Merrill's History of Greene

Greene

Greene, the second town incorporated in the county limits and the fifty-fifth in Maine, contains nearly 16,000 acres of land, is surrounded by Turner on the west, Leeds on the north, Wales on the east, and Lewiston on the south, and originally was a part of "Lewistown." The surface is quite broken, and the altitude is higher than that of the towns to the south and east. Hill's Ridge, in the southeastern part, commands an extensive panorama of beautiful scenery, terminating at Mt Washington in the far distance. The northwestern part is so high as to be called the mountain district; its principal elevations are Caswell, Ames and Clark's mountains. On Caswell hill is an excellent quality of granite, valuable if it was near a railroad. East of and within a half-mile of Greene Station, is a ridge of dark granite of fine quality. Its owner, Dr G. L. Peaslee, is giving some attention to its development. There are some ponds, Allen, Dean, Little Sabattus, and Berry, while Lake Sabattus forms a portion of the eastern boundary. At Sprague's Mills is a water-power with a fall of 15 feet. Mills were formerly in operation on the outlets of Allen pond and Meadow brook. The soil near the Androscoggin is a light loam, the low lands throughout the town yield abundantly of hay, while the lands at a moderate height are free from frost, with a strong soil, producing good crops. The more elevated portions have a rocky soil, and although formerly considered of less agricultural value, now have an increased worth on account of the natural tendency of the apple tree to thrive here. A belt of this land running east and west through the south part, and another belt north of the center have exceptional value in this respect.

The history of Greene, like that of most country towns, is devoid of wide significance, its annals are marked by few conspicuous happenings, but the beautiful farms which dot its surface, and the comfortable homes of to-day, tell the story of the patience and perseverance of the settlers who came to stay in the century and more ago. A good character of solidity, sobriety, intelligence, and industry has ever been connected with its inhabitants, and many of its sons have distinguished themselves in other towns and states, and done honor to the place of their nativity.

The First Settlers. - Benjamin Ellingwood, a squatter, made the first home and was the first resident on land now in the town of Greene. This pioneer built his log cabin on the Pickett farm, on a slight elevation northwest of the present residence of Ezra Pratt. He cleared some land, and it is said planted corn and had a fine harvest, in 1775. Mr Ellingwood was joined in the early summer of 1775 by Benjamin Merrill from North Yarmouth. Ellingwood's cabin and clearing attracted his attention, and he soon made a bargain to board with him, and remained during the summer, paying his board with "a peck of corn, an old woolen shirt, a shovel, and the balance in cash." Mr Merrill secured Ellingwood's services, to harvest hay and to clear land across the brook, which he proposed to own, and eventually this land was deeded to him by the proprietors' agent. November 1, 1775, he purchased of Ellingwood his house and improvements for £140 (colonial currency), for "housen stuff" £20, and allowed him £8-15-0 since their settlement. Mr Merrill recorded the purchase thus:

the way that paid	for land and other things:
Ellenwood	I paid cash	£77-14-0
	2 notes to James Anderson	45-00-0
	to pay Peter Graffam	11-10-0
	" " James Stinsfield	8-06-0
	" " Mr. Brightman	8-02-0
	" " " Rines	7-15-0
	" a pig and a piece of line	3-05-0
	" " bag and a glas bottle	14-6
	" " yard and 1/2 of cloath	1-02-6
	" " quart of rum	0-06-0

		£168-15-0

Mr Merrill returned to North Yarmouth the first of November, and soon after removed here with his wife, Margaret (Harris) Merrill, and five children, his household goods, a yoke of oxen, and a cow. Mr Ellingwood assisted them on their journey, and subsequently went to Gray. Mr Merrill's family occupied the "cabin" until 1786, when he built a fame house on the west side of the brook, not far from the residence of Edmund Fogg. His children were Benjamin, John, Anna, Jeremiah, and Levi. Benjamin Merrill was one of the early selectmen. He died in 1824, aged 83. His wife died in 1821, aged 83. Benjamin, their oldest son, was the first town clerk. He built a house, which he occupied until his death, in 1826; John settled near by, also erected a home, where he resided until his death, in 1817; Anna married John Pickett, who settled on land which his father owned; she died in 1856, at the age of 84; Levi died in 1838; Jeremiah died an infant. Ozni Merrill, a grandson of Benjamin, the pioneer, lived near the southwest part of the town, and was intellectual, industrious, and possessed mechanical ingenuity to a large extent.

Deacon Lemuel Cummings was the next settler. Thomas Taylor, Joseph, Eli, and Samuel Herrick, Colonel William Sprague, Gershom Curtis, the Larrabees, Benjamin Rackley, the Browns, and the Coburns were here by 1785. The settlement was rapidly increased in the next and following years by many important additions, among them Captain John Daggett, John and Jonathan Mower, Thomas and Jacob Stevens, Luther Robbins, Elisha Sylvester, John Allen, Zebedee Shaw, Benjamin Alden, Bradford Rose, Benjamin Quimby, Jacob Bailey, and Jacob Eames, and by 1800 also were here Captain Daniel Crossman, Daniel Smith, Solomon Bates, John Record, Samuel Chadbourne, and others. The Revolution accelerated the growth of the settlement "in the north part of Lewistown," and by 1788 it numbered 500 inhabitants, and desired to be a town and control its own affairs. Consequently this petition was drafted:

PETITION FOR INCORPORATION. - Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Lewistown, February 12, 1788. To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, February, 1788. The petition of the subscribers, Inhabitants of the Plantation of Lewistown - Humbly Sheweth - That your Petitioners labour under great Inconveniences for want of being Incorporated into a Town. We therefore Humbly pray your Honours that the Northern part of said Plantation may be incorporated into a Town by the name of Greenland, beginning at the South West corner of Lot No. 1, and from thence run South East to the Plymouth line so called, and from thence to run Northerly by said Plymouth line to the North East corner of the Plantation aforesaid or Lot No. 190, from thence to run North West to Androscoggin river, so called, from thence, to run southerly by said river, so as to bring the first mentioned bounds to bear South East, and from thence, South East to the first mentioned bounds; together with all the Inhabitants; or take such other method in the premises as you in your wisdom shall think fit, and as in duty bound your Petitioners will ever pray. Signed, Abel Stoddard, Benjamin Merrill, Lemuel Cummings, John Larrabee, Moses Brown, Stephen Larrabee, John Daggett, Jacob Eames, Benjamin Merrill, 3rd, Abner Merrill, Ebenezer A. Pinkham, John Mower, Benjamin Merrill, Jr, Eli Herrick, Thomas Stevens, Azariah Barker, Benjamin Cole, Philip Judkins, William Harden, John Butler, William Barker, (?) William Sprague. [Written on the back of the petition is this note.] N.B. - And your petitioners beg leave further to represent to your honors that the extent of the tract of land called Lewistown is twelve or thirteen miles in length, which renders it very ill convenient, and we conceive improper, to be Incorporated into one town, as it will greatly discommode the Inhabitants thereof. And further, that there is a considerable tract of poor, waste land near the center of the Plantation, running almost across the same, but will, if divided agreeable to our Petition, lay upon the border of each town.

Some of the settlers did not approve of this action, and sent a remonstrance to the General Court, "feeling themselves deeply engaged to oppose so unreasonable a measure" because "most of us new settlers in the woods are in indigent circumstances," are are "not yet able to raise our provisions" nor to bear public burdens; because "the proposed form of the town will render town business difficult to conduct," etc.; because the town cannot assess the land to discharge taxes, "as a great part is (said to be) State's land, and sometime been in Debate between the State and Mr Little," although they had agreed to purchase it of the state, and because "they had been so distressed by the extraordinary charges of the late War," and conclude:

You gentlemen are not ignorant of ye suffering and Losses of the Soldiery by the fall of paper money, the families of who, were drove by reason of high taxes, etc., to seek their bread in the wild wilderness, in a cold latitude, 50 miles from market. We dare promise that after due time we shall be willing, as we may be able to, to be incorporated into town order, and bear our equal quota of the necessary exigencies of Government. Done in the woods, on Androscoggin river, at a place called "The northerly part of Lewistown," This 26th day of May, 1788. (Signed) Elisha Sylvester, Benjamin Alden, Cornelius Jones, Asa Rose, Appolos Jones, Bradford Rose, Barnabas Perry, Levi Caswell, Ichabod Phillips, Thomas Lindsay, Daniel Lothrop, Joseph Samson, Asa Rose, Jr, Elisha Keen, Abiathar Briggs, Jairus Phillips, Jacob Bailey.

This remonstrance was of no avail, however, and June 18, 1788, Greene was incorporated, the name being given in honor of General Nathaniel Greene, of the Continental army. The first section of the act reads as follows:

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 northerly part of the plantation heretofore known by the name of Lewistown, in the county of Lincoln, bounded as follows, viz: Beginning at the south-west corner of Lot No. one, thence running south-east to the Plymouth line, so called, thence northerly by said Plymouth line, to the north-east corner of the said plantation or lot No. one hundred and ninety, thence north-west to Androscoggin River, thence southerly by said river so as to bring the first mentioned bounds to bear south-east, thence south-east to the first mentioned bounds, with the inhabitants thereon, be, and hereby incorporated into a town by the name of Greene, and shall have all the powers, privileges, and immunities, which other towns in this Commonwealth do or may by law enjoy.

Daniel Cony, Esq., was directed to issue his warrant, to some suitable inhabitant of the said town, to call the first town meeting, which "suitable inhabitant" was Benjamin Merrill.

After the incorporation of Greene, its supremacy in importance continued many years. The settlers of Lewiston traded at Greene Corner; they availed themselves of its superior educational advantages by educating their children here. Not only this, but it is confidently affirmed that the first shingles sawed in Maine were made at the shingle mill put up by Willard Bridgham on the old Beriah Sampson privilege at the outlet of Allen pond. Artisans had established shops before 1800, but the firsst authentic information we have is in 1818, when these persons had "shops," as says the quaint manuscript: Benjamin Alden, Jabez Pratt, Jabez R. and Samuel Bates, Aruna Briggs, Daniel Crosman, James Coffin, Reuben and Robert Curtis, John Comins, Moses Harris, Nathaniel Herrick, John and Samuel Larrabee, William and Ebenezer Mower, John Pettingill, William Parker, Benjamin Quimby, L. and N. Robbins, William Sprague, Jr, Jacob and Thomas Stevens, John Stafford, William Sawyer, Asa Smith, Christopher Tracy. The earliest grist-mill was built by William Sprague about 1795, and not long after Beriah Sampson had one at the privilege mentioned above. (This was abandoned long ago. Mr Bates was the last owner.) William Sprague, Jr, and Anslem Cary had small tan-yards, but the principal business in this line was that of Moses Harris.

Merchants. - Anslem Cary was an early merchant, the first trader, probably to rank as such. His store was at Greene Corner. He later admitted Elijah Barrell as partner. They did a flourishing business for many years, and were succeeded by Anslem C. Parker. Previous to the formation of the firm of Cary & Barrell, Benjamin Parker had conducted trade until 1812, in connnection with his other business, and the small building near his dwelling, where he traded, was occupied by them until they build the two-story store. After their occupancy of this, and later that of Anslem C. Parker, John L. Cutter, William Stevens, the Curtis Brothers, and Rev. E. G. Eaton, it was unoccupied for a time and then moved further south and fitted up as a Grange hall, and here Otis B. Dean was in trade for some years from 1880. Samuel Oakes traded for a time in a small store near Dr Pierce's. Greene Center, now Greene Station, was early an important business center. Harris & Haskell did a good trade from 1840 to 1846 or 1847. They were succeeded by Harris & Mower, they in turn by Duane Mower, Henry Jennings, S. P. Benson, William Stevens, Robbins & Kensell, Henry Morse, A. P. Mower, O. T. Wing, A. B. Crosby and John C. Additon traded here in the seventies. About the same time Lewis Murray traded at North Greene.

Early Conveyances. - Many of the early settlers were poor and, expecting the title to the lands was vested in the state, would not purchase of the Pejepscot proprietors, and those who purchased lands were honest and unsuspecting, the journey to Wiscasset was a long one, and the result was that most of the deeds they received were either never recorded or not for a long period after they were given. Diligent search in the records of the register of deeds of Lincoln county fails to show but few recorded prior to 1799. Moses Little conveys lands in Greene to Benjamin Merrill, of Lewiston, September 17, 1785. Samuel Merrill, of New Gloucester, deeds in 1787 to his son , Benjamin Merrill, of Greene, lot 3, 100 acres, consideration £30. In 1789 Benjamin Merrill deeds to his son, John, 60 acres the northeast end of lot 2. Joseph Eames is deeded 56 acres in lots 228 and 229, November 19, 1790, "in presence of John Daggett and Benjamin Merrill." Doughty Bates, of Hanover, is deeded by Epharim Andrews, September 20, 1794, 50 acres, south half of lot 87, "bounded north by the improved half owned by William Turner, and west by land owned by Jonathan Cushman." Abner Harris, of Lewiston, deeds, January 8, 1796, to Moses Harris, of Greene, "one-half of lot 144 of said town." Elijah Woods deeds "fourth month, seventh day," 1775, to William Sprague, of Greene, lands in Winthrop. William earlier has transfers of land made to him as of Winthrop. It was not until the long controversy with the Pejepscot proprietors was settled in their favor in 1814 that the majority of the settlers received their deeds from those who held the rights of the proprietors, and with whom they made the best attainable terms, often paying more for their land on account of the improvements they had themselves made.

Valuation and Residents in 1818. - The valuation was $46,230; number of polls, 221. The voters and resident property holders were Benjamin and Eliab Alden; John, Jairus, Ichabod, and Benjamin Allen; John and Otis Additon; Samuel, David, and Moses Adams; Jabez R., Caleb, Samuel, Reuben, John, and Alexander Bates; Aruna, Elijah, Elijah, Jr, William, and Olive Briggs; George and John Berry; Isaac, Isaac, Jr, and John Beals; Seth Barden; Ambrose, Benjamin T., and Richard Brown; Cary & Barrell; Joseph Bailey; Daniel Crosman; Jacob H., Ephraim, and John Chadberne; Elias Chick; James Coffin; Bartholomew, Eliphlet, Jesse, Joel, William, Charles, Isaiah, Phinehas, and Bartholomew, Jr, Coberne; John Caswell; Abel Crocker; Reuben and Robert Curtis; Lemuel, Solomon, John, and Ammi Comins; Ammi R. Cutter; Jacob and Samuel Day; Aaron Daggett; John and Elias Drake; Cyrus Dean; Joshua and Richard Elder; James Frazer; William Furbish; Peter Freeman; Walter Fogg; Marcus Gilbert; Benjamin Grant; Moses, Silas, John, Silas, Jr, and Joseph Harris; Josiah, Samuel, and Jesse Hatch; Nathan and Joseph Herrick; Bates & Herrick; David Hooper; Nathaniel and Richard Hill; Levi Harvey; Solomon Jackson; Love Keaye; Joseph and William McKenney; Elisha and Elisha, Jr, Keene; Joseph Knapp; Jacob Kimball; Samuel, John, Ammi, Josiah, and Jeremiah Larrabee; Samuel and John Layne; Thomas and James Longley; John and Zebulon Libby; Freeman and Josiah Landers; Benjamin, Benjamin, 2d, Benjamin, 3d, Samuel, Betty, Levi, Levi, 2d, and Levi Merrill, 3d; Isaac and Samuel Malune; Jonathan, John, Samuel, William, Ebenezer, John, Jr, Jonathan, 2d, Aaron, Leonard, Peter S., and Henry Mower; Nathan Morse; Joseph Mitchell; John Moulton; Jabez Pratt; John and John, Jr, Pettingill; Jairus, Jairus, Jr, and Ichabod Phillips; Ireson, William, and Jacob Parker; James and James, Jr, Perea; Benjamin Quimby; Luther, Reuben, and Charles Robbins; L. & N. Robbins; Benjamin and Stephen Rackley; Russel H. Read; John and Thomas Record; Seth, Asa, Asa, Jr, Bradford, and Simeon Rose; Silas Richardson; Abiathar and Joseph Richmond; John Robinson; Turner Stetson; William, William, Jr, Moses, and Isaac Sprague; Jonathan Shepley; Massey Sylvester; Jacob and Thomas Stevens; James Sinclair; John Stafford; Beriah and Joseph Sampson; Rufus Stephens; William and Thaddeus Sawyer; Asa Smith; Zebedee Shaw; Simeon Turner; Benjamin, Isaac, and Martin Thomas; John A. Tobey; Christopher Tracy; David Wheeler; Jacob Eames; David Prescott; Daniel, Daniel, Jr, and David Wilkins.

Early Settlers and Locations. - From a plan of the town made about 1820 we take the names of the owners of lots, including the settlers and their locations. On the south line B. Thomas had a large lot (242) lying on the Androscoggin river. East of this was lot 1, owned by Lemuel Comins; lots 2, 3, 4 are marked "Briggs, Fogg, Brown, Stoddard, and Anna Pickett"; lots 5, 6, 7 are vacant; lot 8, heirs of A. Littlefield and Little; lot 9, J. Perea; 37, McKenney; 38, s. & J. Layne and J. Perea, Jr, while a large triangular lot extending to Sabattus pond is inscribed "Widow Eaton Shaw." The second line of lots, counting north, and commencing at the east side, is lot 102, John Moulton; 101, Coburn and Layne; 100, Chadburn and Cary; 99, J. and Sam. Hatch; 98, Z. Coburn and E. Hatch; 95, 96, 97, Allen and others; 94, Barrell and Pratt; 93, Pratt and others; 92, Aaron Daggett; 91, S. Comins; 90, W. Sawyer; east half of lot 235 vacant. Isaac Maloon has 233 and west half of 235, while 236, a long lot next to the great river, is marked W. Parker. P. Freeman has the next lot, 232, north on the Androscoggin, and F. Landers, 231, the next one north on the river. S. Wheeler is next on the river. Jacob Stevens next in order on 225, while east of Jacob, on 224, is Thomas Stevens. A. Barker and C. Tracy have 220, and east of them, on 221, we find A. Berry, J. Starbird, W. Fogg, and A. Briggs have 218, while west of this and on the river Aruna Briggs has 219. 214 is occupied by L. Hervey and C. Barr. Asa Rose, Jr, is north on 212, and Bradford Rose joins Asa on the west with 213 on the river. John Allen is north of Asa Rose, Jr, on 207, while north of B. Rose and west of Allen we find I. Beals. North and west of Beals on lots 204 and 205, is Elisha Keen. Jairus Phillips is east of Keen and north of Allen on 203. North of Phillips, on 198, 193, and part of 339, we find Abner Briggs. A. Sampson, John Additon, J. Cruker, have the rest of 339, which lies on the north line. West of lot 193 is Simeon Rose on 197; west of this, on 196, lying on the river, are J. Sampson and M. Sylvester. North of Sylvester, on the river, A. Hyland has lot 195, while the next river lot north, 241, the northwest lot of the plan, is divided between B. Alden (south half) and J. Sampson (north half). The next lot east on north line 240 is marked Phillips. Following the north line east on 238 we discover A. Richmond, on 237 Cyrus Dean, 180 Stetson & Curtis, 181 John Walker, 182 Jno. Beals and A. Bates, 183 Josiah and Samuel Day, 184 Bailey, Robbins, and Little, 185 Bailey, Robbins, and Caswell, 186 Bates and Harris, 187 Harris and Little, 188 Mitchell and heirs of J. Little. The two lots in northeast corner of plan are vacant. Lot 172 is owned by I. Sprague and Little, 173 by Morse and Shepley, 174 and 163 next south by Crossman and Morse, 175 Ebenezer Mower, 176 Samuel Shaw, 177 C. Additon, 178 G. Curtis and others (names illegible), 200 R. Hill, 199 A. Crooker, 190 J. Whitney and J. Caswell, 209 Ichabod Allen, 201 J. Stafford, 211 J. St Clair, 210 Sampson Drake, 158 and north half of 157 John Stafford. Part of 157 and 136 is given to B. Rackley, the south part of 136 being held by John Howe, Jr. Rackley & Brown has 216, and E. Adey the east quarter of 215. South of 216 on 217 is John Larrabee, and further south on 222 is s. Larrabee. The next south is 323 occupied by Samuel Bates, and the succeeding lots south 225 and 229 are held by Jacob Eames. 234 next south of Eames is the John Daggett lot. 135 is marked "A. Merrill's heirs," and 134 the next lot east is inscribed L. Read. 114 and 115 south of the Merrill and Read lots are marked "Longley and Robbins," while "Pettengill and others" have 111 and 112 and perhaps 113. Lots 103, 110, 147, 148, 166, 167, 168, 171, and portions of others are owned by the heirs of J. Little. Lot 109 is the "Barrell" lot, 108 owned by Little and others, 107 W. Furbish & J. Hatch, 106 S. Richardson and J. Hatch, 105 Hill and Chadbourn, 104 Nath. Hill; these last are in the third tier of lots north of the south line of the town. In the fourth tier of lots commencing at the east side of the plan and going west is first lot 124 Hackett & Thompson, 123 Furbush & Mullin, 122 Brothers Coburn, 119 Herrick and Hussey, 118 J. Little's interval lot, 117 Barrell & Carey (school), 116 Wm Cutter. North of Cutter, Curtis & Safford had 133, east of this T. Longley and I. Coburn held 132, while north of the last two lots the heirs of Jona Mower had 138 and 139. John and Calvin Mower held 155 and John Mower 154 lying directly north of 138 and 139. 137 west of these is marked S. Adams, and 156, just north of this, is put down to Jona. Mower, Jr. D. Hooper has 139. 160 is delineated as a pond or marsh, and 161 largely so, but held by held by Bailey, 162 "Quimby and heirs of A. Mower." 153 is held by heirs of J. Little and Mower, while the lot east, 152, is held by W. Mower and heirs of A. Mower. Following east down the stream, 151 is owned by the heirs of W. Sprague (also 104 immediately north), 150 by M. Sprague and others, 149 by heirs of J. Little and Harris. 140, the lot where stands Greene Depot, is held by Haskell and Adams. Going east 141 is owned by W. Mower and others, 142 by Benjamin Quimby, 143 by Silas Harris and Wilkins, 144 by S. Harris and heirs of Moses Harris, 145 by Wm Harris and heirs of Moses Harris. The last lot in this tier is 146 owned by J. Little's heirs and others, while going west in the next tier south is David Thompson and others owning lot 125 (undecipherable names on lot 126), David and Daniel Wilkins held lot 127, I. Coburn and J. Coffin lot 128, and John and Jedediah Harris on 129.

Gleanings from Town Records. - The first town-meeting was held August 29, 1788, at the dwelling-house of Samuel and Eli Herrick, on what is now the Patten farm. (All town-meetings were held here until 1793, when the annual meeting was adjourned to the new Baptist church.) Daniel Cony, Esq., was moderator. Benjamin Merrill, Sen., Lemuel Comins, John Larrabee, John Daggett, and Benjamin Alden, were chose selectmen; Benjamin Merrill, 3d, town clerk; Benjamin Merrill, Sen., John Daggett, and John Larrabee, assessors; William Sprague, town treasurer; Benjamin Merrill, Sen., Stephen Larrabee, and James Sprague, tithing-men; William Sprague, Jacob Eames, Benjamin Brown, Lemuel Comins, Benjamin Alden, and William Coburn, surveyors of highways; Lemuel Comins and William Sprague, fence viewers; William Sprague and Joseph Herrick, field drivers, Ezekiel Hackett, Jr, informer of deer and moose; Joseph Herrick, Samuel Herrick, and Benjamin Quimby, hog-reeves; Jacob Eames, constable. The taxes were sold for collection to Benjamin Brown, at 11 pence on the pound. Voted to post up warrants, etc., at Messrs Sprague's and Crocker's mills, and at Messrs Samuel and Eli Herrick's dwelling-house. September 18, the first road was accepted. For representative to congress Hon. William Gorham had 12 votes. For the first elector of president and vice-president, William Widgery had 12; for the second, Daniel Cony, 8; Thomas Rice, 4. 1789, April 6, it was voted to raise 100 pounds, to be worked out on the highway at the rate of six shillings per day for men's labor, and four for oxen; that twelve shillings of such tax should be assessed on each poll and the remainder upon estates. Voted that William Sprague procure a standard for dry measures, and that the town clerk purchase two books for town records, on the town's cost, containing one quire of paper each. November 2 accepted roads leading from main roads to John Daggett's to upper side of town; from Samuel Herrick's to upper side of town; from main road to Abner Merrill's and to John Larrabee's; from William Sprague's to Reuben Coburn's, and several cross roads. 1790, April 5, Joseph Herrick, Luther Robbins, and Stephen Larrabee were chosen a committee to pick out two lots for use of the ministry and schools, and to take deeds from the proprietors. For governor, John Hancock had 20 votes. Voted to build a pound near the center of the town. 1791, April 4, it was voted that the law book belonging to the town be kept at the house of Messrs Samuel and Eli Herrick during the ensuing year. September, voted that surveyors of highways (each in his district) shall break or tread, or cause to be broken or trodden, the snow in the roads in his respective district when a snow falls five inches deep or upwards, within 48 hours after it falls. Voted that said roads shall be broken by a team of two creatures abreast, with a sled not less than 4 feet 4 inches wide. 1792, April 2, voted that Joseph Herrick have the privilege of keeping the town law-book this present year, with his engaging to bring it to all town-meetings. John Larrabee, William Sprague, and Eli Herrick were chosen a committee to look out a convenient place for a burying yard. May 7 Greene voted 36 to two in favor of the separation of the district of Maine from Massachusetts. 1793, April 1, for governor, John Hancock had 12 votes.

1794, April 7, Benjamin Merrill was chosen a delegate to a convention to be held at Portland to consider the expediency of the counties of York, Cumberland, and Lincoln being erected into a separate government, with instruction to vote against a separation if the new government would be more expensive than the present form. November 3 the town-meeting was held at the dwelling house of Mr Samuel Herrick, and after adjournment to the Baptist meeting-house, it was voted to hold town-meetings at that place in the future. (From this time until the town-house was built, all town-meetings at that place were held in this church.) 1795, April 6, for governor, Samuel Adams had 35 votes. June 11, "Voted to raise money to purchase the town stock of aminition," and then "voted to reconcider the last vote." 1796, April 4, for governor, Samuel Adams had 17 votes. $200 were voted for the repair of roads. 1797, June 26, John Daggett was allowed "4 Dollars for Guide Board," An article in the warrant, to see if Elder Lemuel Jackson should be granted liberty to live upon lot No. 117, belonging to the town, was passed over. The Baptist society were given one-half of lot No. 140, belonging to the town, for the support of their mininster. $60 were raised to purchase a town stock of ammunition. (There were very early two militia companies, one, the first, commanded by Captain John Daggett, the other by Colonel Sprague. Captain Daggett had a field on his farm where musters and trainings were held. On the top of the hill near the Luther Robbins place is a level field formerly an old muster-field.) 1798, April 2, voted to deposit the town stock of ammunition in the chamber of the Baptist meeting-house. October 1 Benjamin Merrill was chosen delegate to the convention at Hallowell to divide the county of Lincoln into two counties. 1799, April 1, $420 were voted for the repair of highways. 1800, April 7, $30 were raised for repairing roads, $200 for schools, and $65 for other necessary town charges. 1802, April 5, voted to release ten acres each of the ministerial lot to Samuel Mower and John Rowell for ten years, they to clear the land, put it to grass, and leave it well fenced. 1803, April, the town was re-divided into eleven school districts. John Mower, Joseph Herrick, and William Sprague were chosen a committee to build a wooden pound, 28 feet square and 7½ feet high, posts and sills to be 8 inches square, rails, 2½ or 3 inches thick, and from 5 to 6 inches wide, the timber to be cedar or white pine, the pound "to be located either on the lot where the meeting-house stands, or on Jonathan Mower's ground, as the committee may agree."

1805, April 1, the burying grounds were located: "1, on the corner of Ammi R. Cutter's lot nearest to Benjamin Parker's house; 2, on the James Perce's land, northwesterly corner of lot 9; 3, on the northeast end of Daniel Crosman's land, on the county road, 10 rods x 6 (not accepted by the town); on Jacob Eams's land, lots 227 and 230, laying by and on the west side of the road; 5, on John Allen's land, where the ground is now improved for that use." The owners of the lands agreed to deed it to the town, provided the several districts would keep the ground fenced and in good order. 1806, April 7, for governor, James Sullivan had 113 votes, and Caleb Strong 10. 1807, April 6, voted to pay the expense of the pall or gravecloth purchased by Messrs Adams and Mower, and that the same should be kept by Jonathan Mower, who was directed to finish it off by binding and putting six tassels to it at the town's expense. 1808, April 4, $1,000 were raised for repairing roads, $500 for schools, and $300 for defraying other necessary town charges. 1809, May 1, voted that if a bank fail and the collector have bills on hand at that time and will make oath that he took none of them afterwards, then the town to bear the loss. 1810, April 2, for governor, Elbridge Gerry had 127 votes, and Christopher Gore 17. 1812, July 27, voted to make up to the detached militia of this town $10 per month, with the pay allowed by government, and the non-commissioned officers in the same ratio, and "voted to approbate the measures of our rulers." 1819, March 3, Luther Robbins was chosen delegate to a convention to be held at Portland in October for the formation of a constitution for the new state, and December 6 the people of Greene by a unanimous vote expressed their approval of the constitution.

1820, April 3, for governor, William King had 79 votes, Ezekiel Whitman 18, James Wingate, 18, Luther Robbins 2. 1824, March 22, voted to pay 20 cents each to soldiers in lieu of rations, as the law requires. For governor, Albion K. Parris had 56 votes, and E. Barrell 1. 1825, September 12, for governor, Albion K. Parris had 77 votes, and Stephen How 1. 1827, September 10, Hon. Enoch Lincoln had every vote cast for governor-63. 1828, March 24, Moses Sprague, Silas Richardson, and John Quimby were chosen a committee to procure information respecting the purchase of the old meeting-house for a town-house. 1830, for governor, Samuel E. Smith had 135 votes and Jonathan G. Hunton 83. Voted that the selectmen petition the next legislature to determine the line between Greene and Lewiston. 1831, September 12, voted that the selectmen procure a hearse for the use of the town. 1835, March 30, the selectmen were instructed to inquire into the expediency of building a town-house. September 28, the interest arising from the ministerial fund was apportioned among several religious denominations in Greene as follows: To the Free Society, $111.55; to the Universalists, $111.55; to the Calvinist Baptists, $90.64, to the Freewill Baptists, $41.83; to the Methodists, $31.38. 1837, April 4, Captain Benjamin Allen was appointed agent to receive the surplus money from the state, and Elijah Barrell, Moses Sprague, Tristram Hill, and Aaron Daggett were associated with him as a committee to loan the money in sums not less than $10, nor more than $100, to the inhabitants of the town, and take satisfactory security for its re-payment. 1838, John Fairfield (Dem.) had 153 votes for governor, Edward Kent 121, and F. O. J. Smith 1. 1840, September 14, Kent (Whig) received the majority of Greene's gubernatorial vote. His vote was 147 to John Fairfield's 143. 1842, March 22, "Voted that the Selectmen Don't grant licenses the present year" [for the sale of intoxicating liquors].

1843, February 6, Hannah Bonney had one vote for representative to the legislature from the district of Greene and Monmouth. 1845, Benjamin P. Rackley was chosen constable and collector, and to avoid having to wait five or six years for the proceeds of the taxes, it was voted that the collector should receive no percentage for collecting unless he closed his bills within one year. September 8, "Voted that the traders of Greene be licensed to sell spirituous liquors in said town." 1848, July 1, the selectmen were instructed to take such measures as they see fit to oppose the petition of John Lombard and others to be set off into Webster. September 15, the selectmen were instructed by a unanimous vote to petition for a post-office at Greene Corner. 1850, March 8, the selectmen were instructed to petition the post-office department to change the names of the post-offices in Greene, calling the one at the depot, Greene post-office, and the one at the Corner, Greene Corner post-office. 1851, September 1, a committee of one from each religious denomination in town was directed to prepare papers, headed by the names of the Calvinist Baptist, Freewill Baptist, Universalist, and Methodist denominations, and put them into the hands of the school agents to be presented to every voter in their respective districts for their signature, to be placed in the column headed by the denomination by whom he would choose to have the ministerial fund expended. 1854, March 20, voted that every person in town be required to give in his valuation under oath; and every person refusing to do so shall be doomed in such sum as the assessors shall see fit. October 2, Greene voted by 227 to 26 that Lewiston should be the shire town of the new county of Androscoggin. 1855, September 10, for governor the total vote was 302, the largest vote yet in the history of the town. Samuel Wells had 143 votes, Anson P. Morrill 139, Isaac Reed 20. 1856, September 8, Hannibal Hamlin had 165 votes for governor, Samuel Wells 105, George F. Patten 11. 1857, March 16, Benjamin Allen, Augustus Sprague, and Ingerson Parker were appointed a committee to buy a poor-farm for the town. 1858, June 7, the vote stood: For the prohibitory law of 1858, 146 votes; for the license law of 1856, non. 1860, September 10, for governor, Israel Washburn, Jr, had 162 votes, Ephraim K. Smart 117, Phineas Barnes, 3.

1863, January 16, Robert S. Ellms was designated at a meeting called for that purpose for appointment as postmaster at Greene. 1865, April 12, voted to raise $6,000 to pay in part the debt of the town. 1868, March 23, voted that school districts be allowed to choose their own school agents. 1869, April, it was voted to revoke the liquor agent's license and return the liquors now on hand to the state liquor agency within five days. 1871, March 20, the school agents were authorized to employ teachers in their respective districts. 1872, August 20, the selectmen were authorized to appoint a liquor agent for ensuing year, and it was voted that the liquor agent should be allowed to make sales of liquors for medical purposes only upon prescription or certificate of some regular physician, and should preserve all certificates on which he made sales and exhibit the same as vouchers for the settlement of his accounts. 1873, January 18, voted to exempt from taxation for the term of ten years any property which might be invested for the purpose of manufacturing in the town. March 17, voted to raise $150 for a free high school and to leave the matter of locating and conducting said school in the hands of the superintending school committee. September 8, for governor, Nelson Dingley, Jr, had 81 votes, Joseph Titcomb 71, and Joseph H. Williams 4.

1874, September 14, Nelson Dingley, Jr, had 80 votes for governor, and Joseph Titcomb 68. 1875, January 22, Augustus Sprague was chosen agent, to oppose the annexation of a portion of the town to Lewiston. 1878, April 3, the selectmen and treasurer were authorized to fund the town debt for $8,000 at four per cent., to be paid $1,000 per year after five years. September 9, for governor, Joseph L. Smith had 104 votes, Selden Connor 90, and Alonzo Garcelon 32. 1879, September 8, for governor, Joseph L. Smith 102 votes, Daniel F. Davis 98, Alonzo Garcelon 43, S. D. Greenlief 7. 1880, September 13, for governor, Harris M. Plaisted 155, and Daniel F. Davis 124. 1887 voted C. S. Stetson supervisor of schools instead of a school committee. 1888, March 12, a committee was appointed to make all necessary arrangements for a centennial anniversary. 1890, September 8, for governor, Edwin C. Burleigh had 85 votes, William P. Thompson 63, Aaron Clark 6, Isaac R. Clark 1. 1891, March 9, it was voted to abolish the district system. Appropriations: Highways, $500 in money and $1,600 in labor; schools, $800; purchase of school books, $100; current expenses, $800; payment on debt and interest, $100; observance of Memorial Day, $15.

Early Action Concerning Schools. - 1790, October 4, John Larrabee, William Sprague, and Joseph Herrick were chosen a committee to define the limits of the school districts. 1791, April 4, voted £12 for schools, the tax to be paid in produce - wheat, six shillings a bushel, rye, six shillings, Indian corn, four shillings. 1793, £20 were voted for the support of schools. 1794, April 7, voted to raise £30 for schools, and Lemuel Comins, Jacob Eams, Asa Rolfe, Sen., Solomon Bates, Sen., John Larrabee, William Mower, Jesse Coburn, and Jabez Bates were chose school committee. 1796, April 4, voted to raise £15 for schools. 1797, April 3, £40 were voted for schools. 1798 voted $200 for schools. 1799, April 1, the school districts were arranged as follows: First district beginning at the southerly corner of the town, and on the Post Road as far as John Pettengill's, taking the two roads which lead, one by Captain Daggett's, the other by Benjamin Merrill's as far to the north as Samuel Tolbut's; second, beginning at Asa Rose's, Jr, taking all the mountain, so called, and to the northwesterly corner of the town, thence easterly as far as Cyrus Deane's, taking in Abiathar Richmond, John Caswell, and John Walker, etc.; third, beginning at Joseph Dunham's on the road to Benjamin Parker's, thence taking the northeasterly road to Amaziah Reed's, inclusively; fourth, containing all the other inhabitants of the town. $200 was raised for schools, Lemuel Comins, John Larrabee, Benjamin Alden, William Sprague were chosen school committee, and directed to collect the school tax. 1801, April 6, $333.33 raised for schools. The school committee for 1802 were Benjamin Thomas, Thomas Stevens, Simeon Rose, Moses Harris, Zebedee Shaw, Bartholomew Coburn, Cyrus Dean, David Littlefield, Phillip Judkins, Samuel Bates, Ammi R. Cutter. Voted to raise $250 for schools. 1803, April 4, voted to choose two persons out of each school district for a committee to district the town anew. Chose Benjamin Merrill, 3d, Freeman Landers, Captain John Daggett, Simon Wheeler, Jacob Eams, Aruna Briggs, Jarius Phillips, Benjamin Alden, Joseph Dunham, Solomon Bates, Cyrus Dean, John Caswell, Seth Barden, Luther Robbins, William Sprague, James Wesson, Ammi R. Cutter, John Mower, Captain Joseph Herrick, Jesse Coburn, James Peary, and Eliakim Hatch, for said committee. 1804 voted to raise $400 for schools. 1805, April 1, voted that the stake set up by the selectmen on the pitch of the hill on Eli Herrick's ground, be the place to build a school-house in the fifth district. 1808, April 4, $500 voted for schools. 1809 a meeting of school district No. 7 was called for January 22, to see what sum the district would raise to build a school-house. In 1817, the town "voted to choose three committeemen to examine the schoolmasters," and Elijah Barrell, Dr Ammi R. Cutter, and Nathaniel Herrick were chosen "committeemen," and these were active many years.