USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Old Town > Sketches of the town of Old Town, Penobscot County, Maine from its earliest settlement, to 1879; with biographical sketches > Part 7
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one of his evening meetings, he invited any one present to join in the exercises. Aaron H. Johnson, improving the op- portunity, made some talk in his usual muddy style. McDon- ald did not approve the sentiment advanced, nor did he an- swer the arguments, or thought them unworthy of reply, and to close the controversy dropped upon his knees and began to pray, and amongst the fervent petitions sent up to the throne of grace, was one " that the Lord would make John- son's heart as soft as his head." The boys then and there gave McDonald an encore.
DANIEL H. MANSFIELD.
Was a Methodist minister, and was stationed here for two years. He was very much imbued with the spirit of his di- vine mission, and not only carried it out in his action, but he talked it and sung it. He was a fine singer, and accompanied his voice with the violin, which he was inordinately fond of, and played with a great deal of skill and intelligent science. Many a good sing we have had together, and the aroma of its
spirit still lingers around its memories. And yet, under all his honest piety, he had a natural temper, which would some- times flash out beyond his control. He lived in one part of the Moses Brown house, and Norton lived in the other part. One day in the month of February, Mrs. Mansfield and Mrs. Norton passed the day with Mrs. Hiram Smith, and in the evening Mansfield and Norton joined the group ; it was the season of the February thaw, and it begun to rain in the af- ternoon, and rained powerfully all the evening ; there was a great depth of snow upon the ground. About ten o'clock, the party began to talk about going home, but on account of the storm, Mrs. Smith urged the party to stay all night, and especially the ladies ; but Mrs. Mansfield demurred, and the
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persuasions of the whole company had no effect to change her determination. So they started for home; the wind blew so hard that no one could carry an umbrella, and thus they had to brave the whole force of the storm, sinking into the snow nearly a foot at every step; arriving near home they found the ditch which they must cross, on the side of the road, filled with water, and in the attempt to cross it Mrs. Mans- field managed to slip and fall at full length upon her back right in the deepest of the puddle, which was deep enough to half cover her person. Mansfield took no notice of her, nor offered to help her, but trudged along into the house and left her to get out of the trouble as best she could, which she, being very nimble, and urged in her efforts by the chilling water, readily did. Norton aided his wife along to the gate, and the path being narrow, allowed her to go from there by herself to the door. The house had settled in the centre, and all the water from the roof was pouring in a deluge from the gutter directly upon the door-steps. When Mrs. Norton arrived there her strength was so much exhausted that she was unable to step up into the house, and stood there in a dazed condition, with that flood pouring upon her until her husband arrived and helped her into the house. It is unnec- essary to add that the party was somewhat damp.
LEONARD P. FRENCH.
A very worthy preacher of the Methodist persuasion, sta- tioned here several years, making by his open, genial and true manly disposition, a host of friends wherever his lot might happen to cast him. In after years he very deservedly rose to the position of presiding elder in his denomination. JOSEPH C. FRENCH.
Brother of L. P. French, and likewise a Methodist minis-
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ter. When rebellion stalked forth in the land, his patriotic spirit would not allow him to sit idly by and see the govern- ment he so much respected, ruthlessly destroyed by 'rebel hands-and following out the injunction to " be obedient to the powers that be," he enlisted in company E, fourteenth regiment Maine volunteers, and went with it to New Orleans. He was promoted to Captain, and wounded at the battle of Baton Rouge ; was afterwards put on board of a transport to be sent to the hospital at New Orleans. The steamer was sunk on the passage, and Capt. French was lost, with others, in the unfortunate wreck.
NATHANIEL HAYNES.
Lawyer ; born and brought up in Livermore ; his father was a Baptist clergyman ; came here in 1825; stayed here about two years, and then moved to Bangor. Was interested in the publication of the Eastern Republican; married the daughter of William D. Williamson, the historian of Maine. JEREMIAH PERLEY.
Lawyer; commenced the practice of law in this place in 1829, and remained three years. He compiled a legal work which was known as " Perley's Justice," which was a guide and text book for Justices of the Peace, until the revision of the Statutes in 1842. He was a thorough out-spoken tem- perance man, and had no hesitation in boldly avowing his sentiments-a wonder, considering the locality and age in which he lived. I have had no opportunity to inquire what became of him.
GEORGE W. INGERSOLL.
Lawyer; settled here in 1832; was a whig in politics, was an attentive counsel, and careful of the interest of his clients, and was Collector of the port of Bangor under John
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Tyler. He was to some extent engaged in land speculation with J. C. Bradbury. From the time he came into the town until the division of the town in 1840, there was a good deal of rivalry between this village and Lower Stillwater. In 1838, the annual spring meeting was called at the " Cradle of Liberty. " There being a good deal of excitement in re- gard to which village should carry the day, caused a general turnout of the voters.
Ingersoll was chosen Moderator, and the school house not being large enough to hold the crowd, the meeting was ad- journed to the depot, and an open box car served as a stand for the Moderator. When twelve o'clock came, a motion was made to adjourn for dinner ; the Orono folks objected, as they were so far from home they would have to stay so much longer without food ; the Moderator put the motion, and de- clared it a vote, and before a doubt could be heard, as many hands as could get around the car, started out of the depot, carrying the Moderator with it, and the meeting was of course adjourned. The business could not be finished in one day, and the meeting was adjourned one week, to meet at Upper Stillwater. On assembling there, the school house was too small, and the meeting was adjourned to the toll bridge. Ex- Governor Washburn was very active, and somewhat noisy ; and in order to get the attention of the Moderator, climbed up into the X-work of the bridge, and kept calling out, " Mr. Moderator!" At length Ingersoll got out of patience, and remarked, " If I had a squirt gun I would bring you down." The meeting was divided on the question at issue, Old Town taking one side of the bridge, and Orono the other; Old Town came out twenty-five ahead. One old gentleman who had favored the Orono side, when he found out how it was
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coming out, crawled through the X-work, on to the Old Town side of the bridge. The result of this meeting led to a division of the town.
WILLIAM T. HILLIARD.
Lawyer; came here in 1833; was quite popular with the masses, and was chosen Clerk of Courts in 1847, against the regular nominee of the democratic party-this town giving him almost a unanimous vote. He then moved to Bangor, and held the office some twelve years.
JOHN H. HILLIARD.
Lawyer; many years a partner with his brother, Wm. T., in law business, and still resides here-but most unfortunately, on account of rheumatic difficulty in his lower limbs, he is deprived of the power of locomotion, and is obliged to remain in doors. He has held the office of Town Clerk, Superin- tending School Committee, Selectman, Representative to the Legislature, and County Attorney, all of which positions he filled with honor and ability ; came here in January, 1834. SAMUEL CONY.
Lawyer; came to Old Town in 1833; was a good counsel- lor, but not a brilliant advocate. He early took a prominent position in the town, and in the second year of his residence here, was elected to the Legislature; was on the first board of Selectmen after the town was incorporated ; in time was appointed Judge of Probate, and moved to Bangor; after- wards removed to Augusta ; he served several years as State Treasurer, and was afterwards elected Governor, and served three years ; constituting one of the galaxy of war Governors, whose names are written upon the scroll of fame, to be handed down the pathway of honored remembrance for all coming time. I lived his neighbor for several years, and ever hold in
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pleasant remembrance that honored marital companion of his, beautiful in personal charms, yet more lovely in all the graces and virtues which adorn womanhood.
EZRA C. BRETT.
Lawyer; succeeded H. P. A. Smith, in 1847, and took his business and law library ; was for several years Secretary of the Senate of Maine, which position he left on being elected Clerk of Courts. In 1871, he removed to Bangor. He held the office of Clerk twelve years-and performed its duties to the acceptance of Court and attornies. JOHN B. MORGAN.
Emigrated here in 1824; was a blacksmith, and worked at the business occasionally ; but he preferred to work upon the water, and had the reputation of being one of the smartest watermen upon the river. In the stirring times from 1832 to 1838, he entered largely into land speculation, and was lucky enough to make a fortune out of it. He, with others, got up the stock of the Bank of Old Town, and he was elected as president. A suitable building had to be erected, and he was appointed agent to superintend its erection. The bank build- ing stands to-day the solitary monument of the labor per- formed. One day Morgan and one of his Boston acquaint- ances were looking on the progress of the work ; among the workmen was a loud-voiced, active, and energetic teamster ; the Bostonian remarked that he was the most industrious Irishman he ever saw. It hardly needs to be added that Mor- gan did not inform his speculating friend that the supposed son of Erin was his brother Henry.
When the Orthodox church wanted a bell, it was suggested to Morgan that he and Rines should together buy one, but to this Morgan demurred, saying he did not want a bell which
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" rang Stover Rines half of the time, and John B. Morgan half of the time "-so he paid the full price, five hundred dollars, and the church got a bell which " rang John B. Mor- gan " all the time, until it was melted in the funeral pyre of Abraham Lincoln, in April, 1865.
On one of his speculating trips, he stopped at one of the crack hotels in the city of New York. In order to make an impression upon those with whom he was trying to negotiate, he had to treat pretty liberally ; he was there a couple of days, and when about to depart, called for his bill, supposing that it might be twenty or twenty-five dollars-but when present- ed it amounted to over ninety dollars ; he was surprised, but equal to the occasion, and threw down a hundred dollar bill, with the remark, "Make it an even hundred-no matter about any change back."
JEFFERSON ST. CLAIR.
Came here in connection with Rufus Dwinel; was boom master some five years ; was quite extensively engaged in lumbering business ; was an energetic and enterprising man, and was the successor to John B. Morgan as president of the Bank of Old Town. During his administration of the bank affairs, the financial crisis of 1837 reached its culmination, and this bank, with many others, succumbed to the force of the storm. His style of doing business was like this : He and Purinton had rented some shore to lay logs upon ; some one had hitched logs there, and Purinton had posted a notice requesting the owners to remove them. After the notice was up, St. Clair added the words, " or they will all be moved at once." He afterwards emigrated to Wisconsin, became in- sane, and put an end to his own life.
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WILLIAM H. SMITH.
Came to Old Town in 1828. His first business was batteau making, but soon engaged in the lumber business, and was one of the very few who drew a prize in that lottery. He cut a lot of logs on the Passadumkeag, which was the second lot upon the river, that brought so high a price as ten dollars per M. He was the principal stockholder in the Lumber- man's Bank, of which he was the president. By close atten- tion to business, vigor, and good financial ability, his capital has largely expanded, and he is now reckoned as one of the solid capitalists. He removed to Bangor-and is now a citi- zen of Brooklyn, N. Y., and has the pleasure of sitting under the preaching of Henry Ward Beecher.
EDWARD SMITH.
Was here for a few years before 1830. He bought town- ship No. 6, range 10, on the East Branch, for the small price of five cents an acre-the township yielding to the State the trifling sum of eleven hundred dollars. The number of the township, on account of the circumstances of the trade, ad- hered to him ever after, and he was known by the sobriquet of " No. 6 Smith." He was associated with his brother Sam- uel in business ; Samuel was a reckless sort of business man, and one time he undertook some trade with Massachusetts, about timber lands, but not succeeding according to his wish, he flew into a passion, and rushing into the office of Jona- than P. Rogers, demanded to know what he could do to ruin the States of Maine and Massachusetts. " Go into partner- ship with them," was the calm but curt reply of Rogers. The No. 6 town in time fell into the hands of I. & J. Wad- leigh, who lumbered from it several years, and then sold it for $20,000. I have been so situated as to know about the
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quantity of lumber cut on the town since that time, and after a careful estimate am satisfied that the stumpage amounts to more than $300,000. If the Wadleighs had retained the town, and done nothing but grant permits and collect the stumpage, they might have left a larger fortune to their heirs than they did.
ROBERT WYMAN.
Was a hanger-on about Old Town, and was found of go- ing to court as a witness, and in almost every case he would make it appear, that he knew enough about it, to induce one party or the other to summon him. Coming up from court one cold day in January, he landed from the stage at the Wadleigh House; the warm bar room fire, and the hotter fire behind the bar, soon thawed him out, and as he sat toast- ing his shins, first the right and then the left, he declared with a good deal of bombast, that " he had been down to the court, and was a witness in fourteen cases, and did not lose but one of them."
DAVID ORNE.
Kept a rum shop, and is not worth our notice, except for. a little circumstance that took place, and which was some- what damaging to his wallet. One day business made it necessary for him to go to Bangor, and he left his brother Benjamin in charge of the shop, with full diplomatic authori- ty to dispense the needful to any and all customers that might happen along. Now Ben liked a drop of the fluid himself, and his situation, combined with his appetite, made him the most frequent customer at the tap; he soon became so confused as to somewhat unfit him for the proper manage- ment of the business; in this state of affairs, a loafer called for a drink, and after swallowing it, he told Ben to mark it
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, down, which he at once did by making a straight mark with chalk upon the partition, without the formality of appending the name of the debtor. Very soon another loafer happened along, and not only took a drink, but treated his friend, and Ben was told to mark them down, which Ben did by putting two more chalk marks alongside of the first one. Of course such a state of things was too good to keep, and customers became numerous and greedy, and Ben found his hands full in passing the decanters and chalking down the drinks. But longest day and darkest night must have an end-and it is easy to perceive that with such a run of custom, the stock of liquor would in a short time be entirely exhausted, which really happened long before David returned. When he did return, he came into the shop with a beaming smile, and, see- ing the decanters empty, asked Ben why he did not fill them up. "Nothing to fill them with," says Ben. "What, all out of the keg?" asks David, giving one of them a shake, and finding it empty. " Have been pretty busy to-day," says David, in imagination seeing a full till of real chink, and go- ing along, he hauled the money drawer out, but only to find it empty. In great surprise, he exclaims, " Where is all the money ?" " Havn't taken any," says Ben. "Where is all the liquor ?" " Up there, " says Ben, pointing to the chalk marks on the partition. " Where ?" asks David, in evident confu- sion, seeing nothing but a long line of straight chalk marks upon the side of the room. "I tell you it is up there," says Ben, beginning to feel his temper rise at the obtuseness of his brother. David never collected anything of that account.
TIMOTHY BARNARD.
Was a good christian man in outward seeming, and of a kind neighborly disposition. He was in company with Wm.
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A. Cheaver at one time, in the manufacture of the various kinds of short lumber, which was holden to one of the Bangor dealers for supplies advanced to carry on the business. As the season drew on towards its close, it became evident to them that they were doing a losing business, and not liking the idea of working all summer for nothing, with not a dollar laid by for winter's necessities, they managed to run six hun- dred dollars worth of the lumber to Bangor, in the name of James Purinton, who pocketed the whole of the proceeds, and. when the deacon intimated to him aftewards that he would like to have the amount paid over to him, Purinton didn't know anything about it, and the company saved nothing by the operation. Barnard related the facts of the case one time, and wound up the recital with the query in his lisping style, " Wan't Purinton a drefful rascal ?" not thinking that others might believe that they were all in one boat. The deacon, one day, looking at the grove on Academy hill, which is noticed from every hill top in the vicinity as an oasis which has afforded a pleasant shade to so many, and a nice play-ground for the children, remarked to neighbor Sewall "he should think Norton would cut do wn that grove of his, and plant potatoes, it would be more profit," forgetting, no doubt, for the time being, the question "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul."
THOMAS GULLIFER.
Was early here, and was one of the landmarks in our social history, and when we take into consideration his want of ed- ucation, and the influences which surrounded him, his life, though a rough one, will compare favorably with that of ma- ny who claim to be ranked in the higher walks of life and so-
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ciety. He left a numerous progeny, who make a large figure in the census statistics. He delighted to tell the story of his early exploits, how he used "to run rafts of lumber up and down the Kennebec, and used always to sell to one man, Bart & Nason, and when he did not sell to them he sold to some- one else." He was upon the wharf one day, looking at one of those stern wheel steamers as it started up the river. Af- ter gazing at it for a while as it went plowing its way on through the water, he pensively remarked, " That wheel is great sarvice to that boat ! "
ELI HOSKINS.
Came here before 1830 ; was in trade for a while with Aus- tin Russ, in the dry goods line. He spent a portion of his time in New Brunswick; was fond of riding on horseback, and in one of his trips home brought with him a willow twig, which he used as a riding stick ; he set it out in the corner of his lot, next to the street, and it has since grown into a tree more than four feet in diameter, and is the original stock of all that class of willows in this village. He prepared the land and set the trees of the orchard now owned by Ezra Perkins, Esq., and was fond of saying that in after years, when he and his cotemporaries should be laid at rest, it would be known as " the orchard." The Colonel was fond of telling stories, and some of them were so Munchausen like, that many people believed that sometimes he drew largely upon his imagina- tion. He owned years ago the original lot No. 13, upon which the orchard now is, which run up a mile into the woods, and one Stevens, of Massachusetts, owned a lot along- side. Hoskins wanted some cedar posts, and so did George P. Sewall-and they conferred together about the best method of procuring some. Finally, Sewall said to him one day, " I
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know where there is some cedar we can get, and it is not far away." So they agreed upon a time, and started to look at it. As they were going along, Sewall said, " Do you think it would be much out of the way to cut a few sticks of cedar on old Stevens'? he is a non-resident, and don't care any- thing about Old Town." The Colonel did not say "yes" or " no," but still went on, assenting by action, if not by word. They went into the woods just beyond the Academy hill, and after traveling awhile, Sewall said, pointing around at the growth, " What do you think of that ?" " Why, it is a splendid growth of cedar," replied the Colonel. So they en- tered into an arrangement that the Colonel was to do the cutting, and Sewall's team to haul the cedar, one-half to Hos- kins and one-half to himself. They got out a splendid lot of posts, some of which are still standing in Sewall's front fence. After they had procured what posts they wanted, Sewall said, " You see that pine; I want twenty feet of the but of it, and if you will take it down, I will haul the rest to you." Down came the pine, and part of it went into rails for the Colonel's front yard fence. They got through without being disturbed, and the Colonel breathed more freely. As for Sewall, he had no difficulty of respiration during the opera- tion. In the spring following, the Colonel had occasion to trace the lines of his lot. As he went along on the line, he came to a place where some one had been trespassing upon his side of the boundary ; he began to look around, and it seemed to him that the place had a strangely familiar look. " Why, yes ! that pine stump, and those cedar stumps-they have got the very nick marks of the axe I have been using." All at once it dawned upon the Colonel's mind that he and Sewall, instead of trespassing upon old Stevens, had been cutting his own trees. The Colonel said nothing, but in af-
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ter years the sell was so good he had to tell the story. The house in which the Colonel lived of late years, was originally built on the lot where Mrs. Varney now lives, on Oak street, and was moved by the Colonel from there down to its present locality.
SAMUEL STERLING.
One of the early way marks that dot the history of our town, and whom it is just as necessary to notice, as it is one who might have been noted for more shining virtues. Sam was a rollicking, speculating, jockeying sort of a fellow, and a little more inclined to help a rogue than an honest man ; not that he would countenance or encourage crime openly, but more especially because he liked to show his smartness, and ventilate his ability for successful intrigue ; one of his success- ful stratagems brilliantly executed, was in this wise : Mrs. Elizabeth Chapman, of Calais, took a fancy to one Whitney, a hostler, forgetting the allegiance due her rightful lord and master, and Whitney reciprocating the affection, and they, taking the notion into their heads to unite their loving for- tunes, left Calais in company, and came to Old Town. After they came here, she went to work in a family where she was thrown into the company of a good looking young man, who was nothing loth to flirt a little with a good looking woman, and this being reciprocated by her, it in time became so notorious as to arouse a burning jealousy in the breast of Whitney; he remonstrated, and she promised to be more cir- cumspect ; but alas ! the promise of a woman who would leave her husband and elope with another man, was but a slender reed to lean upon, and easily broken. At length Whitney's feelings became so outraged as to fairly make him insane, and he determined to be revenged. One day she was out at the door for some wood ; Whitney approached her and
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began to upbraid her for infidelity to himself, to which she re- plied in a taunting tone, which so exasperated him that he drew a pistol from his pocket, and fired directly at her ; he was so near that some of the powder was blown into her neck and face, but as luck would have it, the bullet struck upon the hem of her dress just upon her collar bone, inflicting but a slight wound. Some man hearing the fracas, came to the rescue and arrested Whitney upon the spot ; Cony issued a warrant ; he was examined, bound over to a higher court and put into Sheriff Morgan's custody, to be taken to jail. Morgan took the prisoner to his house, until he should be ready to other- wise dispose of him. Now Sterling, thinking more of justice than of law, did not believe that Whitney should be sent to jail on account of so fickle a woman, and he concocted a plan for his release. So he drove up to the blacksmith shop, opposite to Morgan's house, and proceeded to take his horse from the wagon, which he said needed some repairs ; he was very particular to tie the reins and tugs up carefully. In the meantime, Morgan, desirous to see what was going on, was strutting around with his charge, as proud as an old hen with a brood of young chickens. Sterling, in the mean time, was apparently doing something to the wagon, and he called upon Morgan to come around and help cant it up. Morgan, good kind-hearted neighbor, complied at once, and while his back was turned to go around the wagon, Whitney was quite as actively employed mounting the horse, and without the formality of taking leave, dashed up the hill towards Upper Stillwater, and after going about a mile, left the horse in the road, and took to the woods. That night he passed in the barn of Denny M. Hall at Great Works village, and the next day left privately for the Provinces, leaving Elizabeth to en-
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