USA > Maine > Hancock County > Sullivan > Sullivan and Sorrento since 1760 > Part 6
USA > Maine > Hancock County > Sorrento > Sullivan and Sorrento since 1760 > Part 6
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Dave Blaise is probably David Blaisdell, for he lived in that vicinity, it is thought by those who remember across the road. The Captain and his wife were Captain and Mrs. Bennis, who are the parents of Carl Bennis and Rose Bennis, who married Dr. Saunderson; also Ida Bennis and Fred Bennis, who still live in their old house in the summer time.
The Hodgkins Girls both died soon after 1912.
The John Urann House, that had the ghosts "walking down stairs at mid-night," is the house where Fred Emery lives now.
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THE CHURCH
(This article is taken from a volume, written and published by Rev. O. G. Barnard, pastor of the M.E. Church in this town in 1904.)
As early as 1799, Elder Case, missionary for the Massachusetts Baptist Society, afterwards of Maine Missionary Society, visited Sullivan and preached at "Salt Water Falls". He found there a "few established Christians"
In 1810 Elder Case again visited Sullivan and found the community in a state of revival under Elder Job Cushman. Elder Case had the privilege of baptizing the converts, and on March 21, 1810, organized a Baptist Church with twelve members.
Elder Daniel McMaster received a call to become pastor of the church, and was ordained May 16, 1810. For six years the church prospered under his leadership.
In 1816 about seventy souls were added as the fruits of a revival. At this time, owing to a misunderstanding, a division was caused which resulted in the organizing of a minority into a separate church. Elder McMaster resigned in 1822.
Having no settled pastor they secured the partial services of Elder William Johnson for three or four years. In 1826 Elder Benjamin Buck became pastor and served for three years. In this year the church united with others and erected a house of worship. An extensive revival took place in 1831 under the assistance of Elder Jedediah Darling.
Elder Richard Y. Watson became pastor of the church in 1834, and remained in charge until 1866. During this pastorate there was general prosperity and many revivals. There seems to have been no pastor from 1866 to 1873, but Elder Watson preached in Hancock and supplied this church occasionally. In 1873 J. C. Sawyer supplied, in connection with his labors at Gouldsboro, and preached also in 1874. In 1876 Rev. John Johnson supplied, remaining until 1882.
This church furnished one of its members, Rev. John John- son, for the ministry, and originated by dismission in 1824, the church at Hancock and at Franklin.
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Rev. J. R. Bowler organized a church of twelve members at West Sullivan in 1889 and preached there about two years. Rev. E. E. Morse of Franklin, and others, supplied until 1896, the church having at that time about forty-five members.
LIBERAL CHRISTIANS
A brief outline of the services of the Liberal Christian Society, held at the Church of Our Fathers, Sullivan Harbor, and the beginning and growth of the liberal faith.
Late in the sixties, ministers and students from Massachusetts found their way to our town for their vacation. Among the first were Rev. Henry Foote, Charles F. Dole and Rev. Francis Pea- body, who held services in the hall, and open air services for the workman at the quarries. These meetings were well attended.
In 1876 when the Waukeag House was opened for summer visitors, its spacious parlors were open for religious service, and many speakers of note have spoken there, including Samuel Longfellow, Rev. Charles C. Everett and Francis Peabody. In 1889 Rev. Frederic Gill organized the Liberal Christian Society, and until the present time, services have been held each summer, and lay services throughout the year. Since 1899 these services have been at the church. Among those who have spoken and worked well with the Methodists, in aid of the society, special mention should be made of Rev. Frederic Gill, Rev. H. H. Saun- derson and Rev. Roger S. Forbes.
EAST SULLIVAN CHURCH
Not to be forgotten among the preachers was Elder William E. Foye, who was esteemed and beloved. No one seems to re- member just when he came, but neighbors have a very clear memory of a very dark complexioned, colored man, small in statue with white curly hair, wearing a tall silk hat and swallow- tail coat, and holding meetings in the hall, and also different school houses. He lived in, then, Plantation No. 7, with his wife, who survived him, and in her last days lived with Mr. and Mrs. Jesse White. He also had a son, Orrin, who was last remembered living on a island off Schodic Point, and a daughter, Laura, who
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died at the age of seven and is buried beside her parents in Birch Tree Cemetery on the Tunk Pond Road.
On Elder Foye's tombstone is an appropriate epitaph:
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up For me a crown of righteousness.
Born 1818. Died Nov. 9, 1892. Age 74 years.
METHODISTS
Until eighteen hundred and eighty-four the methodists carried on their work at Sullivan in connection with Franklin and Gouldsboro.
The following is a partial list of the Methodists preachers who have labored at Sullivan :
1883 John Batchelder 1874
J. B. Bean
1843 B. F. Hilton 1875-7
Seldon Wentworth
1845-6 Hiram Chase 1878
R. M. Wilkins
1847-8
Isaae Moore 1879
P. J. Robinson
1849-50 Harry W. Latham 1880-1
James Alexander
1852
Jessie Harriman
1882-3
J. H. Bennet
1853
Levi C. Dunn
West Sullivan
1854
Oran Strout
1881-2
Winifred Baldwin
1859
Solomon S. Gross
East Sullivan
1860 Wm. B. Fenlason
1884-5
C. L. Banghart
1861-2 Benj. C. Blackwood
1886
C. A. Main
1864
B. F. Stinson
1887
P. D. Nolan
1865-6
Wm. Reed
1888-90
C. C. Phelan
1867-8 J. A. Plumer
1891-5 J. A. Weed
1860-70 James A. Horelen
1896-8 J. T. Moore
1872 Otis R. Wilson
1899
Frank H. Osgood
1873
Wm. B. Fenlason
1900-2
B. W. Russell
1903-6 O. G. Barnard
List Submitted by Rev. Margaret Hendrickson
1906-8 N. R. Pearson
1921-4 H. D. Knowles
1908-10 C. A. Purdy
1924-7 Harry P. Taylor
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1910-11 C. E. Bromley 1927-9 F. E. Baldwin
1912 Clinton Cook 1930-1 H. W. Potter 1913-4 Edward E. Wood 1932-5
1915-6 Richard H. Moyle
1935-41 Homer S. Huey
1917-8 George Sparks
West Sullivan
1919-20 Alex M. Weatherbee 1942-3
Alfred Vincent
1944 Walter Towle 1944-52 Margaret Hendrickson, West Sullivan
1944-47 Margaret Hendrickson, East Sullivan
1935-37 Kenneth Eastman, Baptist
1938-39 Newell Hall, Methodist
1940-42
Robert Goodwin
1943 Linwood Bowen
1949 Mr. Babbage, Baptist
SORRENTO
A hymnal is dedicated to the Sorrento Community church in honor of its builders and old resident families.
Builders as known :
Benjamin Preble
Lyman Bragdon
Oliver Bragdon
Newell Bragdon
Fabins Downing
Richard Downing
Samuels Ingalls (deacon)
Willard Hall
Jonathan White
John Stover
Asa White
Nathan White
First Families of Waukeag Neck (Sorrento) :
Benjamin Ash
John Hammond
James Bean
John Preble
John Bean
Nathanial Preble
Ebenezer Bragdon
Samuel Preble
Joseph Bragdon
Daniel Sullivan
Richard Downing
Jabez Simpson
Samuels Ingalls
John Urann
William Ingalls
John White
Moses Bragdon
Benjamin Welch
"They rest their labors, but their works do follow them."
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Kenneth Cook
ASHVILLE CHURCH
The history of the Ashville church began when a group of women, encouraged by Mrs. Joan Sargent of South Gouldsboro, met and organized what is known as "The Wednesday Club", on August 14, 1913.
The Charter members were: Mrs. Etta Hammond, Pres .; Mrs. Alice Farrin, Vice Pres .; Mrs. Emma Pettee, Sec. and Treas .; Mrs. Emily Martin, Mrs. Mattie Hanna, Mrs. Nellie Bunker, Mrs. Sarah Bartlett, and Mrs. Eva Hammond.
The purpose was to organize a Sunday School, as at that time the district was a part of the Union Parish at East Sullivan. The Sunday School was organized and met in Bridgham Hill School House. In an old letter dated 1915, the attendance numbered fifty, including parents and children.
Sales and suppers were held, gifts were received from the W. J. Schieffelin family and Bar Harbor friends, until in the fall of 1915, Mr. Elmer A. Hanna gave the building lot. Mr. Hugh Hooper, of South Gouldsboro, laid the cement foundation, which contained a supper room. Mr. Winfield Pettee had charge of the building.
Fairs have continued each year in August on the 25th, the anniversary of the Club. A Cook Book was published and 500 copies were sold.
Preaching services commenced about the year 1918, the first minister being Mr. Moyle.
Submitted by: Mrs. Eva Noyes Hammond, 1948
In 1950 extensive renovations were made, instituted and managed by Mrs. William J. Scheiffelin Jr. Seats purchased from Franklin were redone, lighting fixtures were brought from Mrs. W. J. Scheiffelin, Sr.'s apartment in New York and installed. The eagles back of the pulpit are a feature of beauty. An inlaid carpet in the basement, and kitchen cabinets made the supper room attractive and far more usable for recreation. A Marble plaque in memory of Mrs. W. J. Scheiffelin, Sr. was put up.
Rededication services were held on her birthday, August 19, 1950. Among those attending were Bishop Lord, District Supt. Staples, Dr. Van Dusen, from Columbia University, N. Y., Dr.
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Henry Sloane Coffin, retired pastor of Madison Ave. Presbyteri- an Church, and retired President of Yale University, and retired Pres. of Columbia Theological Seminary. Rev. Margaret Hen- drickson, the present devoted pastor, was Master of Ceremonies.
The Sullivan Harbor Church was reorganized in 1951. Among those interested were: Sumner and Florence Hysom Yorke, Robert and Laura Thomas, Wayne and Glendora Mylne, Mrs. Doris Smith, Archie and Anna Fenton and Donald Fenton from Sorrento. Rev. Herman Gerrish of Winter Harbor, Baptist is the official minister.
EAST SULLIVAN UNION CHURCH
Trustees for building the East Sullivan Union Church were: George Washington Ash, Dr. Nathanial Johnson and Nathanial Ash, who represented the Methodist, Universalist and Baptist Churches, respectively. When the church was completed in 1825, the trustees drew lots to see who should choose the pastor for the dedication services, and the honor fell to Nathanial Johnson. George W. Ash was so disappointed at losing this privilege that he said to Dr. Johnson, "My George, I'll give you twenty-five dollars for your lot." Dr. Johnson selected his own Universalist Minister, the Rev. Charles S. Adams.
(The original sermon was reread at the rededication of the church in 1904 by Rev. O. G. Barnard, pastor of the M. E. Church.)
TEXT:
Lord I have loved the habitation of Thy house
And the place where Thine honor dwelleth.
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SCHOOLS
"Whereas, by a resolve of General Court of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts passed March 4th 1803, it was enacted that twelve hundred acres of land should be surveyed off in the town of Sullivan and appropriated to the following uses, to wit: Three hundred acres granted to Harvard University, three hun- dred acres to the first settled minister of the gospel in said town, and three hundred acres for the support of public schools in said town. Which lots were surveyed off accordingly by James Peters, under the direction of the Hon. David Cobb, and marked in the town plan, public lot No. 1, 2, 3, 4; and lot No. 4, having been set off to Harvard University by Metatiah Jordon, Esq., an agent appointed for the purpose on the part of that college, and Jabez Simpson, Esq., agent appointed by the town. The remaining 900 acres are left under the direction and control of this town. And whereas, by an act of the legislature of this state passed Jan. 29th, the selectmen and town treasurer of this town, for the time being, and constitutes a board of trustees for order- ing, managing and supplying the ministerial and school funds and authorized to set off one third part of said 900 acres (regard being as to quality and quantity) to remain as a lot to be given to the first settled minister of the gospel. Now, therefore, we: George Hinman, Hiram Emery and Henry Sawyer, selectmen, and Benjamin C. Slater, treasurer of this town for the present year, viewed and examined all said lands, do judge that lot No. 2, called the Morancy lot, bounded North by South, surveyed to the heirs of Josiah Simpson demand, East by township No. 7, South by Morancy Pond and West by land of Samuel Preble, and heirs of John Preble, and containing 300 acres, is equal in value to one third part of the whole 900 acres and we do by these presents hereby set off the Morancy lot to be reserved as a lot to be given to the first settled minister of the gospel in the town, to be his in fee, simple form. In witness wherefore we have hereunto subscribed our names this 21st day of August, A. D., 1822.
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George Hinman, Hiram Emery, Henry Sawyer, Selectmen of Sullivan
Benjamin C. Slater, Town Treasurer
The first schools were taught in dwelling houses. On March 17, 1795, "seventeen men signed their names to an agreement to contribute $149.00 to erect and build a house for the worship of Almighty God, and the schooling of our children and for any use that the Mager part of us shall think fit to. The sum to be paid to Agreen Crabtree for the setting up of the frame and finishing the building." It was known as the Sweetland School. On Oct. 16, 1801, an order was given to Thomas Cunningham, for keeping school in Sweetland District, $29.00. That was be- fore Hancock was set off from Sullivan and incorporated as towns. Thomas Foss writes in his History of Hancock, that that old school building was used in more recent years as a garage.
1789: Voted that the selectmen be empowered to divide the town into as many districts as they think most convenient, and pay to the inhabitants of each district their proportion of the moneys they grant, and that the selectmen be directed to contract with a master for six months, which master shall keep school in the different districts if possible.
1785, April 1st: Voted 60 pounds for a minister and schools.
Flanders School, District No. 5, A 11/2 story building, was moved from near the mill stream to the Ephriam Dyer lot No. 29, where school was taught in the front room, with no heat available. Miss Mary Durney taught the first school there in 1801, receiving $16.50 for the term. Capt. James Lord purchased the building about 1859; built a large chimney with brick oven, and made additions to the house. After he died it was sold to Lamont Johnson, June 27, 1917.
The Little Red School house, in district No. 3, was built 1840 on the Jabez Simpson lot, No. 24, in the corner of the field across the road from the John Preble house, where Mina B. Urann lives now. Much has been written about the Little Red School House.
District No. 7, beginning at a creek on the division line be- tween Ephriam Dyer, lot No. 29, and the Nathanial Johnson's
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widow's lot No. 30, to the Gouldsboro line. The school house in district No. 7, known as the Bridgham Hill School house was built in 1866, by Joel Martin, Joshua Johnson, Nathanial John- son 2nd and J. S. Bean, building committee. About 1907 the roof was raised to accommodate a grammar school on the second floor. In 1929 the building was sold to Mr. John C. Spring for the sum of $2,000.00. The town raised $3,000.00 and in 1929 the town purchased a lot for a school building of Fred Bean for $100. and more land of Alfred Preble for $59. This school building known as the Ashville School House was built by F. E. Weston, contract price $4,359. but with extra labor and furnish- ings totaled $5,033.
In 1859 the Ash District school house was built in District No. 5. It was sold to Fred Martin for a dwelling in 1934.
On May 21, 1858, on motion of Capt. William Slater, that the selectmen be a committee to confer with District Nos. 2 and 3, in regard to building a Town Hall in connection with said dis- trict school house; also to receive proposal from the parties in relation to a site, and the construction of said house, and be required to report. (District No. 2 being Sullivan Harbor.) Voted to accept the report of the committee chosen to confer with Districts Nos. 2 and 3 to build a Town house, and to accept the site offered by Mr. Stover, at the junction of the roads on the neck, for location of said town house. Voted not to complete said Town house before the 1st of Sept. 1860. Voted to choose a building committee of three, that be required to draft a suitable building and estimate the total cost of expenditure of same and report. Choose Jabez S. Foster, Thomas Langdon Hill, and Johnathan White for that committee.
Voted to raise $425. to meet the expenses of building town house and to clapboard the outside instead of shingling same.
March 1860, voted to buy a box stove for the town house.
March 1861, voted to open the town house for all political, religious, scientific and educational purposes, except exhibitions in which it is necessary to drive fastenings into the plastering.
Voted to accept the Town house as finished by Augustus B. Perry, and to put $800. insurance on same.
The school house at Sullivan Harbor, District No. 2, was
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built before 1887, near the old stone store. The school room on the first floor and a hall on the second floor.
On May 3, 1889, the town voted to raise $3,500. to build a new school house in District No. 1 (North Sullivan). June 22, 1889, hired $500. of Alfred Crabtree at 4%; Aug. 26, 1889, hired $1,000. of Joseph Doyle for one year at 5% until paid. M. E. Rideout, collector, District No. 1, M. E. Rideout, George W. Pettingill and Van B. Gordon, Committee for school district No. 1.
We have a newspaper item of March 24, 1884: School meet- ing in the first district, West Sullivan, was held in the school- house Saturday evening, and Mr. Gilbert F. Hooper was chosen agent.
We don't know just when the school agents began to be appointed, but we do know that there was a school agent for each district. These agents hired the teachers and did general supervision over the school. The first year of the whole town supervision was in 1894, when Joshua Johnson was appointed. He was an old school master at Bridgham hill for several years.
We have Joshua Johnson's supervisior's report in the March 1, 1895 issue of the Town Report:
"Gentlemen and fellow citizens, you are all aware that the radical change in the management of our common schools, consequent upon the abolition of the school district system, renders the duties and responsibilities devolving upon the super- visor more arduous and complicated than heretofore. You can all readily see and understand why it is so. Formerly, the hiring of teachers, securing boarding places for the same, seeing that the school rooms were in suitable condition, etc., were all per- formed by school agents, which devolving upon the supervisor, makes the task imposed upon him more arduous, especially when the roads are in such very bad condition as they were last spring. It was with great reluctance that I accepted the position, but after having accepted, I have tried to do my duty so far as I knew and wherein I have erred I have erred in judgement."
The town raised $2,380.02 for schools that year. Spent $2,045.39. Unexpended balance, $334.39.
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ATTENDANCE
The total number of children, belonging in the town on the 1st day of April 1894, between the ages of four and twenty-one years, was 444. The largest number of scholars registered was in the fall term, when 280 were enrolled, which was a little over 63 per cent of the total number, which is a much larger attend- ance than last year; yet a still greater improvement is necessary. This town, as you all know, before the abolition of the school districts, contained seven districts, numbered 1-2-3-4-5-6-and 7. It is of No. 7 that I wish to speak particularly. This district com- prised a portion of East Sullivan and a portion of the inhabitants of Gouldsboro, known as Ashville, which has sent from eight to ten children in No. 7, which they have a right to do, for Goulds- boro pays in to the treasurer of Sullivan their proportion of the school money of Gouldsboro. When we have a Free High school in town one voter in said Ashville has insisted that he has a per- fect right to send his children to the school, be furnished with books, etc.
No. 7. The spring term in No. 7 was taught by Mr. E. P. Goodwin, a live teacher of some experience. Mr. Goodwin taught ten weeks with good success. The fall term was taught by Miss Agnes M. Copeland for ten weeks. Miss Copeland lacked many qualities necessary for a successful teacher. Miss Ella Tracy taught the winter term of five weeks with good success. Miss Tracy is a good teacher and should be employed this spring in the same school.
No. 6. The three terms in this school were taught by Miss Bean, Miss Preble and Mrs. Hanna. Miss Bean taught the spring term of 10 weeks with fair success. Miss Preble taught the fall term of ten weeks with her usual good success. Mrs. Grace Hanna taguht the winter term of five weeks, giving good satis- faction to all.
On May 11, a sub-committee previously appointed for the purpose, met at the store of F. A. Noyes to consider the advisa- bility of transferring the scholars from Nos. 4 and 5, to No. 3 for the spring term as a sort of experiment. After talking upon the matter for some time, and getting an offer from Mr. Melvin
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Cleaves to haul the scholars from No. 4 school house to No. 3 school house in the morning and back at night, for $7.50 per week, the committee voted to accept Mr. Cleaves' offer and try the experiment.
April 23, Mrs. Helen F. T. Cleaves began school in No. 3, with 31 scholars registered. After the school had been keeping three weeks, complaints coming to me frequently in relation to the arrangement, I went around in district No. 4 and ascertained the feelings of the inhabitants in relation to the matter, and I decided, in my own mind, the best thing to do was to start a school in their own house in No. 4, which I did. (Though not without opposition.) May 14, with Miss Clara Chilcott as teach- er, had 17 scholars registered, with an average of fourteen during the term of seven weeks. Miss Chilcott also taught the fall term of ten weeks there with fair success. After the transfer of the schol- ars from No. 3 to 4, Mrs. Cleaves registered twenty-five scholars and taught the three terms with very marked success. Mrs. Cleaves is an excellent teacher, and the supervisor, whoever he may be, should engage her for another year ..
The spring term of ten weeks in No. 2 was taught by Miss Grace Reed, a young lady well qualified to teach, but lacking dis- cipline. The fall and winter terms were taught by Miss Alice Laws, a teacher of large experience and always successful. She should be engaged for another year in this same school.
The spring term of the grammar school in No. 1 was taught by Miss Belle Lord. This is a school difficult to manage. Miss Lord succeeded fairly well with the spring term but the fall term was not so satisfactory. The winter term of this school was taught by Mr. F. A. Burrill with very remarkable success, and gave entire satisfaction both to parents and pupils. He should be engaged another year if he can be engaged.
This spring and winter terms of the primary school were taught by Miss Flossie Colby, assisted by Miss Bertha Havey. Miss Colby did remarkably well to control so large a school, register- ing 103 scholars. The fall term of the primary school in No. 1 was taught by Miss Wilson, with Miss Colby as assistant. Miss Wilson was a teacher of much experience and she and Miss Colby managed the school to my satisfaction.
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FREE HIGH SCHOOL
Two free High Schools are now keeping in this town. One is in East Sullivan, Mr. Burrill as teacher, who is succeeding finely and doing good work. The other, in West Sullivan, is taught by Mr. Hatch, an experienced teacher, and is doing fairly. For the support of these schools the town raised $200.00 and the inhabi- tants of West Sullivan raised and guaranteed $200.00 more.
There is no record of just which schools were designated to the numbers, but by studying the different reports this is our conclusion: No. 1, West Sullivan; No. 2, Sullivan Harbor; No. 3, Sullivan Center; No. 4, Sorrento; No. 5, The Ash District; No. 6, Tunk Pond; and No. 7, East Sullivan.
From 1895, they were called Superintendents. This is a list taken from the town reports:
1895-6 James A. Weed, the minister.
1897 Winfield Pettee.
1898 Katherine Dunbar.
1899-00 M. E. Rideout.
1901 B. W. Russell, minister, who started to grade the schools.
1902 Louise Hawkins, until July 12, when she resigned. Ed- ward H. Smith for remainder of year.
1903 Edward H. Smith.
1904-5 Adelbert Gordon.
1906-8 Andrew P. Havey completed school grading and course of study.
1909-14 Adelbert Gordon.
1915-18 R. L. Sinclair.
1919-24 Elmer Eddy.
1925-30 Arthur Urann.
1931-34 William Bottomley.
1935-37 M. R. Keyes had four towns: Sorrento, Sullivan, Gouldsboro, and Winter Harbor. Merle Keyes, his wife, taught in high school.
1938 Reginald Haskins four towns for two years, then the state set up districts of six towns, ours No. 96, and in- cluded Hancock and Steuben.
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As reported by Joshua Johnson, the winter High School started before 1894. They ran for 10 weeks in the winter months, when it was too cold for the young children to go for such a distance as they had to.
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