title: Historical collections of Piscataquis County, Maine, consisting of papers read at meetings of Piscataquis County Historical Society, also The north eastern boundary controversy and the Aroostook War, with documentary matter pertaining thereto.
text: '^^ '^ o :3 • .0 ^ ■■Ss\, 5> • v> V .0 % 'J'^i^^'^ o.f^ '^o o > .0 ^ '^^ <^^ ; ^../ :->^;-. %./° .v^v. \/ .:A^;:, V^,^° -^ O s • • , •^- -^0 ^ 1^^ < ':^ v^ 0' 1l» COLLECTIONS OF THE Piscataquis County Historical Society VOLUME I HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF Piscataquis County, Maine CONSISTING OF PAPERS READ AT MEETINGS OF Piscataquis County Historical Society ALSO The North Eastern Boundary Controversy and the Aroostook War With Documentary Matter Pertaining Thereto WITH ILLUSTRATIONS DOVER: OBSERVER PRESS 1910 Gift WAR 9 UH TABLE OF CONTENTS Page An Address Delivered Before the Piscataquis County Historical Society by Its President, John Francis Sprague, at Sebec, Maine, July 23, 1908, 1 Early History of the Town of Sebec. Its Incor- poration and Development. Read at the meeting of the society in Sebec July 23, 1908, by Major Wainwright Gushing, 10 Some Facts in Regard to the Early History of the Town of Guilford. By Henry Hudson, Esq. , 35 Some Facts Relating to the Early History of Greenville and Moosehead Lake. Presented by Charles D. Shaw, Esq., 52 History of the Baptist Churches in Piscataquis County. By Rev. F. H. Pratt, 66 Universalism in Piscataquis County. By Rev. A. Gertrude Earle, 86 Foxcroft Academy. By Hon. Willis E. Parsons, 100 Historical Sketch of Monson Academy. By John Francis Sprague, 118 Early Navigation on Sebec Lake. By Charles W. Hayes, Esq., 127 Peter Brawn and His Celebrated Bear Fight on Sebec Lake. By Edgar Crosby Smith, 138 VI TAIU.E OF CONTENTS Sketch of Hunter John Ellis. By Sarah A. Martin, 142 Edgar Wilson Nye, By John Francis Sprague, 147 Sketches of Some Revolutionary Soldiers of Pis- cataquis County. By Edgar Crosby Smith, 154 Notes of the Crosby Family and a Sketch of the Life of Josiah Crosby. By S. P. Crosby, 204 ^The North Eastern Boundary Controversy and the Aroostook War. By John Francis Sprague, 216 ^ Documentary History of the North Eastern Bound- ar}' Controversy, 282 State Papers Relative to the North Eastern Boundary Controversy, 328 History of the Shaw Family with a Sketch of Milton G. Shaw of Greenville. Presented by Charles D. Shaw, 424 William Bingham and the Million Acre Tract. By John Francis Sprague, 434 The Blanchard Family of Blanchard. By Edward P. Blanchard, 442 Resolutions on the Death of Dr. William Buck of Foxcroft, 446 Resolutions on the Death of Columbus W. Ellis of Guilford, 449 An Address Delivered Before the Pis- cataquis County Historical Society by its President, John Francis Sprague, at Sebec, Maine, July 23, 1908 Members of the Piscataquis County Historical Society. Ladies and Gentlemen : IT is customary with the members of historical soci- eties to have an outing, or, as it is usually called, a "field day," at least once a year, and the places usually selected, are those of especial historical interest, thus combining the work which they are engaged in with pleasure and recreation. Your standing committee concluded, and I think wisely, to have our first outing at this sylvan lake, and in this pretty and picturesque little village, quietly reposing at its gatewa}', and which was one of the earliest settlements in our county. At first thought it might seem that while they desig- nated a most delightful spot for pleasure and enjoyment it is not of particular historical interest; that it is only one of hundreds of other lakes in our Pine Tree State where nature has been lavish in fashioning the scenery, the beauty and the grandeur about it — that it is after all only Sebec Lake, bearing the same name as the town of Sebec. This would appear to be true to the casual observer, but possibly it will occur to the more thoughtful that we 2 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS may be to-day upon what is really and in fact historic ground. In the early part of the present year some prominent men from the new State of Oklahoma, who were interested in the Indians, their reservations, lands and varied interests in their state, called upon President Roosevelt to present to him some plans or projects rela- tive to those Indians, In his reply Mr. Roosevelt gave utterance to one of his characteristic expressions that, "It should ever be remembered that the Indian was the first American." We are now within the limits of a route traveled when this was all a vast wilderness by the first Americans for untold centuries, before the white man ever saw it, in their journey ings from the land of the Delawares, the Iroquois, and other more western nations to the country now known as Canada, and especially to and from what is now known as Mount Kineo, midway of Moosehead Lake. The rock formation of Kineo mountain is what in com- mon language we know as hornstone or horn flint and is peculiar to itself in many ways, so that whenever a mineralogist or geological student familiar with it finds its fragments in any part of the country he can immedi- ately recognize it as the Kineo rock. Jackson in his report on the geology of Maine, in 1838, says of this mountain, "Hornstone, which will answer for flints, occurs in various parts of the State, where trap-rocks have acted upon silicious slate. The largest mass of this stone known in this country is Mount Kineo, upon Moosehead Lake, which appears to be entirely composed of it, and rises 700 feet above the lake level. This variety of hornstone I have seen in every part of New England in the form of Indian arrow- heads, hatchets, chisels, etc., which were probably OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY O obtained from this mountain by the aboriginal inhab- itants of the country. ' ' Henry D. Thoreau in his valuable work, which has done so much to make our magnificent forestry famous throughout the world, ' 'The Maine Woods, ' ' referring to this subject sa^s: "I have myself found hundreds of arrow-heads made of the same material." The late Honorable Augustus Choate Hamlin of Ban- gor, besides being an eminent physician and surgeon, was also a mineralogist of considerable fame, and several of his books upon these subjects were published from 1866 to 1870. He once informed me that the Kineo rock was in some respects so much different from the ordinary horn- stone that scientists could easily distinguish it from that found in any other localities, and that arrow-heads, etc., made from this rock had been discovered much farther south and west than the boundaries of New England. Thus the evidence seems to be conclusive that aboriginals traveled from distant parts of the country to obtain this rock, which they made into crude implements for their use in war and in peace and in the pursuit of game. We are now within the limits of their great thorough- fare from the Penobscot River to Kineo and Canada, which has, perhaps, been trodden by millions during ages which we know not of. To substantiate this contention I will refer to "An account of a journey from Fort Pownal, now Fort Point, up the Penobscot River to Quebec, in 1764, by Joseph Chadwick, surveyor," who was employed by the Colony of Massachusetts to make a survey and exploration of a route for a highway from Fort Pownal to Quebec, which was published in Vol. 4 (1898) of the Bangor Historical Magazine, edited by the late Col. Joseph W. Porter, 4 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS who was a most accurate student of the history of east- ei-n Maine. A journal of the work of Mr. Chad wick, accompanied b}^ a plan of the territory over which he passed, is now in the archives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a copy of which was furnished to this magazine by Doctor John F. Pratt of Chelsea, Mass. He (Chad wick) was a stranger and had no knowledge of the country and had to depend entirely upon Indian guides whom he employed at Old Town. The party consisted of John Preble, who acted as captain and in- terpreter, and who was afterwards much employed dur- ing the Revolutionary War in that capacity and in dealing with the Indians. He died in Portland in 1787. Also Joseph Chad wick, surveyor ; Doctor William Craw- ford, second surveyor; Philip Nuton, assistant; and Joseph Askequenent, Sock Tomah, Assony Neptune, Messer Edaweit, Sac Allexis, Joseph Mary, Sakabis and Francis, who were the Indian guides. Here was a man penetrating an unknown wilderness, relying entirely upon the knowledge and good faith of the Indians to lead him and point out the way to Que- bec. The Indians were friendly and had no object in traversing other than the old trails which they and all of their ancestors had ever traversed so far as they knew. From the Penobscot River they went up the Piscata- quis, which in Chad wick's journal is spelled Perscatie- quess, and the notes are that it, "Is a rapid stream and rocky, rough land, but in some parts are good tracts of land on which grow pine and other timber. ' ' The next place noted in the journal is Soback Pond, and now known as Sebec Lake. The name given the beautiful and charming Lake Onawa is Obernestzame- booh Pond, and the notes mentioned Borestone Mountain by saying that, "It has a very remarkable mountain OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY O which serves to rectify our reckoning about 50 miles each way," Moosehead Lake is called Lake Sebem or Moose Hills, and Chesuncook Lake is named Gesencook, while Mount Katahdin is given the name of Satinhungemoss Hill. These unfamiliar names for places, which conflict with our ideas regarding their original Indian names, can be accounted for from the fact well known to students of Indian history and tradition, that different tribes often had different names for the same places. We find in this journal further evidence that this had been a way long used by the Indians when it states: "At Quebec some of the gentlemen being desirous of forwarding so good a design of opening a road to New England, they began an inquiry of their hunters and Indian traders, who all advised that the above passage is the nighest and most practicable part of the country for opening a road from Quebec to New England," etc. When one contemplates the awful story of that disas- trous and fatal expedition of Arnold's up the treacherous Dead River and through the Maine woods to Quebec, and thinks of its tragedies, its cruelties, its terrible sufferings, of soldiers resorting to eating all of their dogs except one which belonged to the beautiful half-breed girl enamoured of Aaron Burr, and who accompanied the little army, as did two or three other women who were the wives of officers, and at last boiling their moc- casins for a soup in their desperate efforts to sustain life, he cannot but speculate as to what might have been the result if they had gone up the Penobscot instead of the Kennebec. It is among the possibilities that if Washington and Arnold had informed themselves regarding this passage where we are to-day, and had found and studied this Chadwick survey and sailed to Penobscot Bay and not to 6 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS Merrvmeeting Bay, the history of North America might have been changed. Those of you whose imaginative powers are developed along poetic lines, who are often inspired by the muse, may here, at this moment, upon this ground, in your mental visions behold myriads of red men for ages un- counted paddling their birch canoes over these shimmer- ing waters and softly treading these shores, or you may see the deadly arrows and tomahawks aimed at enemies and hear the war-whoops and conflict of tribal battles ; or your strange reveries may lead you into the realms of mysterious romances, of a mysterious past peopled by sleek and swift-footed hunters, valiant and brave warriors and coy and fascinating maidens. As has been expressed by our sweet singer of Piscata- quis, Anna Boynton Averill, we may well imagine that, In the sunbeams Paleface fairies hide their tiny spark; In the raindrops Indian fairies veil their faces dark. Brightness hides the sunbeam fairies, smiling, fair and warm; Shadows shroud the dusky fairies, dwellers of the storm. As this is the first meeting of our society since its organization, a word in regard to its objects may not be out of place. History, concisely speaking, is a record of human events. Since the earliest dawn of civilization man has preserved this record and it has ever served as a beacon light to guide his footsteps in his advancement and prog- ress. The rise and fall of the republics of histoiy aided our forefathers in laying the firm foundation for our govern- ment for freedom and liberty. And the history of the formation of the integral parts of our nation such as states, counties, cities and towns, is in a smaller way of the utmost importance and value to the generations as they appear and disappear in the mysterious procession OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 7 of human existence, having in their keeping the material, political, moral and intellectual welfare of the community while engaged in life's activities. For these reasons historical societies are formed for the purpose of collecting and preserving such incidents in the lives of men and women, and such events in the history of localities as would necessarily be overlooked by the writers of general history. In this work we gather from state, county and town archives, recorded facts relating to the founding of municipalities and the lives of the founders; we save from destruction the con- tents of fugitive papers, letters, scrap-books and docu- ments, and rescue from the weakening memories of aged citizens facts and traditions which are rapidly passing into oblivion. Then we make record of contemporaneous facts and events as we have knowledge of them ourselves, for the best time to write history is when it is being made. Such labors are not only an inspiration to those engaged in them, but their fruition will be of inestimable worth to those who will soon come after us. The Maine Historical Society was organized in 1822 and has had a most prosperous career ever since, and has performed a great work for the State; but it cannot do for the subordinate communities all that ought to be done, hence local societies have been formed and are being formed to carry on this work. Piscataquis County, although not chartered until 1838, was composed of towns taken from Somerset County, organized in 1809, and Penobscot County, or- ganized in 1816. When the representatives of the people of the Prov- ince of Maine assembled at Portland on the eleventh of October, 1819, for the purpose of forming a constitution for the new State of Maine, five towns from Penobscot 8 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS County, which are now a part of Piscataquis County, were represented upon the floor of the convention as follows : Foxcroft, Samuel Chamberlain ; Guilford, Joseph Kelsey; Sangerville, Benjamin C. Goss; Sebec, William Lowney ; Atkinson, Eliazier W. Snow. Among other members of this convention whose names are interwoven with the history of our county may be mentioned Col. Joseph E. Foxcroft of New Gloucester, proprietor of the township of what is now known as the town of Foxcroft; Sanford Kingsbury of Gardiner, once proprietor of Kingsbury Plantation, and for whom it was named; and Alexander Greenwood of Hebron, who subsequently became a citizen of Monson and a land survej^or of note in this county. Ten of our municipalities have been named for men of prominence in the affairs of their day and generation as follows: Atkinson, Blanchard, Brownville, Foxcroft, Orneville, Parkman, Sangerville, Williamsburg, Elliotts- ville Plantation and Kingsbuiy Plantation. Thus it will be seen that we have a field for exertion which reaches back into and is a part of the early history of our State. Very little, as compared with other parts of Maine, has been written of Piscataquis County, and yet its history, if compiled, would be of great interest to all. The liberal policy which our Legislature has pursued in aid of the Maine Historical Society and similar in- stitutions is an earnest that wc may not be too optimistic in believing that our society may receive some assistance from the same source. I sincerely hope that we may be enabled to publish occasional volumes of the proceedings of these meetings and the papers and collections which mav come to us from our members regarding the early days of our county, its pioneers, its civil, religious, political, indus- OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 9 trial and military history, its Indian traditions and legends, its schools, churches, etc. Whether the objects of this society are ever fully ac- complished will depend on the efforts which the members put forth and upon the sympathy and aid which we re- ceive from our fellow citizens generally. We invite, therefore, the cooperation of all in carry- ing forward the work which we have begun. Early History of the Town of Sebec Its Incorporation and Development THE following paper was read by Major Wainwright Gushing July 23, 1908, at the meeting of Pis- cataquis County Historical Society in Sebec. Mr. Gushing took pains to examine the early records of the county in Boston in order to get facts : Petition for the incorporation of the town of Sebec which was circulated for signatures in the spring of 1811: To the Honorable Senate and House of Representa- tives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Gourt assembled: Your petitioners, inhabitants of township number 4 in the seventh range, north of Waldo patent in the Gounty of Hancock, beg leave to represent that although it is now but about eight years since the commencement of the settlement of said township, it already contains between thirty and forty settlers, and that we are sub- ject to all the great and many evils that arise from our unincorporated state, we your petitioners therefore pray that said township may be incorporated into a town by the name of Sebec, vested with all the powers and privileges that other towns do or may enjoy in the Com- monwealth, and your petitioners are in duty bound and will ever pray. HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 11 No. 4, range 7, Count}' of Hancock, May 1811. James Lyford Alex Thompson Hez Hall Joseph Dennett Daniel Hall John Smart John Wentworth John Brien Ric'd Dovvnmg Noah Cross Clement Bunker Abiel Gould Jason Hassell Joseph Noyes Silas Herriman Abel Chase Geo. Knight Peter Morrill Jonathan LA'ford James Douglass Jeremiah Douglass John Keene Wm. Douglass, Jr. Wm. Douglass Seth Dowman Jacob Doe Joel Crockett Wm. McKinney Patrick Morrill James Dennett Moses Page Boston, Mass., June 11th, 1811. Read and committed to the Committee of towns. Sent up for concurrence. Joseph W. Story, Speaker. In the Senate June 11th. Read and concurred. Samuel Dana, President. Remonstrance against the incorporation of the town of Sebec. To the Honorable Senate and House of Representa- tives, Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled. Humbly represent your memorialists inhabitants of township 4 range 7 north of Waldo patent in the County of Hancock, that a petition was presented to your Honorable Bod}- last session praying that this 12 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS township might be incorporated into a town by the name of Sebec, which prayer your memorialists, some of whom were subscribers to said petition, beg leave to say ought not to be granted. Because the signatures to said peti- tion were obtained in an improper manner, and under the influence of false representations, inasmuch as there was never any meeting of the inhabitants to consult upon the subject, or any means to take the sense col- lectively, but the petition was originated by a few in- dividuals and presented to the inhabitants separately, with a representation to each that the other inhabitants were mostly if not altogether in favor of the measure, that not only the inhabitants but the non-resident proprietors were desirous of incorporation, and that if the inhabitants would not petition the proprietors in- tended to take measures to procure an assessment of taxes on them which representations and the reasoning obviously drawn from them, were the prevailing if not the sole motives which induced many, among whom are some of your memorialists to sign the said petition, and it was circulated through the township with such rapidity that though the representations under the influence of which they signed said petition, have been since found to be wholly without foundation in truth, yet there was no opportunity to detect the deception which had been practiced upon them to obtain their signatures until it was too late to make a proper representation of their case at the last session of the Legislature. Therefore your memorialists pray that the petitioners for the in- corporation of the township aforesaid may have leave to withdraw their petition, and the prayer thereof may not at present be granted. As in duty bound will ever pray. Aug. 1811. Ezra Gould Ezekiel Chase Moses Cross Jeremiah Moulton OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 13 Caleb Cross John Johnston, Jr. Thomas Roberts Jonathan Chase John Webster Luke Perry Jonathan Carter Noah Cross Abel Chase Richard Townsend Bill to establish the town of Sebec. Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twelve. An act to establish the town of Sebec in the County of Hancock. Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the township numbered four in the seventh range of the Waldo Patent in the County of Hancock, be and hereby is established as a town by the name of Sebec, and by the following bound- aries, viz: East by number three in the same range. South by the river Piscataquis, West by number five in the same range now incorporated as Foxcroft, North by number six in the eighth range. And the said town of Sebec is hereby vested with all the corporate powers and privileges and subject to the like duties and requisitions of other towns according to the constitution and laws of the Commonwealth. Section 2. Be it further enacted that any Justice of the Peace for the County of Hancock is hereby author- ized upon application therefor to issue a warrant directed to a freeholder and inhabitant of the said town of Sebec requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants thereof to meet at such convenient time and place as shall be appointed in said warrant for the choice of such officers as towns are by law required to choose at their annual town meetings. This bill having had two general readings passed to 14 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS be engrossed. Send down for concurrence. In Senate Feb. 25th, 1812. Samuel Dana, President. In the House of Representatives. Feb. 20th, 1812. This bill having had three several readings passed to be engrossed. In concurrence. E. W. Ripley, Speaker. For some reason the town of Sebec did not vote at the annual election in 1813. The first vote recorded was in 1814. For Governor Samuel Dexter, 33 votes Caleb Strong, 21 votes For Lieutenant Governor William Gray, 29 votes William Phillips, 22 votes 1812 To James Lyford one of the freeholders of the town of Sebec. Greeting : (L. S. ) You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to notify and warn the freeholders and other inhabitants living within the territorial limits of Number 4, seventh range North of the Waldo Patent now incorporated into a town by the name of Sebec, qualified by law to vote in town meet- ings, viz: Such male citizens as are twenty-one years of age and upwards, liable to be taxed, who have resided within said number four one year preceding his voting, to meet and assemble at the dwelling house of James Lyford in said town on Saturday the twenty-first instant OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 16 at ten o'clock in the forenoon to act on the following articles, viz: First, to choose a town clerk. Second, to choose a moderator to govern said meeting. Third, to choose three able and discreet persons for selectmen. Fourth, to choose a suitable person to be treasurer. Fifth, to choose three meete persons to be assessors. Sixth, to choose a constable. Seventh, to choose a meete person to be collector of taxes. Eighth, to choose two or more suitable persons for surveyors of lumber. Ninth, to choose one or more suitable persons for surveyors and measurers of boards, plank timber and slitwork. Tenth, to choose surveyors of shingles and clapboards. Eleventh, to choose two or more judicious and dis- creet freeholders for fence viewers. Twelvth, to choose a tythingman. Thirteenth, to choose a fish warden. Fourteenth, to choose two or more persons to be hog reeves. Fifteenth, to choose a pound keeper. Sixteenth, to choose a field driver. Seventeenth, to choose a school committee if the town see fit. Eighteenth, to agree in what manner they will have the future town meetings warned, or act anything rela- tive to the subject. Nineteenth, to make such by-laws as the town sees fit, and choose all such committees as the town think necessary. Given under my hand and seal the seventeenth day 16 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS of March in the jear of our Lord eighteen hundred and twelve. John Whitney, Justice of the Peace. Hancock, S. S. March 17th, 1812. Then personally appeared the within named James Lyford and made oath that he would faithfully and impartially notif}^ and warn the inhabitants of Sebec as herein required agreeably to law. Before me, John Whitney, Justice of the Peace. Pursuant to the within warrant I have summoned and notified the inhabitants of said town qualified as herein expressed to assemble at the time and place and for the purposes within mentioned. James Lvford. Pursuant to the foregoing warrant the inhabitants assembled at the dwelling house of James Lyford on Saturday the 21st day of March 1812. Meeting opened by James Lyford. Sworn Voted Jason Hassell Town Clerk Voted James Lyford Moderator Selectmen voted Sworn John Sleeper, First Sworn James Lyford, Second Sworn Alexander Thompson, Third Town Treasurer voted Sworn Jeremiah Molton Assessors voted Sworn John Sleeper, James Lyford and Alexander Thompson. Constable and Collector voted Abel Chase, he ap- peared and took the oath prescribed by law. OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 17 Voted to choose three surveyors of highways. Voted, James Lyford, George Knight and George Brier (sworn.) Surveyors of Boards, Plank Timber and Slitwork, voted Jonathan Chase and George Thompson (sworn. ) Surveyors of Clapboards and Shingles, voted Jonathan Chase and George Thompson (sworn. ) Fence Viewers, voted Jeremiah Molton and Silas Harriman (sworn.) Tythingman, voted Moses Cross (sworn.) Fish Wardens, voted, William Douglass, Jr., Heze- kiah Hall, Moses Cross, Jr., Peter Morrill and Jeremiah Douglass (sworn.) Hog Reeves, voted, Jason Hassell and Luke Perry. (Sworn) Pound Keeper, voted, James Lyford. (Sworn) Field Driver, voted, George Knight and John Sleeper. Voted to adjourn the meeting until the first Monday in April next at ten of the clock in the forenoon to this place. Met according to adjournment. Voted to choose five school committee men. Voted, Jason Hassell, William P. Lowny, Peter Morrill, Jere- miah Molton and James Lyford. Voted to hold future annual town meetings on the second Monday in March. Voted that future town meetings should be warned by posting up ^vi-itten noti- fication in some one central place. Voted to choose a committee to settle with the select- men at the close of the year. Committee voted, Silas Harriman, Jonathan Lyford and Ezra Gould. Voted to dissolve the meeting. Jason Hassell, Town Clerk. 18 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS (Early in the summer of 1812 the British were mak- ing their way up the Penobscot and the town of Sebec made preparation to repel the invaders. ) These are to notify and warn the freeholders of the town of Sebec qualified by law to vote in said town affairs to meet at the barn of James Lyford near the centre of said town at three of the clock in the after- noon to act on the following articles that is. 1st. To choose a moderator to govern said meeting, 2d. To see if the town will vote to equip themselves. 3d. To vote in what way and manner they will equip themselves. 4th. To act on any other things relating to the above articles if thought proper. Sebec, July 8th, 1812. John Sleeper, ] a ^ j. ^ V Selectmen. James Lyford, j Pursuant to the foregoing warrant the inhabitants of the town of Sebec assembled at the barn of James Lyford in said Sebec. Voted Mr. William R. Lowny, moderator. Voted the town should equip themselves. Voted the arms should be bought at the expense of the town. Voted to choose a committee to send for the arms. Voted the committee should consist of but one. Voted Mr. James Lyford be the committee. Voted to send for forty -five guns and sixty pounds of powder. Voted the committee get what lead and balls he shall think proper. Voted the committee shall get cartridge boxes or materials to make them as he thinks best. Voted to close the meeting. Jason Hassell, Town Clerk. OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 19 Formation of Militia Company Aug. 1st, 1812. Ezekiel Chase, Captain. Jason Hassel, Lieutenant. Jonathan Chase, Ensign. In the year 1812, the following sheep marks were registered : May 5th. Abel Gould's artificial mark for sheep a swallow tail out of the left ear. June 6th. James Lyford's artificial mark for sheep crop off the right ear and a slit in the left. June 6th. James Douglass' artificial mark for sheep a crop from under the left ear. June 6th. Abel Chase's artificial mark for sheep a swallow tail in left ear. June 6th. Hezekiah Hall's artificial mark for sheep a crop off the left ear and a slit in the same. June 6th. Daniel Hall's artificial mark for sheep a crop off the right ear and a slit in the left. June 10th. John Sleeper's artificial mark for sheep a crop off of the left ear. June 11th. Wm. R. Lowny's artificial mark for sheep a slit in the right ear, and a slit and a hapenny in the left. Jason Hassell, Town Clerk. In the election held Monday, Sept. 10th, 1821, the inhabitants of Sebec brought in their votes as follows: Albion K. Paris, 50 For Governor, , Gen. Joshua Wingate, y f Dr. Isaac Case, 61 For Senator, ■[ ( bimeon Stetson, o For Representative to ( W°^- ^- ^owny, Esq., 49 ■j Ichabod Thomas, Esq., 8 Legislature of Maine, ( ^^^^^ Greenleaf, Esq., 3 20 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS Sebec was originally Number Four, Seventh Range, the eastern of the Bowdoin College Townships. Its area is 22,228 acres. It was lotted in 1802 by Moses Hodgdon. In May, 1803, the treasurer of Bowdoin College deeded 16,000 acres to Richard Pike of New- buryport, Mass. He paid about seventy cents an acre. At the outlet of Sebec Lake among the hills lies Sebec Village. In a short distance there is a fall of 18 feet, making an excellent mill privilege. In 1804 Mark Trafton, Samuel Kimball and others built a dam and erected a mill, the first framed building raised in the county. Roger Chase of Carratunk built the water-wheels and put a saw and grist-mill into operation. In these mills the first boards were sawed and the first grain ground in the county. For 25 years Sebec Village was the leading business center of the county. Large amounts of lumber were sawed and rafted down the rivers to Bangor. Capt. Ezekiel Chase, a soldier of the Revolution, was the first settler, locating near where the Hon. A. J. Chase now lives, in 1802. Capt. Chase was a self-taught physician, very skilful among the sick. He was active in politics and was chosen a presidential elector by the Democrats. A grandson, Jonathan A. Chase, still lives on the farm which was settled by his father, Ezekiel Chase, Jr. A great-grandson, Ezekiel L. Chase of Brownville, is one of the deputy sheriffs for the County of Piscataquis. In 1803 James Lyford settled on what is now known as the John Lyford place, now occupied by a son of Fremont Livermore. Later he was followed by his brother Jonathan. The Ly fords came from Canter- bury, N. H. James Lyford, Silas Harriman, John Morrill and Bylie Lyford, who settled in Atkinson, married sisters, whose maiden name was Lyford. John Morrill OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 21 was my maternal grandfather and father of Joseph Morrill, who was for many years prominent in town affairs and was at one time one of the county commis- sioners. The late A. M. Robinson told me this story of Joseph Morrill: During a session of the Supreme Judicial Court Uncle Joseph was foreman of one of the juries. A pauper case was on trial between the towns of Atkinson and Foxcroft ; the case was tried and after the jury retired a ballot was taken and the vote was 11 to one. Uncle Joe was the one. They commenced to dis- cuss the matter, and after a five hours' session the 11 men changed their views and a verdict was given accord- ingly. Wm. R. Lowny settled in Sebec in 1812. He was prominent in town affairs, and in 1819 was a member of the convention which framed the Constitution of the new State of Maine and was the first member elected to the Maine Legislature from this section. The "Minister's lot" so called, was voted in town meeting to Elder Asa Burnham, a Free Will Baptist minister, who labored in town for 40 years. In 1816 Ichabod Young put a fulling-mill in oper- ation, the first in the county, and at a later date a card- ing mill, the second in the county. John and Nathaniel Bodwell succeeded Mr. Young. In 1835 the Bodwells sold out to my father, Joseph W. Cushing. The next year a woolen factory company was incorporated, a building was erected and two sets of machinery were put in operation. Mr. Cushing ran the mill for five years, when he moved to Milo and erected a new mill. The first store at Sebec Village was opened in 1821 by Mr. Towle, and soon after Solomon Parsons became his partner. In 1823 Jos. Lamson, Sr., and his son, Jos. Lamson, Jr., opened a second store. I have in my possession a day-book kept by J. Lamson & Son. The 22 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS most frequent charges were for New England rum. Isaac Terrill comes to town from Bowerbank. The following charges in the day-book will follow: Isaac Terrill to glass rum 4 cts. ; before returning to Bowerbank Isaac makes another purchase, Isaac Terrill to two qts. N. E. rum 25 cts., to one jug 12 cts. In 1830 Benj. P. and John Gilman succeeded Towle & Parsons and also acquired the Morrison lumber mills and did a large business. B. P. Gilman afterwards moved to Orono, where he formed a partnership with Hon. John Morrison in lumbering and in manufacturing lumber. At Mr. Oilman's decease he left a goodly estate. Mr. John H. Gilman lived in Sebec for many years, was prominent in town affairs, represented his class in the State Legislature, and in the early sixties, during Israel Washburn's term as governor, served as a member of the executive council. He was an incorrigible wag and many stories have been handed down of his oddities. Once while at home on a furlough during the Civil War I called on Mr. Gilman. He had an ill turn and was Ij'ing on the lounge. While chatting with him his wife came into the room, and he said to her: "While Wain- wright is here I want to make a request of you ; I am not feeling well and am liable to be taken awa}^ suddenly, and I want you to promise me that when I die you won't have any d— d copperheads for bearers, for if you do I shall rise right up in my coffin and protest." Mrs. Gilman assured him that his wishes would be respected. Mr. Gilman moved to Foxcroft and later to Orono, where he resided until his death. J, W. Jewett opened another store in 1832, and in 1833 Theodore Wyman formed a co-partnership with him. The business is still continued by Theodore H. Wyman. Mr. Theodore W3man was prominent in town affairs and at his decease he had the respect of ever}' one OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 23 in the community. He was an honored member of the Piscataquis Lodge, F. & A. M. At his funeral services the members evinced their respect by being present in large numbers. The first lawyer to open an office in Sebec was Henry Parsons. He was followed by John Appleton, who after- wards moved to Bangor and became Chief Justice of Maine. He was succeeded by his brother Moses in 1833, who after a few years also moved to Bangor, In 1838 Hon. A, M, Robinson opened an office at the village. After six years he moved to Chase's Corner and later to Dover where he resided until he died. David Shepherd was the onW physician in town from 1825 to 1863, when he was elected Register of Deeds and moved to Dover. He was an estimable citizen and at one time represented Piscataquis Count}^ in the Maine Senate and held many offices of trust in town. By the courtes}^ of Judge Martin L. Durgin of Milo I am enabled to make extracts from an address made by him at the celebration of the eightieth anniversary of the formation of Piscataquis Lodge, F. & A, M., which was organized at Sebec Village: Eighty years ago last December 19th a certain number of Master Masons met at the house of Advardis Shaw in Sebec to discuss the expediency of establishing a lodge of Free Masons in that vicinity, and there were present at that meeting the following named brethren, Advardis Shaw, Eben Greenleaf, Josiah Towle, Moses Greenleaf, Jason Hassell, Col. Wm. Morrison, Eben Weston, Esq., Daniel Chase, Esq., John W. Thompson, Jonathan Robinson, Moses Morrill and Capt. Ephraim Moulton. These brethren came together again on January 2d, 1823, and it was voted that they thought it expedient to organize a lodge, and Moses Greenleaf, Josiah Towle and AVm. Morrison 24 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS were chosen a committee to transact all business neces- sary thereto. On Februaiy 13th a meeting was held and it was then voted to postpone the designation of a name for the lodge until the next meeting when each brother was to propose a name. At the next meeting held on March 13th, 1823, it was voted unanimously to adopt the name of Piscataquis Lodge. At this meeting for the first time a record was made designating the three chair officers by their proper titles and Moses Greenleaf was acting as Master, Jason Hassell as Senior Warden and Wm. Morrison as Junior Warden. From that time on meetings were held at stated intervals. On April 10th a petition was addressed to the Grand Lodge praying to be constituted a regular lodge, and Worshipful Master Moses Greenleaf was chosen a com- mittee to attend the next meeting of Penobscot and Rising Virtue Lodges, (being the two nearest) relative to the organization of Piscataquis Lodge. On November 6th Moses Greenleaf, Josiah Towle and Solomon Parsons were selected as a committee to procure the charter, jewels and furniture for the lodge; also a place to hold its meetings and to prepare a code of by-laws for the government of the lodge. And it is here worthy to note that the code of by-laws presented by the committee 80 years ago is practically unchanged to this day, I have learned that during the space of about a year Brother Towle was building a convenient hall for the accommo- dation of the lodge, and that the committee was procur- ing furniture, jewels, etc., as fast as the state of the treasury would permit. On receiving the charter, which bears the date of Octo- ber 28th, 1823, from the Grand Lodge of Maine, a meet- ing was held on March 31st, 1825, and for the first time an election of officers was held, resulting as follows : Moses OF PISCATAQUIS COUNTY 25 Greeiileaf, W. M. ; David Shepherd, S. W. ; Solomon Parsons, J. W. ; Wm. Morrison, Treas. ; Eben Greenleaf, Sec'y ; Josiah Towle, S. D. ; Jason Hassell, J. D. ; Ephraim Moulton, S. S. ; Jonathan Robinson, J. S. ; J. W. Thompson, Tyler. In January, 1826, our breth- ren were asked to donate something for a monument to Washington. Just how much that fund was swelled by the brethren of Piscataquis Lodge I am unable to say. In September and October there were no commun- ications of the lodge by reason of the unparalleled prevalence of fevers in Sebec. At the December meet- ing a petition was received from sundry brethren in Sangerville, praying for the right to form a lodge in that town to be known as Mosaic Lodge. The petition was unanimously granted. Mosaic Lodge is now located at Foxcroft. Our brethren in those days did not let lodge matters interfere with business, for the Secretaiy tells us that on account of the pressure of other business in September and October, 1828, the members held no meetings of the lodge. In April, 1829, owing to the extreme "badness" of the traveling no lodge was held. In September of this year action was taken looking to the surrender of the charter of the lodge and personal notice was given to each member to be present at next meeting to discuss the matter. In October and November owing in part to the inclemenc}' of the weather, but more to the apathy of the members, meetings of the lodge were not held. December 10th, however, a meeting was held and it was decided inexpedient to surrender the charter. I desire to call attention to three brothers who attended this meeting, namely, David Shepherd, Joseph Chase and Abner Ford, and you will agree with me that these men had tenacity of purpose, that they possessed what we term in these later days staying qualities. At this meet- 26 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS ing proposals were made to change by-laws so that our meetings should be held quarterly in the months of January, April, July and October. After some discus- sion a decision upon the foregoing was postponed until our next communication. On November 22d, 1831, nearly two years later, the next meeting of the lodge was held. This was a special called by the Master and the lodge was honored by a visit from the D. D. G. M. of the seventh district, Dr. David Shepherd. At this meeting the question of amending the by-laws relative to time of meeting where it had been for two years, and it was sought to further amend it by having semiannual communications in the months of March and September and that a yearly tax of 25 cents be collected from each member as dues. It was finally decided to postpone the decision of this question until the next communication of the lodge ; but I fear that when the next meeting was held the commit- tee to whom this matter had been referred had passed to "that land where ends our dark uncertain travel," for I have failed to find their names recorded in any of the proceedings since. The members of that committee were Moses Greenleaf, Solomon Parsons and Advardis Shaw. I feel, however, that these brothers were excus- able for not being present at the next communication, or for dying before it was held, for twenty-three years, two months and twenty- two days elapsed before the next communication was held. Now permit me to revert to the three named brothers I spoke of as possessing so much tenacit}' of purpose. Brothers David Shepherd, Joseph Chase and Abner Ford. At the meeting of this lodge held in November, 1831, they were present and holding office. At the next meeting in Februar}', 1855, they were present and acted as W. M., S. W. and J. W. 