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 49
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Conditions upon which Mr. Joshua Cushman is ordained as a minister of the Gospel in the Town of Winslow : agreed upon by him and by the inhabitants of said town.
First, agreed by the parties concerned, that Mr. Cushman shall be entitled to his salary in full so long as he shall continue to be the minister of said town.
Second, agreed by the parties concerned, that to prevent all disputes that may arise respecting the phrase "so long as he shall continue the minister of said town," he shall be considered the minister of said town, till he shall be dismissed in some form that shall be deemed regular.
Third, agreed by the parties concerned, that if any misunder- standing or difficulty or dispute shall arise between Mr. Cushman and the inhabitants of said town who support him as their min- ister, the party feeling itself aggrieved shall first attempt a Com- promise or reconciliation; that if a Compromise or reconcilia- tion cannot be effected, the parties concerned shall attempt mutually to agree in the choice of some person or persons, reputed knowing and judicious, and not interested in the affair, to whom their difficulty or dispute whatever it be shall be referred ; and that if the parties concerned cannot mutually agree in the choice of any person or persons, each party shall independent of the other choose an equal number of the foregoing description and that the judgment of the referees chosen shall in either case, after an impartial hearing, be final and decisive without any other formality or process whatever. It is understood, however, that
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if the referees shall consist of an even number of persons and be equally divided upon any question upon which they are to decide, they shall be empowered mutually to agree in the choice of another person to sit with them in the reference, and that the result of the majority shall be, as before, a final decision of the cause.
Fourth, agreed by the parties concerned that as the reputation and success of a minister when dismissed from any place, must depend upon the recommendation of his brethren in the ministry, in cases where the ministerial character shall be the only ques- tion, or so far as ministerial character shall be concerned, the choice of both parties shall be restricted to ministers of the Gospel; and that in all other cases persons reputed knowing and judicious, and not interested may be chosen indiscriminately without any regard to any order or description of men what- ever.
Fifth, Agreed by the parties concerned that to prevent all religious disputes respecting doctrines which never can be decided, as there is no living infallible Judge, or tribunal to whom or to which we can appeal for the truth of religious opinions, and as every Christian Society has an undoubted right to put their own construction upon the Scriptures, a point of orthodoxy before any council, or reference, or any description of men what- ever,
Sixth, Agreed by the parties concerned, that as a more exped- itious way of settling all ministerial, religious or civil disputes that may arise, whenever two-thirds of the inhabitants of said town, who support Mr. Cushman as their minister, shall be dis- satisfied with him on account of his doctrine, conduct, sickness. infirmities, old age, or any other reason whatever, and judge upon mature deliberation, without being influenced by any sud- den start of passion, caprice, or the impulse of the hour, his use- fulness as their religious instructor at an end ; they shall request him by a vote of the town, two-thirds of the inhabitants who support him concurring, to ask a dismission, and in case of refusal on his part, a vote of the town, so qualified, shall be deemed a regular dismission, always subjected, however, to the third and fourth of the foregoing conditions, so far as respects the terms on which he shall be dismissed, if a compromise between the
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parties cannot be effected, as the case may require, notwithstand- ing anything intimated in this sixth condition.
Seventh, Agreed on the part of the town, that if Mr. Cushman should grow old in the work of the ministry, having discharged the duties of his office faithfully, the people of his charge, although they should judge his usefulness at an end and him not entitled to his salary in full, shall make such grants, should he need them, as will make his old age comfortable.
Eighth, Agreed on the part of the town, that if money should become materially of less value ; and the price of articles of living be materially increased; or the inhabitants increase in wealth and in population ; such additions to the salary now voted to Mr. Cushman shall from time to time be made as shall put him above servile dependence, and enable him to discharge the duties of his station with satisfaction and utility.
Ninth, Agreed on the part of Mr. Cushman; that if the rela- tive value of money should materially be increased, and articles of living be materially diminished in their price, he will from time to time, relinquish a reasonable portion of his salary so as not to be burdensome to the people.
Tenth, Agreed by the parties that the salary voted by the town to Mr. Cushman shall commence at his ordination.
(June 9th, 1795. Agreed to by me in witness whereof I hereto subscribe my name
JOSHUA CUSHMAN.
ATTEST : JOSIAH HAYDEN, Town Clerk.)
The resolution passed by the town at the termination of the above agreement, nineteen years later, was as follows :
"Whereas the town of Winslow, owing to he state of surround- ing societies, to its own reduced numbers, and to the general embarrassment of the times, feels itself unable any longer to support a minister of the Congregational order; and whereas the Rev. Joshua Cushman has served the town for nineteen years in this capacity, during the best days of a man's natural life, it would appear unchristian, contrary to the common principles of equity, to discontinue his ministerial services at his age without some remuneration; therefore the town of Winslow, willing to make the Rev. Mr. Cushman, as far as can be done, compensa-
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tion for the injury which he may receive to the means of his subsistence, to his prospects, and to his sensibility, engages to give him the sum of twelve hundred dollars to be paid within four years."
"In dissolving the religious connection with the Rev. Mr. Cushman, which for years has so happily subsisted, the Christian Society in Winslow yield to necessity, and to the force of cir- cumstances over which they can have no control."
In reply to this note Mr. Cushman wrote an answer gracefully accepting the situation and the proposal. He says it would have pleased him "to have seen all the good people in town continued united in the form of worship instituted by the primitive Chris- tians." "To that beneficent Being, who giveth unto man his food, and heareth the young ravens when they cry, I commit my family ; and believing there is a reward for the righteous, myself I resign to the hopes of the future world."
MUSTER-ROLL OF THE COMPANY LATE STACKPOLE'S, JULY IO, 1795.
Officers' Names. Captain, vacant ; lieutenant, vacant ; ensign, Wm. Bradford.
Sargeants. Samuel Stackpole, Enock Fuller, James Pettee, Thomas S. Farrington.
Music. John Philbrook, drum; Samuel Haywood, fife.
Names of Men, Rank and File. Benj. Runnels, Junr .; Timo- thy Wyman, Francis Dudley, Junr. ; Thomas Parker, Junr. ; James Bigalow, Joseph Brown, John Brown, Joal Bragg, Abial Bragg, David Barney, John Collar, Stephen Crosby, James Dudley, John Drew, Edmund Freeman, Elijah Hall, Fred Hall, Wm. Haywood, Zimri Haywood, Junr .; Josiah Hayden, Junr. ; Ambros Howard, Caleb Leonard, John Leonard, Isaac Osborn, Ephm. Osborn, Benj. Osborn, Junr .; Benj. Pettee, Wm. Pettee, Ezekiel Pettee, Junr. : Samuel Parker, Phineas Parker, Samuel Parker, Junr .; Eleazer Parker, Zachariah Parker, John Run- nels, Stephen Runnels, John Simson, Reuben ·Simson, Israel Smith, Willard Spalding, Junr .; John Spaulding, Junr. ; Ray- mond Smith, George Stilson, James Stackpole, Junr., Daniel Spring, Junr., Robert Spear, Thomas Tripp, Silas Tripp, John 36
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
Tripp, Wm. West, Moses Hastings, Moses Wyman, Joseph Woods, Phineas Warren, Asa Warren, Thomas Gilpatrick, Silas Foss, John M. Harvey, Wm. Wyman, Ephrem. Roberts, Elisha Allen. Total, rank and file, 61.
ATTEST : WILLIAM BRADFORD, Ensign.
Number of musquets, 39; bayonets, 13; cartridge boxes, 7; iron rods, 23; bayonet belts, 6; flints, 68; wires and brushes, 17; knapsacks, 4; balls, 155; pounds of powder, 492.
A letter from Reuben Kidder dated Hallowell, August, 1794, describes a visit to Winslow. He says, "there is an excellent road, plain and level, only eighteen miles from Fort Western to Fort Halifax. The town occupies a most excellent tract of land and contains more than 100 families. A house lot of one-quarter acre sells for fifty dollars." A house lot of one-quarter whom he found very hospitable and to whom two Penobscot Indians brought each a fine, large, fresh salmon taken the night before in the river before his door. He says, "I made two excellent meals of them. I spent the Sabbath and attended pub- lic worship in the chamber of the old Fort where I saw among a large concourse of people, six Penobscot Indians dressed up hideously fine." He calls Winslow the head of boatable navi- gation, for canoes only can conveniently go above that place. The country above Winslow for thirty or forty miles is a fine tract of land but mostly a wilderness except about four miles. from the river on each side, which is well cultivated. He speaks of the fort, then forty years old, as a "large, ancient pile of build- ings, distinguished by the occasion on which it was erected."
INSCRIPTIONS ON CORNER STONES OF FORT HALIFAX.
"This corner stone laid by direction of Governor Shirley, 1754." The stone is preserved in the State House at Augusta. Another inscription fuller and more formal is on a tablet still preserved at Plymouth, Mass. It was in Latin and plainly tells how the fort took its name. A translation is as follows: "For the benefit of the Massachusetts Province, William Shirley her Governor, under the auspices of the most noble George Mon- tague Duck, Earl of Halifax, the highly distinguished friend
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and patron of the British Provinces throughout North America, has reared this fortress."
The original is as follows : "Quod felix faustum quesit Provinciae Massachusetensi ; Hunc Lapidem posuit Gulielmus Shirley, Gubernator, Sub auspiciis Nobilissimi, Georgii Montague Duck; Comitis de Halifax Provinciarum, Quotquot sunt ditionis Brittanicae ; Per Americam utramque Prefecti atque Patroni illustrissimi, Die 3, Septembris, A. D. 1754."
The epitaph prepared by Richard Thomas for his own tomb- stone and now appearing on that stone in the old Winslow burying ground.
"Here lies the body of Richard Thomas An inglishman by birth, A whig of '76,
By occupation a cooper Now food for worms, Like an old rumpuncheon marked, numbered and shooked, He will be raised again and finished by his creator, he died sept, 28, 1824, aged 75.
America my adopted country, my best advice to you is to take care of your liberty."
That considerable state was observed at the old East meeting- house may be inferred from the following entry in Capt. James Stackpole's diary :
"Gave Rollins a pt. cherry rum for opening my pew door."
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
WINSLOW AND WATERVILLE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE LEGIS- LATURE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
1782. Zimri Haywood. 1783. Ezekiel Pattee.
1784. 1785.
No representative.
1786.
E. Pattee.
1787. 6
Arthur Lithgow.
1789. 1791. Geo. Warren. 66
1792. 1795. 1796. 1797. 1798. I799. 1800.
Arthur Lithgow.
No representative.
Elnathan Sherwin.
66
180I.
66
1802. 66 66
1803.
1804.
66
1805. 66
1806.
1807
66
1808.
66
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Eleazer W. Ripley.
1809. I8I0. 18II. I812. 1813. 1814. 66 1815. 1816. Dr. Cook.
Elnathan Sherwin.
1817.
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
ITEMS CONCERNING THE STATE MILITIA .- 1821-34.
The Waterville men belonged to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Ist Regiment Maine Militia. Among the regimental officers for 1821 Benj. Foster was adjutant, Elisha Hallet, Jr., quarter-mas- ter ; David Wheeler, paymaster : Hall Chase, surgeon ; John Wright, surgeon's mate; Zedekiah Belknap, chaplain. Wil- liam Pullen and James Adams were Captains, William Lewis and Josiah Crosby were ensigns.
In 1822 Daniel Cook was division quarter-master. In the Ist Regiment Johnson Williams was major; Benj. Foster, adju- tant ; Hallet, Wheeler Chase and Belknap retained their positions while Simeon Mathews became surgeon's mate.
In 1823, Daniel Cook continued division quarter master, Major Johnson Williams was promoted to be lieutenant-colonel, Alpheus Lyon became adjutant. The same officers served in 1824-5.
In 1825 the militia of the State included, infantry, 35,212; cavalry, 1,168; artillery, 1,865. Total, 38,245 men in seven divisions.
Other Waterville men who held rank in the militia, were M. P. Norton, Clark Lillybridge, Joshua Davis, Avery Briggs, Samuel Plaisted, Sanford Pullen, William Dorr, Jeptha Crowell, Gailen Soule, Harrison A. Smith and Joseph Marston.
Sunday School.
"Being desirous of having a well organized Sunday School in Waterville village, the subscribers agree to meet at the old meet- ing house on Sunday, the 12th day of August instant, at 6 o'clock afternoon to deliberate on the measures expedient to be taken for carrying a Sunday School into effect"-Daniel Cook
August 1827.
Moses Appleton Jas. Stackpole, Jr. George Stickney
Hall Chase George W. Osborne Thos. Kimball John C. Jewett .
M. P. Norton T. Boutelle Shubal Marston Asa Redington, Jr. James Burleigh
J. M. Hanes
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
S. Scammon Isaac Dodge Wm. Hastings Jos. M. Moon William Loring
Nath. Russell
Lemuel Stilson J. Alden
David Paine
James Barney
Russell Ellis
Wm. Pearson.
WATERVILLE INCORPORATION ACT, JUNE 23, 1802. "Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two." "An Act to divide the Town of Winslow in the County of Ken- nebec, and to incorporate the westerly part thereof into a sep- arate Town by the name of Waterville."
Section Ist. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that all that part of the town of Winslow which lies on the west side of Kennebec River: as known by its present bounds, and by a line drawn on the middle of Kennebec River as its future eastern boundary, be and hereby is incorporated into a separate Town by the name of Waterville. And the inhabi- tants of ye said town are hereby invested with all the powers, privileges, rights and immunities, with which other Towns are invested by the Constitution and Laws of this Commonwealth.
Section 2d. And be it further Enacted, that the said Town of Waterville shall pay all arrears of taxes, which have been assessed upon them, together with their proportion of all debts owed by the said Town of Winslow prior to the date of this Act, excepting such debts as concern the building of their Meeting Houses, which shall be due from the said Town when divided, or damages the Town may then be liable to pay, shall be appor- tioned and paid by each Town in proportion according to the present valuation, and all dues and demands, other than those which include the expenses of Meeting Houses, belonging to the Town when divided, shall hereafter be adjusted, divided and paid to each of the said Towns in proportions according to the present valuation. And the proceeds of the sales of all Pews on the lower floors in the two Meeting Houses standing on the banks of the Kennebec, as also the Monies voted to complete the same,
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
shall be equally divided between the said Towns after a division ; and the monies assessed for building a meeting house in the west pond settlement, shall be paid and exclusively appropriated to that purpose, and subject to no demand of said Town of Wins- low. And the deficiencies of monies which may be due to the several school districts, in the said Town when divided, shall be paid out of the commontreasury of the present Town of Winslow.
Section 3d. And be it further Enacted, that all future State taxes which may be levied on the two Towns aforesaid, previous to a new valuation, shall be assessed and paid in the proportion of two-fifths by the Town of Winslow and three-fifths by the Town of Waterville.
Section 4th. And be it further Enacted, that all property now belonging to the said Town of Winslow, not mentioned in the foregoing section, shall be divided between the said Towns in the proportions as mentioned in the second section of this Act.
Section 5th. And be it further Enacted, that any Justice of the Peace of said County of Kennebec, be and he is hereby authorized upon application thereof, to issue a Warrant directed to some suitable person, an inhabitant of the said Town of Water- ville, requiring him to notify and warn the Inhabitants thereof qualified to vote in Town affairs, to assemble at such convenient time and place as shall be expressed in the said Warrant, to choose such officers as Towns are by law empowered to choose in the months of March or April annually.
In the House of Representatives, June 23rd, 1802. This Bill having had three several readings passed to be Enacted.
JOHN C. JONES, Speaker.
In Senate, June 23rd, 1802. This Bill having had two several readings passed to be Enacted.
DAVID COBB, President.
June 23rd, 1802. By the Governor approved.
CALEB STRONG. A true Copy
Attest :
JOHN AVERY, Secretary.
A true Copy of the Original
Attest :
ABIJAH SMITH, Town Clerk.
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
Letter of Asa Redington.
WATERVILLE, ME., June 21, 1844.
Dear Sir :- My son recently informed me that you would like to have a copy of the company roll of Washington's Life Guards. Agreeably to your request, I hereby send you one, under date of Oct. 22, 1783. The original is in my possession.
The company was then stationed at Rocky Hill, in Princeton, N. Jersey, and went by the name of Washington's Guards. It consisted of a Captain, three Sergeants, three Corporals, two Musicians, and twenty-eight Privates. I remember most of them.
The preliminary treaty of peace was made in Nov., 1782. After the information reached America, there was but little fighting. The army, however, was not disbanded until the arrival of the definitive treaty, signed at Paris, 3d Sept., 1783. It was in the spring of 1783 that Washington retired from New- burg, and established his headquarters at Princeton. This com- pany was detached at that time to attend upon his person. They remained with him at Princeton till the last of November, when he withdrew, and after again visiting West Point and New York City, he returned to his home at Mount Vernon. A part of our company went to that place to guard his baggage. I had then to walk to West Point (where I was discharged 23d Dec. 1783), and from thence to New Hampshire, where my friends resided. I had been in the war five years, and my health had become impared. Being desirous to retain my trusty musket, but unable to bring it so far on my shoulders, I made a bargain with one of my fellow soldiers to carry it home, for which I was to give him a hard dollar, or let him retain the gun. I made out to procure, and give him a hard dollar, and took the piece, which I still keep.
Gen. Washington had the condescention to speak to me several times. Once in the Philadelphia hospital, when sick with the smallpox :- "You appear to have been very sick; what corps do you belong to?" I replied, "New Hampshire," and he passed along. Once at Princeton, when I and another man were carry- ing up some heavy trunks into his chamber :- "Be careful and
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not let them fall on your feet, as they might cripple you." And again at the same place. He called me to his window and said, "I wish you would let your men procure some bush brooms and sweep the door yard, and I will try to get you something to drink."
We complied with the General's request, and he sent us out, by his steward, a bottle of excellent spirit, which was quite accept- able. The General's lady was with him (I believe) all the time he was at Princeton. I was for several weeks quite sick there with the fever and ague, and went to a small farm house near by the General's quarters. His family physician called often, and gave me medicines many times. Lady Washington was also very kind to me, and at one time sent me an excellent pie, and at another time an orange, and other things.
My veneration for the great and good Gen. Washington com- menced early. It has never suffered diminution. Of his person and character it is unnecessary to speak; but I cannot forbear alluding to that majestic and serene dignity of appearance and of manner, which at once inspired both reverence and love. When on horse-back he made a most noble appearance. If walk- ing (alone or in company with thousands), he must have been instantly marked for an extraordinary being. He had with him at Princeton about a dozen cavalry, well mounted. They made a fine appearance. They generally escorted him when he rode out, and acted as expresses, etc.
Of the Guards, Sergeant Stratton died last fall, at Albion, in this State. It is possible that several others may be yet living, but I know of know one.
I trust I did my duty faithfully as a soldier in that mighty struggle for our National Independence. I saw and felt a great deal of hard service in that war, in a number of actions. I was at the siege of Yorktown, and had the pleasure (for I was tired of fighting) of seeing the British army under Lord Cornwallis march out of Yorktown, ground their arms, and surrender themselves prisoners of war.
I am no friend to war, and pray that it may cease to the ends of the earth. I am fast verging to the age of eighty-three, and am hoping soon to find a dwelling place in that promised land where wars can never come.
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In another part of this letter, I have spoken of Gen. Wash- ington's condescention to me on several occasions. My object was merely to show that he was above that false pride which too often accompanies men invested with rank and power, and which teaches them that condescension to their inferiors would be fatal to their own dignity.
Respectfully yours, ASA REDINGTON.
P. I. I trust, sir, you will excuse the wretched appearance of this letter, as my health is very feeble, and I cannot do as I once could. Men's names belonging to His Excellency's Guard. Sergeants-Stratton, Holt, Bonis. Corporals-Redington, Cut- ler, Holt. Musicians-Fife, Odiorne, Drum, Simpson. Private's names-Ames, Bullard, Baker, Blair, Batchelder, Currier, Coster, Conner, Davis, Eaton, Eastman, Ferguson, Gordon, Hutchinson, Kenney, Morrison, Morrell, Norris, Pierce, Pope, Pease, Randall, Sutton, Sanborn, Sergeant, Smith, Smith, Thurston, Ward, Winch.
Capt. Howe, Commander of His Excellency's Guard, Rocky Hill, Oct. 22, 1783.
Nehemiah Stratton, Sergeant on the Command.
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THE CITY CHARTER.
[Accepted Jan. 23, 1888.]
AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT INCORPORATING THE CITY OF WATERVILLE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legislature assembled, as follows :
The Act of the Legislature of eighteen hundred and eighty. three, approved February twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and eighty-three, to incorporate the city of Waterville, is hereby amended so that the several sections of said act shall read as follows :
SECTION I. The inhabitants of the town of Waterville, in the county of Kennebec, shall continue to be a body politic and corporate by the name of the city of Waterville, and as such shall have, exercise and enjoy all the rights, immunities, powers, privileges and franchises, and be subject to all the duties and obligations now appertaining to or incumbent upon said town as a municipal corporation, or appertaining to or incumbent upon the inhabitants or selectmen thereof, and may ordain and publish such acts, ordinances, laws and regulations, not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of this State, as shall be needful to the good order of said body politic, and impose fines and penalties for the breach thereof not exceeding twenty dollars for any one offense, which may be recovered to the use of said city, by action of debt, or on complaint before the municipal court in said city, or complaint may be made before said court and a warrant issued thereon when authorized by the
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city solicitor, and said court is empowered to enforce payment of said fines and costs of prosecution by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding thirty days.
SECT. 2. The administration of all fiscal, prudential and municipal affairs of said city, with the government thereof, shall be vested in one principal magistrate, to be styled the mayor, and a board of seven aldermen, designated as the board of aldermen, and a board of fourteen councilmen, denominated the common council, all of whom shall be inhabitants of said city and legal voters therein. Said mayor, board of aldermen, and common council, shall constitute the city council. All shall be sworn to a faithful performance of the duties of their respective offices.
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