USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. II > Part 57
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The first Presidential term was a period of experiment, in The gen- which the administration acquired the merits of success, beyond eral govern what had been generally anticipated. Political measures were ment. judicious ; appointments to official trust, were with few excep- tions, popular ; the President and Vice-President had received a second election ; the prosperity of the nation under its new gov- ernment was great ; and the federalists might suppose, that their foresight as statesmen, entitled them to the increasing confidence of the public. On the other hand, those who were in the outset adverse to the Constitution by reason of some provisions and powers it contained, claimed the credit of effecting ten most im- portant amendments, *- and finally, the abrogation of the article
* See " Amendments to the Constitution" of United States.
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A. D. 1794. which authorized the suability of the States,* and avowed them- selves the staunch supporters of a General Government. It was a season of public contentment ; and had there been tranquillity in Europe, the fearful and aggravated asperities of party, which were daily increasing, and the difficulties which perplexed the administration, might have been in a great degree avoided.
French rev- olution.
But France had now been the theatre of great revolutionary changes, for more than five years.t Events the most remarka- ble, had followed one another in quick succession. All old es- tablishments in Church and State were overturned; and all po- litical ranks and distinctions abolished. Monastaries were sup- pressed, their lands confiscated, and every religious order, includ- ing the Jews, was put on an equality with the catholics. A new Constitution of national Government had been adopted ;- the Jacobins, at first only a Club of about forty political reformers in Versailles, becoming exceedingly numerous, were disposed in their assemblages to originate or fashion all measures before they were adopted ;- a manifesto had been published by the French ambassadors, at every Court in Europe, that the arms of France would never be turned against the liberties of any State or people ;- a National Convention, or ' Revolutionary Tribunal' of about 800 members had been formed, who were sworn to hold royalty in utter detestation ; Louis 16th and his queen had been beheaded, and a 'free Republic' established ;- the vio- lent struggle between the Jacobins and the Revolutionary Tribu- nal for paramount power, had brought thousands to the guillo- tine, and filled the country with massacre and blood ;}-Europe was in a flame of war against the French nation ;- and ultimate- ly, a change invested the Council of Five Hundred and the Ex- ecutive Directory with absolute power. Amidst these mighty events, extravagant sentiments of liberty and equality, mixed with philosophy and adorned with eloquence, were blazed through that country ; and crossing the Atlantic, had an electrifying influ- ence and altogether an undue effect, upon the minds of the American people. Some cherished the recollections of honest
* Sce the case of Chisholm vs. State of Georgia, as to the suability of the States .- Sup. Court U. States, A. D. 1793 .-- Const. Art. XI. Amendment. t The French revolution commenced in July, 1789, when the Bastile was demolished.
# The Jacobin Club, as such, became extinct in France, about 1795-6 ..
CHAP. XXII.]
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gratefulness towards a people, so lately the American ally in her A. D. 1794. bloody struggle for freedom, and wished them triumphant success. Others denounced the French Revolution as a series of disorders big with crime, and chose rather to be numbered among its foes than its friends. These were thus in sentiment brought upon the The Ameri same side with the British, who were at war with the French ; sides. cans take and great numbers, if not all, of the trading Federalists were found in this class, who were called by way of reproach, British emissaries, aristocrats and even tories. They, too, were equally illiberal towards their opponents, who called themselves Repub- licans, applying to them the appellations of Democrat, and even Jacobin. Hence the American people became virtually parti- sans with the contending nations in Europe ; and for such cause, unworthy as it was, the parties without much restraint, attacked each others' motives as well as sentiments and measures, with great severity, if not with some malignity.
Resolved to do equal justice to all nations, and entangle alli- A treaty ances with none, President Washington issued a proclamation of land. Neutrality. Next, he appointed the honorable John Jay, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to London, who ne- gociated a treaty of amity, commerce and navigation, with Great Britain, Nov. 19, 1794, which was ratified by the Amer- ican government. Nothing had ever before tested so severely the popularity of the President. For the whole country was divided upon the subject ;- the Federalists believed the treaty would be the salvation of our commerce, if not of our country ; while the Democrats or Republicans, condemned it as a monopoly conceded to a nation, whose politics ought always to be viewed with distrust, insisting that it would operate as a perpetual bar to better terms. It was furthermore said, that the treaty originated and progressed in a spirit of partiality towards the English, which the French, who had afforded us aid in our contest for liberty, might justly resent.
Remote from us, as the events and politics of Europe may ap- Samuel pear; they were nevertheless, in the spring elections of 1794, elected instrumental of forming a dividing line between the parties at the polls, through this Commonwealth. Candidates for the first elective offices were nominated, in consideration of party as well as merit ; when SAMUEL ADAMS, the Lieutenant-Governor, an VL. II. 71
with Eng-
Adams Governor.
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A. D. 1794. unwavering advocate for State-rights, and a republican of the first order, was elected to the Chief-Magistracy, over the federal can- didate, William Cushing, late Chief-Justice of Massachusetts, and then a Judge upon the Supreme Bench of the United States ; Moses Gin Lieutenant- Governor. and Moses Gill was chosen Lieutenant-Governor, by the Legis- lature, no election being effected at the polls.
3 Repre- sentatives to Congress from Maine.
Six Sena- tors.
In a new apportionment of Representatives to Congress among the several States, fourteen were assigned to this Commonwealth ; of whom Maine was entitled to the election of three. For this purpose its towns and plantations were classified into as many districts ; and in November, they elected GEORGE THATCHER,* PELEG WADSWORTH, and HENRY DEARBORN. The number of the Senators to the State legislature was also increased from four to six ; two of whom were to be chosen in the County of York, two in Cumberland, and two in Lincoln, Hancock, and Wash- ington.
Bowdoin College es- tablished.
At length, a Charter was granted by the General Court, June 24, 1794, for the establishment of BOWDOIN COLLEGE, f in the
* To this time Mr. Thatcher had been sole Representative from Maine. t The name was chosen in honor of a wealthy and distinguished fam- ily of Massachusetts. It appears that, "Pierre Bauduoin," or Bowdoin, a Protestant near Rochelle in France, fled with his wife and four children from their native country, on the revocation of the edict of Nantz, and landed at Casco [Portland] in 1688, which he fortunately left May 16, 1690, the day before the place was destroyed by the Indians. He died within 2 years in Boston, leaving a widow and family, in charge of his oldest son James. This man acquired a great estate, which he, at the age of 71, viz. Sept. 4, 1747, left to two sons, James and William. The former, born in 1727, and graduated in 1745, was Gov'r of Massachusetts in 1785 & 6 .; his wife was the daughter of John Erving, Esq ; and his children were James, Jr. born Sept. 22, 1752, and a daughter, married to Sir John Temple. James, Jr. great-grandson of Pierre was graduated at Harvard College in 1771; read law about a year at the University of Oxford in England ; travelled in England, Italy, and Holland; and returning after Lexington battle, married the daughter of his uncle William, who was his father's half broth- er. He resided in Dorchester, and sustained successively the offices of representative, senator, and councillor. After the College was incorpor- ated by the name of his family, he inade to it a donation of 1,000 acres of land, and £1,100 in other property. In 1305, he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to Madrid, and was resident, during his absence, two years in Paris, " where he purchased a large library of books, and a collection of well arranged materials and fine models of crystallography, all which he afterwards presented to Bowdoin College." In July, 1811, he also exe-
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CHAP. XXII.]
town of Brunswick, the first classical seminary founded in this A. D. 1794. State. Its government was committed to a board of 13 Trus- tees, including the President, and a supervisory body of 45 Over- seers. It was endowed by the Legislature with five townships of land ; and from 1812 to 1831, it received out of the public treasury $3,000 by the year. The first classic instruction was in the year 1802 ;* and between the first public Commencement, A. D. 1806, and the Separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, 135 young gentlemen, Alumni of the College, were graduated Bach- elors of Arts. The College edifices are four,-three of which are brick. Two of them, Maine Hall and New College, are large and elegant: The third is Massachusetts Hall ; and the fourth is the Chapel. The site selected for them, is the heart of a very handsome plain, a mile from the Lower Falls in the river Androscoggin. The College has a Library of 3,000 volumes ; a valuable philosophical apparatus ; and a large cabinet of min- erals and curiosities. The Classes are under the tuition of the President, five Professors and a Tutor. The institution has been for several years, in quite a flourishing state.t
Some of the mechanic arts, and articles of manufacture and Lime and exportation, received the particular attention of the Legislature Lumber. this year. For instance, a new law prescribed the size of lime
cuted a deed to the College of 6,000 acres, in the town of Lisbon; and in his will, bequeathed it " several articles of philosophical apparatus, and a costly collection of 70 elegant paintings." He died without children, Oct. 11, 1811, in the 60th year of his age. His widow married the late General Henry Dearborn ; and at her decease, she left a sum of money to the Col- lege, also several family portraits. James Bowdoin, one of the overseers, is the son of her neice,-the wife of Lieut. Governor Winthrop .- Dr. Al- len's Decade of Addresses .- Notes, p. 267-8.
* Rev. Joseph M'Keen, D. D. was the first President of the College. He was born at Londonderry, N. H. 1757,-a descendant of Scotch Presby- terian ancestors, settled in the north of Ireland. He was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1774 .- He died in July, 1807. His successor, Rev. Jesse Appleton, born at New Ipswich, N. H. 1772, graduated at the same College in 1792, and died Nov. 12, 1809 .- Rev. William Allen, the 3d President, was graduated at Harvard University, in 1802.
Į The Presidents of the Overseers have been David Sewall, 14 years; Dan- iel Davis, 5 ; James Bowdoin, 3 ; Samuel Freeman, 3 ; and Jeremiah Baily, 2 years, including A. D. 1821 .- The Institution has been endowed by the State with grants of 5 townships of land, -- Dixmont, Sebec, Foxcroft, Guilford, and Abbot .- [See Sebec, post, A. D. 1812.]
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A. D. 1794. casks, and required the manufacturer to brand his name upon them after they were filled. Another act was passed, to preserve for the owners, mill-logs, masts, spars, and other timber, acciden- tally found floating down the rivers ; and to punish all such as presumed to deface the marks. For though there was consider- able ship-building, and many were engaged in foreign navigation and the fisheries, the lumber business was pursued to greater extent and advantage, than at any former period.
Maine flour- ishing.
But it was chiefly, the great multiplication of towns, rising into being and notice from year to year, by which we trace with cer- tainty, the rapid progress of this eastern country, in enterprize, population and wealth. Nothing surely could give higher proof of the favorable opinion which visitants and settlers entertained of its resources and ultimate importance. Men left to their choice select their places of abode, where they can enjoy the best health and greatest privileges, and where they can obtain a livelihood by the most feasible means, and an increase of their substance in the surest manner. The current of emigration setting hither, appeared to deepen and widen with time. In the short period of thirteen future months, there were incorporated nineteen towns, fifteen of which were previously plantations ;- every new town being supposed to contain when incorporated, at least 500 inhabitants, though in some instances the number was less.
Nineteen new towns incorporat. ed.
Our subsequent sketches of towns multiplying so remarkably, must be few and concise. FARMINGTON,* previously ' Sandy river plantation,' [No. 1,] or ' Tyngstown,'t incorporated Febru- ary 1st, was happily found to be wholly without the limits of the
Farming- ton.
* Farmington, (S3d town ) is a most excellent township in the bend of Sandy river, containing 27,000 acres. The goodness of its soil for agri- culture, was the reason of giving it, by cominon consent, its corporate name. Ilere were the Indian cornfields of the Canibas tribe. At the "Crotch," or confluence of Sandy river and Little Norridgewock, are falls, and excellent sites for mills. In this place is one village :- the other is five miles farther up Sandy river, where there is a large meeting-house, an academical edifice, and a village of 30 houses. Population in 1790, was 494. Farmington Academy was established in Feb. 1807, and is flourishing. A post-office was established here, in 1797 ; and the next year, the town was represented in the General Court, by Supply Belcher .- MS. Letter from Farmington, 1821.
t Sec grant to William Tyng and company for services in 1703 .- Re- solves 1785-6, 1792-8.
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CHAP. XXII.]
Plymouth patent. It was surveyed by Colonel Joseph North, in A. D. 1794. 1780, when improvements were commenced ; and the next year it was settled by several families. Under a resolve of 1790, the lots were confirmed to the settlers and their associates, agreeably to drafts made at proprietors' meetings holden in Hallowell .- ALFRED, the north parish of Sanford, was incorporated February Alfred. 4, into a district, and made a town in 1808, being named for Alfred the great. The first permanent settlements were made here in 1770 .*- BRIDGETON, situated between Long Pond and Bridgeton. Denmark and incorporated February 7, was granted by the Gen- eral Court, in 1764, to Benjamin Milliken and others in lieu of ' Rowley Canada,' [Ringe] taken away by running the New- Hampshire line. It received its name from Moody Bridges of Andover, Massachusetts, who was a large proprietor. The first improvements were made in 1769 by Benjamin Kimball.t- PROSPECT, situated between ' Half-way Creek' and the mouth Prospect. of Marsh river, was taken from Frankfort and incorporated Feb. 24. Its name was taken from the ' beautiful prospect,' presented by an elevation near the centre of the town, in the vicinity of Fort Pownal. This place became inhabited soon after the erection of that fortification in 1759; Joshua Treat having been one of the earliest settlers. Before the war of the Revolution, Thomas Goldthwait and Francis Bernard, son of the Governor, took from the Waldo proprietors, a grant of 2,700 acres near the southerly part of the town; in consideration of which they engaged to
* Alfred, (84th town,) when incorporated into a district, was vested with all town privileges, except, it continued united to Sanford, in the choice of a Representative, till large enough to choose one. The village is on a plain ; the site of which, and the territory about two miles square, were claimed under the Governor's right [Hutchinson and Oliver] and was long in dispute. The title to the residue of the town is the same as in Sanford. -[See Sanford, ante, A. D. 1768.] Alfred has been a shire-town since Sept. 1803. A Post Office was established here in 1800. In Alfred is a family of Shakers, embracing 190 members-who associated here in 1784. They first removed hither from New-Lebanon.
t Bridgeton, (85th town) contains 23,000 acres. Here are two meeting- houses, one for baptists, Elder Reuben Ball; one for congregationalists, Rev. Nathan Church, settled in 1789. Here also is a ministerial fund, founded by the donations of E. Roby and A. Andrews. Bridgeton Academy was incorporated in March, 1808. Post Office was established in town, A. D. 1800. First Representative to General Court, was Phinehas Ingalls, in 1819 .- MS. Letter, 1819.
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A. D. 1794. settle 30 families and an episcopal minister, and to build a church. They did indeed rear a small brick chapel, and attempt a settle- ment ; but being Tories, they in the war left their country and forfeited their property. The plantation continued, and in 1784, Hampden. there were in Prospect, 24 families .*- HAMPDEN, lying between the north line of the Waldo patent and Bangor, was incorporated Feb. 24; half of the town or more being taken from Frankfort. It was first settled, at the mouth of Soadabscook,t in 1772, by Benjamin Wheeler, who built mills near its mouth ; and, therefore, while a plantation, it was usually called Wheeler's borough. Its corporate name was adopted in memory of the famous English- man, John Hampden. Disturbed by the English after their oc- cupation of 'Biguyduce, in 1779, the settlers retired with their families through the woods to Kennebeck, and thence to Wool- wich and Falmouth. Returning in 1783, they resumed the set- tlement of the place ; and in 1796, the township was surveyed and lotted by Ephraim Ballard ; when every inhabitant received a lot of 100 acres. If he were a settler before January, 1784, he paid six dollars, but if afterward and before January, 1794, he paid fifty dollars. The residue of the town was assigned to General Knox by the government to make up for a deficiency in Newfield. the Waldo patent. #-NEWFIELD, incorporated Feb. 26, was pre- viously the plantation of ' Washington,' situated on the northerly
* Prospect, (86th town,) includes Brigadier's Island, of 750 acres, which is southerly of old Fort Pownal .- [See A. D. 1759.] " Cod-lead" in a marsh near the north part of the town, is a curious mound covering one fourth of an acre, " no work of art could surpass its beauty." There are owned in Prospect, 1,060 tons of shipping, and S mills. A post-office was established here in 1795. There are in town 2 meeting-houses, 1 for con- gregationalists, Rev. C. J. Lawton settled, 1815, and Mr. Thurston, in 1826 ; 1 for baptists, Elder Thomas Morrell, minister from 1815 to 1824. The first Representative was Henry Black. Another was Joseph P. Mar- tin, Esq. a revolutionary soldier, from 1776 to 1783-a man of great worth and intelligence .- MS. Letter from Prospect, 1824.
t " Soadapscoo"-is the Indian word .- General J. Herrick .- See Frank- fart, ante, A. D. 1789.
# Hampden, (87th town,) was settled by emigrants from Cape Cod. They were threatened by the Indians, as most settlers on the river were before the war. Here are two meeting-houses, 1 for methodists, and 1 for universal- ists. Hampden Academy was incorporated, March, 1803. The town was first represented in the General Court, A. D. 1802, by Martin Kinsley, af- terwards member of the Senate and Council in Massachusetts, and of Con- gress ;- Judge of the Common Pleas and of Probate.
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side of the Little Ossipee. It was surveyed in 1778, and settled A. D. 1794. the same year .*- CORNISH, hitherto called 'Francisborough,' Cornish. was incorporated February 27. Its soil grows Indian corn so abundantly, that we are told its corporate name is taken from that circumstance. The southerly part of the town was settled by a few families, in 1776; population in 1790, was 411; and in 1792, there was organized a baptist church. +-NEW-SHARON, , New-Shar- incorporated June 20, adjoins Sandy river and McGirdy's pond. Its plantation name was Unity. It is supposed to have been set- tled about the year 1776. The number of its inhabitants in 1790, was 130.1-DRESDEN, incorporated June 25, and so called Dresden. from a town of the same name in Germany, was previously the ' West Precinct' of Pownalborough. It was first settled about 1750. Here was a seat of justice for the county of Lincoln from 1760 to 1794.6-ALNA, [New-Milford, till changed Feb. Alna.
* Newfield, (SSth town,) contains 14,543 acres of good land. This town- ship fell to Shapleigh of Small's Indian purchase .- [ See ante, note (a,) Par- sonsfield, A. D. 1785.]-Here are two meeting-houses, 1 for congregation- alists, Rev. John Adams settled in 1781, when there were only 5 families in the plantation. Post-office established in 1804; first baptist church formed, 1806 ; and first Representative to the General Court, was Josiah Towle, the same year. Here is found a mine of Fuller's earth, which has been wrought by the ' Washington Mining Company.'-Population in 1790, was 262 souls .- MS. Letter of James Ayer, jr. Esq. 1820.
t Cornish, (89th town, ) contains 12,000 acres. It is a part of the Small purchase .- [See Parsonsfield, 1785.]-In town is one meeting-house ; Rev. John Chadbourne ordained in 1797, and Mr. Remick, in 1805 :- Post-office established in 1810. The first Representative to the General Court, was Josiah Dunn, in 1806-MS. Letter, 1820.
# New-Sharon, (90th town,) first organized a church in 1801; and in 1815, settled Rev. Hezekiah Hall .- It was granted by the State, Feb. 14, 1791,to Prince Baker and others, containing 28,600 acres.
§ Dresden, (91st town,) including Swan-Island, which in extent is 4 miles by 200 rods, now contains 17,404 acres .-- [See Pownalborough, ante, A. D. 1760.]-Prior to the Revolution, Rev. Jacob Baily, an episcopalian, was settled here, receiving part of his support from the Plymouth proprie- tors. His politics prevented his stay through the war. There is a meet- ing-house in Dresden, for congregationalists; Rev. Freeman Parker, a graduate of Harvard, in 1797, was settled in 1801. Post-office was estab- lished here in 1795 ; and first Representative to the General Court, (in 1806,) was Samuel F. Goodwin .- Major John Polereczky, born in France, and educated at the military academy, was Major in the Duke of Lauzerne's regiment of Light-horse in the army of General Rochambeau, had a horse killed under him in the battle at White Plains, and was at the cap-
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A. D. 1794. 28, 1811,] incorporated June 25, was the ' North Precinct' of Pownalborough. It is situated between Dresden and the river Sheepscot. Probably it was settled about 1760 .*
A.D. 1795. The other nine towns of the nineteen mentioned were all in- corporated in the month of February, 1795.
Poland.
The first was POLAND, a very large township, incorporated Feb. 17, which extended up from the Twenty-mile Falls in the river Androscoggin, so as to include what, since 1802, is Minot. Poland embraced Bakerstown, and about 21,000 acres, lying be- tween the latter and Sheppardsfield or Hebron, which the gov- ernment, in 1788, quit-claimed to John Bridgham, and sixty- four others, upon the usual conditions of settlement and payment of a small pecuniary consideration. The town, when incorpor- ated, contained about 1,400 inhabitants.t The names of the other eight towns, and the different days in February, on which they were incorporated were these,-LITCHFIELD and LEWIS- TON, § the 18th, JAY,|| the 26th, STEUBEN, T 27th, FAYETTE, **
Eight new towns.
ture of Cornwallis .- He did not return home after the war, but has ever since resided in Dresden, and been town clerk 15 years. Population of Pownalborough in 1790, was 2,055 .- MS. Letter from Dresden, 1820.
* Alna, (92d town,) was the 3d parish of Pownalborough. In 1796, a church was organized, and Rev. Jonathan Ward settled.
t Poland, (93d town,) is supposed to take its name of an Indian Chief .- The first settled minister was Rev. Jonathan Scott.
# Litchfield, (94th town,) formerly Smithfield, or Smithtown, was settled in 1778, by two brothers by the name of Smith. Its population in 1790, was 521.
§ Lewiston, (95th town,) lies between the Androscoggin and the Plymouth patent. Its plantation name was Lewistown. Population in 1790, 532 souls. || Jay, (96th town,) a name from Hon. John Jay, had been called Phips' Canada. It is a large township and lies on both sides of the Androscog- gin. Its population in 1790, was 103 souls.
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