever to be gratefully remem- bered.
It will be exceedingly difficult to find scenery in New Eng- land that will surpass in grandeur and beauty that which is presented by the Turnpike. The traveler beholds on his right hand the rocky cliffs towering above him some seven hundred feet, tending to inspire him with fear and wonder ; while on his left hand. at his feet, is Canaan's beautiful lakelet, whose placid, glassy surface seems to smile with a consciousness of its own loveliness and tranquilizing power, and tends to beget in his mind feelings of serenity and repose, in contradistinction to the sensations produced by its frowning neighbor.
The above description conveys but a faint idea of the highly romantic appearance presented. The pen of a ready writer might depict, and the brush of a master artist portray, the view, but we think the attempt wouldl fail to convey to the mind a correct knowledge of the reality itself. Those who have enjoyed the pleasure of seeing the Turnpike, will not deem us too enthusiastic in our encomiums upon it.
On a warrant for a town meeting, dated Sept. 21, 1802, we find the following article inserted : " To see if the town will agree with Rev. Joshua Hall to preach with them and keep .
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school for one year." Mr. Hall informed us a few months since that he received a number of very urgent letters from the selectmen relative to securing his services, when he finally accepted of the offer tendered to him. Any action upon the question would not be valid unless ratified by the town. When the town meeting was held it was " Voted, to strike out the words 'and keep school,'" and then it was next voted to pass over the rest of the article. But Mr. Hall's friends were set on having him here, on so insisted on his coming. Among those who belonged to his denomination-Methodist-were Daniel Barrett, Richard Wilson, and David Rollins. In addition to his Sabbath ministrations, he taught school one season. He used to teach one term alternately at the Harbor and the River. The place in which he kept school at the River was a log cabin situated on the site now occupied by David Talbot, Esq.'s, house ; so says one who attended said sehool.
Dec. 14, 1801, the town " voted to build a bridge over Goose River stream." At a meeting held Apr. 4, 1803, it was voted to raise $150 for the purpose of building said bridge. This bridge is situated about a quarter of a mile above the new one, near where Winchester Farnham used to live, or in proximity to the land now owned by the heirs of Capt. Jabez Amesbury. The road crossing the bridge was used as the post road until about the year 1844, when the bridge below was built, which was re-built in 1856, at a cost of $4,300.
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Number XIV.
Father Sewall's allusion to Camden-The Town extends a "call" to Rev. Thos. Cochran-[NOTE]-His salary-Dissenters-Ordination Day- Regarded as a " high day "-Death of a Glutton-The Installation-Pro- ceedings -- Quakers-First Universalist Preaching-Free Will Baptists and Methodists-Votes for Governor -- Proposition for the protection of Fish -Question of separation from Mass, agitated-Ammunition-The Em- bargo-Infraction of the Act-An Instance-A Vessel seized by Collector Farley-A bond given as security-Sails for France-Failure to recover bonds-Our Citizens petition the President for the removal of the Em- bargo-The Commonwealth of Mass, petitioned-The restriction removed -Hog Reeves-Universalists form a Society-Reading of Sermons-Mem- bers of said Society-Votes for Governor-Bounty offered on Wild Cats and Crows-Maj. Jos. Peirce-The Old Mansion House-Maj. Peirce de- camps with the Records of the Twenty Associates.
1803. DURING this year, Rev. " Father " Sewall, a Congregationist minister, visited Camden, and speaks of it as " containing somewhat more than a hundred families, having a decent meeting-house, but no church of any denomination, and only a few scattering professors."*
1804. During this year, Rev. Thos. Cochrant preached here a few times, and as he gave such general satisfaction, the town
* Memoir of Rev. Jotham Sewall, p. 130.
t Mr. Cochran was born in New Boston. N. H., April 14, 1771. He graduated at Dartmouth College. His father, John Cochran, was born in Londonderry. N. H. Ilis grandfather was among the memorialists from the north of Ireland who petitioned Gov. Shute, in 1,18, as being desirous to migrate " to that very excellent and renowned Plantation,"- New England. Meeting with the desired encuragement from the Gov- ernor, these memorialists,-principally from Londonderry .- commonly called the Secteh-Irish, embarked for New England. where they arrived Aug. 4, 1719. In the succeeding year, the principal part of them settled a plantation :1 25. H., to which they gave the name of Londonderry. We have tracel out the history of these Scotch-Irish colonists in our Sketches of the Early History of Belfast, Numbers 1 and 2.
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voted, Nov. 5th, to give him " a call" "if terms can be agreed on to their mutual satisfaction." Feb. 11, 1805, 8500 was voted as his salary. It was also voted, " That the first settled minister in said town have the improvement of one-third part of the lot near Goose River, (given by the Proprietors of said Town of Camden for the use of the ministry.) as long as he remains a minister of said Town." *
It appears there were many who dissented from the proceed- ing-, and we find that Richard Wilson and eleven others protested against them, and caused a meeting to convene on the 13th, to reconsider the vote of Feb. 11th. Their reasons of opposition are not given, but it appears they were in favor of dividing the money thus appropriated among the religious teachers of the different denominations. The vote stood as follows : " 50 votes for reconsidering, and 57 votes against it ;" so the motion was lost by seven majority.
On the day of ordination, Sept. 11th, 1805,. there was an unusual stir about town. Many had come by sea and land from not only all the neighboring towns, but some as far as Brooksville ; t so it may be seen that the occasion was regarded as a " great day " in this section. Besides being a " high day " to the moral and religious part of the community, it was im- proved by " the baser sort" in horse-racing, drinking, and carousing. One John N-, of Lincolnville, who was a " Revolutioner," made an unnatural fool of himself by imbibing to excess, and while endeavoring, at a public dinner, to accom- plish the feat of a glutton, swallowed a piece of unmasticated meat and choked to death. Commemorative of the above, and other incidents of the day, some poetaster composed some verses, which became as popular among certain classes as are familiar melodies at the present day.
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