Penobscot County
MEGenWeb
Transcribed by Fran Jones Libby, David Brann, Jennifer Godwin, and Grinnell MacLeod Wood II
The town officers of 1830 were Joseph
Prescott, moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Reuben Bartlett,
Samuel W. Knight and Jeremiah Flanders, selectmen and assessors; Reuben
Bartlett, treasurer; Ezekiel Straw, collector, at a compensation of one
and three-fourths per cent.; Isaac E. Wilkins, Charles Reynolds and
Daniel M. Haskell, superintending school committee.
It was voted
to raise two thousand dollars for highways, three hundred and fifty
dollars for schools and fifty-five dollars for town charges. Men and
oxen were to be allowed twelve and one half cents per hour for labor on
the roads until September 15, and eight cents per hours thereafter.
Charles Reynolds, town clerk, having been notified by Zenas
Flanders, field driver, that damage had been done to the crops of Gideon
Soule by two chestnut colored horses, and two red yearling colts that
had been taken up and impounded, a warrant was issued to James Dinamore
and George Curtis, dated August 1, 1830, to proceed at once to the
estimation of the damage to said crops. The amount returned for damage
was fifty cents. Proceedings of this kind were a feature of that period.
Sometimes they originated in a spirit of spite, but were intended to
protect the inhabitants from damage to their crops.
On September
13, 1830, the town balloted for governor, representative to Congress,
representative to the Legislature, and other officers.
For
governor, Jonathan G. Hunton received thirty-two votes; J. G. Hunton
received two votes; Samuel E. Smith received sixty-seven votes.
For representative to Congress, Ebenezer S. Phillips received thirty-one
votes; James Bates received sixty-six votes.
For representative
to Legislature, Reuben Bartlett received sixty-five votes; R. Bartlett
received five votes; John Bates received thirty-three votes; John
Wilkins received one vote.
Samuel Smith was elected governor,
James Bates representative to Congress and Winthrop Chapman
representative to the Legislature. On the same day, September 13, the
second public cemetery was established. It was located in the
northwesterly part of the town, and was known as the Greeley Cemetery.
Action was taken to have it properly fenced, and the scattered dead
in that part of town removed to it. A bridge was built across the neck
of the pond, just north of the village grist mill, in 1830 or 1831. The
timber for this bridge was furnished by Daniel Moore, a citizen of the
town.
From 1820 to 1830 the
inhabitants of garland, being at a remove of several years from the
depressing influence of the war that terminated in 1814, and of the
almost total destruction of their crops in 1816, began to exhibit new
indications of prosperity. This was noticeable in the building of larger
and more convenient dwellings. Phillip Greeley built a two-story
dwelling soon after 1820, upon the estate in district No. 1, now owned
by the heirs of the late William B. Foss.
In 1822, Jeremiah
Flanders built the dwelling now occupied by Edwin Preble. William Godwin
built a two-story dwelling about the year 1822, upon the site now owned
by heirs of the late William H. Knight. It was built for a tavern then
the teaming back and forth from western Piscataquis passed the site if
this house. The Penobscot Masonic Lodge was organized and had its
headquarters here for several years.
The
annual town meeting was held on April 11th. Joseph Prescott was chosen
moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Ruben Bartlett, Charles
Reynolds and Samuel W. Knight, selectmen; Charles Reynolds, Daniel M.
Haskell and Enoch M. Barker, M. D., superintending school committee, and
Ruben Bartlett, treasurer. William Godwin was chosen collector, and his
compensation was fixed at two per cent.
It was voted to raise two
thousand five hundred dollars to make and repair highways, and to allow
men and oxen twelve and one half cents per hour until October 1st, three
hundred dollars for the support of schools, one hundred and fifty
dollars to defray town charges and thirty-five dollars for the support
of the poor. This was the first action taken by the town in the aid of
the poor.
Neat stock was prohibited from running in the roads
during the period of growing crops.
The legal voters assembled
September 12, 1831, to ballot for governor and other officers.
Samuel E. Smith received fifty-two votes for governor; Daniel Goodenow
received forty-four votes for governor.
Samuel E. Smith, the
Democratic candidate, was elected governor. Winthrop Chapman of Exeter,
who failed to get a single vote in Garland, was elected representative
to the Legislature.
The year 1831 was characterized by a large yield of corn. It is doubtful if any season since has been so favorable to the growth of that crop. For several seasons following 1831, corn was a very uncertain crop, owing to the recurrence of early frosts which arrested its growth, and prevented its ripening. Years later, it was found that a careful preparation of the soil and selection of seed was generally followed by a good yield.
The first town meeting of 1832 was of early
occurrence. Reuben Bartlett, owner of the mill property in the village,
contemplated building a new grist-mill. This plan, if carried out, would
benefit the surrounding community. It was, therefore, regarded with
favor by the inhabitants of the town. It was his purpose to increase the
height of his dam to secure a larger and more abundant supply of water.
This would enlarge the area of flowage. Two citizens of the town, who
owned land on the shore of the pond, threatened suits for damage in case
the dam should be raised. Mr. Bartlett, who had no fears of having to
pay damage, was conscious of the fact that large bills for costs might
be incurred in defense of threatened suits.
A meeting of the
inhabitants of the town was held January 28, 1832, when it was voted "to
pay all bills of costs that Reuben Bartlett, his heirs or assigns, may
have to pay in defending any that may be prosecuted against him for
flowing land necessary to the operation of his mills, providing the said
Bartlett shall erect a good grist-mill as soon as may be, the damage to
flowed lands, if there be any, to be paid by said Bartlett." No action
was ever taken.
At the annual town meeting of 1832, held March
19. Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk;
Reuben Bartlett, Benjamin H. Oak and Daniel Haskell, selectmen and
assessors. Reuben Bartlett, treasurer; Abraham True, collector,
compensation two per cent., and E. M. Barker, Charles Reynolds and D. M.
Haskell, superintending school committee.
It was voted to raise
two thousand dollars for highways, men, oxen and plows to be paid twelve
and one half per cent per hour, and not to be allowed more then twelve
hours for any single day’s work. It was voted to raise three hundred and
fifty dollars for the support of schools, and one hundred dollars to
defray town charges. It was voted that the annual town meetings
thereafter should be held on the second Monday in March.
The
meeting to ballot for governor and other officers was held September 10,
1832, when Samuel E. Smith received fifty-six votes for governor; Daniel
Goodenow received fifty-eight votes for governor; Reuben Bartlett
received fifty-five votes for representative to the Legislature; Russell
Kitridge received fifty-eight votes for representative to the
Legislature.
Samuel E. Smith was elected governor, Reuben
Bartlett, representative to the Legislature.
The presidential
election of 1832 occurred on the fifth of November. Henry Clay was the
Whig candidate and Andrew Jackson was the Democratic candidate. The Whig
candidate received fifty-six votes, and the Democratic candidate
received sixty-seven votes.
A business meeting was held on the
day of the presidential election, at which the town voted to appropriate
the ministerial lands in the town of Garland to the use of primary
schools. In his Annuals of Bangor, Judge Godfrey says of the season of
1832 - "The spring was cold this year. Fires were comfortable up to, and
into June."
In 1833, the annual town
meeting was held March 11th. Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator;
Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Reuben Bartlett, Benjamin H. Oak, and
Charles Reynolds, selectmen and assessors; Reuben Bartlett, treasure;
Charles Reynolds, Alphonzo Adams and Daniel M. Haskell, superintending
schools committee. Abraham True was chosen collector and the
compensation was fixed at two per cent.
It was voted to raise
twenty-five hundred dollars to build and repair highways, and to allow
twelve and one half cents per hour for the labor of men and oxen until
the 15th of September, and eight cents per hour until the opening of
winter, when twelve and one half cents was to be paid for the labor of
men and oxen. The sum of four hundred dollars was voted for the support
of schools, one hundred and fifty dollars to defray town charges and
thirty dollars for the support of the poor.
The legal voters
assembled on September 9th to ballot for governor, representative to
Congress, representative to the Legislative and other officers.
Robert P. Dunlap, Democrat, received seventy-six votes for governor;
Daniel Goodenow, Whig, received thirty-one votes for governor.
Gorham Parks, Democrat, received seventy-six votes for representitive to
Congress; Ebenezer Hutchinson, Whig, received thirty-one votes for
representitive to Congress.
Joseph Bridgeham, Democrat, received
seventy-six votes for representative to the Legislature, and Russell
Kitridge, Whig, received thirty-two votes for the same office. Mr.
Dunlap was the successful candidate for governor.
The town
refused to grant licenses to sell spirituous liquors to be drank in the
stores and shops of retailers.
The lower road from West Garland
to Dexter, near the north shore of Pleasant Pond, was laid out in 1833.
The section of the county road leading from Dover to Dexter, across the
Northwest corner of Garland, was made in 1833. The section from Dover
line to Main Stream to Dexter line, was made by Thomas M. and William A.
Murray at eighty-two cents per rod.
At the
annual meeting of the town in 1834, held March 11, Joseph Prescott was
chosen moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Reuben Bartlett,
Benjamin H> Oak and Charles Reynolds, selectmen and assessors; Reuben
Bartlett, treasurer; Charles Reynolds, Alphonzo Adams and Daniel M.
Haskell, superintending school committee; James J. Chandler, collector,
at two and one half per cent.
It was voted to raise two thousand
dollars for highways, three hundred and fifty dollars for schools, one
hundred and twenty-five dollars for town charges, thirty dollars for the
support of the poor, sixty dollars to complete the northwest county
road, and to allow the same price as last year for men, oxen and the use
of tools.
The legal voters of Garland assembled September 8,
1834, to ballot for governor and other officers.
For governor,
Robert P. Dunlap received ninety-nine votes; Peleg Sprague received
sixty-one votes and Thomas A. Hill received four votes.
For
representative to Congress, Gorham Parks received ninety-nine votes;
Edward Kent received sixty-three votes.
For senators, Reuben
Bartlett, Democrat received ninety-one votes; Ira Fish, Democrat,
received ninety-eight votes; Waldo T. Pierce, Whig, received sixty-one
votes; Richard H. Rice, Whig, received sixty-one votes.
For
representative to Legislature, William Hutchins received ninety-nine
votes; Jefferson Cushing received sixty-three votes.
The
majorities for Democratic candidates in 1834 were larger than usual.
The locality of Bangor at the head of
navigation of Maine's largest river, and a central point of one of its
best agricultural regions, made it a place of great importance to the
inhabitance of many of the surrounding towns. After recovering from the
effects of the War of 1812, and the disastrous results of the cold
season of 1816, its growth was rapid. Here, the farmers of a larger
region, including the counties of Penobscot, Piscataquis and sections of
Somerset, found a market for their surplus crops. It became the largest
lumber market in the world. The manufacture of shingles by hand in the
country towns in winter was an industry of considerable importance. The
farmers could make a few thousand of shingles, without interference with
their regular farm work, which would always bring money in Bangor in the
latter part of the winter and spring. the bright light of burning
shavings from the "shingle weaver's camp" through the long winter
evenings was a feature of the time.
Any change of condition that
contributed to the growth and increase of business in Bangor was of
advantage to the towns around it. The business relations of Bangor with
Boston were important. Previous to 1834, the transportation of
merchandise and passengers between the two places was through the medium
of sailing vessels. The time required for the trips of the vessels was
always uncertain, and often protracted.
In 1834, the steamer
Bangor, which has since become historic, was built and placed on the
route between Bangor and Boston to carry passengers and freight. The
merchant who now went to Boston for the purchase of goods, could
determine with proximity certainty the time if his return with such
merchandise as was immediately wanted. The successful accomplishment of
this new enterprise was of advantage to the business men of the country
towns as well as to those of Bangor. It opened new markets to the
farmers and manufacturers of central Maine.
The cultivation of hops for the market had become an industry of some importance in a few of the towns adjoining Garland. The picking, curing and packing the hops had given employment to troops of girls and boys during the harvest season as well as profit to the farmers. In 1834, Honorable Reuben Bartlett provided the necessary building and fixtures for curing and packing. Thus encouraged, a number of the farmers turned their attention to the cultivation of hops. The business in this section was soon overdone; the price of hops fell, and the hop industry was abandoned.
At the annual town
meeting of 1835, held March 9th, Bildad A. Haskell was chosen moderator;
Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, David M. Haskell, David
Pierce and Bildaad A. Haskell, selectmen and assessors; Reuben Bartlett,
treasurer; Daniel M. Haskell, Enoch Huntington and Alphonso Adams,
superintending school committee.
The town voted to raise two
thousand five hundred dollars for making and mending roads, three
hundred and fifty dollars for schools, three hundred dollars for town
charges, fifty dollars to support the poor and one hundred and twenty
five dollars towards making the section of the county road, running in a
northwesterly direction from a point a few rods south of the residence
of Benjamin True, by the site of the schoolhouse in District No. 10, and
the residence of Henry Merrill, to the point of divergence of the
original route from the Sangerville road.
It will be difficult
for later generations to realize that the travel and heavy
transportation each way between Bangor and western Piscataquis,
including the towns of Abbot, Guilford, and Sangerville, previous to the
year 1836, passed over the circuitous and hilly route leading by the
schoolhouse in District No. 1, and Maple Grove Cemetery, to the route of
Garland Village.
In the year 1817, the
route for a county road to extend from Bangor to what is now western
Piscatquis through the town of Garland having been established, the town
commenced making its section of the road. Philip Greeley and William
Godwin were a committee to take charge of the work. Mr. Godwin was, at
this time, the owner of a tavern stand on the site now occupied by the
buildings of the late William H. Knight, opposite the site of the Maple
Grove Cemetery.
The route as established would carry the travel
about forty rods east of this tavern stand, thereby, depriving Mr.
Godwin of patronage. A slight change of route to accommodate Mr. Godwin
was willingly made by the committee. In 1834, a change was made in the
route which diverted the travel from western Piscataquis from Mr.
Godwin’s tavern stand. Mr. Godwin was greatly exasperated by this change
and, as a measure or revenge, blocked up the section of road which had
been illegally made across his land at his own request.
Several
young men living in the vicinity, willing to annoy any unpopular
citizen, cleared the road on the following night. Large logs were hauled
across the road the next day and removed at night. This procedure was
repeated until Mr. Godwin and his grown-up sons threatened to arm
themselves and shoot the intruders, whereupon the selectmen of the town
assumed the offensive, and brought a suit against Mr. Godwin for thus
interrupting the local travel on a road which was much used by families
living in the northwest part of the town.
The decision was
against Mr. Godwin, and he found himself in debt of inconvenient
dimensions incurred by the trial. But this was not to him the most
mortifying feature of the case. He was brought face to face with the
necessity of taking a contract in the making of the obnoxious road to
secure money to pay in part the costs of defense.
The town
initiated the policy of allowing each school district to choose its own
agent in 1835. It also instructed the selectmen to make lists of the
scholars in the several districts.
The question of an equitable division of the fund derived
from the sale of the ministerial lands, among the several religious
societies, became the occasion of a somewhat acrimonious contention. At
the annual meeting of 1835, it was voted to submit the matters in
dispute to two disinterested men; one of them should be n amed by the
town, and the other by a representative of the several religious
societies.
Judge Seba French, a prominent citizen of Dexter, was
chosen on the part fo the town, and John B. Hill, Esquire, of Exeter,
afterwards a prominent lawyer of Bangor, was chosen to act for the
relgious societies. Benjamin H. Oak was appointed to present the case in
behalf of the town, and Elder Josiah Bartlett presented the case of the
religious societies. A list of the male members of each society had been
made by its clerk in 1829 and entered upon the town records.
The
names upon the Free Will Baptist list numbered forty-two and were:
John Page
Josiah Bartlett
Amos Higgins
Jacob Quimby
James Powers
William Soule
Daniel Ladd
Enoch Clough
Enoch
Rollins
Asa Soule
Mason Skinner
Lewis Soule
John Hamilton
Joseph Strout
Eliab Stewart
David Burton
Warner Taylor
Samuel W. Knight
Zebulon Knight
John Trefethen
Henry Amazeen
Cutteon F. Flanders
James J. Chandler
Rufus Inman
John E. Ladd
Jacob Staples
Benjamin Mayo
Isaiah Stillings
David Soule
Gideon Soule
Israel Colley
Fifield Lyford
Isaac F. Ladd
John
Batchelder
William Rollins
Benjamin Page
John Sould
John B.
Stevens
William Ladd
Nathaniel Emerson
Hiram Lyford
Jeremiah
Ladd
Names on Congregational list numbered twenty-four:
Isaac Wheeler
Joseph True
Samuel Johnson
Levi Johnson
Lewis
Goulding
Joseph True, Jr.
Ansel Field
James Parker
George
Curtis
Abraham True
Charles Reynolds
Russell Murdock
Daniel
Haskell
Justus Harriman
David Fogg
Jacob Greeley
Aaron Hill
John S. Haskell
Herbert Thorndike
Walter Holbrook
Bray Wilkins
John S. Fogg
William Godwin
Samuel Greeley
Universalists
numbered nineteen:
Ezekiel Straw
Bildad A. Haskell
Jeremiah
Flanders
Zenas Flanders
Reuben Bartlett
Moses Gordon
Joshua
Silver
Reuben Marrow
Edward Fifield
Samuel P. Buswell
Solomon Soule
James Dinsmore
Moses Buswell
Daniel Moore
John
Hayes
Jesse Straw
Amos G. Gordon
John Chandler
Eben Battles
The Calvinist Baptists numbered thirteen:
Thomas S. Tyler
Hollis Mansfield
James March
Joseph Sargent
Joseph Prescott
George W. Gordon
John Jackman
Amos Gordon
Samuel Mansfield
Robert Seward
Benjamin Mayo
Sheperd Packard
Jonathan L. Haskell
The town records do not show what the action of the referees was in
relation to the distribution of the ministerial fund of 1835. There
being no reference to it after this date, shows that their decision was
regarded as final.
There were industrious citizens among the early settlers
of Garland who were still owing a balance to the original proprietors of
the township for their lands. By dint of persevering industry, they had
cleared the lands, erected buildings, and made improvements. All these
things they had done through the years of toil with the use of little
money, but the debts they owed for their lands must be paid in money or
its equivalent. They were forced to turn over their cattle to their
creditors at prices merely nominal to pay the interest in their debts.
Some of our older citizens will remember the doves of cattle that were
collected from year to year in this, and neighboring towns, and driven
to Massachusetts to pay these interest debts.
At a special
meeting held April 18, 1835, the town voted to raise one hundred dollars
to pay the balance due Calvin Sanger, one of the original proprietors of
the township, by David Soule. By this generous act of the town, the home
of Mr. Soule was saved to himself and family.
Early in the morning of July 3, 1835, the Hon.
Reuben Bartlett called his son Joseph, afterward editor of the Bangor
Jeffersonian, to assist in starting some logs down the slope towards the
saw-mill. Going directly to the mill, and starting a log downward toward
the mill, he lost his balance and fell across it, when his coat sleeve
was caught by a sharp knot, and he was thrown violently over and almost
instantly killed by the rolling log. Joseph reached the mill yard in
season to witness the terrible accident.
Mr. Bartlett emigrated
from Nottingham, New Hampshire, in 1820, having purchased the village
mill property of Mr. Church. He was an energetic, enterprising and
useful citizen. His mental qualities, and his experience in municipal
affairs fitted him for leadership, and he became the leading citizen of
the town from the first year of his residence in it.
In his first
year here, he was chosen chairman of an important committee, and records
show that he filled one or more important offices each year during his
fifteen years of residence in town. He was several times elected to one
or the other branches of the State Legislature.
In politics, Mr.
Bartlett was an earnest and unwavering Democrat. During his residence
here of fifteen years, there were no defections in the Democratic ranks.
As an able and wise counsellor, he was held in high esteem, and his
death cast a gloom over the entire town.
A geographical chart of the district of Maine,
published in 1816, showed existing roads within the Province of Maine,
also routes for roads that would be needed to meet the wants of
advancing population, One of these routes extended from Bangor through
the towns of Glenburn, Levant, Exeter, Garland, Dexter, Sangerville,
Guilford and Monson to Moosehead lake, thence to the Canadian line.
It was expected that this road would be opened by the proprietors of
lands upon the route, and that it would prove of more importance than
any other road in this section of Maine. But through pressure of the
need of roads to accommodate a more limited area, this larger scheme was
held in abeyance until 1835.
In 1835, a petition numerously
signed, asked for a road, to be known as the Avenue Road, extending from
Bangor to Moosehead Lake, through central Penobscot and western
Piscatquis. This appears to have been a renewal of the old scheme of
1816. garland had been heavily burdened with building roads. At a
special meeting held September 24, 1835, the town appointed Moses
Gordon, Ezekiel Straw, Bildad A. Haskell, James J. Chandler and Daniel
M. Haskell to appear before the commissioners in opposition to the road.
The opposition proved unavailing. The road was located and subsequently
made.
Preliminary
measures for the building of a meeting house by the Congregational
parish of garland were entered upon in 1835. The parish was small and of
limited resources. How to raise the necessary funds was a perplexing
question. But inspired by the faith of that veteran pioneer missionary,
the Rev. John Sawyer, through whose efforts the Congregational church
had been brought into existence twenty-five years earlier, the parish
reached the decision to build.
By the friendly aid of Charles P.
Chandler, Esq., of Foxcroft, an act of incorporation was obtained from
the Legislature, under which a company was formed with the title of "The
Congregational Meeting House Company of Garland." A constitution and
by-laws were adopted which provided that the stock should be divided
into twenty-four shares of fifty dollars each, and that when eighteen
shares had been taken, the site of the buildings should be determined,
and the work of construction entered upon.
There was considerable
discussion respecting size and style of the building. All members of the
company were impressed with the necessity of economy of expenditure.
Some favored a plain building, bare of belfry and steeple. Others
expressed a different opinion. Lewis Goulding, a member of the church,
who was always ready with a facetious remark, said that the purpose was
to build a house for God. Without a belfry and steeples. the building
would be God’s barn, and not God’s house.
The size and style
including belfry and steeple were at length determined and plans
procured. Benjamin H. Oak was chosen treasurer and chairman of the
building committee. The other members of this committee were the Rev.
John Sawyer and William Godwin. The prescribed amount of stock had been
taken, Austin Mewell of Monson, and experienced builder, was employed to
take charge of the construction of the building. One of the by-laws
forbade the use of any alcoholic drink by any person employed on the
building, and that no such drink should be furnished at its raising.
This action was in advance by the public sentiment of the times but the
by-laws were strictly observed.
An incident worthy of record
occurred at the raising of the building. The foundation timbers had been
laid, and the timbers of the broad sides had been put in place and
securely fastened together. Muscular men were ranged in close touch with
each other the entire length of the broad side, awaiting in silence the
command, "Pick him up," when the venerable Father Sawyer, then
eighty-two years of age, suddenly appeared with bared head, his long
thin locks of snowy whiteness floating in the breeze, and offered a
brief and earnest prayer for a successful and safe termination of the
day’s work, and that the building when completed might aid in the spread
of the Gospel. During this digression, the men listened in reverential
silence.
This building, which had its beginning in 1835, was not
completed until 1837. Mr. Newell, who had taken charge of the work in
1835, and had completed the outside of the building before the close of
the season, entered into a contract with the parish to finish it in the
following year, but the cold of the late autumn compelled him to wait
the warmer weather of the following spring to complete his contract.
In the meantime, he entered into a contract with our well-remembered
citizen, Isaac Fall, to complete the work of building, which was
accomplished in the summer of 1837. Mr. Newell, after having paid bills
for materials and work, and provided for the payment of Mr. Falls for
the completion of the job, had eighteen dollars to show for his work in
the season of 1836. The Meeting House Company, with credit to itself,
made him a reasonable additional compensation.
While the work on
the building was in progress, it became apparent to the Meeting House
Company that its cost would largely exceed the original estimate, to
meet which was a perplexing problem. In their extremity, kind friends of
other places helped them. Father Sawyer, the original mover in the
building, obtained aid to meet the deficiency from citizens of other
places. Among these were S. J. Foster, George W. Ricker, S. Smith,
George A. Thatcher, S. S. Crosby, J. W. Mason ,W. D. Williamson, R & R
Haskins & Co., D. M. Dutton, and McGraw of Bangor, also, D. Barstow and
Holyoke & Page of brewer. Edward Hill of New York, a brother of Mrs.
Josiah Merriam, was a liberal contributor.
The dedication of the
house, which was the occasion of great interest, occurred early in the
season of 1837. The bell of the meeting house was purchased and placed
in position in the year 1857. Many citizens outside the Congregational
parish contributed to the purchasing fund. It was made by Mencely &
Sons, who had the reputation of being the best manufacturers of bells in
America.
At the annual town meeting of
1836, held March 14, Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator; Stephen
Smith, town clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, Enoch Huntington and Joseph
Prescott, selectmen ; Benjamin H. Oak, treasurer; James J. Chandler,
collector, and Daniel M. Haskell., Alphonso Adams and Ezekiel page,
superintending school committee.
The town voted to raise two
thousand five hundred dollars for the roads, three hundred and fifty
dollars for schools and two hundred dollars to defray town charges.
Benjamin H. Oak, Ezekiel Page, Enoch Huntington, Moses Gordon and
Ezekiel Straw, were appointed to redistrict the town in the interest of
the public schools and were instructed to report at the September
meeting.
The support of the female pauper was determined by
auction, and she became an inmate of the family of the lowest bidder for
the term of one year. The compensation for her support was eighteen
dollars and fifty cents, and such assistance as she could give in the
housework of the family. This method of providing for the support of the
poor soon became offensive to the moral sentiment of the people, and was
early abandoned.
A special meeting for the town business was held
September 12, 1836. At this meeting , the committee appointed at the
annual town meeting to redistrict the town in the interest of the public
schools, reported in favor of some changes in existing districts, and
the establishment of one more new district. The report of this committee
was accepted. By virtue of this action, the town embraced eight school
districts in 1836.
In the autumn of 1836, bears became more numerous and bold in their assaults upon growing crops. They seemed almost human in their partiality for green corn and, like humans of the baser sort, they committed their depredations under the cover of darkness. Influenced by the general badness of the bear, the town voted "that a premium of three dollars be awarded to any person residing in this town who shall kill a bear, and produce sufficient testimony of the fact to the treasurer of the town."
The balloting for State and other offices occurred September 12,
when Robert P. Dunlap, Democrat, received seventy-six votes for
governor. Edward Kent, Whig, received thirty-eight votes for governor.
There were five trials to elect a representative to the State
legislature in the class which embraced Garland, and five failures to
elect. Balloting for presidential electors occurred November 7, when the
Democratic candidates received forty-nine votes each. Whig candidates
received twenty-nine each.
The candidates for President were
Martin Van Buren, Democrat, and William K. Harrison, Whig.
At the annual town meeting of 1837, held on March
18th, Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator; Charles Reynolds, town
clerk; Enoch Huntington, Ezekiel Straw and Luther Rideout, selectmen;
Benjamin H. Oak, treasurer; Samuel W. Knight, collector, and Daniel M.
Haskell, E. L. Norcross and Samuel Skillin, superintending school
committee.
The town voted to raise four hundred and fifty dollars
for schools, three thousand five hundred dollars for roads, three
hundred and fifty dollars for town charges and support of the poor. The
premium of three dollars per head for the destruction of bears was
continued. The care of the poor was delegated to the selectmen.
The cemetery at West Garland was established in 1837, by vote of the
town, and the land therefor was purchased of Mr. Lawrence and Russell
Murdock. The ground was graded by the voluntary labor of the public
spirited citizens of West Garland.
The
legal voters of the town balloted for the State and other officers on
the second Monday of September.
For governor, Edward Kent, Whig,
received eighty-six votes; Gorham Parks, Democrat, received eight-five
votes.
For representative to Legislature, David Harvey, Democrat,
received eight-nine votes; Eleazer W. Snow, Whig, received eight-five
votes.
At a special meeting of the town held on the day of the
fall elections, it was voted to petition the Legislature for the passage
of a law to require each county in the State to make and repair all
roads within its limits.
Also to "authorize the selectmen to
petition the Legislature to amend the constitution of all judicial
officers, and their time of service, shall be placed within the reach of
the people and subject to be altered at the pleasure of the
Legislature."
The legal voters balloted a second time on October
2, for representative to the Legislature, when David Chase, Democrat,
received eighty votes; Eleazer W. Snow , Whig, received eighty-four
votes.
On a third trial to elect a representative, Garland gave
David Chase, eighty-three votes; Eleazer W. Snow, seventy-five votes.
A movement was made this year (1837) to divide Penobscot County, and
to establish a new county to be known as Piscataquis County. The
original purpose was to embody the tier of towns that embraced the town
of Garland in the new county. As the business relations of this tier of
towns were almost solely with Bangor, its citizens were strongly opposed
to incorporation with the proposed new county.
At a special
meeting held October 2, 1837, the town voted to remonstrate against
division, and in case of division, to petition the Legislature to be
left in the old county. The desire expressed in the petition was
realized and Garland still remain in the old county.
The year 1837 was, to many citizens of Maine, a period of
disappointment and hardship, engendered by wild speculation in Eastern
lands. Some men had suddenly become rich, but many more had lost the
slowly acquired accumulations of the years. The suffers were mainly
residents of cities and larger towns. Residents in the country towns had
nothing to invest in speculative ventures and therefore lost nothing
directly.
As in other years, the farms that had been brought into
a productive condition afforded the families of their owners a
livelihood and means to pay current expenses. But there was a class of
farmers who were beginning on new farms that were more seriously
affected by the prevailing financial conditions. Mr. A. W. Straw, a well
known citizen of Bangor, who then was a boy in his father's home at
Garland, gives the following narration.
His father, Mr. James
Straw, had purchased a new farm where he was struggling to support a
large family. At the close of the spring's work he found that the family
supplies were running short. He had no money. As in the case of his
independent neighbors, credit would not avail for the purchase of food
supplies. As the only resort, he took his two older boys, A. W. and
James M., into the cedar growth where the three, by several days and
severe labor, made shingles enough to load a yoke of oxen.
The
singles were loaded upon a wagon and the father taking rations for
himself and oxen from a scanty supply at home, started out on his
toilsome journey to Bangor, traveling by day, and sleeping under the
wagon at night.
The shingles were sold to Abner Taylor at one
dollar and fifty cents per thousand and, with the proceeds purchased
supplies for his family, and returned home having been absent four days
and three nights. By industry and economy, the Straw family soon came
into line with their more independent neighbors.
For several years anterior to the year 1837, the revenues of the United States government were in excess of its expenditures. By an act of Congress this surplus was distributed to the several states, and by them, to the towns within respective limits. The town of Garland promptly indicated its acceptance of the proffered gift. Charles Reynolds was appointed as agent by the town to demand and receive from the State treasury the portion of said money belonging to the town of Garland," and was authorized to receipt there for. In pursuance of instructions, Mr. Reynolds transferred this money, amounting to about two thousand dollars, from the State treasury to the town treasury.
Now that the money was in the hands of the town,
the question that confronted its citizens was - -What shall we do with
it? Men who had been blessed with large families, favored a per capita
distribution. Men whose action was controlled by their sympathy for the
poor, favored the purchase of a home for that unfortunate class.
Another class thought that it should constitute a fund, the interest of
which should be used from year to year, for the benefit of the public
schools. There were others who were in favor of loaning it in small sums
to inhabitants of the town who desired to hire it. The last named
proposition was adopted by vote of the town.
At a special meeting
held March 11, 1837, Ezekiel Straw, Enoch Huntington and Jeremiah
Flanders were appointed a committee to invest Garland’s share of the
fund. This committee was instructed to lend it to inhabitants of Garland
only, in sums ranging from fifty to one hundred dollars, on demand
notes, drawing interest , each note to be endorsed by two responsible
parties, freeholders, residing in the town, who were to be jointly and
severely held with the principal for the payment of the notes, which
were to run until the annual meeting of 1838. No person would be
accepted as surety for more than $100.
Borrowers were plenty, and
the surplus funds disappeared from the treasury, notes payable on demand
taking its place, with the understanding that demand for payment would
be made on, or before, the date of the annual town meeting of 1838. As
in the case of promises to pay, the date for the payment came around
with relentless punctuality to find a majority of the promisers were not
ready to pay. At the annual town meeting of 1838, the men of large
families came to the front and demanded that the fund should be
distributed to the inhabitants of the town per capita. This demand was
carried by vote of the town. The treasurer of the fund was directed to
collect forthwith all that was still out on loan, and deposited it in
the treasury.
But it was soon discovered that it had been easier
to lend money in 1837 than to collect it in 1838. The best efforts of
the treasurer to collect proved unavailing. At a special meeting held
May 5, 1838, the town voted to distribute two dollars and seven cents of
the surplus fund to each individual enumerated in the census for the
distribution of the said fund. This action involved the necessity of a
special enumeration of the inhabitants of the town to fix the basis of
distribution.
Although the town had voted to pay each inhabitant
two dollars and seven cents, it had made no provision to obtain the
funds necessary to carry out the purposes of this vote. This neglect was
followed by much excitement. to allay which a special meeting of the
voters was held on the 14th of July, 1838, "To see it the town will hire
one thousand dollars, or any other sum, and settle with individuals on
account of the surplus fund or take any other method thought best when
met."
This proposition to hire one thousand dollars to pay the
beneficiaries of the fund indicated approximately the sum that still
remained uncollected. Upon the article, "To see if the town will hire
one thousand dollars, or any other sum, and settle with individuals on
account of the surplus fund," it was voted at the meeting of July 14,
1838, "That the treasurer is hereby empowered to hire on the credit of
the town a sufficient sum of money to pay off the surplus fund debt
before the annual meeting in September next." But the treasurer failed
to accomplish the purpose of this vote.
Meetings for town business were of frequent occurrence in 1838, some of
which were barren of results. The officers of the town were Russell
Murdock, moderator; Nehemiah Bartlett, town clerk; Enoch Huntington,
Charles Reynolds and Samuel Skillin, selectmen; Joseph True, Jr.,
treasurer; Samuel W. Knight, collector; and Daniel M. Haskell, Lyndon
Oak and Asa Barton, superintending schools committee.
The town
appropriated five hundred dollars for schools, four hundred dollars for
town charges, and two thousand dollars for highways. One hundred
dollars, cash, was voted for the northwest county road.
A special
meeting was held on May 5, at which applications of two new citizens,
Solomon and Phineas Gee, emigrants from England, for a pro rata share of
the surplus revenue fund were considered. These citizens, not having
been naturalized, the applications were not granted. Various
propositions for the location, repair and building of roads were acted
upon adversely.
Another special meeting was held on July 14,
which was devoted mainly to considerations relating to roads. A road
craze seemed to have settled upon the inhabitants of the town. At a
special meeting held September 10, Samuel Skillin, Nehemiah Bartlett and
Edward B. Holt were appointed to prepare plans, and to contract for the
building of a bridge across the Kenduskeag Stream at Holt’s Mills. The
selectmen were again instructed to remonstrate against the annexation of
Garland to the new county of Piscataquis, also to petition the
Legislature for a law requiring each county to build and keep in repair
the county roads within its own limits.
The annual State election
of 1838 was held on September 10.
John Fairfield, Democratic
candidate for governor, received one hundred and thirty votes; Edward
Kent, Whig, received ninety votes.
For representative to
Congress, Thomas Davee, Democrat, received one hundred and thirty votes;
John S. Tenney, Whig, received ninety votes.
For representative
to the Legislature, Joseph True, Democrat, received one hundred and
twenty-nine votes; Asa Barton, Whig, received ninety votes.
The
first movement for building of a town hall was made in 1838. Under the
lead of Joseph Bartlett, afterwards a prominent citizen of Bangor, and
editor of the Jeffersonian, (newspaper) individuals offered to supply
gratuitously a considerable amount of lumber for the construction of a
building, whose roof should cover a room for a high school, and a hall
for town business and public gatherings. But the plan was in advance of
public sentiment and failed of realization.
A company of artillery was organized in 1838 through the
influence and active exertion of Col. John S. Kimball of Bangor, who at
that time resided at garland. Col. Kimball possessed an ardent military
temperament, and much experienced in military matters. He drew into the
organization many of the most respectable inhabitants of the town of
military age. He was the first captain of the company, and he succeeded
in investing its members with a good degree of military pride.
He
was successful in the captaincy of the company by Fifield Lyford, who in
turn was followed by John S. Runnals. Some of its lieutenants were, A.
M. Haskell, Isaac Fall and Ezekiel Page.
A substantial building
of ample dimensions was constructed for an armory drill hall. The State
furnished two brass field-pieces whose deep intonations resounded
through the town on public occasions, sometimes Awakening the sleepy
inhabitants at unseasonable hours. The company was regarded with pride
by the citizens of the town. It is regretted that the company rolls have
not been saved so that a full list of its members could be given. A
partial list embraces the following names:
John S. Kimball
Fifield Lyford
Ezekiel Page
M. C. Emerson
John P. Smith
Richard Osgood
A. M. Haskell
John S. Rimmals
Josiah Skillin
Leonard Skillin
Noah Burnham
Mark Burnham
Luther Rideout
Thomas Fifield
Moody Baily
Lebbeus Oak
Stephen B. Dockham
Albert Skinner
In the year 1838, Capt.
Fifield Lyford, who owned the village mill property at Garland,
conceived the plan of shipping to London a cargo of lumber of the
description known as bird’s eye maple and curly birch, which were
sometimes used in the manufacture of furniture. The lumber was sawed at
his mill, hauled to Bangor by team, and shipped to London. Capt. Lyford
took passage in the same vessel to attend to the sale of the lumber.
In due time the cargo arrived at London in good condition and was
readily sold at good prices. Elated at his good fortune in the
disposition of his cargo and the attention of its generous purchaser,
who showed him some of the sights of London, and possibly excited by a
favorite beverage in which he sometimes indulged, he soared to the realm
of a lofty idealism from which he disclosed to his new friend, areas of
land almost limitless extent which were covered with magnificent forest
growths. So realistic were his descriptions, that one could almost hear
the cheery voices of his workmen, the ringing blows of their axes.
Before leaving London, he ordered made and sent to him some costly
articles for his personal use, one of which was a gun to cost one
hundred dollars.
On his return home, he gradually came from his
dizzy height to a level with his neighbors. The one hundred dollar gun
was received in due time, but finding that his pocketbook had collapsed,
and that he could put it to no use commensurate with its cost, he
returned it to the manufacturers.
On a pleasant spring morning of 1839, a procession of horse-carts of
the Canadian pattern entered the village and moved slowly up the
principal street. In the forward cart were a man, woman and two boys of
tender age. The other carts contained furniture of humble descriptions.
A sight so common and. withal, so novel, in the quiet village of
Garland, aroused the curiosity of the women, who were engaged in their
spring house-cleaning, and girls and boys who were at their sports on
the street. It must also be confessed that the more phlegmatic citizens
of the male gender, though not so conspicuous on the street, were
peering from windows of shops and store with unusual curiosity.
In human affairs, each event can be traced to some antecedent cause of
which it is consequent; so the village was soon developed. The
procession halted in the center of the village, when the man inquired
for Capt. Lyford, the great land owner. A troop of small boys rushed
forward at the top of their speed in search of the doughty captain, who
soon put in and appearance. Both men disclosed a large degree of
surprise at the close of a brief conversation, and it will never be
known which one was more surprised.
While in a state of high
exaltation in London a year earlier, the Captain was introduced to a Mr.
Martin, and accomplished bookkeeper, to whom he promised employment if
he would come to America. Now, Mr. Martin, although an expert accountant
and bookkeeper, could earn enough in his profession by close application
to support his family, yet like other men of his class, his prospects
for doing more than this in London at that time, was dubious. He soon
became conscious of a purpose to emigrate to America, which, although
weak at first, gathered strength as the weeks rolled on, and ripened
into determination.
Early in the spring of 1839, he had saved
enough to pay for the passage of himself and family to Canada, and
thence to Maine. Mr. Martin was soon forced to the painful consciousness
that the great land owner was a myth.
He had spent his little all
in getting here to find himself among strangers, out of money, and
destitute of employment. He was unfitted for any out of door labor.
Fortunately he found shelter in the village for his family and
furniture, but was soon destitute for food. Kind neighbors provided for
their immediate wants. The attention of the town authorities was soon
called to their condition and their needs were supplied by public,
instead of private, charity, for a brief time.
Col. John S. Kimball, a former citizen of Bangor, was a resident of Garland at the date of the arrival of the Martin family. The condition of the family appealed to his sympathies and, with characteristic generosity, he obtained for him a situation as bookkeeper for Gen. Veazie of Bangor. The value of his services soon became known to the business men of that place, and he had no difficulty in finding employment as long as he remained there. A few years later, Gen. Veazie employed him as manager and salesman of a shipload of merchandise bound to California. Finding a demand for his services there, he sent for his family and became a resident of California.
At the annual meeting of 1839, held March 11, the officers chosen were Russell Murdock, moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Charles Reynolds, Samuel Skillin and Nehemiah Bartlett, selectmen; Joseph True, Jr., treasurer; Nehemiah Bartlett, town agent; Asa Barton, Lyndon Oak and Rev. S. S. Drake, superintending school committee, and James Greeley, collector of taxes, compensation three per cent. The town appropriated five hundred dollars for schools, six hundred for town charges, and two thousand dollars for roads. As usual the town was road ridden. Of the thirty-one articles in the warrant calling the annual town meeting of 1839, six related to town officers, four to appropriations, five to incidental matters and the remaining sixteen articles to roads. At the special meeting, held September 9, of the eighty propositions acted on, five related to roads. The annual State election was held September 9. For governor, John Fifield, Democrat, received one hundred and four-teen votes, Edward Kent, Whig, received ninety-four votes. For representative to the Legislature, Zebulon Bradley, Democrat, received one hundred and fourteen votes; Nathaniel Huckins, Whig, received ninety-three votes. At a special meeting held on the day of the State election, the following question was submitted to the voters of the towns of the States: “Shall the constitution of the State be so amended as to strike out the fourth section of the sixth article and substitute in the room thereof the following, viz: Section fourth: 261 All Judicial officers now in office, or who may be appointed hereafter, shall from, and after the first day of March in the year of our Lord 1840 hold their offices for the term of seven years from the time of their respective appointment, (unless sooner removed by impeachment, or by address of both branches of the Legislature to the Executive)and no longer unless reappointed thereto.’ Upon this question the town gave one hundred and thirteen affirmations, and twenty-five negative votes. At a special meeting, held December 9, 1839, Asa Barton. Samuel W. Knight, and James J. Chandler were appointed a committee to receive offers for the sale of a farm suitable for a home for the unfortunate poor, and were instructed to report to the town at the annual meeting of 1840. Upon the report of this committee, it was voted that Asa Barton, James Chandler, Enoch Huntington, Jeremiah Flanders and Daniel M. Haskell be a committee to purchase a farm whereon to support the poor. But this committee was hedged by limitations which frustrated the well-meant attempt to benefit an unfortunate class of citizens.
To the inhabitants and other
towns in eastern Maine, the exciting event of 1839 was the call for men
to defend the territory contiguous to New Brunswick which was claimed by
both that province and the State of Maine. The origin of the dispute
between the two sections was the indefiniteness of the terms by which
the dividing line had been described in the treaty of 1783, between the
United States and Great Britain. The crisis came in 1839. Early in that
year, the Governor of Maine, John Fairfield, was officially notified
that citizens of New Brunswick were plundering the disputed territory of
its best timber.
The Governor immediately dispatched the sheriff
of Penobscot County, Hastings Strickland, with a posses numbering one
hundred and fifty to two hundred men to drive the plunderers off. The
sheriff started from Bangor wit his posse on the 5th day of February.
The plunderers, three hundred in number, having been apprized of the
sheriff's approach, broke into the arsenal at Woodstock, armed
themselves with muskets and assumed a defensive attitude, but, hearing
that the sheriff's posse had a six-pounder cannon they prudently retired
to a point within British territory.
At this juncture, a
conference was held at the tavern of one Fitzherbert which was
participated in by Land Agent McIntire and his friends, G. G. Cushman
and Colonel Webster of Orono, on the one side, and Mr. McLaughlin,
British warden of the disputed territory, and a few friends of the
other.
During the following night the land agent and his friends
were seized by a party of forty armed men and carried on an ox-sled to
Woodstock, where they were committeed to the Frederickson jail. On
February 14th Sheriff Strickland suddenly reappeared in Bangor, having
performed the journey from the "seat of war" by a wild ride of two days,
which had been facilitated by relays of horses at regular intervals. His
rapid and dramatic recital of the events had, together with the exciting
news of the day following (Feb. 15th,) of the treacherous seizure of our
land agent and his companions and the humiliating treatment they
received, raised the war spirit to a fever heat. Measures for the rescue
of the prisoners were immediately adopted.
Two days later an
event occurred which rendered the execution of these measures
unnecessary. On Sunday, Feb. 17th, the Houlton stage brought in as
prisoner the British land warden, McLaughlin, who participated in the
parley at Fitzherbert's. He was attended by a guard of stalwart men, one
of who was John Tarbox of Garland. The news of the arrival of McLaughlin
spread through the city like wildfire. In an incredibly short time the
streets were filled with spectators eager to see the Britisher. The
weather being cold the warden was protected by a large bearskin
overcoat, which in the heated state of popular sentiment, made it easy
to transform the man into the animal whose skin he wore. With a vivid
remembrance of the treatment awarded by our land agent and his friends,
Mr. McLaughlin feared violence at the hands of the crowd. He was,
however, provided with quarters at the Bangor House and kindly treated
during his stay.
The events which have been narrated came upon
the people of this section with startling suddenness. Less than two
weeks had elapse since they received the first intimation of the danger
of a rupture between the United States and Great Britain in consequence
of the northeastern boundary dispute. But it had assumed a serious
aspect. Major General Hodsdon issued orders on February 17th for a draft
of one thousand men from the eastern division of the Maine militia who
were required to appear at Bangor on Tuesday, the 19th inst.
In
this division were four companies of artillery - one of each at Bangor,
Garland, Lincoln and Orland. The requisition upon this company at
Garland was for thirty-two men. On Monday, February 18th, the artillery
men were drawn up in line in the center of the village, and a call was
made for volunteers. A few young men, who had no families to leave
behind, responded.
A draft was then resorted to secure the full
number required. The personnel of the quota was as follows: Daniel M.
Haskell, Wm. Haskell, Gardiner Smith, Luther Rideout, Ezekiel Page, John
P. Smith, Thos. B. Fifield, Daniel E. Fifield, Moody Bailey, John S.
Runnals, Joseph Bartlett, Isaac Wheeler, Jr., Hiram F. Godwin, Stephen
B. Dockham, Samuel Bridge, Micah C. Emerson, Charles Haskell, Andrew M.
Haskell, J.B. Reed, Samuel Knight, Fifield Lyford, Artemas Merriam,
Robt. P. Davis, Jedediah Kimball, Zenas Bartlett, Giles Straw, Samuel A.
Hamilton, Albert Skinner, Mark Burnham, John Batchelder, Horace
Batchelder and John C. Ladd.
Of the four companies the Garland
company furnished the largest number, in which were many of the leading
citizens of the town. Its present citizens may be pardoned, if while
recounting these names, they may indulge in a feeling of pride regarding
the character of their quota.
The men were drafted on the
afternoon of Monday and after spending a few hours in arranging their
business affairs they took hasty leave of their families and presented
themselves at Bangor on the following day. They were mustered into
service Wednesday, February 20th.
The quotas of the four
companies, numbering about eighty men, formed a battalion, which went
into quarters at City-Point Block. After a stock of two days for
necessary preparations, they started on their long march to the
frontier. The route determined on was up the Penobscot River to
Moluncus, thence to the Aroostook River by way of Patten, and from there
on the ice to Fort Fairfield. In the march to Patten the company was
quartered at night at the following places: Milford, Lincoln and
Moluncus, reaching Patten at the end of the fourth day. On the morning
of the fifth day the march towards the Aroostook River was resumed, but
it was arrested at an early hour by the appearance of a courier with the
information that the ice on the Aroostoook had been submerged by a
freshet, rending travel on the river impracticable. The battalion was
ordered to return to Moluncus. On the return march, it camped at night
at Benedicta. Here some of the privates purchased a rooster for
amusement. This bird, following the fortunes of the battalion in all its
subsequent marches, may be regarded as a prototype of the war eagle,
"Old Abe," which followed the fortunes of a Wisconsin regiment through
the War of the Rebellion. He soon became familiar with military life and
participated in its excitements. When the big guns thundered he would
instantly mount his perch, spread his wings and crow to the extent of
his capacity, which was not small. He soon became the pet of the
battalion.
From Moluncus to Houlton the march was on the military
road, the battalion encamping one night between the two places, and
Houlton was reached at the end of eight days' march from Bangor. It
remained there about two weeks.
At Houlton an incident occurred
which afforded much amusement. A ruse was planned by some of the
officers to determine whether the night guard was attentive to its
duties. A cannon had been placed in position just outside the barracks.
On the night of the execution of the plan, our well known and honored
townsman, Daniel M. Haskell, was officer of the guard. At an hour when
sleep was supposed to have the fullest control of its subjects, the
attention of the officer was called to a slight noise in the vicinity of
the cannon. Rushing outside to find the cause, a man was seen retreating
in great haste into the surrounding darkness. The officer stepped inside
to await developments. The disturbance was soon repeated. Instantly
stepping out he found himself in close proximity to a man, the shortness
of whose limbs put him at disadvantage in the race. The pursuer came up
with him as he was scaling a fence and grabbing him, soon brought him to
bay, when he was surprised to find that he had captured the good-natured
Major of the battalion. On their way together towards the barracks, they
found the cannon moving away from its position. The officer soon
overtook it and cutting the rope by which it was hauled, brought it to a
dead stop. Another officer of the artillery, a man of gigantic size,
tried to guard the same night and found himself in the clutches of two
privates where he was held much against his will until the officer of
the guard leisurely ordered his release. There is no account of attempts
by the officers to further test the fidelity of the night guard.
The sudden death of a citizen of Garland, Calvin S. Wheeler, who was not
connected with the battalion, occurred during the encampment at Houlton.
His remains were attended home by his brother, Isaac Wheeler, and his
cousin, Wm. S. Haskell.
After a stop at Houlton of about two
weeks the battalion was ordered to Fort Fairfield which was reached by a
march of three days. The first night's encampment was at Bridgewater and
the second at Presque Isle. Quarters for the soldiers were in readiness.
While at this place the daily routine was much the same as at
Houlton. Men were detailed to assist in the construction of a building
for a storehouse and officers' quarters. Military drills and guard
duties were of every-day occurrence. The monotony of camp life was
mitigated by such amusements as could be devised.
Many of the
superior officers were on terms of pleasant intimacy with the soldiery
when off duty. Major General Hodsdon was accustomed to drop into the
soldiers' quarters and chat familiarly with the men. Among the games
prohibited was card playing.
On one evening when the interdicted
game was briskly going on at several points, General Hodsdon made a
sudden appearance at the entrance of the quarters. The card were
instantly brushed aside, and the players, with an air of great
innocence, were zealously joining in a camp son which had been going on.
After spending an hour in familiar conversation with officers and
privates the General arose to retire. On reaching the door he turned and
bidding them a pleasant good night, left with the admonition, "Don't
sign too late boys."
Affairs at the Fort went on from day to day
in even flow, but the flow of sleep was suddenly interrupted on one
occasion. At midnight the faint report of a musket from the picket-guard
down by the river was heard. Instantly crack, crack, crack, came from a
dozen muskets in the hands of as many guards. The artillery men sprang
from their beds into their clothing and formed in line on the
parade-ground. The Dexter riflemen were in line in front of them. The
night was intensely cold and the men impatiently awaited orders to move.
Presently the riflemen started on a brisk march towards the river.
Through a misapprehension of orders, the artillery followed. They had
moved only a short distance when they were confronted by General Hodsdon
who sharply demanded their reason for moving without orders. Private
Kimball of the Garland company instantly replied, "to gather up the
riflemen's boots as fast as they are killed." As the movement was the
result of a false alarm to test the mettle of the men, Private Kimball
escaped the reprimand he might have otherwise received. Both companies
were ordered back into line on the parade-ground, when, the roll being
called, very man was found to be present. General Hodsdon briefly
addressed them, telling them an amusing story to illustrate the contrast
between their behavior, and that he had witnessed at another time and
place, where men (?) upon a similar call had secreted themselves in
chimney and ovens. He complimented them highly for their promptness in
answering the call and bade them a kind good night. The men fled to
their berths with as much alacrity as they had manifested a little
earlier in answering the call to arms.
The imbroglio engendered
by the northeastern boundary dispute was now nearing its close. There
had been proclamations and counter-proclamations by the parties to the
dispute, and marchings and counter-marchings by the soldiery on both
sides. Among the civilians, the war spirit had ebbed and flowed at
intervals.
Early in March, General Scott appeared on the scene in
behalf of the United States government, and immediately commenced
negotiations for the peaceable adjustment of the questions in dispute.
He opened correspondence with Sir John Harvey, Governor of New
Brunswick, from whom he obtained concessions with were accepted by our
State authorities. This was followed in due time by a recall was about
the 10th of April. On the 17th of April the troops reentered Bangor.
The pet rooster, which had been purchased at Benedicta on the march
to the front, still adhered to the fortunes of the artillery. On the
march homeward he had been gaily decked in a scarlet uniform, and upon
the entrance of the troops into the city he mounted his perch on the top
of the ammunition carriage and defiantly turned his head towards the
enemy's country amid the plaudits of the crowds on the streets.
The troops went into quarters on Thomas Hill. While awaiting payment and
discharge the artillery occasionally marched down town in ranks. On one
occasion by the invitation of the leading business men one of the
field-pieces was taken down to the square at the foot of Hammond street
to give an exhibition of one phase of artillery practice. The piece was
loaded on Exchange street and drawn back by the horses at a violent gait
and discharged in the square. This was repeated several times; but every
discharge of the cannon brought down a shower of glass from the windows
in the neighborhood. This kind of practice soon became distasteful even
to its projectors, and was discontinued after a few sample rounds.
On the 23d day of April, the artillery men were paid off and
discharged, having had sixty-three days' service.
Of the
thirty-two men who went from the artillery company there was only one
substitute. It was a body of men who would command the respect of any
community. One of them, a teacher in our schools, afterwards became a
prominent citizen of Bangor and the editor of an influential newspaper.
Many of them were afterwards prominent in town affairs, and four of them
have represented the towns of their class in the lower branch of the
Legislature.
Our well-known townsman, Stephen D. Jennings, who
has long been a resident of Garland, went to the front with that fine
military organization, the Dexter Rifle Company, being at that time a
citizen of Dexter.
In addition to the thirty-two men from the
company of artillery, seven men were drafted from the militia for
service in the Aroostook War. Among these were Aaron Hill, Amos Gordon,
Nehemiah Bartlett 1st, Peter Pillsbury and William French. Of these, the
first two were represented by substitutes. The others went to the
Aroostook. Benjamin Garland, John Tarbox, and perhaps others went to the
front of the sheriff's posse.
It was a dizzy whirl of events that
intervened between the call for one thousand men and the date of the
march for the front. The call was made on February 17th; the men of the
company were notified to appear for draft on the morning of the 18th;
the draft was made on the afternoon of the same day; the drafted men
presented themselves at Bangor on the 19th, were mustered into service
on the 20th and started on the march to the front on the 21st. Happily
they were not called on to do any fighting, but when fighting seemed
inevitable there was no flinching.
During the period intervening between 1830 and 1840, the town had
been fairly prosperous. The population had increased from six hundred
and thirty-one to one thousand and sixty-five, an increase of more than
sixty-five per cent. The growth of the village during the same period
had been slow. In 1840, there were only fifteen families within the
present village. This slow growth was largely due to the fact that
eligible building lots were held at a price, or hampered by conditions
that repelled those who desired to make homes therein.
Among the
events of this period, were the rebuilding of the long bridge in 1830,
the rebuilding of the grist-mill by Reuben Bartlett, the designation of
the month of March for holding future annual meetings for town business,
the accident that terminated the life of Garland’s most prominent
citizen, Hon. Reuben Bartlett, the division among the different
religious societies of the unappropriated ministerial fund, the building
of the avenue road, the five trials to elect a representative to the
Legislature, and the heavy fall of snow in November, 1836, the
acquisition by the town of its share of the surplus revenue, the severe,
and oft recurring burdens of road making, the hardships engendered by
the derth of money, the completion and dedication of the Congregational
meeting house, and the beginning of the pastorate of the Rev. Samuel S.
Drake over the Congregational church in 1837, the organization of a
company of artillery in 1838, and the call for men for the defense of
our territory adjoining New Brunswick in 1839.
At the annual meeting of 1840, held March 9, Russell Murdock was
chosen moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, Enoch
Huntington and Ezekiel Page, selectmen and assessors, and Asa Barton,
Rev. S. S. Drake and Lyndon Oak, superintending school committee.
David Skillin was chosen collector and treasurer, and was instructed
to discount six per cent, upon all taxes paid on, or before, the first
day of August, four per cent, on taxes paid on, or before, the first day
of November and two per cent, on taxes paid on, or before February 1,
1841, and to collect forthwith all taxes unpaid at the last mentioned
date, either by himself or deputy.
Appropriations for 1840 were six hundred dollars for schools, one thousand two hundred dollars for town charges, two huhdred and fifty dollars to support the poor, two thousand dollars for making and repairing roads to be paid in labor, and a cash appropriation of one hundred' and fifty dollars for same purpose. High taxes had become the cause of serious complaint. Almost every taxpayer seemed to believe that his taxes were relatively higher than those of his neighbor's. So general was the complaint that a citizen of waggish tendencies got an article inserted in the call for the annual meeting of 1840 "to see if the town will vote to let every man assess his own taxes."
The annual State election was held September 14.
For governor, John Fifield, Democrat, received one hundred and fifteen
votes. Edward Kent, Whig, received ninety-nine votes.
For
representative to Congress, Hannibal Hamlin, Democrat, received one
hundred and fifteen votes. Elisha H. Allen, Whig, received ninety-nine
votes.
For representative to the Legislature, Levi Bradley,
Democrat, received one hundred and fifteen votes. E. I. Morrill, Whig,
received ninety-nine votes.
There having been no election for
representative to the Legislature at first trial, a second trial
occurred October 5, when Levi Bradley received one hundred and nine
votes. E. T. Morrill received ninety votes.
The presidential
election of 1840 was held on November. The candidates were William H.
Harrison, Whig, and Martin Van Buren, Democrat. The Harrison voters
received one hundred and one votes, and the Vait Buren electors received
one hundred and twenty-four votes. In the country at large there was a
majority for William H. Harrison.
At the
annual town meeting of 1841, held March 8, Joseph Prescott was chosen
moderator; Charles Reynolds, town clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, Samuel W.
Knight and Joseph True, selectmen and assessors; Asa Barton, Joseph
Bartlett and Rev. Samuel S. Drake, superintending school committee, and
David Skillin, collector and treasurer. The compensation for collecting
and disbursing was fixed at two and one half per cent.
The
appropriations were six hundred dollars for schools, two hundred dollars
for the support of the poor, six hundred dollars to defray town charges,
two thousand hdollars to make and repair roads, to be paid in labor,
also cash appropriations of two hundred dollars to be expended on the
northwest county road, one hundred and twenty-five dollars for the
Avenue road, two hundred dollars for the county road leading to Dover,
and fifty dollars for a town road in the southeast part of the town.
At a special meeting held September 13, of the twelve items of
business acted on, seven related to roads.
The election for State and other officers was held September
13. For governor, John Fairfield, Democrat, received one hundred and
twenty-three votes; Edward Kent, Whig, received one hundred and four
votes.
For representative to the Legislature, Charles Reynolds,
Democrat, received one hundred and twentythree votes; David Skillin,
Whig, received one hundred and two votes; Josiah Bartlett. Anti-Slavery,
received three votes.
It will be seen that in the year of grace,
1841, a new element appeared in the politics of Garland. It was
significant that this element began to manifest itself, feebly, indeed,
in nearly all the voting precincts of the free states. This class of
voters, together with many others, who were not ready to sever the ties
that bound them to old political parties, believed in their simplicity,
that the asseverations embodied in the declaration of independence,
"that all men are created free and equal, that they are endowed with
certain inalienable rights among which are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness," were not simply rhetorical flourishes or
glittering generalities as politicians would have them believe, but
eternal verities.
The cardinal article of the creed of this new
party was unalterable opposition to the further encroachments of slavery
upon the free territory of time United States. It was not a popular
party in its infancy. Its votes were classed as scattering in the papers
which meant thrown away. It was stigmatized as "the party of one idea."
Nevertheless, the force of this one idea elected Abraham Lincoln to the
presidency a few years later, and this event was soon followed by the
banishment of the curse of slavery from the United States.
At a special meeting of the town of 1841, held September 11, the question of building the Avenue road came up for final action. The town had remonstrated against laying it out, had petitioned for its discontinuance, had pursued a dilatory policy in making it. In view of the delay, the county commissioners decided to appoint an agent to do the work, whereupon the town voted to instruct the selectmen to begin the making of it, and to complete it by the first of October, 184. This was satisfactory to the commissioners who refrained from further action.
At the annual meeting of 1842,
held March 14, Joseph Prescott was chosen moderator; Lorenzo Oak, town
clerk; Nehemiah Bartlett, John I. P. Sanford and David Skillin,
selectmen and assessors; Nehemiah Bartlett, treasurer; Rev. Samuel S.
Drake, Lorenzo Oak and Daniel M. Haskell, superintending school
committee and Luther Rideout, collector, whose compensation was fixed at
two per cent.
The appropriations were six hundred dollars for
schools, one hundred and fifty dollars for the support of the poor, four
hundred dollars to defray town charges, and two thousand dollars for
roads, to be paid in labor. Also cash appropriations of two hundred
dollars for the Dover county road, eight hundred dollars for the Avenue
road, and one hundred and fifty dollars for road at Holt's Mills.
The annual election for State and other
officers was held September 12. For governor, John Fairfield, Democrat,
received one hundred and five votes; Edwin Robinson, Whig, received
fifty-two votes; James Appleton, Anti-Slavery, received twenty votes.
On and after 1842, Exeter and Garland constituted a Representative
class. For representative to the Legislature, Smith Libbey, Democrat, of
Exeter, received one hundred and three votes; S. M. Rice, Anti-Slavery,
of Garland, received eight votes.
As no Whig vote appears at this
trial, there seems to have been some irregularity of proceeding. A
second trial to elect a representative to the Legislature was made on
October 3, 1842, when Smith Libbey, Democrat, received twenty-one votes;
John Cutler, Whig, received seventeen votes; Benjamin Evans, Anti
Slavery, received nine votes.
There was no election of
representatives at this trial.
A third trial to elect a
representative to the Legislature occurred on the 24th of October, when
Smith Libbey, Democrat, of Exeter, received forty-eight votes; Benjamin
Evans, Anti-Slavery, of Exeter, received twenty-five votes.
Mr.
Libbey was now the successful candidate.
Nearly every member of the two leading churches of Garland, the Congregational and Free Baptist, was strongly anti-slavery in sentiment. In the autumn or early winter of 1842, two prominent citizens of Bangor, afterwards known as Judge John E. Godfrey and Hon. A. G. Wakefield, came to Garland to address its citizens in behalf of the anti-slavery movement. The meeting was held in the Congregational meeting house which was crowded by eager listeners of Garland and Exeter to the earnest appeals in behalf of the victims of African slavery.
At the annual meeting of 1843, held March 13,
the officers chosen were Joseph Prescott, moderator; Lorenzo Oak, town
clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, Asa Barton and Joseph Prescott, selectmen and
assessors; Nehemiah Bartlett, treasurer; Rev. Samuel S. Drake, Asa
Barton and Lorenzo Oak, superintending school committee; Luther Rideout,
collector of taxes at two per cent.
The appropriations were five
hundred dollars for schools, one hundred and fifty dollars to support
the poor, two hundred dollars for town charges, two thousand five
hundred dollars for roads, to be paid in labor, and cash appropriations
of one hundred dollars to pa bills incurred the preceding year on the
Dover county road. The care of the poor was placed in the hands of the
selectmen.
The meeting to ballot for governor and other officers
was held September 11. For governor, Hugh J. Anderson, Democrat,
received ninety-eight votes; Edwin Robinson, Whig, received thirty-three
votes; James Appleton, Anti-Slavery, received forty-four votes.
For representative to Congress, Hannibal Hamlin, Democrat, received one
hundred votes; Elisha H. Allen, Whig, received thirty-three votes; David
Shepherd. Anti-Slavery, received forty-four votes.
The contest
for representative to the Legislature in 1843 was the most remarkable of
any in the history of the town. Garland and Exeter constituted a
representative class. Each town furnished the candidate for legislative
honors on each alternate year, and Garland was the privileged town in
1843. It had been Democratic for many years, and Democratic nominees had
been sure of large majorities.
The contest opened on the day of
the gubernatorial election when Nehemiah Bartlett, Democrat, received
seventy-one votes; Luther Rideout, Democrat, received thirty-three
votes; Daniel M. Haskell, Whig, received thirty-one votes; John P.
Smith, Liberty party. received forty-one votes. No choice.
At the
second trial, October, Luther Rideout, Democrat, received seventy-two
votes; Nehemiah Bartlett, Democrat, received sixty-eight votes; John P.
Smith, Liberty party, received eleven votes. No choice.
At the
third trial, October 3, Nehemiah Bartlett, Democrat, received ninety
votes; Luther Rideout, Democrat, received eighty-six votes; John P.
Smith, Liberty party, received thirteen votes. No choice.
At the
fourth trial, November 13, Nehemiah Bartlett received ninety-eight
votes; Luther Rideout received sixty-nine votes; Lewis Goulding received
twenty-three votes. No choice.
At the fifth trial, December 4,
Nehemiah Bartlett received one hundred and three votes; Luther Rideout
received eighty-three votes; Lewis Goulding, Liberty party, received
fourteen votes. No choice.
At the sixth trial, the leading
Democratic candidates having withdrawn, Charles Reynolds, Democrat,
received eighty votes; Daniel M. Haskell, Whig, received sixty-eight
votes. No choice.
At the seventh trial, January 15, 1844, Charles
Reynolds, Democrat, received sixty-eight votes; Daniel M. Haskell, Whig,
received sixty-three votes. No choice.
At the eighth trial,
February 5, 1844, Lyndon Oak, Liberty party, received thirty votes;
Charles Reynolds, Democrat, received twenty-nine votes; Daniel M.
Haskell, Whig, received twenty-eight votes. No choice. At the ninth and
final trial, February 6, 1844, Lyndon Oak, Liberty party, received
thirty-two votes; Charles Reynolds, Democrat, received thirteen votes;
Daniel M. Haskell, Whig, received five votes.
An examination of
the result of the ballotings in the two towns, Garland and Exeter,
disclosed the fact of Mr. Oak's election. The legislative session of
1844 was nearing its close. As soon as the necessary credetiials were
placed in his hands, he started for Augusta.
This was before the
time of railroads, and the journey was made with horse and sleigh and
occupied a part of two days.
On Thursday of the week of his
election, he was duly qualified and took the seat assigned him in the
Representative hail. He believes himself to have been the first
representative in the Legislature of Maine who was elected on the
straight anti-slavery issue. Owing no allegiance to either political
party, he was at all times free to act as his own judgment dictated. He
was sometimes asked in a spirit of derision when we might expect thc
abolition of slavery would be realized. His reply in substance was, that
there might be a long period of waiting for the event, but it was sure
to come. It proved to be much nearer than the most sanguine anticipated.
As a member of the House of Representatives of 1865, Mr. Oak had the
satisfaction of voting for the ratification of the thirteenth amendment
of the constitution of the United States, which banished the curse of
African slavery from this country, and from all places within its
jurisdiction.
There were incidents connected with the protracted
contest for the election of representative in 1843-4 that created
considerable amusement for the younger voters. One of the candidates for
legislative honors was so confident of success, he had purchased a suit
of clothes befitting the position he expected to occupy, and had engaged
a team to carry him to Augusta.
At a special meeting held October 23, 1843, preliminary measures for rebuilding the long bridge near the village mills were adopted. The contract for rebuilding was awarded to a company of three citizens of the town, John Tewksbury, James Pillsbury and Orison Parkman. The timber for the bridge was hauled the following winter, and it was built in the summer of 1844. Although not an elegant structure, the average cost per year for repairs has been very light.
About the year 1840, a Mr. William Miller appeared in
eastern Maine to apprise its inhabitants of the early coming of Jesus.
He asserted that the first judgment would come in 1843. The enunciation
of this theory in 1840, produced much excitement which grew in intensity
as the fateful year of 1843 approached, when it reached its culmination.
The more indigent victims of this belief, reasoned that if all
things earthly are to terminate in 1843, all Ale need to do is to
provide ourselves with supplies for the intervening two years. When, in
1843, the great lay was believed to be near, this class, having been
reduced to absolute want, quartered themselves upon heir more
independent friends for subsistence. Thus large numbers of men, women
and children were brought together under a single roof where the most
grotesque religious performances were indulged in. If, at the midnight
hour, a mere child expressed a desire to be baptized, the whole company
promptly appeared at the water's side to participate in the ceremony. It
was not uncommon for a zealous member of the sect to be baptized several
times. On such occasions, many of them disported themselves in the water
in a manner not fully in accord with the solemnity which is expected at
such times.
Some of the more thoughtful and more confident, spent
their leisure in making ascension robes to be used on the occasion of
their "going up." One of its devotees, a Mr. _____ became a citizen of
the town early in the thirties, wrested a farm from the forest, and
provided for himself and family a good home.
By industry,
economy, and good judgment, he had taken rank with our most independent
and esteemed citizens, and had been called to fill the most important
town offices from time to time. But strange as it may seem, he found
himself struggling in the current of Millerism and his home became the
headquarters of its devotees where everything from cellar to attic, and
in ell, shed and barn, was held in common. When the collapse came it
brought with it the consciousness of a terrible mistake, a loss of
self-respect, and of courage and of hope.
He soon became the
victim of inherited consumptive tendencies, and passed from earth in a
different manner from tha which he expected a few brief years earlier.
The disastrous results to the one victim that have been narrated were
experienced by others. Several who had been enjoying a comfortable
independence, were reduced to poverty by the same process. The tendency
of this delusion to pauperism led to the adoption of legal measures by
the municipal authorities, to rid the town of irresponsible leaders,
from other towns.
The Rev. Leonard Hutchins, pastor of the Free
Baptist church and society, gave a semi-centennial address before that
organization in 1875, in which he alluded to the disastrous effects of
Millerism. After speaking of a period of universal prosperity, he says,
"It was interrupted by a season of severe trial. Many members abandoned
the church and its ordinances, to enter the ranks of a sect which
professed to believe that the second coming of Christ was an event to be
looked for in the near future. Indeed the exact date for this great
event had been determined in the councils of heaven and recorded in the
books of prophecy.
"Some of the devotees of Millerism assumed the
position of open enmity to the church and to the religion to which they
had solemnly pledged fidelity. This condition of affairs resulted in
great distraction to the church for several years. By the exercise of
wisdom and forbearance by the church, the greater portion of those who
had violated their church obligations, returned to it, while the more
stubborn persisted in their recreancy to their church obligations, and
were at length excommunicated."
At the annual meeting of 1844 the officers chosen were Joseph Prescott,
moderator; Lorenzo Oak, town clerk; Daniel M. Haskell, Joseph Prescott
and Luther Rideout, selectmen; Lorenzo Oak, treasurer; and John P.
Smith, collector. The compensation of the treasurer was fixed at four
mills per dollar, and that of collector at two per cent. Rev. S. S.
Drake and Lorenzo Oak were chosen superintending school committee.
The appropriations for the year were four hundred and fifty dollars
for schools, one thousand dollars for town charges, one hundred and
fifty for the poor, two thousand and five hundred dollars for roads to
be paid in labor, and a cash appropriation for the Avenue road. Daniel
Ladd, Enoch Huntington and Russell Murdock were appointed a committee to
redistrict the town in the interest of the public schools. The treasurer
was instructed to hire five hundred dollars for use of the town at a
rate of interest not to exceed five per cent.
The balloting for State and other officers occurred September 9. For
governor, Hugh J. Anderson, Democrat, received one hundred and twenty
votes; Edward Robinson, Whig, fifty-three votes; James Appleton, Liberty
party, received fifty-seven votes.
For representative to
Congress, Hannibal Hamlin, Democrat, received one hundred and twenty-one
votes; Abraham Sanborn, Whig, received forty-nine votes; Asa Walker,
Liberty party, received fifty-six votes.
For State Senator,
Samuel W. Knight, Liberty party, received fifty-four votes.
For
representative to the Legislature, Chas. Butters, Democrat, received one
hundred and sixteen votes; John L. Hodsdon, Whig, fifty-five votes;
Albana Pease, Liberty Party, received fifty-six votes.
The
Legislature of 1844 submitted to the towns of the State the following
question: “Shall the Constitution of Maine be so amended as to make the
political year begin on the second Wednesday in May instead of the first
Wednesday in January?” Garland’s vote on this question was seventy-three
in favor, and four against.
Upon the proposed amendment to
establish town courts, the result was thirty-six in favor, and
forty-eight against. The voters of the town assembled on November 11 to
ballot for presidential electors. The Democratic candidates received one
hundred and eleven, the Whig candidates received forty-seven, and the
Liberty party candidates received thirty-five votes.
Transcribed by Fran Jones Libby, David Brann, Jennifer Godwin, and Grinnell MacLeod Wood II
Copyright © 1996- The USGenWeb® Project, MEGenWeb, Penobscot County
This page was last updated
04/28/2025