USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Waterville > The centennial history of Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine, including the oration, the historical address and the poem presented at the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the incorporation of the town, June 23d, 1902 > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
Mr. Boutelle may be characterized as an aristocrat with demo- cratic tendencies, and perhaps also as something of a politician, and when he entertained no one was left out.
The less polished guests sat around the long table elbow to elbow with those of greater pretensions, and with legs noncha- lantly crossed to show themselves fully at ease in the social scene, emptied their glasses with the best.
This was before the days of temperance societies and no hospitable gathering was complete without the serving of wines and liquors.
Tea parties, card and dancing parties, and similar functions given at private houses, would seem to have been much more common in Waterville during the early part of the last century than at any time since then, and though these entertainments were in some ways distinguished by a dignity and formality exceeding that of modern times, they also displayed features which in our generation would be considered questionable.
The oldfashioned tea parties were generally given during the winter months. The ladies were invited for the afternoon and were urged to come early and bring their work. The gentlemen were expected to take supper and spend the evening. When the ladies gathered about three o'clock each one was served with a small glass of hot spirits and water to drive out the cold, after which reviving draught they sat down to gossip and needlework in great cheerfulness of spirit. On the arrival of the gentlemen
21
322
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
at supper time a similar restorative was administered to them, and neither sex was allowed to brave the chill air of a winter night without a fortifying draught of hot cherry bounce as a preparation for the walk home.
The lady who first described these tea parties to me, as she had often heard the story told by a venerable relative who partici- pated in them, assured me that the modest potations in which these bygone dames indulged were only sufficient to loosen their tongues and promote a gentle hilarity, but alas! the record kept by a member of the other sex maliciously asserts that sometimes our excellent and stately ancestresses overstepped the mark and were betrayed into great gaiety of spirits. Even if this is the case however, there is little reason to doubt that our ancestors on occasion so far outstripped their gentle companions that any comparison would be out of the question. These were days, too, when everybody drank more or less and clergy as well as laity looked upon alcohol as "one of the good creatures of God."
At the card parties for sometime after the beginning of the last century cards were almost invariably played for small stakes, the sum put up being not less than sixpence.
There lies before me as I write, furnished through the courtesy of a gentleman in whose family it was handed down, an invita- tion to a "Social Ball," given in "Mr. Kimball's hall" on Wednesday evening, February 26, 1819, the hour set for arriving at the ball being 5 P. M. The invitation, which is written on the back of a playing card, is signed by M. Appleton, T. Boutelle, J. Stackpole, Jr., J. Morrill and J. Williams, all of whom were to officiate as managers.
One of the noticeable features of this invitation lies in the fact that most of the signers had at that time already reached or passed the period of middle age, showing that the men of that day did not display undue haste in retiring from the active partic- ipation in social duties.
With the foundation of Waterville College a new and important element was introduced into the social life of the town. In the early history of college festivities the annual commencement ball became, perhaps, the most notable society event of the year. It was eagerly looked forward to, guests from out of town were invited to swell the dancing list, and the young women of the
323
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
period reserved their most modish costumes to enhance the bril- liancy of the occasion.
It is hardly necessary to state that, at a period when ideas in regard to amusements were much stricter than at present, these functions were never held under the patronage or with the approval of the college authorities.
The custom of the president's reception, following or pre- ceding the annual commencement exercises was instituted by Rev. Jeremiah Chaplin, the first president of the college. Dur- ing Dr. Chaplin's presidency and for some years after the guests at these receptions included very few of the town's people. The president and professors of the college with their families, the young men of the senior class with their relatives and friends from out of town who had come to witness the ceremonies of graduation, comprised the usual list of guests who were expected to gather at the president's house without formal invitation.
A lady, who at the age of sixteen, clad in the conventional white muslin which tradition pronounced to be the fitting garb of the debutante, made her first entrance into society at one of President Chaplin's commencement receptions, has described to me the simple yet dignified character of these gatherings. The more formal courtesy of that earlier day had a grace of its own, and, it is a question whether in relinquishing the form we have in all respects made a corresponding gain in substance.
It was, I think, during the presidency of Dr. G. D. B. Pepper that the college receptions first began to include the town's people to any noticeable extent. Both Dr. and Mrs. Pepper were people of large hospitality, and besides their naturally generous instincts in this respect they recognized the fact that whatever served to strengthen the bond between the town and the college would tend towards the substantial interest of the latter. Under this new order of things the number of guests soon became too large for entertainment at a private house and the receptions were transferred to Memorial Hall and from thence, during the past few years, to the new chemical building, where more ample and convenient quarters are afforded.
It is difficult to realize at the present day how wide a separa- tion formerly existed between college and town, a separation
324
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
marked not merely by the frequent and vigorous "scraps" between town and gown, but also recognized in the habits of daily life and the current phraseology of the time. The dwellers in Waterville were divided by an imaginary line into Silver- Streeters and Pious-Hillers, the division being perhaps not so much one of territory as of denomination, and representing the line of cleavage between the Baptist and Universalist congrega- tions. In pursuing my inquiries in regard to the Waterville of former days I have more than once encountered persons who have told. me with an air which showed that some of the ancient feeling still lingers, "I know nothing about up-town parties. I never attend them."
In studying the story of the social life of any bygone period, one finds that the real flavor and picturesqueness of the tale comes out in the comedies and tragedies of daily life, the personal details too numerous to be included in any brief narrative.
The parties given by the Appletons, Boutelles, Redingtons, Plaisteds, Stackpoles, Nourses and the rest, gain immensely in interest when one knows something about the individual lives of the people who talked and danced and laughed and loved amidst the background these scenes afforded. The Gilmans were one of the conspicuous families of the town, and the vision of the second Mrs. Nathaniel Gilman walking up the aisle of the Baptist church on her "appearing-out Sunday," clad in shimmering corn- colored satin and leaning on her husband's arm, reproduces. itself on the fading canvas of tradition
Like a picture, when the pride Of its coloring hath died.
It was an age of portrait painting, and the faces of many of these fair women and brave men still look down upon us from the walls of the old houses. We hear the story of the famous. red damask upholsteries which came from New York in a sail- ing vessel to furnish the Gilman drawing-room, the coming-out party given for Miss Anna K. Gilman at the age of fourteen and the belles and beaux who helped to make the occasion memorable. There were other coming-out parties too and similar gaieties, and we are told with some pride in the superior courtesy of former times that in those days when a young lady was invited to
GEN. FRANKLIN SMITH.
325
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
a ball or large party it always meant that a carriage would be provided for her.
A lady who came to Waterville in her girlhood sixty years ago has spoken to me with just enthusiasm of a group of women conspicuous in the town during the early years of her residence. These women were many of them distinguished for their fine personal presence no less than for beauty and strength of char- acter.
Among them may be named Mrs. Gardner, Mrs. William and Mrs. Horace Getchell, Mrs. Crooker, Mrs. Joseph Marston, Mrs. Dr. Plaisted, Mrs. R. B. Dunn, Mrs. Solyman Heath, the tradi- tion of whose beauty and sweetness still lingers, Mrs. Peace Meader, the lovely Quakeress whose name was emblematic of her character, and others too numerous to mention.
Perhaps no woman ever made Waterville her home who possessed the charm of temperament to a greater degree than Mrs. Keely, wife of Professor George W. Keely. Vivacious, versatile, delightful in conversation, a fine literary critic, a natu- ral grande dame, her place in the society of the town was a unique one and the stimulus of her individuality was felt beyond her own immediate circle of acquaintance. It was she who gave the impulse which made the Waterville of her day a headquarters for painters in oil. Madam Keely's memory lingers in the minds of those who knew her with the pungent fragrance of a pot- pourri of mingled roses and spices.
About 1852 was formed the first Waterville Literary Society of which I find any record. It had a membership of twenty-five persons and was called the Shakesperean Club. This club held weekly meetings during the winter season at the houses of the various mmbers, and continued in existence uninterruptedly until the breaking out of the Civil War put an end to the ancient order of things. The membership was about equally made up of men and women, and included college professors and professional and business men of similar tastes and varying ages.
The late Dr. Sanger of Bangor, whose youth was passed in Waterville, used to declare that this was the only town in the State where such a club could be maintained for so long a period. The object for which it was formed, the study of the standard dramatists, was regularly and systematically pursued. A stand-
326
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
ing committee for the assignment of parts was appointed, with the understanding that the parts when given out should be con- scientiously studied with a view to a rendering at once critical and dramatic.
In this committee Mr. Edward Meader served continuously during the whole period of the club's existence, and Mr. Appleton Plaisted during a large part of the time.
It is related of the Rev. Mr. Wood, at that time pastor of the Baptist church, a man of strict tenets and naturally lugubrious cast of countenance, that he not only excelled but delighted in the representation of comic parts and did not hesitate to join in a jovial song when his assumed character demanded it. Mrs. Ephraim Maxham, wife of the then editor of the Waterville Mail, was especially skilled in the rendering of tragedy.
The history of the Shakesperean Club is one of which Water- ville may well be proud. It had its social features, intimate friendships were formed there, courtships even grew out of it, but primarily and essentially it was an organization for work and its stability and singleness of purpose were the bonds of its preservation.
With the breaking out of the war the former things passed away. The new conditions brought their own deep and absorb- ing interests. Waterville sent two full companies of volunteers to the front and among their officers were William and Francis Heath, both notable members of the Shakesperean Club. No time now for reading Shakespeare; the men of the hour were writing their own tragedies in blood. The old Wars of the Roses were forgotten in the blossoming of this new red rose of courage which sprang gloriously to life amidst the crimson stain of battle. When at the close of the struggle the old interests revived, the club was reformed including many of the former members, yet it was not the same.
The story of the intervening years had gone deep into the hearts of the community, from which many had gone out never to come back. William Heath had found a hero's grave. Yet life goes on in spite of sorrows, and the breath of peace crept over the land as softly as the green grass of springtime spread its garb of verdure over the deserted battlefields. Time brought
327
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
its healing, and when the Shakesperean Club merged into the Roundabout people had begun to smile and hope and enjoy again.
The new club continued the study of the dramatists, forming itself upon the lines of the old, but it gradually became less purely intellectual in its character and more given to feasting and social enjoyments. It continued in active existence for some five or six years and its memory is still gratefully cherished by those who shared its privileges and hospitalities.
Previous to the war the secular entertainments connected with the church had, for the most part, been confined to the meetings of the Ladies' Sewing Circle, at whose mystic rites gentlemen were sometimes allowed to participate to the extent of supper and a social evening. It was after the close of the war that the churches began to assume their present position as centres of social as well as spiritual life. In the Waterville of to-day church societies, socials and functions of many kinds play an important part in bringing people together, promoting fellow- ship, and strengthening the ties between friend and friend. The Men's and Women's Christian Association, the W. C. T. U., the young people's societies of the different churches, the various branches of missionary work, have all helped to advance social intercourse no less than to accomplish the legitimate object of their being.
The Woman's Temperance League, formed about 1898, was, while it lasted a strong factor in binding together those who were associated in trying to do very necessary work under very uncom- fortable conditions. While it was the direct object of the league to conduct an aggressive campaign against liquor selling the women who composed it believed that the most permanent result of any attempt at moral regeneration is that which comes through social influence and social contact and the receptions and other functions given under their auspices made their faith manifest in their works.
The social life of the Waterville of to-day may perhaps be best classified under three or four general heads :
That which centres around the church and the various organ- izations growing out of church work.
That which has its origin in the secret orders, some of which have separate branches for women.
328
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
The social features resulting from the interests and activities of the various clubs.
The purely society functions, balls, assemblies, whist parties, afternoon teas, etc.
The secret orders have a chapter of their own in this volume and need not be dwelt upon here, further than to say that their multiplicity and activity have made them prominent factors in modern social intercourse.
No club numbering both sexes has ever arisen in Waterville to take the place of the old Shakesperean and Roundabout Clubs ; in fact, the club epidemic in any form has never been able to obtain a very extensive hold in our city.
The Canibas Club, the only men's club which has maintained continuous form here during any extended term of years, was founded in 1888. This club, which has numbered among its members many of the well-known business and professional men of the place, has pleasant headquarters on Main street in a suite of rooms conveniently fitted up for its use. It is a purely social organization, but with the exception of one or two receptions given during the early years of its existence has never con- tributed largely to the general social life of the city.
The Waterville Bicycle Club also occupies rooms on Main street and furnishes a rallying point where wheelmen congregate. The Colby Club, recently founded by the resident graduates of Colby College, held its first public meeting at the Elmwood hotel on the evening of February 14, 1902. This club, which is still in its infancy, was founded to promote good fellowship among the resident alumni and advance the interests of the college.
In 1887 through the inspiration of Mrs. Sarah Ware, who was in the best sense one of the representative women of Waterville, the Woman's Association was formed, in which wonien of all denominations united for the furtherance of all kinds of women's work. Besides its general usefulness in many directions this association has proved a common ground where women may work-and enjoy-together, independent of society distinctions or church affiliations. In the winter of 1891-2 the Woman's Literary Club was founded as one of the branches of the asso- ciation.
329
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
This club, a large one from the start, during the past winter, 1901-2, numbered 214 members. It has maintained regular meetings fortnightly during the winter season since its organi- zation, offering at each meeting a carefully prepared literary and musical programme. A committee is appointed to lay out each season's work.
Many interesting papers have been prepared and read by mem- bers of the club, the musical numbers have been uniformly excel- lent, and the large average membership and attendance testify to the success of its management. As the club has as yet no home of its own independent of the rooms of the Woman's Asso- ciation, its meetings have sometimes been held at private houses, sometimes at church vestries or at the Classical Institute. The annual reception given by its members to invited friends of both sexes, which has in the past proved a most enjoyable society event, this year gave place to a banquet at the Elmwood hotel for women alone. One hundred and sixty women who partici- pated in the banquet and listened to the subsequent exercises are prepared to testify that women on that occasion won laurels as after dinner speakers.
Among smaller Waterville clubs, past and present, may be mentioned the Saturday Club, a club both literary and social in its character, which after several years of existence has for the present, at least, discontinued its meetings ; the Literature Class, which numbers about a dozen members, and has for the past three years held weekly meetings during the winter months ; the F. H. Club, organized in 1894 for work and play, a club which though limited in its membership is much given to hospitality and has at different times entertained many invited guests ; the Happy Seven, a society comprising seven young ladies strongly bound together by ties of friendship and association. This society, which has existed for some years, has been prominent in benevolent work as well as in social events. When, a short time since, the little circle was for the first time broken by the death of Mrs. Alice Barrelle Hall the sympathy of the whole community went out to the mourning friends.
Of the numerous whist clubs which have existed in Waterville the Salmagundi has been the most prominent and most perma-
330
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
nent in its organization. It numbers among its members women well known in society and in addition to its social features has contributed generously towards the purchase of books for the public library.
The Silence Howard Hayden Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution has also played its part in the social life of Waterville.
In spite of all the branches of social activity which have been enumerated as entering into the life of our city, it is undoubtedly true that Waterville has never fully lived up to its social capac- ities. Yet even while we criticise, we love the city of our resi- dence, the Waterville that is growing up around us. It is a city of wide streets and spreading trees, of comfortable homes wherein home-loving people live. We find strong social ties here, warm friendships, generous sympathy in times of need, and though we may and do in our complaining moods assert that Waterville "has no general society," we look back lovingly on many and many a "good time" within her borders. May the next century of her growth find her still going on from grace to glory !
ยป
CHAPTER XIV.
WATERVILLE AGRICULTURALLY CONSIDERED.
By E. P. MAYO, Editor of Turf, Farm and Home.
The present city of Waterville agriculturally considered is one of the most charming, picturesque, interesting not to say profit- able of all the most favored and far famed "garden spots" in New England. The present area of the city as has doubtless been told already in this volume, was formerly a part of the town of Winslow, and the present thrifty town of Oakland was set off from Waterville proper and given the name of West Waterville February 26, 1873, hence if in this chapter on the agriculture of Waterville we over-reach the present bounds of the municipality, it will be in order to include the old town as it was originally bounded. We find in the early history of the town after it was set off from Winslow that the Kennebec river was the eastern boundary, Somerset county its northern, Richmond lake, McGrath and East pond its western boundry. The western area of the town has now been narrowed up to the present Oakland line.
A wide diversity of soils is found in this town so that almost every crop that can be successfully cultivated in this latitude has been and is to-day grown successfully within our limits. On the river below the city the soil is light and sandy, while on the "neck" so called, it is underlaid by a slaty ledge which lies very near the surface and often crops out. On the Messalonskee the soil is clayey, but all is strong and productive, and yields the best of crops.
Waterville was fortunate from an agricultural point of view in having among its early settlers a goodly number of men of means
332
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
who were agriculturally inclined. As a result of this good mate- rial there was a desire manifested very early in the life of the struggling young town to have an agricultural society organized, and this agitation resulted in the North Kennebec Agricultural Society, which was incorporated by the Maine legislature July 31, 1847, and its first exhibition was held in Waterville in Octo- ber of that year. The annual address, which in those days was a very important part of an agricultural exhibition was delivered by Dr. E. Holmes of Winthrop. The original limit to this society included the towns of Fairfield and Smithfield in Somer- set county, Waterville, Belgrade, Winslow, Clinton, Sebasticook now Benton, China and Albion in Kennebec and Unity and Burnham in the county of Waldo. From the records of the society from its inception, now before me, kindly loaned by Mr. Geo. Balentine, I find that the officers chosen at the organization of the society were as follows, Samuel Taylor, Jr., president ; Ebenezer H. Scribner and Thomas Fowler, vice-presidents ; Harrison A. Smith, secretary; Joseph Percival, treasurer and collector ; Stephen Stark, agent ; William Dyer, librarian ; Sam- uel Taylor, Jr., Asher Hinds, Sumner Percival, John F. Hunne- well and Reuben H. Green, trustees. A glance through the subse- quent elections shows that the society kept up its prestige for selecting men of ability and influence as its officials. We would like if space would permit to give the entire list of officers, but must be content with simply naming a few of the number who held the office of president of the society. After Samuel Taylor Jr., the first president, came Sumner Percival, E. H. Scribner Robert Ayer, Thomas S. Loring, Isaac W. Britton, Col. Isaia Marston, Daniel Jones, B. C. Paine, Joseph Percival, and man' others of equal calibre.
One of the first acts of the society, even before it had a hom was to raise $75 for the purchase of standard agricultural work for a library. This indeed was starting an agricultural societ on a firm enduring foundation, and the vote and the class o gentlemen who were invited to give the annual addresses give us a good insight into the makeup of the men who formed thi organization. In 1850 we find by the records that the societ voted to send a petition to the legislature for a State Board o Agriculture, showing that at that early day even, they realize
333
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
the need of a state organization around which they could build their local society. One of the votes recorded a half a century ago also gives a hint of the old time urbanity that prevailed in those days, also the appreciation of the power of the press in the efforts of this organization. Here is the vote: "Voted to instruct the secretary to furnish the proceedings of this meeting to the public press."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.